| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 28/08/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 33 |
| Copyright: Other |
The west
Cigar fantasy goes up in a puff of smoke
Derren Hayes takes a walk through the lush Sierra del Rosario mountain range and learns the truth about Cuba’s most famous export.
Most visitors to Cuba set off for Havana to soak up its revolutionary history and admire its beautiful colonial architecture before heading off to one of the beach resorts along the east coast.By comparison, the west of this Caribbean island remains largely untouched by tourism and yet it has some of the most spectacular scenery and wildlife on the island.
I’d heard driving in Cuba could be dangerous despite the lack of cars. Potholes the size of moon craters, dogs sleeping on the side of the road and hitchhikers who run out in front of your car are just some of the hazards. So it was with some trepidation that I set off for the most westerly province, Pinar del Rio. The vultures that circled overhead as I drove along the deserted Autopista National hardly eased my fears.
Around 31 miles southwest of Havana is the beautiful Hotel Moka – a Spanish-style villa complex nestled in the rainforest of Las Terrazas. El Jefe, Fidel Castro himself, has been a guest there and it provides a great base for exploring the Sierra del Rosario mountain range, home to a 156sq mile ecological reserve.
For about £20, you can spend a day hiking through the mountains with a qualified ecologist. My guide, Oriol, pointed out the many types of tropical insects, birds – such as the Cuban Trogan – and vegetation. Trees have mythical status in Cuba – the red mastic, or tourist tree, is named after the colour you quickly turn in the unforgiving Cuban sun, and St Barbaras’ tree is believed to offer protection against lightning – a handy tip as a few hours later we were caught in a tropical storm.
The next day I hired a bicycle and rode to the ruins of the 19th-century Buenavista coffee plantation which houses a three metre-wide wooden coffee grinder.
To cool off, ride the three miles to San Juan de Banos and swim in the pools of mineral-rich natural springs.
A few hours’ drive further west is Vinales, a small town at the foot of the Sierra de los Organos mountain range. Hotel La Ermita has spectacular views over the town, surrounding farmers’ fields and the Mogotos – unusual flat topped, limestone mountains.
The scenery here is spectacular and best seen on foot. However, walking through the limestone caves is an experience not for the faint hearted since bats have a tendency to fly around your head as you stumble through the darkness.
A pleasant, if unexpected, surprise was stopping at my guide Juan’s house to meet his family and smoke one of his home-rolled cigars. At 10.30am, it was a little early for that really but I reckoned it would have been just plain rude to refuse.
The experience prompted me to see how the professionals did it so the following day I drove the 16 miles to the city of Pinar del Rio, the capital of the province.
The city’s cigar factory is renowned for making the best blends in Cuba. For $5 you can take a tour of the factory where workers hand roll 155 cigars a day.
It is a fascinating experience but the romantics among the readers of this article will be terribly disappointed to hear the rumour that cigars are rolled on the thighs of beautiful women is – oh, what a terrible let-down – merely a wonderful myth.
My route through the Pinar del Rio province
Heading west out of Havana on the autopista – that is, the motorway – it’s very easy to miss signs for the province of Pinar del Rio so keep a close eye out for them.
In fact, adequate signage seems to be one of the biggest problems for the independent traveller – a fact I discovered all too quickly.
A junction soon appears on the right-hand side, which, if you fail to spot, means a lengthy detour during which time you will be cursing your ownstupidity.
Once on the motorway, it’s a straightforward 31-mile drive until you reach a turning for Las Terrazas/Hotel Moka on the right.
The hotel is situated around two miles north of the autopista but you will have to ask your way. The 125-mile drive south to Vinales takes around three hours.
If going from Moka, take the route via Soroa – it has a beautiful waterfall and mirador with spectacular views.
The province’s capital, Pinar del Rio, can be easily reached a further 17 miles south, making it an ideal day trip if you are staying in Vinales and want to venture out.
Pot luck: despite the fact there are relatively few cars in Cuba, careful driving, to avoid holes in the road, is necessary
Tips to give clients
n Brush up on your Spanish or take a phrase book if you plan to go off the beaten track as few locals speak English.
n Think ahead while driving and fill up on petrol whenever you can. Don’t count on finding petrol stations even in the larger sized towns.
n Watch out for street touts offering to sell cigars at low prices. Paying a bit more at a factory is worth it for guaranteedquality.
n Even basic essentials such as soap, pens and sweets are in short supply, so stock up before you go as you will be asked regularly to make a donation.
n Don’t be fooled by locals offering to find you a goodrestaurant – unfortunately their commission will be added to your bill.
n Buy a good map before you start travelling and avoid night driving – Cuban roads present several pitfalls so drivecautiously.