Greetings from Viñales!
Although we were sad to leave Havana this morning, we were excited to travel to the Viñales Valley--where the beauty of the town and scenery is astounding.
Staying in Havana since Friday afternoon was an amazing opportunity and one of the most incredible experiences of our lives. Reflecting on our stay in Cuba, one of the highlights of our time in Havana included the free Rolling Stones concert in Ciudad Deportiva on our first night in town. While not everyone was able to go because the chaperone numbers weren't quite high enough (with some adults and kids staying at the hotel on our first night), the whole group was there in spirit, and we really appreciate everyone's positive attitude. For those of us who did get to go: Being able to go to a FREE Rolling Stones concert IN CUBA was an amazing life experience in itself, but we also found that the concert was a great place to meet the Cuban people and to interact with them. What a wonderful introduction to the culture and community--an experience that we will forever remember!
Another highlight was our trip to the Callejon de Hamel. The way that the dancers and percussionists in the Santeria ceremony interacted with us allowed us to better understand the culture and to feel that we were allowed to be a part of it. The dance lessons that we took were both hilarious and filled with enjoyment, especially our Monday visit to Casa del Son. Some of our Havana nights were spent walking around Havana near our hotel and going to the close by beach, where we met locals and engaged in conversations with them in Español. All in all, our journey in Havana was unforgettable and we are already coming up with plans and times to return to Cuba's capital.
This morning, we departed from the Habana Libre hotel after breakfast to embark on the next leg of our Cuban odyssey, unsure of what to expect. In the bus, we were surrounded on both sides by lush, breathtakingly natural scenery that we are never able to experience in the United States. Our first stop was at the eco-community of Las Terrazas in Sierra del Rosario, where we were treated to delicious juice and a landscape so beautiful that it cannot be described in words. We also picked up our tour guide for the day, Janice, in this tropical oasis. We visited a nearby school and were able to look in on classes filled with adorable kids that were as eager to see us as we were to see them. Although their lives are so different from ours, there was something touching about the idea that their schooling, which is such a big part of the lives of all kids, was so similar to our own.
Next, we had lunch at the beautiful Casa del Campesino, where we were treated to the trademark Cuban rice and black beans, along with other organic products from the area. We continued on to our tour guide's town, where she promised us some delicious "romance" coffee, which she claimed helped her in meeting her husband. While it was tasty, we didn't experience any effects of that sort after drinking it ;). Finally, after a long day of travel, we arrived in the Viñales Valley and were thrilled to meet our host families here. After a couple hours to explore the town, our hosts served us home cooked Cuban meals as we chatted and practiced our Spanish. Following dinner, our exhaustion hit us and we decided to retire into our rooms for the night in preparation for the excitement of tomorrow.
¡Adios para ahora!
Emilie y Isabel
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