This morning we visited an independent
tobacco grower, Benito, who showed us around his small farm. They use bullocks to plough the fields as the
soil is heavy and machinery would compact it too much.
Benito was very photogenic and a real character.
A tobacco leaf drying house.
Benito showing us how to roll a cigar. I think Ian was somewhat disappointed it was a middle aged bloke and not a nubile young thing rolling the cigar on her thigh!
A few views around the farm, including a chicken (cock) fight, it made us laugh when the turkeys waded in and chased off the outsider.
I mentioned in an earlier blog just how little traffic there is on Cuba's roads and this photo illustrates that well. There were some glorious sights of horse and carts driving along a 3 lane motorway but sadly at speed through glass the images were simply not worth showing.
From Benito's farm we went to see one of the pincushion shaped hillocks that had been painted by a famous artist who decided to use it to show the evolution of life (seemed to us all, Alex included, to be totally inappropriate in such a beautiful, natural area.
And from there onto Indian's Cave with a lot of stalagmites and stalactites plus an "indigenous" Cuban with tree rat!
And that was the official programme for the day finished, but Alex our super guide recommended we went to a privately run organic farm for lunch. Apparently they originally just offered a drink/comfort stop for tours but Alex saw a potential and suggested they branch out and offer lunches. What a feast, for CUC10 (c£7) they produced a delicious meal, in fact much too much, we couldn't eat it all. And the grounds were lovely to walk around with incredible views.
I spent ages watching this little fellow.
And finally my patience was rewarded.
A few flowers.
