Friday, August 10, 2018

Latin America 2018 - Day 46. La Habana to Viňales


Time to test my inner-circle trip arrangements. Taxi arrived in time at 10:30 am, as promised, and Nuria reminded me that the cost would be 20 CUC’s. A comparatively new Pegeaut (the legend about Cuba having only old American cars is false; there are plenty of Japanese, European, and Russian cars as well), with air conditioning, and traveling shotgun. Not bad at all. After crossing the city we took to a highway in quite a good state, and settled for the 180 km trip to Viňales, which is west of La Habana. I was a bit puzzled that I was the only passenger, because I understood this was a colectivo, but after 50 km he took a short detour to a small town and picked up a young German couple that was also going to Viňales. The road crossed through beautiful green country, which promises surprises very different from those of La Habana.

Once in Viňales the taxi drove me to the house of Ana Belkins and Dayron (Calle 3a. Pasaje 19, No. 2-A; entre 2da y Sergio Dopico; Tel. +53 5 834 2958 (Cell and WhataApp); email dayana.belkis71@gmail.com), who would be my hosts for the following three days. Nice friendly couple, and the room in the back was deliciously modern and comfortable. Ana welcomed me with a planning session, so I have determined that tomorrow I will go to the seashore to go snorkeling, and the day after I will go for an ecologic hike. As for today, I am free to do whatever I want.

The Valley of Viňales is carved along a contact between red beds on the northeast flank and massive limestones on the southwest flank. The land has been uplifted, and the limestones have developed a karstic topography not unlike the one in the Pearl River in China or Halung Bay in Vietnam (OK, maybe not as impressive, but pretty cool nonetheless). At first I thought they were reef limestones, and decided to spend the afternoon hiking to go check them out. They ended being massive micrites, with abundant styolites, so I am guessing the massive aspect is a consequence of recrystallization under orogenic pressure rather than an original sedimentologic structure.

The heat eventually drove me back home, where I had a good time reading in the breeze porch (the house is high over the town, so it enjoys good wind), until it was time for dinner, when I was served an enormous meal with salad, French fries, sweet potato fries, fish, moros y cristianos, and fruit. For once I had to accept defeat, and have requested , that the leftover salad and fruit be served as breakfast. I am certainly not suffering from hunger! 

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