Vinales is a farming community located about 3 hours west of Havana. The primary crop is tobacco and farming methods tend to be fairly primitive, with animals still providing much of the cultivation and transportation of the people. We visited families in their homes and several tobacco processing facilities and enjoyed the excellent cuisine of the area. The people are, like most of Cuba, restricted in access to goods and have a simple life. But they were very welcoming to we Americans and demonstrated goodwill in our interactions with them. The last two days of the visit were in suburban Havana. We met a talented ballerina at several locations, and she demonstrated her grace and skill in posing for our photos.
