Horse riding in Viñales, Cuba

A hearty lunch

We stop at Balcon del Valle for lunch. The view over the green, quadrangular mountains rising from the landscape is stunning. The flat landscape is punctuated by green forests and farmland. We’re welcomed by a member of staff with a smile from ear to ear. We’re treated to a cocktail made with papaya, watermelon, mango, pineapple and guava. The cocktail is generously topped up with rum. We eat fried platano macho, a type of savoury, starchy banana that is considered a vegetable rather than a fruit. The skin of this banana is hard and green. The chips are deliciously crispy, which really gets the taste buds going. For a starter, we’re served a light soup. Next comes the main course, for which I opt for ropa vieja, a dish of shredded beef with peppers. We’re served a small salad on the side with white cabbage, cucumber and tomato. Alongside this, three different types of rice are served. Everything is freshly prepared and not overly spicy. Meanwhile, I’m enjoying the view.

Once we’ve finished our meal, we ride further into Viñales. You can see casas particulares and restaurants everywhere. We ride a little further away from the town towards our hotel. On the way, we pass the Mural de la Prehistoria. On one of the mountain slopes, Fidel Castro had a brightly coloured mural depicting prehistoric times painted. Our hotel is just a little further on. We’re warmly welcomed by our host and have a quick cup of coffee whilst enjoying the view of the valley and the mountains in the background. In front of us lies the hotel’s own vegetable garden. The hotel garden is lush and features various shades of green. The interior design of the house is rustic and creative. Stone, wood and bamboo are used extensively.

Visiting a tobacco plantation

After a cup of coffee, it’s time to get changed for a horse ride through the countryside. The friendly farmer is already waiting with three horses and, with a bit of help, we climb onto them. We ride past the farms with their various crops, from mangoes to pineapples, platanos (bananas) and cassava. We reach a tobacco plantation where there are currently no tobacco plants. However, the tobacco leaves are lying out to dry in a thatched shed which serves as a drying shed. The local tobacco farmer comes to explain the process to us, how a cigar is made and, of course, how it can be smoked. We then ride into the mountains, putting the horses’ legs and their stamina to the test. Once at the top, we’ll enjoy a magnificent view; time for photos, to gaze into the distance and savour the peace and quiet. We won’t come across anyone along the way, apart from the people and animals who live here.

On the way back, we stop briefly at a house that doubles as a little bar. Here we sample the local liqueur, guayabita. We ride back to our hotel. A quick lie in the hammock to reflect on what we’ve seen. Then it’s time for a lovely shower to wash off the sun cream. We sit down for dinner: ropa vieja, rice and beans, salad and pumpkin. For dessert, cheese with guava. Country life really is so lovely – simple, full of flavour, fresh and peaceful.