Complete Cuba Day 6
Complete Cuba
Day 06 - Tuesday, January 14, 2014 - Early Morning Birding; Depart Playa Larga & Bay of Pigs; Visit Korimacao Art Project; Treasure Lake Taino Village for Lunch; By Coach to Soroa
Boli had arranged for a 6:15 bird hike so our alarm went off at 5:55. The idea was to jump into our clothes that were ready and waiting for us, and we did just that.
When we went out at 6:10, Frank and Boli were there but the sky was pitch black and there was a heavy fog. Boli sent us back to our cabins to wait for his notice that we could go out.
Vic took his camera and waited optimistically for any predawn light and Gennie began the day's journal. The temperature was 63 degrees and the humidity was 97%.
Finally at 7:00 there was enough light to start exploring. In just a short hour, we saw over 20 species of birds. If we were walking alone we might have said there were no birds out this morning, but Frank could point them out left and right.
We returned to the Hotel Playa Larga, took a quick shower, gobbled down an egg and a piece of toast, stowed our bags on the bus with Boris, and then set out toward the western part of Cuba, traveling to Pinar del Rio Province.
Our first stop of the day was at the Korimacao Project, where we were welcomed by the director, Yander. He explained the purpose of this government program to support the arts.
Students over the age of 17 are able to attend the school for a maximum of five years to study dance, instrumental music, voice, and/or visual arts. We were allowed to watch a dance rehearsal as well as treated to a performance by the jazz band.
Vic presented the director with two of his photos from Colorado and Gennie gave them tooth brushes and art supplies. Our next stop was very nearby at the Criadero de Cocodrilos, a nature preserve in Boca de Guamá.
We saw the various stages of the crocodile growth, trees rats, Cuban tortoises, and iguanas. We crossed Treasure Lake in a small speedboat with Alberto as our driver.
We visited a replicated Taino Indian village with statues depicting the various pastimes of the indigenous people. Examples were fishing, net making, yucca planting, and children playing.
Alberto picked us up and took us across Treasure Lake to Abey Guamá for lunch. We had an appetizer of crocodile, a green cabbage soup, and a choice of chicken, pork, or fish. There was rice pudding for dessert.
After lunch we got back in Alberto's boat and he took us on a ride to see some of the native birds of the wetlands. One of the most stunning was the osprey who was fishing the rivers of fresh water.
We had a long four-hour drive to our hotel in Soroa. Passing the southern outskirts of Havana, we were amazed at the lack of traffic on the roads because many Cubans do not have personal cars.
Many people were waiting for limited and crowded buses and many more were hitchhiking. Claudia told us if a car goes by without being full, the police may stop it and allow the strangers to ride.
Transportation is a huge problem in Cuba. Owning a car is a rarity, the Classic cars are used for taxis, and gasoline is very expensive.
Our afternoon biological stop was at a truck stop. Once again Boli bought us all ice cream. We did not linger as it was already 4:00 and we had two more hours to travel.
At 6:15 we arrived at Soroa in a torrential rain storm. We checked in and with umbrellas out, the porters carried our bags to our cabin.
Soroa is in the eastern end of the Cordillera de Guaniguanico in a wooded, jungle-like environment. We had dinner at our resort and then walked back to the cabin. It was no longer raining, the air was fresh, and frogs were serenading us.
Accommodations: HOTEL VILLA HORIZONTES SOROA - - - Meal: B, L, D
International Expeditions - Complete Cuba
Comments
I would love to see more of those American Classic Cars!
Post a Comment!For some reason, none of the videos from this trip work for me. I hear the sound but no visual at all.
The Arts: The Korimacao Community Project, Playa Larga, Cuba (3:36)
Our Cabin at Hotel Playa Larga
Yander, Director of the Korimacao Pr...
Cuban Crocodile
Cuban Tree Rat
Indigenous Taino Indian Village
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