BUT FIRST, A TRIP TO THE CUBAN COUNTRYSIDE.
♪ ERIKA: RICH IN SO MANY WAYS.
IN HISTORY, ARTS, AND CULTURE, WANTING IN SO MANY OTHERS.
HAVANA IS HOME TO STRIKING DUALITIES.
THE GROUND RISES ABOVE THE MOST MODEST, PEOPLE EXUDING PRIDE
DESPITE HUMBLE MEANS.
AS A WHOLE CUBA OFFERS ANOTHER KIND OF CONTRAST, THE PULSATING
RHYTHM OF ITS CAPITAL AND THE QUIET OF ITS COUNTRYSIDE.
SOMEONE HUNDRED MILES WEST OF HAVANA IS WHERE CUBA’S FAMOUS
TOBACCO FIELDS FLOURISH BENEATH MASSIVE LIMESTONE SENTINELS.
THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE VALLEY PUT THE REGION ON THE RADAR AS
YOU ENTER AND TOUR BUSES PAUSE AT THE OVERLOOK WITH THE BANDS
PLAY.
STREET PERFORMERS ENTERTAIN.
THE TOWN ITSELF OFFERS A HANDFUL OF SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS.
ALL GUIDEBOOKS MENTOR A STOP AT THE NEARBY PAINTING ON A ROCKY
THE EVOLUTION OF LIFE, AND WE FOUND A PLACE WORTH STAYING.
MOGOTE ART.
>> I HAD LIVED IN SPAIN FOR 20 YEARS AND I CAME BACK TO CUBA.
ERIKA: THIS IS THE HOME OF A SCREENWRITER AND AUTHOR BORN IN
THIS PART OF CUBA, MOVED AWAY, BUT WAS COMPELLED TO RETURN.
>> THIS PROVINCE, IT’S NEVER LEFT ME.
>> WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT IT?
>> THE GREEN.
THE TONES OF GREEN.
ERIKA: THERE ARE SEVERAL ROOMS AVAILABLE FOR RENT IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE RUGGED LANDSCAPE, WITH MORE REFINED COMFORTS THAN MOST,
ARTFUL I AND EVERY SPACE -- THE ARTFUL EYE IN EVERY SPACE.
>> IT’S MY HOUSE, MY TIME, MY EVERYDAY LIFE.
WHAT I SHARE WITH THE PEOPLE COME HERE.
TIME SLOWS AS WE STRODE THROUGH THE LUSH GARDENS.
-- ERIKA: TIME SEEMS TO SLOW AS WE STROVE -- STROLL THROUGH THE
LUSH GARDENS.
SPANISH AND GRESH, NOT SO DIFFERENT HERE.
>> CILANTRO, MINT, HERBS.
ERIKA: THIS IS PINEAPPLE?
>> PINEAPPLE.
ERIKA: THERE’S A SCARCITY OF GROWERS LIKE THIS IN CUBA.
NOT MANY PLACES HAVE AVOCADO.
HE DOES.
YOU HAVE THE FEW -- THE FRUIT HERE?
WOW, IT’S HUGE.
GUESTS ARE TREATED TO FRESH JUICES, STRONG COFFEE, AND
FEASTS OF FARM TO TABLE FARE.
NOT TO MENTION ONE SMOOTH MOJITO, THE MINT OF COURSE
PICKED FRESH AND MUDDLED TO PERFECTION.
IT’S DELICIOUS AND STRONG.
>> TOO MUCH WRONG?
-- RRUM?
-- RUM?
[LAUGHTER] ERIKA: HE ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO
WANDER OUT.
ONE FARMER OFFERS TO GUIDE US TO A FAMILY TOBACCO PLANTATION.
WE RIDE ALONG THROUGH 15 MINUTES IN THE FIELDS OF CROPS.
WE HAVE ALREADY PASSED BLACK BEANS, SUGARCANE, COFFEE, AND WE
ARE ON OUR WAY TO SEEING CIGARS ROLLED.
FOR FOUR GENERATIONS, ONE FAMILY HAS BEEN TENDING TO THESE ROADS.
HE EXPLAINS THAT TOBACCO IS GROWN FROM THE TINEST OF
SEASONS -- SEEDS.
THEN THE PLANTS ARE TRANSFERRED TO THE FIELDS.
LARGE, FULL LEAVES ARE THE HARVEST AFTERWARDS AND ONCE
READY, THEY ARE TAKEN TO A DRY HOUSE.
THEY ARE DRIED FOR THREE MONTHS AND AGED FOR A YEAR IN THAT
CONTAINER WITH BROWN SUGAR, RUM, AND THE MAIN OF THE LEAF.
70% IS IN THE STEM IN THE MIDDLE.
CIGARS ARE CRAFTED FROM THREE PARTS ROLLED TOGETHER AND SEALED
WITH A STRIP OF SWEET HONEY.
JORGE SAYS 90% OF HIS TOBACCO CROPS GO TO THE GOVERNMENT.
STILL, HE’S CONTENT.
>> I’M VERY HAPPY.
IT’S VERY QUIET HERE.
ERIKA: THE CLIMATE HERE, THE FERTILE SOIL, A FARMERS DREAM
AND A TRUE PLACE OF WONDER.
>> IT’S A PLACE WHERE THE NATURAL BEAUTY IS MIXED WITH THE
WORK OF THE PEOPLE.
IT’S A PLACE WHERE HUMAN BEINGS CAN THINK OF HOW LUCKY WE ARE.
ANTHONY: ERIKA SAID SHE LOVED EXPLORING THE COUNTRYSIDE AND
THAT MUG OTAY IS EASY TO FIND ONLINE AND THE ROOMS ARE LISTED
ON THE AIRBNB BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE ISLAND IS SO LARGE, THE
LARGEST IN THE CARIBBEAN, THE BEACHES CONSIDERED TO BE THE
MOST BEAUTIFUL WERE TOO FAR AWAY AND AMERICANS HAD TO TRAVEL
THERE FOR APPROVED ACTIVITIES, NOT TOURISM, MEANING AMERICAN
VISITORS CAN’T JUST LOUNGE ON THE BEACH.
AS FOR THE CIGARS, CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION SAYS YOU CAN
BRING THEM BACK FROM CUBA, JUST NO MORE THAN 50.