A Horse Named Lucerno

Yuki's husband Jose took us on a 5 hour horseback ride through the tobacco fields to the mouth of a cave.  The landscape was specular, and I was constantly aware of how lucky I am to experience such wild adventures and freedom.  At one tobacco house, Miquel, showed us the art of rolling cigars while we gulped fresh coconut water to hydrate from the heat and sampled rum, well because. He put honey on the end of the cigar, and lit it for us.  When in Vinales . . . In honor of my father, I puffed, and was pleasantly surprised at the smoothness of the tobacco.  Four coconuts later, we continued to a cave where another guide took us down a dark, slippery path to a pool of frigid water.  Dark enclosed spaces and cold water are two of my least favorite things, but I plunged my head under and remained calm.  Ironically, a couple on their way out greeted us, American accents, from Los Angeles, Silverlake, no less.  A cave in Cuba is an unlikely place to meet neighbors, but those are the type of coincidences that can happen when you're miles away from home.