Cuba Baracoa Loop

 BARACOA LOOP DECEMBER 9-17, 2023

On Saturday December 9, Peter Charczenko, Gabriel, Coch, Damian Doyle, and I began our week long adventure in eastern Cuba. With my recovery from broken arm surgery, I was not able to ride by bicycle, but I was able to learn more about this amazing, but isolated country, meet many interesting people along the way and take lots of pictures.  This is my blog.

Day 1.Miami to Guardalavaca (Aguada La Piedra)

After arriving in Miami, Damian, Peter, and I checked into the Holiday Inn MIA Airport and then hopped on an Uber to Little Havana where we started into the Cuban food immediately at Versailles. The next morning, we met Gabe at the airport, paid for our Cuba visa ($100 each) and got on the flight to Holguin. We met up with the Cuba Bicycle Tours group led by Herschel Goldberg, on the same flight.

 

Upon arrival, we made it through Cuban immigration pretty easily, indicating the purpose of our visit was education.  The last time I went through, I told them "supporting the Cuban people" as advised by Herschel, but that led to a number of questions because I said I was bringing some things.  Even though we were bringing many more things this time (eyeglasses, over the counter pain medicine, crayons, pencils, toothbrushes, toothpaste, tampons, and bricks of coffee), we weren't hassled.

 

 

We did have a bit of a wait outside the airport due to one of the tour group who was in possession of a vape pen. It gave us a chance to see some amazing classic vehicles, to greet Herschel's lady friend Yoania and their local riding guide, Joel. Our driver, Roberto, arrived soon thereafter in the red 1954 Chevy that would be our transportation for the tour around Holguin, Guantanamo, and Santiago provinces.

 

 

We left the airport and drove into Aguada La Piedra, and "Finca Oscar" which we also refer to as "Casa Noel."  Noel lives on a beautiful property and has two very nice apartments we were able to stay in on this visit. On the trip I took with Leslie, and the Roths in January 2023, we stayed at the home of his friend Marbee, down the hill.

Day 2. Guardalavaca to Mayari

After a nice breakfast, a little bit of rain, and a tour of Noel Oscar's farm, the group took off at about 11:20 AM.  Russ stayed behind and discussed business with Noel. 

 

We hit a stretch of rough road early on, a sign of what was to come on Day 4 approaching Baracoa, but the roads were pretty good for the most part.

We stopped in Banes for lunch at a restaurant called El Latino.  

  

Damian and Peter rode the whole 58 miles, Gabe joined Russ in the car after lunch.  

When we got to Mayari, there was some confusion about rooms.  We had two bedrooms and three beds at the "Green Diamond."  The third room was supposed to be across the way at "Chan Chan," but the previous guest had stayed on and so we needed to squeeze two people in the room with one bed.  Fortunately, Damian prefers to sleep on an air mattress on the floor, anyway, so it all worked out.

That evening, we went to a very good restaurant called “Amore Susana.” They had probably the best fried plantains I've found anywhere. 

Day 3. Mayari to Moa 

We went back to Amore Susana for a great breakfast.  The restaurant owner treated us well. We met Jose Dagmar who spoke very good English. He works in IT for the city of Mayari. 

 

Midway through the morning, we stopped in Levisa, at a busy crossroads with several vendors set up.

 

We ate lunch in Sagua de Tanamo, where our hostess, who described herself as "mulatta" served up some amazing fish for us.

 

We still had some ways to go and got in pretty late to Moa where we settled into Casa Maty. Russ walked the last 3 miles into town, which felt good after sitting in the car for two solid days while the others cycled. Damian and Russ attempted a swim in the nearby ocean, but it didn't work out. We were served another fine Cuban dinner that night.

 

Day 4. Moa to Baracoa

I got up extra early to watch the sunrise and check out the area near our hotel. Below is the "El Monumento Pedro Soto Alba"

 

After breakfast at Casa Maty, we set off for Baracoa. Maty suggested we stop at Playa Maguana, which was only about 50 km (30 miles) away. 

 

The route out of town got industrial very fast as we approached and passed by the nickel mines.  Some of the damage caused by mining was very evident from the side of the road.

The scenery got much better once we entered Alexander Humboldt National Park.

 

The road got very rough and went on and on, but we eventually made it to Playa Maguana, which was well worth the wait  We drank beer, went swimming, and then enjoyed a late beachside lunch of fish and lobster.  

 

Damian cycled the remainder of the route into Baracoa, getting in just after dark.

We settled in for two nights at the "Joco y Mima" hostal, which was pretty nice.

Day 5. Rest Day In Baracoa 

We got to spend one full day checking out Baracoa. After breakfast, we walked down to the Malecón where the seas were quite rough. 

 

  

We stopped for some café Cubano, which cost a whopping 10 pesos (2.5 cents US). I picked up four cigars there for just 100 pesos each (less than $.50).

 

We then toured the Museo Municipal del Fuerte Matachín.

 

Herchel's friend Rolbi came out to meet us and walked back to our hostal, where I presented him with a pair of cycling shoes that Herschel had brought to him from Colorado.

After that, Rolbi helped me load my Cuban debit card.  We tried the bank first, but then were directed to another place.  After a a long wait and many attempts to reuse the card I had, they eventually just sold me a new one.  We got back to lunch late and then took a break until the evening.  The power went out, so we walked the town as it got dark.  The power didn't return for another two hours. Power outages are very common due to the lack of sufficient fuel.

 

We finished the day with another fine meal at Joco y Mima.

Day 6. Baracoa to Tortuguilla

After another fine breakfast, we thanked Joco and Mima for the great hospitality. 

We then proceeded on our way to the south over "La Farola," a major engineering feat started before and completed after the Revolution of 1959.  It is widely considered to be one of the most scenic highways in Cuba.

 

 

 

The southern coastline was beautiful, as well, as we mad our way through San Antonio. 

 

 

We stopped for lunch at a restaurant in Imias, hosted by these lovely ladies.

 

 

It was a long day, particularly for Damian to rode the whole distance, but we were rewarded by a beautiful late afternoon and evening in Tortuguilla at "La Casa Reina."

 

 

Day 7. Tortuguilla to Santiago

 

Our original plan was to get to the  ICAP Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos (ICAP) office in Guantanamo by 10AM, and then drive up to Yateras, possibly visiting the Stone Zoo.  However, due to the limited amount of fuel we had left and no permit to fill up again before Santiago, we had to forgo that plan.

Gabe and Damian cycled from Tortuguilla to Guantanamo, where we went to the ICAP office, which is the provincial headquarters for the organization that administers the relationship with Sister Cities. We met with Adriana Silovente, Silvio Cuevas Tamallo, and "La Jefa" Ana Teresa Napoles Disotuar, and discussed reforming the bond between Boulder, Colorado and Yateras, which had been first created in 2009, but had been interrupted since 2018 due to COVID-19.

 

In these two videos, Adriana Silvente, who represents Yateras in their sister cities relationships, accepts our donations.  

 

The letter reads (in Spanish):

Procedente de amigos de Boulder, Colorado, Estados Unidos, recibimos una donación destinada al municipio de Yateras consistente en medicamentos analgésicos, vitaminas, cetillos dentales, café, espejulos, crayolas, crayones de labios.

English translation:

 

Presented by friends from Boulder, Colorado, United states, a donation for the municipality of Yateras consisting of analgesic medicine, vitamins, toothbrushes, coffee, reading glasses, crayons, and lipstick. 

Below is the letter signed by donor and recipient.

Following our official business at ICAP, we went over to Unión Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (UNEAC) to meet with their president, Jorge Nuñez. Jorge has been involved with the Sister City relationship to Boulder, and even travelled there a few years ago.  We discussed ideas for future connections between Boulder and Yateras, with the hope of arranging more face to face contacts in the near future. The challenge they face is that they can only obtain a visa to the US in Havana, Mexico City, and Guyana.  Mexico City seems to be the better place to do this, but it requires travel there and some waiting. As we were leaving, we got to meet Guillermo, a good friend of Adrian's who works at UNEAC.

 

After our two meetings, Jorge and Adriana joined us for a fine lunch in Guantánamo at "en Saiz" where our elf-dressed server Carlos and others took great care of us.

 

Afterward, we dropped Adriana back at ICAP, said our goodbyes, and then got back into the Chevy to drive to Santiago. 

 

  

We left Guantánamo late in the afternoon and made the drive out of Guantánamo province into Santiago province and into the city. The views of the countryside along the way as we passed through the town of La Maya were beautiful in the late afternoon sun.

  

 

 

  

We arrived around the same time as Damian, who arrived there just before dark.  When we got into town Roberto had difficulties finding our place in the center of Santiago. which is not surprising based on the way the streets are laid out and the fact that they all have two names, one before the Revolution, and one after. Finally, we located our hostal, which is officially named, but Noel refers to as "Casa Laura."  Laura is the daughter of Ramon, a retired doctor who is incredibly friendly and knowledgable. 

 

 

Day 8. Santiago

We started the day with a breakfast at Casa Laura. Damian visited with one of their tortugas. 

We walked around the city and did a little bit of shopping.  Later in the afternoon, Damian, Peter, and I toured the Museo de La Lucha Clandestina, which described the significant pre-revolutionary activities of key figures in the fight against the dictator Battista in the late 1950's.

 

The museum is situated at the top of a hill with great views down to the Malecón and up to the cathedral in Parque Céspedes.

 

After the museum, Damian and I walked down to the Malecón to check out the lively scene and stopped by the Puerto del Rey Cervecería.

 

 

At the end of the night, we joined the Cuba Bicycle Tours group for a grand final dinner of fresh pargo, caught by Ramon's son the previous day. Afterward, Gabe and I had a chance to catch up with Ramon and hear more about his fascinating life. 

Day 9. Santiago to Miami

The day had finally come to leave Cuba for the four travelers and say our goodbyes to Roberto, who took amazing care of us on the roads for more than a week. Herschel's friend Hector was there as we said our goodbyes.

  

Herschel's tour group left on the same flight as us back to Miami.

 

As Gabe put it often, it was an "trip of a lifetime", with more in the planning stages.