Last blog of the year... we left Santiago on an Autopista Nacional and arrived in Guantanamo on another Autopista...quite amazing! 4 large deserted metalled lanes, uncompleted because the Soviets pulled out in the 90's, no traffic. An absolute gift for tandem riders! Ride in between through undulating fields, we arrived at a long, dark tunnel, I wanted to push, John wanted to ride with the lights on, we argued and rode through with no lights on:the worst possible option!
We only stayed in Guantanamo one night but could have stayed on, lovely quiet unassuming town (no jiniteros and not many casas). When we found La Cubanita, a small private restaurant our landlady had recommended, the owner first put the light on by twiddling 2 live wires together to the horror of John, then asked us what we wanted to eat (pork or ham?) and then proceeded to go out
to the shops to buy the ingredients, leaving us in half darkness (we were the only customers).
Leaving Guantanamo the following morning, we had to cross some rails (the train goes through the streets), then were joined by Osmuel, a young enthusiastic cuban cyclist who joined us for a few miles just for the fun of it but he left us before we arrived at the turning to the American Base and where the Cuban Army was on exercise, firing frightening gun shots/shells. Definitely no photos there...The rest of the day was spent cycling along the sea,
breathtakingly beautiful and azure blue as ever but were greeted by a head wind. When we arrived at Imias, not knowing where to stay, we asked for the Ministry of Agriculture Cabanas but local people were arguing about the exact position. I then asked for Josue, who had been mentionned by Ignacio (the cyclist we had met on Calle 23 in Habana) and miraculously faces lit up and an old man with a cigar led us to Josue's house.Josue and his family made a big impression on us. Whilst we were conversing about cycling (Josue is dedicated to promoting cycling in his region and Cuba - he teaches in a local school - salary CUC20 - the price we pay for a room for one night, and 3 bikes have to go round 30 boys and girls) an old man started to chop wood. We realised it was to heat water for our "shower". There was no running water in the bathroom/toilet... Josue despairs at the difficulty, well impossibility of getting spares and tools let alone bikes in Cuba. We already have a long list of people to whom we will send tyres and inner tubes... 
Leaving Josue's family the next day was (again) like leaving our family.
We geared ourselves for La Farola's ride, a steep climb up a 500m mountain. It doesn't sound much but it is indeed VERY STEEP. We had to push the tandem for the first 2,5km and could hardly push it! Local youngsters were placed at all the viewing points to offer us bananas, oranges, coffee and cocoa. We bought cucuruchu, a delicious paste of coconut, honey, mango and bananas wrapped up in a palm leaf. DELICIOUS! Moreover, the road keeps going up and down so we must have climbed up near 1000m! Once we started going downhill we put the drum brake full on and even so I kept shouting at John to slow down!
We were very happy to reach Baracoa - this is where Christopher Columbus made landfall in 1492 and planted a wooden cross which is still in the town. Baracoa (=Highland) has a long history and has a different feel from what we have seen until now. It was cut off from the rest of the island by the mountains of the Cuchillas de Toa and the only way in or out of it before 1964 was by sea. The road we took, La Farola took 500 workers more than 4 years to build and consumed 300kg of concrete per square meter. It had indeed the best surface we have experienced so far!
We only stayed in Guantanamo one night but could have stayed on, lovely quiet unassuming town (no jiniteros and not many casas). When we found La Cubanita, a small private restaurant our landlady had recommended, the owner first put the light on by twiddling 2 live wires together to the horror of John, then asked us what we wanted to eat (pork or ham?) and then proceeded to go out
to the shops to buy the ingredients, leaving us in half darkness (we were the only customers).Leaving Guantanamo the following morning, we had to cross some rails (the train goes through the streets), then were joined by Osmuel, a young enthusiastic cuban cyclist who joined us for a few miles just for the fun of it but he left us before we arrived at the turning to the American Base and where the Cuban Army was on exercise, firing frightening gun shots/shells. Definitely no photos there...The rest of the day was spent cycling along the sea,
breathtakingly beautiful and azure blue as ever but were greeted by a head wind. When we arrived at Imias, not knowing where to stay, we asked for the Ministry of Agriculture Cabanas but local people were arguing about the exact position. I then asked for Josue, who had been mentionned by Ignacio (the cyclist we had met on Calle 23 in Habana) and miraculously faces lit up and an old man with a cigar led us to Josue's house.Josue and his family made a big impression on us. Whilst we were conversing about cycling (Josue is dedicated to promoting cycling in his region and Cuba - he teaches in a local school - salary CUC20 - the price we pay for a room for one night, and 3 bikes have to go round 30 boys and girls) an old man started to chop wood. We realised it was to heat water for our "shower". There was no running water in the bathroom/toilet... Josue despairs at the difficulty, well impossibility of getting spares and tools let alone bikes in Cuba. We already have a long list of people to whom we will send tyres and inner tubes... 
Leaving Josue's family the next day was (again) like leaving our family.
We geared ourselves for La Farola's ride, a steep climb up a 500m mountain. It doesn't sound much but it is indeed VERY STEEP. We had to push the tandem for the first 2,5km and could hardly push it! Local youngsters were placed at all the viewing points to offer us bananas, oranges, coffee and cocoa. We bought cucuruchu, a delicious paste of coconut, honey, mango and bananas wrapped up in a palm leaf. DELICIOUS! Moreover, the road keeps going up and down so we must have climbed up near 1000m! Once we started going downhill we put the drum brake full on and even so I kept shouting at John to slow down!
We were very happy to reach Baracoa - this is where Christopher Columbus made landfall in 1492 and planted a wooden cross which is still in the town. Baracoa (=Highland) has a long history and has a different feel from what we have seen until now. It was cut off from the rest of the island by the mountains of the Cuchillas de Toa and the only way in or out of it before 1964 was by sea. The road we took, La Farola took 500 workers more than 4 years to build and consumed 300kg of concrete per square meter. It had indeed the best surface we have experienced so far!
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