Shepherding bikes to Cuba - my project is rolling!

In my hometown of Huntsville, Ontario, biking is a popular activity for about half the year – spring, summer and fall. The rest of the time, it's a bit of a challenge. Only the heartiest sorts keep their self-propelled machines on the road during the winter here, which typically extends from late October or early November into March or April. It's hard to find the proper snow tires for bicycles.

I know of only one guy, in fact, who is a regular winter biker and, by most yardsticks, he's irregular. At this point in his unconventional life, a car is simply not an option. He began biking year-round out off necessity but, before long, it became more of a personal badge of honor. Now, I think it's closer to a habit, if not an obsession. But, this friend is exceptional. He's hard-core. He bikes in any weather, as long as the snow isn't ridiculously deep or the roads aren't impossibly icy.

In Cuba, my second home (as regular visitors to Club Amigo Marea del Portillo are encouraged to consider it), biking year-round is comparatively easy. Okay, there can be some pretty nasty spells of rain and mud but that comprises a much smaller portion of the year than snow-ridden winter does here. There, biking is the most common, reliable mode of transportation. It may not be essential to survival but having a bicycle at one's disposal makes life much easier; I would classify it closer to necessity than luxury. For that reason, I've been taking bikes with me to Cuba whenever possible.

During my earliest visits to this modest resort in the Granma region, on Cuba's more sparsely populated southern shore, I observed other tourists transporting bikes. I learned that it was frequently done, usually without a hitch, and I saw how important bikes were for the local people. So, I decided to take one too. My plan was to use the bike while I was there and, then, leave it with a friend.

That inaugural trip-with-bike holiday proved to be more of an adventure than I'd anticipated due to my box o' bike being absconded with upon arrival at the Manzanillo de Cuba airport. (I now use the buddy system; when I have to disappear into the bathroom, I have a friend watch for my bike to appear, lest it vanish while I'm preoccupied.) Here's a link to my previous post about that first bike's little side-trip. All's well that ends well. That bike is now living with some friends in Pilon, a small town just down the road from Marea del Portillo. I visit them often and, if I need to use a bike, I know one will always be available to me at this home.

Bikes are usually available for use by guests at the resort but the supply is limited. So, when I organize groups of people to travel there with me, as I now do each April and October, we try to take a supply of bikes with us. This provides more bicycles for my friends and I to use during our holiday and, when we go home to Canada, these bikes go to homes in Cuba. I consider this my bike project.

Through Sunwing, which operates the Club Amigo Marea del Portillo and Farallon del Caribe resort, a bike can be shipped to Cuba for $30, as part of a passenger's checked luggage. However, the rule is one bike per person and that person must be physically capable of lugging an unwieldy 20-kg bike box around the airport. Thus, being "bike shepherds," as I call them, is not for everyone. Some people support this project by being "bike sponsors" – contributing $30 to cover the shipping cost – and others help by donating bikes. Many of these "bike donors" are not interested in going to Cuba; they just want their old bikes to go to a good cause instead of the dump.

Including that first trial-run bike, my friends and I have now taken a dozen bikes to Cuba. All of them have been freely given to me, so I am happy to freely pass them on to people who need them. It's wonderful to see the genuine smiles of appreciation when someone receives a bicycle. I know this simple endeavor is making a difference for these families.

If you want to be part of my bike project, you can sponsor a bike by using the "Donate" button at the right side of this blog. It is linked to a PayPal account. Sponsorship is $30 CDN but I would ask you, please, to kick in a few extra dollars to cover the PayPal service fees. Since I am not part of a registered charity, I can't offer tax receipts, but I can provide photos of some recent bike recipients.

Wilfredo was pleased with a sturdy CCM mtn. bike.

Farmer Juan-Luis holds his mtn. bike and a solar light.

Pirolo and his family will all benefit from having a reliable cruiser bike.

Chacho is comfortable enough with his masculinity to ride a pink bike.

 

Kocha has been told more than once that he looks like Eddie Murphy.

My Hotel Libertad experience in Santiago de Cuba

The following is a hotel review I just wrote and submitted to TripAdvisor.com, about my excursion to Santiago de Cuba with Martine, Maykel and Braulio. I hope to be able to visit this interesting, historic city again sometime soon, and explore it further.

As a special way to celebrate my friend’s 50th birthday, she joined me in Cuba for a week. We used Club Amigo Marea del Portillo as our base because we had both been to this wonderful little resort in rural Granma several times and absolutely adore it. From there, we drove to Santiago de Cuba with two Cuban amigos as our guides. It was a lot of fun but also proved to be a minor adventure.

We had been warned that the incredibly scenic coastal road between Marea del Portillo and Santiago de Cuba was also incredibly treacherous. Yes, I must admit, it was not without its perils. This road is not for the faint-hearted driver, or anyone without a significant degree of experience and confidence behind the wheel. I would highly encourage the use of a four-wheel drive vehicle, on a sunny day. Don’t try it after a rainstorm; the puddles can consume small cars!

I had booked space in advance at a hostel, using an online service, so we would be assured of accommodation upon arrival. It was clean and the rooms were cheap but there were other concerns, so we opted to relocate to Islazul Hotel Libertad for our second night in the city. It was a good move. I had read several reviews about this hotel and it seemed to have a generally decent reputation. I would not hesitate to recommend Hotel Libertad, although I cannot wholeheartedly raise two thumbs for the attached restaurant.

Breakfast was included in the price of the rooms, which seemed fine. However, the food choices were sorely limited by a lack of eggs, and the server was somewhat surly. When it became apparent that a second cup of coffee was too much to ask, we found a more pleasant place down the street. They were happy to serve us, even though it meant hastily dispatching someone to fetch coffee cups from another location!

But, back to Libertad...the hotel was clean and comfortable, both our rooms and the common areas, and all the non-wait staff were perfectly genial. After reading other reviews that touted room #214 as “best,” we had to ask for it. Alas, it was unavailable. We were given two rooms that faced the street and allowed us to look out over Plaza de Marte – great for people watching! I had been a little apprehensive about the possibility of having our sleep disrupted by traffic noise but there was really no problem. It’s a city; there will be noise. But, traffic sounds were offset by the gentle hum of the air conditioner. In my experience, it was not any noisier than some places I’ve stayed in North America, and I paid far less for the room in Cuba!

During our vehicular exploration of Santiago, I learned a few things about Cuba and Cuban men. Unlike the North American variety of the latter, cubanos are not averse to asking directions...every five minutes or so, in certain situations – such as when there are few road signs and the map you are trying to use does not seem to accurately reflect the actual streets. At any rate, we did eventually achieve our primary objective, touring El Castillo del Morro. And, along the circuitous way to the castle, we stopped at a random restaurant and had a very nice lunch.

While staying at Libertad, we were able to park our muddy little rental car in front of the hotel. It was perfectly safe and, in short order, also became perfectly clean, thanks to the zealous efforts of a nice young man with a bucket and a rag. From the hotel, we did a little exploration of the area by foot and, in the evening, strolled across the park to take in some live music. Since it was the slow season for tourism (October), the bar on the rooftop terrace of Libertad was not operating. Although there was no music, the view from the roof was spectacular, especially as the city was awakening and the morning mists were lifting from the nearby mountains.

All in all, we had quite a lovely time and it was truly a special birthday celebration. I would be happy to stay at Hotel Libertad again, when/if I visit Santiago de Cuba in the future – there are certainly many other historic sites in this grand old city I would like to see. Our drive “home” to Marea del Portillo was pleasantly uneventful, since we opted to return via the inland route, and there was minimal need to ask directions.

Marea – the little resort with the five-star heart!

My friends and I LOVE Marea del Portillo! I just returned from my sixth visit to Club Amigo Marea del Portillo. For this trip, I organized a group of almost 40 women to travel with me to my “happy place.” This may be only a three-star resort but it has a five-star heart, thanks to the top-notch staff.

I visited Marea del Portillo for the first time in April 2009, with one gal-pal, and we both had a very good time. Because of my enjoyable experience, which I couldn’t stop talking about, three other girlfriends decided to join me for a trip in late October 2009. (My arm was easily twisted to go again!) My personal assessment, combined with the photos I took on my first trip, helped my friends to feel comfortable about going to this small Club Amigo resort. Two of the friends on this trip have significant physical challenges, so knowing they would feel safe and that the beach was easily accessible was important. They had a wonderful time, as we all did!

We particularly appreciated the gracious, courteous staff who were ready to assist at any time, even late at night when one friend was locked out of her room. They quite literally leaped to our aid – one brave fellow leaped from my upper cabana balcony to my friend's, when we noticed that her balcony door was ajar. This gave her access to her cabana room without waiting for someone to arrive with a key. It was very gallant of him but not recommended to anyone except Spiderman! Even the maid, who was also trying to assist, shook her head at him for attempting such a risky feat – thankfully, he didn't slip. If you look at any photos of the cabanas, you'll see that they are staggered and there is quite a daunting distance from one railing top to the next.

You will note that I've rated the resort "Excellent" in all categories. That doesn't mean everything was absolutely perfect – what place ever is? – but it was perfectly wonderful. My review was bumped up to "Excellent" by the people, both the resort staff and the local villagers we encountered during our stay. I have never felt so warmly welcomed in any place I've visited, internationally or here at home in Canada. I live in Muskoka, so I've seen tourism from both sides of the cloud, and I can tell you it's not easy to maintain the genuine warmth and helpfulness that the people of Marea del Portillo consistently demonstrated.

Elena, the unflaggingly patient Sunwing on-site representative, works hard to keep guests smiling. She repeatedly encourages visitors to tell her if there is any problem, no matter how small, and she will do whatever she can to resolve it. She means it. During the October ’09 trip, some people felt the buffet was looking a bit tired, even in the first part of the week. Several long-time repeat customers said the food service seemed to have taken a nose-dive, and they told Elena. She spoke to the management and the kitchen staff promptly pulled up their socks. There was a marked improvement in the buffet offerings for the remainder of the week.

Since that time, I’ve felt the buffet has always been more than adequate. They have begun offering mutton, for instance, which is something the people of the area typically eat, as well as fish and pork. When I travel, I like to dine on local cuisine as much as possible, so I was happy to see sheep added to the menu. Also, within the past two years, the resort has added two outdoor grills (on the dining room patio and adjacent to the Marea pool), where you can have food made to order – yummy!

The "let's keep improving" attitude at Club Amigo Marea del Portillo is part of what makes it a truly excellent place to stay. Combine that with the natural scenic beauty of the landscape, the relaxed, laid-back atmosphere of the resort and the interesting, quirky "wildlife" encounters (random goats, sheep, pigs and horses sometimes stroll about the grounds) and this place is a hands-down winner for travelers like me, who do not want cookie-cutter experiences.

It's not a five-star resort but, to me, it's better. If you enjoy making personal contact with people – local residents as well as other like-minded tourists – this is a great place to do so. And, you simply can't beat the scenery – the majestic Sierra Maestra mountains flank a picturesque horseshoe bay with gently sloping beaches fringed by palms waving "Hola!" in the slightest breeze.

I will definitely return, again and again – twice a year, in fact, as I have been doing since 2009.