I didn’t hear back from Dad last night. I gave up about 11.30pm (or time) and text him to say I was off to bed. I did start to wonder if Arismilda and her family had been hospitable to Dad or if they’d abducted him ! I need not have worried. Just got a text off Dad to say he had a good night last night with Arismilda and they were very hospitable to Dad and made him most welcome. He was unable to text back as there were lots of folk around and Dad needs ALL his concentration to text !
So as Dad has meet up with Arismilda that would mean he’s made it to Manzanillo (which apparently means “little apple”). I wonder if Dad got some bread rolls this morning from the bakery that Lynette talks about in her book !
Dad is now en-route to Las Tunas. When he text he was at a place called Cauto. Dad is hoping to find Sharon Garcia while he is in Las Tunas (he read about her on another blog).
Dad will text again later with an update.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Dad has tracked down Arismilda
Just had a quick text off Dad to say he's managed to track down Arismilda which must mean he's arrived in Manzanillo.
Arismilda and family feature in Lynette Chiang's book the Handsomest Man in Cuba. She wrote This is a lovely family, all crammed into a tiny living space. Arismilda listens to the radio and writes down the addresses of people who contact the station asking for a penfriend in Cuba. She has written to several but never got a reply. The family are clearly very poor, yet Juan secured me a dozen bread rolls from the bakery and refused payment, saying "All I ask is that you write to my wife." I wrote to them, but I am unsure if it arrived. Please pop by and say hello. And promise to write to her. http://www.galfromdownunder.com/cuba/cubalolita.html
Hopefully Dad will get a photo and I promise to write to them !
Dad will update me later.
Arismilda and family feature in Lynette Chiang's book the Handsomest Man in Cuba. She wrote This is a lovely family, all crammed into a tiny living space. Arismilda listens to the radio and writes down the addresses of people who contact the station asking for a penfriend in Cuba. She has written to several but never got a reply. The family are clearly very poor, yet Juan secured me a dozen bread rolls from the bakery and refused payment, saying "All I ask is that you write to my wife." I wrote to them, but I am unsure if it arrived. Please pop by and say hello. And promise to write to her. http://www.galfromdownunder.com/cuba/cubalolita.html
Hopefully Dad will get a photo and I promise to write to them !
Dad will update me later.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
A dip in the Caribbean
I had to text Dad back to ask him what he'd been swimming in for his dip in the Caribbean .. I had visions of him skinny dipping ! He text back to say his maroon stripey trunks. Now some of my Dad's friends may well know of these trunks. They are like part of the family .. well they've been with Dad for well over 40 years ! Most of my childhood holiday photos had Dad wearing the stripey trunks ! Now over the years the fabric they were made from (some sort of man made fibre) has worn thin in places. I can picture it now. Dad with his "cyclist" tan, his oh so white torso and his maroon stripey trunks! That would have made some photo.
He text back later and said "he was the best looking English man in Cuba!"
I'm wondering what he did with his money belt when he went for a dip ... he's always telling me NEVER to remove your money belt unless you are in the shower! I bet he left it under some rock and is now currently down on the beach lifting rock after rock trying to find it !
He text back later and said "he was the best looking English man in Cuba!"
I'm wondering what he did with his money belt when he went for a dip ... he's always telling me NEVER to remove your money belt unless you are in the shower! I bet he left it under some rock and is now currently down on the beach lifting rock after rock trying to find it !
Day 5 and Day 6 - the mountains
I didn't hear from Dad last night. Just got a text through to say "ngsl mon" which in Dad's text speak means no signal Monday night !
So Monday he spent cycling in the Sierra Maestro which is Cuba's highest and most extensive mountain range which stretches along the coast line. He managed to find himself a cabin for 5C (£3.32) in a place called La Mula. By the sounds of it, it was a local place for local people! From reading up I think he was staying at Base de Campismo in a cabana ... and the blurb says the cabins are in a small wood, with a banana plantation and on a lagoon next to an empty beach (this is sounding a bit like heaven !).
Today he's continued along the coast and is now in the rural town of Pilon (not that rural as it has a mobile phone signal!). He's found himself a Casa for the night. I have no idea where it is, or if it's actually a legal Casa as reading up on Pilon it doesn't sound like it's very big on tourism. However, I'm sure Dad will manage - he usually does.
So the above comes courtesy of Dad's four line text ... sorry it's not a bit more in depth but it probably took Dad about 15 minutes to type the four lines !
When I Googled Pilon it came up with Lynette Chiang's blog. Apparently the Handsomest Man in Cuba was actually found in the back streets of Pilon. Well all I can say is the Handsomest Man in Cuba has competition now that my Dad is in town :)
Updated: Just received another text to say ... couldn't send a long text earlier the lady in the Casa was in the way ! Dad has had his first swim in the Caribbean at La Mula. I bet he didn't pack his trunks - so heaven knows what he swam in. It's been very warm on the coast road the last couple of days so he's knocked of cycling after lunch. He's cycled through two tunnels. The road is very busy with lots of crabs, goats, turkey, horses, pigs and the occasional Cuban bus. No cars though! Oh how I wished my journey home from work tonight had been on roads free from cars!
So Monday he spent cycling in the Sierra Maestro which is Cuba's highest and most extensive mountain range which stretches along the coast line. He managed to find himself a cabin for 5C (£3.32) in a place called La Mula. By the sounds of it, it was a local place for local people! From reading up I think he was staying at Base de Campismo in a cabana ... and the blurb says the cabins are in a small wood, with a banana plantation and on a lagoon next to an empty beach (this is sounding a bit like heaven !).
Today he's continued along the coast and is now in the rural town of Pilon (not that rural as it has a mobile phone signal!). He's found himself a Casa for the night. I have no idea where it is, or if it's actually a legal Casa as reading up on Pilon it doesn't sound like it's very big on tourism. However, I'm sure Dad will manage - he usually does.
So the above comes courtesy of Dad's four line text ... sorry it's not a bit more in depth but it probably took Dad about 15 minutes to type the four lines !
When I Googled Pilon it came up with Lynette Chiang's blog. Apparently the Handsomest Man in Cuba was actually found in the back streets of Pilon. Well all I can say is the Handsomest Man in Cuba has competition now that my Dad is in town :)
Updated: Just received another text to say ... couldn't send a long text earlier the lady in the Casa was in the way ! Dad has had his first swim in the Caribbean at La Mula. I bet he didn't pack his trunks - so heaven knows what he swam in. It's been very warm on the coast road the last couple of days so he's knocked of cycling after lunch. He's cycled through two tunnels. The road is very busy with lots of crabs, goats, turkey, horses, pigs and the occasional Cuban bus. No cars though! Oh how I wished my journey home from work tonight had been on roads free from cars!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Day 5 - Some where along the coast.
Not heard from Dad tonight. I have a feeling he'll have dropped out of mobile reception now. He was heading along the coast through Turquino National Park towards Marea del Portillo. I found this map with mobile coverage and I don't think he's near a pink dot !
Will update as and when I hear from him.
Will update as and when I hear from him.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Day 4 - Chivirico
Just got a text from Dad. He's had a great day on the bike. Cycled 70 kms (just over 43 miles). The roads are tarmac with pot-holes - so it's a bit like riding at home and also dirt tracks. He's cycled along the coast from Santiago de Cuba and looking at the map probably passed through Rancho Cruz, Goacainabon, Playa de Caleton Blanco, Playa Aserradero, Playa El Frances before arriving in Chivirico.
He's staying in luxury tonight at the four star Brisas hotel - 48 CUC (£32) for bed, dinner and breakfast and air-conditioning! He was just off to shower as he needs to "dress" for dinner ... hope it's nothing formal as he's not got much in those panniers. At least it being the start of the holiday he should still have some clean/cleanish stuff to wear !
Today he's met a Swiss couple and a Dutch couple.
Unfortunately he was too late to visit Cayo Granma as by the time my text arrived he'd already left Santiago. However I've pointed him (courtesy of Lynette Chiang's blog ) in the direction of
Arismilda Reyes Cintra, Marti #41 entre Tomas Barrero y San Silvestre, Manzanillo, Granma, Cuba 87510. I was invited into this house by Arismilda's husband Juan Francisco Arias Martinez as I waited across the road for the bakery to open. This is a lovely family, all crammed into a tiny living space. Arismilda listens to the radio and writes down the addresses of people who contact the station asking for a penfriend in Cuba. She has written to several but never got a reply. The family are clearly very poor, yet Juan secured me a dozen bread rolls from the bakery and refused payment, saying "All I ask is that you write to my wife." I wrote to them, but I am unsure if it arrived. Please pop by and say hello. And promise to write to her. http://www.galfromdownunder.com/cuba/cubalolita.html
I've told him to get a photo if he manages to track them down !
Tomorrow looking at the map he'll be cycling through Parque Nacional de Turquino .
I'll update when I hear from him again.
He's staying in luxury tonight at the four star Brisas hotel - 48 CUC (£32) for bed, dinner and breakfast and air-conditioning! He was just off to shower as he needs to "dress" for dinner ... hope it's nothing formal as he's not got much in those panniers. At least it being the start of the holiday he should still have some clean/cleanish stuff to wear !
Today he's met a Swiss couple and a Dutch couple.
Unfortunately he was too late to visit Cayo Granma as by the time my text arrived he'd already left Santiago. However I've pointed him (courtesy of Lynette Chiang's blog ) in the direction of
Arismilda Reyes Cintra, Marti #41 entre Tomas Barrero y San Silvestre, Manzanillo, Granma, Cuba 87510. I was invited into this house by Arismilda's husband Juan Francisco Arias Martinez as I waited across the road for the bakery to open. This is a lovely family, all crammed into a tiny living space. Arismilda listens to the radio and writes down the addresses of people who contact the station asking for a penfriend in Cuba. She has written to several but never got a reply. The family are clearly very poor, yet Juan secured me a dozen bread rolls from the bakery and refused payment, saying "All I ask is that you write to my wife." I wrote to them, but I am unsure if it arrived. Please pop by and say hello. And promise to write to her. http://www.galfromdownunder.com/cuba/cubalolita.html
I've told him to get a photo if he manages to track them down !
Tomorrow looking at the map he'll be cycling through Parque Nacional de Turquino .
I'll update when I hear from him again.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Day 3 - Santiago de Cuba
Had a couple of texts off Dad today. He was on the bus heading down to Santiago de Cuba. He was complaining yesterday how hot Havana was ... well he was freezing on the bus as they had the air-con on. There is just no pleasing some folk ! Hope he managed to get some sleep.
He did say that for tea last night he'd had soup (I bet it wasn't a cup-a-soup) and a chicken salad. The two nights in the Casa Galeano and two evening meals had cost 85 (Cuban Convertible Pesos - or CUC) which is approx £56.00.
His second text was to say he'd reached Santiago de Cuba. A bit of damage to the bike (a broken mud guard). Dad is staying in Calle Aguilera No 772 Casa and it's costing 18 CUC approx £12.00. I wonder if they will feed him for that ! Just googled it and found the following on a forum :
"Good place, average rooms, Melida is a lovely host. It's just a block or 2 past the Plaza de Marte, so is easy to walk to most of the central sites and activities in Santiago.The casa is actually owned by her mother (Magdalena), but Melida lives there and runs it."
He's had enough of Cities and is heading for the east coast tomorrow.
I'll update as and when I hear from him
He did say that for tea last night he'd had soup (I bet it wasn't a cup-a-soup) and a chicken salad. The two nights in the Casa Galeano and two evening meals had cost 85 (Cuban Convertible Pesos - or CUC) which is approx £56.00.
His second text was to say he'd reached Santiago de Cuba. A bit of damage to the bike (a broken mud guard). Dad is staying in Calle Aguilera No 772 Casa and it's costing 18 CUC approx £12.00. I wonder if they will feed him for that ! Just googled it and found the following on a forum :
"Good place, average rooms, Melida is a lovely host. It's just a block or 2 past the Plaza de Marte, so is easy to walk to most of the central sites and activities in Santiago.The casa is actually owned by her mother (Magdalena), but Melida lives there and runs it."
I think he'll be fine staying there!
He's had enough of Cities and is heading for the east coast tomorrow.
I'll update as and when I hear from him
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