Cuba The Longboard Diary 5 dec 2014

5 Dec 2014
Palma to Bayamo
7.30am to 3.30pm
Distance:82km
Started skating in the early morning on Carreterra Cuba (old highway), is way smoother than the autopista. I skated as if i was on ice. smooth and silky. Finally i was in skating heaven. The smoothest road ever i skated in all my skate travels. First part away from palma was a uphill climb. Met a group of cubans stopping over and chatted with them. Of course photos. Cubans are pretty friendly and curious brunch since they couldn't get to travel much due to embargo. First Guarapo stop at Aguacarte (freshly squeezed Sugarcane juice) at just 1 peso ($0.04). There are tons of guarapo stalls over Cuba. There is no need to worry about water supply cos the small towns are at most 20km apart.
The locals at guarapo stall told me after Aguacarta is more or less flat coupled with few rolling hills.

Had lunch at Contramaestre. Arroz con cerdo (pork with rice) for just 15 pesos ($0.60). At Jiguani, last town before Bayamo, stopped over for more Guarapo and ice cream. This is becoming the Guarapo Diary, searching for the Best guarapo in Cuba, and ice cream at local cuban chain, Coopelia. They loves their ice cream and to keep the locals happy, they sell ice cream at 3 pesos. Last 25km was met with slight downhill and tailwind. Going very fast. Thanks to my Westssup Paddle, i am able to cut speed off without ever using my precious thin Vibram footwear to brake. The kong ball on the paddle makes a good braking system, just place the paddle in front of the board, massive speed is cut off. By the end of day, my paddle kong ball was reduced to a small diamond. I wonder if my paddle can survive by the end of Cuba Skate.

Finally reach my first big city, of this skate travel, Bayamo. Entering a provincal city in Cuba is like entering a small town in USA, though you get big wide roads, but traffic is pretty sparse and filled with slow moving horse carriages.
Found a casa, but they were filled. The owners would then called another casa to accommodate me. In Cuba, you don't have to worry about accommodation as long you can find a casa, even if it is filled, they would search their network of casa in town for you.
Stayed in Laz Paz for 20 CUC, the owner was a russian-cuban mixed. After learning a lesson that getting small change and national pesos is of a grave importance, as i need them for drinks and food along the roads. Went to expensive restaurant meant for foreigners for expensive meal so i can break up my 50 CUC notes. Order like 10 CUC worth of spaghetti. Carbo-loading to the max. When i paid the bill with 50 CUC, they panicked as they have never seen a 50 CUC before. They called their manager on the phone, and requested to check my passport before accepting my 50 CUC and giving me the change.

Cuba The Longboard Diary 4 December 2014

4 December 2014
Santiago to Palma Soriano
Distance: 50km
Time: 8am to 2pm

Ate breakfast prepared by my Casa, happened that the father had a workshop in his backyard, borrowed a wrench to assemble my Gbomb. Thank God. Chatted with the family about my plan to skate across Cuba. Not surprisingly, their first reaction were "loco" (crazy) I was planning 2 routes to Palma, my first stop. Either via El cobre or Autopista (national highway) The el cobre route was more scenic and with a church on top of it. However, it will be a big climb. On my first day of my Skate and without tools to change my soft bushings, climbing uphill and going fast on downhill might not be a good idea. Therefore, i chose the busier, less hilly and rougher, bumpy Autopista.

Along the way on autopisata, skated past a couple on horse wagon, they were curious on what am i doing. They allowed me to hold on the back of the wagon and managed 10km of pulling me along on my Gbomb.

Saw a stall selling fruits and bought 10 oranges for 10 national pesos (1 USD = 25 pesos). Had lunch at halfway point San Luis. Pan con cerdo (bread with pork).

Finally reach Palma at 2pm, It is not a tourist destination therefore, it is difficult to find a legal casa particular. I stopped at the bakery, and asked for a casa particular. 2 guys offered to take me to their friends. well i have no choice but to follow them. Found one for 20 Cuc with breakfast. Ate sumptous but tough cerdo con arroz)rice with pork) at local peso resturant. Chatted with a puerto rican guy and his pretty cuban girlfriend to end the night.

Cuba The Longboard Diary

Cuba The Longboard diary
Dec 2 and 3: Havana to Santiago de Cuba (bus)

Spent whole night in Mexico City airport, waiting for my transit flight to Havana in the
Morning. My skate tool got confiscated by airport in tijuana because I forget to put my skate tool into my check in luggage. New problem of assembling my board in Havana without a skate tool.

Before I could board the plane to Havana, I need to buy the cuba tourist card in Mexico City airport, finding where to buy is a challenge with my broken espanol. Finally, found the counter that sells the tourist card. It is at aeromexico counter between the gate 51 and 61. It cost about Mexican pesos 325, around $25. Then you have to fill the form correctly, any mistake you have to purchase another card at your own cost.

Finally board the plane to Havana, saw a guy with a bicycle helmet strapped in his backpack. He is Peter from Austria, and chatted with him, to find out that he is on a world tour now and cycled Iceland before as I did last June. His route is different from mine, he will head to pinar del rio with his friend arriving few days later. He invited me to share his hotel room with him in Havana. Why not? It is nice to have some company in my journey.

Landed at Jose marti airport. Jose marti is considered as founding father of cuba, so you will see a lot of his momentum in cuba. Most in the plane are tourists, therefore the queue to clear custom took a hour and half. I thought no ones travels to cuba. I was wrong, everyone but the Americans goes to cuba.

After exciting the arrival terminal, I looked for a moneychanger. There was an illegal changer just outside the official one. He offered way better rates but I don't trust him. After all, in cuba, there are dual currency system, Convertibles (cuc) for foreigners and national pesos for locals and both currency looked actually same except cuc has the word convertibles printed on it. It is easy money scam for unaware foreigners. Ignored the illegal one, and changed $1000 for 870 cuc. There is 13% penalty for changing usd.

Shared a taxi with Peter to his hotel in Havana, it costs 25 cuc. It was raining in Havana, I sense a bad omen for my skate. At the hotel, since my friend only booked a single room, the receptionist refused to let me share room unless I paid 60 cuc. That was crazy. What was even crazier, the receptionist recommended me a casa particular ran by his family. So I stick with my original plan to take a bus to Santiago to start my skate travel.
Before leaving, I left my luggage at the hotel to have dinner with Peter since the bus is at 10pm. They even charged me 2 cuc for the storage. Outside the hotel entrance, the doorman asked us where are we going? He recommended us to a restaurant nearby, since it was raining and dark at night, why not. He left his post to walk us to the restaurant. At the restaurant, we paid 30cuc for a hard rubbery fried chicken, what was worse. A Cuban couple Walked in to chatted with us, in fact they were actually trying to recommend us cigars and party. We suspect the hotel doorman told them that we were there. I guess this is how Cubans make their living. Through sidelines.

Grabbed my luggage after dinner and took a taxi to Viazul bus station. In cuba, you are expected to wait for everything. It is true. Even buying bus tickets is a pain in the ass, the cashier will tell you to wait, like they don't want your business.

Finally got the 15 hours bus ride to Santiago. Next day, The bus stopped for toilet and lunch, only to realise walking around with 50 cuc notes will not get you anything. Cause 50 cuc is equivalent to 1250 pesos. Getting change for a peso toilet and 5 peso sandwich is mission impossible, I paid them in 1 usd dollar, which they will profit a lot. Lesson learnt: always
get small notes.

At Santiago bus station, a Jintero in bright green tee with gold teeth hustled me to his casa particular. Probably I am attracted by his green tee. But then again, his casa particular is not too bad. 25 cuc with air con and breakfast. You can see the photos of Santiago in this album.