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El Corazon de Cuba
 Atenas de Cuba People-to-People Program

Dispatch 5 - Topes de Collantes

 
Click to enlargeI love topography because it gives the land texture and creates diverse views and opportunities, even if it means some climbs on the bike. The Guamuhaya Mountains came through on all counts. It has beautiful valleys, tremendous views, numerous microclimates with their associated changes in vegetation (orchids, ferns and hardwoods), hiking opportunities, rushing rivers and numerous cascades.

Click to enlargeCuban road engineers don't mess around.  When they need to cross the mountains they get right at it. The road to Topes de Collantes frequently has a 15% grades and a few places I am sure that it was several points above that, perhaps 20%. They aren't scared of steep roads!

Click to enlargeThis justifies carrying around the small chain rings on the bike -- that some rarely use -- and makes a great justification for a little slower pace walking in the mountains to enjoy the views (while pushing your bike).  It is a grunt but the climb only lasted about 10 miles (16 km) and only reached about 3000 ft (920 m) so with a little perseverance most people can felt the success of making it on their own power. Click to enlargeAt any rate the elevation is sufficient to create a totally different climate.  In the mountains it was lush and cool.  A couple of the dominant crops were coffee and guava.  Orchids perch themselves in the trees and the Royal Palms of the forest.  A half-dozen varieties of moisture loving ferns could be seen at the lowest level of the forest.  My favorite of the highland botany was the giant ferns, which are described as living fossils.  They stand 15 feet (5 m) high and look like something out of Jurasic Park. Similar ferns can be found at at higher altitudes and cool climates in tropical Africa.

Topes de Collantes, which is partly known for a waterfall is also the site of a health spa community. The complex is accessible to Cubans and foreigners alike, but we were lodged at different hotels and ate in different dining rooms. We did share the same swimming pool. Near the main road is a large community herb garden of long raised beds with mint, tilo (an herb that makes a chamomile-like tea), and another plant that looks like an aloe.  A man happened along at that moment who told us that the flesh inside the leaves was diced up and refrigerated, eaten as a tonic for ulcers and upset stomach.

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