Birding and a brief window for…

…taking part in our community’s Sunday ChitChat!

Because the new prompt — or prompts — won’t be released until tomorrow, but in the meantime, even if the counter says it’s already expired… it’s still open. This is a little temporary window for anyone who turns up ~~late~~ in style.

😜

So, as for bicycle shops here in Havana, I know two — the only ones I’ve visited — and both also work as repair workshops: IPBikeShop and Mi Habana en Bici. In one of them I bought a few things, such as my glasses, helmet, some cycling clothes, and the cycle computer, which the seller brought to my house that day when I traded it for a seatpost.

In the other shop, not long ago, I bought a hand pump for my bike because mine had broken.

_{Source: An unplanned visit}

This photo is of a workshop relatively close to home. Some time ago I wrote a post in which I mentioned it. Back then I was just starting out on my wanderings around the city and I had a different bicycle. If curiosity bites, you can drop by. It’s another temporary window I’ve just opened, one of those through which we tend to look back — and we do so gladly. Although I haven’t been there for their services, I know that everyone who has speaks very highly of them.

As for meeting people thanks to this cycling pastime, yes, I’ve met a few. Very young lads with whom I occasionally go for a ride, but I know life imposes different rhythms and, honestly, I haven’t really managed to form a group of like‑minded people to go out with at least twice a week. That’s why most of the time I ride alone.

Curiously, so far this year I’ve gone out twice with Muhammad. He also decided to buy himself a bicycle a few months ago, given the complicated transport situation we face here. Today he told me how much he enjoys riding it because, besides being a way to exercise, it keeps him in touch with people, and he doesn’t have to wait endlessly at bus stops or pay excessive sums of money to travel from his municipality to the capital. The same thing happens to me, as I’ve mentioned on several occasions… from necessity arise new and better motivations — let’s think of it that way.

So today our cycling route included a nice chat by the sea in a rustic little spot we found in the Miramar neighbourhood, near the Fifth Avenue Tunnel.

Before that we met at Monte Barreto Ecological Park to watch some birds and, if we got the chance, photograph them. I only managed to capture these two: a warbler (Muhammad will tell me which one) and a Jabao woodpecker. They’re always making a racket in this forest, very easy to detect and see.

In the video you’ll see what lovely weather we had… and me trying to recite (well, paraphrase) a little snippet of a poem by José Martí. And what I say is this:

There’s good sunshine and a foaming sea,
fine sand and Pilar (here I said my name)
wants to take her freshly washed Bianchi out for a spin…

Nothing serious… just me fooling around, as always. Because yesterday I gave my bicycle a proper scrub. 😅

Later I came across a crowd of people near the Ecological Park who had just been shopping, and I thought: of course, today is Saturday. Many take advantage of the weekend to buy what they need for the week… and I remembered, once I was right there, that they hold that fair every weekend, setting up stalls with all sorts of food, toiletries, and more. I didn’t stop to look closely, but there was plenty. And of course, that catchy music of ours that makes you move your feet even if you don’t know how to dance.

😂

I rode 22 km today. It’s still Saturday here. Tomorrow I plan to do some gardening.