Ramaviva: Permaculture and More. Pinar del Río, Cuba

Ramaviva came into my life by chance. In fact, I don’t remember when my first visit was.

During the pandemic, as a medical student, my friends and I didn’t stop working for more than a day. When normalcy was declared, the burnout we experienced was quite significant.

We just wanted to get away from the city for a few days. We didn’t want a fancy Airbnb; we needed to connect with nature, with the adventurous spirit we had before the pandemic.

Without looking for it, we read about Ramaviva.

What is Ramaviva?

Ramaviva is a space for the development of holistic permaculture and deep ecology. It all started with a small bohio (hut) and the desire to show that it was possible to live differently, with the idea of inspiring the farmers who lived nearby.

When I read about these terms, I didn’t understand anything. The place is in the middle of the Sierra del Rosario. No connectivity, limited electricity, which is exactly what we were looking for.

Once we agreed on the plan—well, that’s a bit of an exaggeration; we were all a little skeptical about this new adventure. None of us had ever done something similar, so rustic (as my sister would say).

The Journey

Once we managed that, we left very early. We all fell asleep on the way, and the driver missed the town where he was supposed to drop us off, only realizing it when we were in the next one.

It was a strange time; the return to normalcy in Cuba was gradual and with strict rules (as everything is here). We struggled to find transportation that was willing to take us, and that could fit our luggage (important detail).

Still, it was a good trip (even though I slept through more than half of it).

Once in the town, we bought some snacks for breakfast and the hike. Yes, because Ramaviva is located kilometers deep in the forest.

This time, there was indeed a path, with beautiful views, only marred by the uncomfortable luggage we were carrying.

Being novices, we packed more than we should have (damn city kids).

Arriving at Ramaviva

When you look around at the landscape, you think you’re entering another dimension. Then the characteristic bohios of Ramaviva appear in the heights, and you realize that yes, you are in another world.

Mobile coverage disappears as if you’ve changed reality. Internet? Better not to think about it.

Cell phones become paperweights, flashlights, or cameras for as long as the battery lasts.

When we arrived, Abelito, the creator of this project, introduced us to the concepts that govern the Ramaviva philosophy, permaculture, and all the work that lay ahead.

Right away, we realized that this adventure was what we were looking for, and even so, we felt it was still lacking.

The day here begins with yoga sessions.

This humble server is not a fan of this modality, so along with some friends, we went out to exercise in nature.

Then came breakfast, with fruits grown in the surrounding lands and juices made by the campers.

The cups and plates are made when you arrive. They give you a small workshop on how to create them from bamboo, from cutting the stalk to drying it, shaping it, and assembling the plates and cups.

Since the process takes time, they already have some dried bamboo prepared to speed things up, and yes, you can take your cup with you or donate it to the project with your name on it.

Mine stayed there because I hoped to return (I’m still waiting).

Every day had a different activity... We had: Bathing in nature.

For those city kids, this activity was something, let’s say, different.

In my case, I enjoyed the walk, the views, and the company of my friends more than hugging trees. The goal of the activity was to connect with nature, and I think we achieved that. Not in the way our guide expected, but we did it.

“There’s not just one way to do things,” our guide.

Back at Ramaviva , we had another activity we had never done: bathing in hot springs.

In Cuba, there are no saunas or thermal baths. Well, there are, but access is very restricted.

These hot springs are artificial, and when we arrived, they were still being installed, so we were a bit like beta testers. We never asked how the system worked because the experience made us forget everything.

It felt incredible.

By nightfall, we all gathered around the fire. Here, it’s a tradition. The darkness consumed all the beauty that comes when the sun rises.

The night passed quickly, and the sun rose again. A new day, a new adventure... which I’ll leave for future posts.

For now, we must return to the present.

Our visit came to an end very quickly. We promised to return, but life, our careers, haven’t made it possible.

A few days ago, during a shift, I was telling some colleagues about that trip, and we all spoke with nostalgia.

I don’t know when we’ll return, but that trip changed a lot within us.

Learning about a lifestyle very different from ours and seeing how one can be happy with so little taught us a lot.

If you have the opportunity to step out of your comfort zone or put yourself in a situation where you don’t feel comfortable, do it. If you don’t like it, you will surely learn something.

Now I must say goodbye and bid farewell to Ramaviva until next time.

Related post: Santa Cruz Canyon. Artemisa, Cuba

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Images in this post are my own or my friends' for exclusive use in this post.