When I left home, I knew I’d come across beautiful clouds, but they’re always so unexpected and so beautiful… this one, for instance, I captured on my way back.

It was around six in the evening, and I had to reach the Comodoro Hotel in Playa Municipality to run a few errands, crossing through Marianao by whichever route I’d choose later.

The afternoon air is cool, flocks of birds cross the sky at every stretch, and the colours you can see there are truly wonderful… but one must stay alert on the road, as it’s also the time when many drivers are heading home. There’s more traffic than at other times of day. Still, cycling is so rewarding that the 16 kilometres I rode this afternoon filled my heart with smiles.

The ride to that hotel by the sea took me about 20 minutes, more or less.

I chose to head down 100 Street, until I reached the Marianao Obelisk, the roundabout, the Maternidad Obrera hospital, and then I looked for that street I really like—the one where you can see the sea in the distance. It’s in poor condition in some stretches, but there’s no need to rush, is there?

Except for the GIF, which I made from a short video I filmed as I was leaving my neighbourhood, the photos I’m sharing here were all taken from the same corner. I had just climbed the slope on 70th Avenue. It’s a tiring climb, but excellent for strengthening the leg muscles.

I stopped twice along the hill as well, looking for avocados, bananas, and beans, because I knew I’d be quite hungry when I got home. That little addition to the meal I’d prepared before heading out is something I truly enjoy.

I wanted to write a little about my bike rides. You might think I’ve abandoned her, but that’s not the case. She’s my means of transport, but more than that, she’s my best friend—she comes with me to the gym and trains me too, haha… By the way, I’m so happy that @muhammadhalim has joined the club of cycling photographers. 😁… Big hug, my friend. We need to plan an excursion!

I can’t quite remember which post I said I wanted to reach a certain number of kilometres by the end of the year. I think I’ve already gone past it, because the odometer is showing 1,358.6 km. I bought that cycle computer in January this year. I wrote a post while I was in the middle of installing it.

Well… anyway… I was looking through those posts about my bike rides. They brought back such lovely memories and feelings. Damn! Why have I abandoned this nice habit of writing about them? I can’t seem to find that bit of info… haha… sometimes my memory card 🚨 glitches a little.

🤣

That street you see there is the one I was riding back along, with the Ophthalmology Hospital and Research Institute right in front of me. Just there, where the traffic light stands, I turned right and pedalled as fast as I could so night wouldn’t catch me on the way.

The whole journey—both there and back—was accompanied by a smile. I realise that smiling makes my soul turn melodic, and not just mine, but also those of the people I cross paths with along the way. For instance, I was taking photos on that corner, so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn’t notice a car had stopped to honk at me. Perhaps the driver was annoyed by where I’d stopped—I admit I wasn’t on the pavement, but in the street, not in the middle, but not quite on the edge either… He drove slowly past me, with a woman in the passenger seat, but when he saw me smiling and holding my camera, he smiled too, and the woman waved goodbye. He said something like “carry on with your photography, keep being happy.” I think he could see the beauty of the twilight lights reflected in my face.

These are the little moments that fill my soul with music…

Amor
Dime de dónde saliste
Que de la nada no estoy triste
¿Por qué será que tú me causas con tu luz lo que me causas?
Quererte enamorar cada mañana
Sol, yo hablo contigo hoy para contarte
Que cuando ya estaba a punto de estrellarme
Trajiste contigo un ángel a salvarme
Oh, luna
Por esta que está' haciendo te debo una
Tal vez me verás llorando, pero e' de pura felicidad
Suéltame, que ya aprendí a volar

_{Quererte Bonito
Canción de Elena Rose y Sebastián Yatra ‧ 2022}