we spent two days in santa clara, and to be honest that seems to be more than enough. we stayed with very nice senores and they told us how hard it was to get the most basic things. our senora loves baking, but she cant buy even the simplest things to decorate her cakes. we saw the che monument and the museum and as there was not much else to do there we spent our evenings in the park watching kids playing baseball. we were approached by all sorts of old men offering their services. one of them says he was a journalist at the angolan war, invites us for a glass of wine, tells loads of stories and says we cant possibly leave cuba without tasting a cuban man. he seems like a 100 years old to me but agnieszka says he means himself. then there is this other guy who also offers himself to us and to prove he is ready, takes out a condom from his pocket and say that he ´might be small but he can many times´. weird town.
we decided to come back to la habana for our last days in cuba. we found a lovely place near the centre and malecon, with the nicest senores who would chat away with us for hours (not seeming to mind our limited spanish). we went to the museum of the revolution and saw all the propaganda nonsence there. all the posters saying how fantastic the crops are and how well they fought analphabetism and how well they are promoting spors. well, if only we heard the same stories from the people... we saw the grandma yacht who made its way from mexico and took a crucial part in the revolution and all other memorabilia.
we also went to yoruba / santeria association and the girl there told us a bit about their saints, believes and how the faith miracolously cured her little daughter.
we spent a sunday morning at callejon de hamel - one of the most lively places i have ever seen. people gather among colourful buildings to play drums, sing and dance. it is all very rumba, very cherful and very energetic. you would never think this happens in a country which lacks so many basic things. people still want to gather, dance, play and sing away. so much enegry and so much live! im loving it! we also see a british crew shooting some videao clip on the street and i cant wait to see it on the telly! we also visit the colon cementery and are very happy coz the guards let us sneak in without paying (locals go for free but gringos have to pay) and as it is the mothers´day the cementry is full of people bringing flowers to their mums. beautiful place (if you can say so about a cementery).
we go out dancing to the deauville hotel and even though they olny play horrible regeeaton i have a great time with guys dancing like the mad ones! we wonder if it runs in the blood or is it that they dance from the very early age so they get so much practise?
we wonder around vedado and see all the huge hotels where during batista times american mafia used to spend their millions on ladies and parties.
we also spent a day at the guanabo beach, which is nothing as beautiful or peaceful as the one near trinidad, but it is still nice and water is still clear and amazingly green and the bus ride is only 1 peso!
i so would love to stay longer but we have fiona and simon waitnig for us in playa del carmen so we pack our stuff and catch a flight to cancun.
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