Ok, so today I thought I wouldn't have much to tell you. The plan, have breakfast, and spend the rest of the day at the pool. I mean really, not too much can happen with a day by the pool... can it??
So lets start at the beginning...
I head off to breakfast, and today I had a plan. Take a cardigan with me, drape it across the back of my chair... Hey presto, no one takes my table!! It worked. I ate my breakfast without fear that I would lose my chair.
I actually don't mind sitting on my own.... I know some people would be mortified just by the thought, me on the other hand like to people watch. Today was the battle of the English family to get clean drinking water so that they could make a bottle for their little baby girl. Never fear, eventually they had a light bulb moment and they went and bought a bottle of water, made up her formula and the little girl happily drank her bottle!!
Then a scuffle broke out out on the street, in one corner 2 crazily scary police officers, in the opposite corner the peddle car taxi drivers.... from what I can work out they were illegally parking where the horse and carts are meant to go. I left before they sorted it out, so I can't tell you what unfolded. I will leave that to your imagination.
Then it was pool time. I gathered my things and headed to the pool. I found a nice sun chair and jumped in the pool. It was fairly quiet by the pool. I'm guessing most people are out exploring what Havana has to offer..... me on the other hand, ready for just a day of doing nothing!!!
A few people arrived at the pool. A girl happy to sit and read her book by the pool. Another middle aged lady, ready for her day of sunbaking, dressed in her ultra tight dress and platform shoes, slinky bikini on underneath. Definitely has the mentality dress for the body you want, not the body you have!!
Then two men arrive. One older Mexican looking man..... With his moustache and gold chains around his neck... shaking every cabana boys and gardeners hand on the way through, and his pale looking friend. They were chatting away, having a good old time. Summoning the cabana boys for beers, every now and again jumping in the pool. They didn't stay long at the pool, and they left a little while before me.
So the weather today wasn't quite what I had planned. It actually ended up quite overcast, with a few showers. After a while I started to get cool in the pool so it was time to get out and head back to my room for a nice warm shower. Just in time as well, as a thunder storm gathered above and threw it's lightening across the sky. Cracks of thunder could be heard as I made it back to my room.
Today the house keeping girls have redeemed themselves. I was happy to walk in to my room and see my towels amazingly folded into an elephant, accompanying it was a farewell letter wishing me well for my travels tomorrow!!
So next stop the shower and Michelle's laundromat. I did a bit of clothes hand washing and hung them across my bathroom using my peg less clothes line!! Perfect, all clean clothes ready for my next journey (ps thank you Elena and Susan for my clothes washing supplies)!!!!
Then out of the blue my phone rang. I wonder who this is??? Maybe it is someone confirming details for my departure tomorrow?!?! So I pick up, and all I get is a whole heap of Spanish. I tried I explain no hablo espanol. Didn't work. He just kept speaking to me in Spanish. I asked him, hablo Englais?....he responded 'No.... espanol'. There's not much more I can do apart from say 'No comprehendo, hablo englais'. Then he said in very broken English, ' my name luiz, Mexico. You bella beautiful'. Who the hell was this???? Then it dawned on me.... This was the Mexican looking guy from the pool.... He saw me come out of my room the first morning and tried to ask me something in Spanish. We had a very tiring and awkward conversation that morning as well.... neither one of us could understand each other. Knowing that we were fighting a losing battle, I quickly said adios and hung up the phone. I will seriously be checking that I have deadlocked my door tonight. I'm leaving very early tomorrow morning, so very little chance of me running into him again.
So this afternoon I headed back to sloppy joes. I know it's a good meal, and cheap. Not that I'm a cheap skate, however I spent a lot of my Cuban pesos on souvenirs yesterday. So by the time I keep some pesos for my departure tax from Cuba, all I have to survive on is $10 today. It was either that, or line up at the ATM to get more money out. Which I would normally do, however I leave first thing tomorrow morning, meaning that there is no chance in hell that I'm going to spend it. If trying to get Cuban pesos is anything like trying to sell them, I know that I will regret my decision to get any additional money out. So rather than be hassled by all the dramas, it was a budget of $10 today.... Easy!! No probs! Even enough to buy a big bottle of water and leave a tip for housekeeping!!!
So after a quick meal, I headed back to my hotel and just hung out in the foyer listening to the amazing music that they are playing!! Tonight, the soul tingling Cuban rhythms!!! I could think of worse places I could be right now!!!
Eventually I made my way back up to my room... Almost a little scared that the Mexican war lord would be there waiting for me!! But as luck has it... The coast was clear!! I snuck into my room, quickly placing the do not disturb sign on my door!! Will that deter him?
I set to work on repacking my suitcase ready for my early departure tomorrow. I was just going to hang in my room for the night, however the lure of music was too great. I ended up heading back to the foyer, and a soul/gospel ensemble was singing or should I say harmonising music from the 50's. Holy crap they were so friggen good!! Let's just say they would quite easily win Australian idol/the voice hands down - they could even win without microphones they are so good!!!
Amen to that brother!!!