Cuba

well well well.... here I am a traveller AHHHHHHHHHH! The shit has already hit the fan - I shrink wrapped AND padlocked my bag in mexico before checking it in and it arrives in cuba with NO shrink wrap NO padlock and a little slash in the front... later to discover that some little foreign bastard has nicked my ipod/i-phone charger the old phone I was meant to use here and my USB where I was going to save all my photos. Great start - all I keep telling myself is that it is all part of the experience.Perhaps is things like this that people "find themselves" I am sure those of you that "found yourselves" on your gap yah's would say that I am materialistic but remember you can't "find yourslef" in 4 days WITHOUT A PHONE!!

Apologies for the swearing but I am afraid this is the blog of truth and they are my true feelings!

Anyway rant over... we are having a wonderful time and Cuba has lived up to my expectations. It all started with a bang - after locating a map (with difficulty) and a cafe (with difficulty) some stranger approaches us to look at the map - at 4am we are in the police station trying to free this stranger! (Crazy  I know... but would we do it any other way?) Let me fill in the blanks... so this stranger has a name - Alex and a friend Raul. We chatted with them over our newly acquired map and delicious coffee about things to do in Cuba. Within 20mins were in a famous Museum - El Museo De Las Bellas Artes - huge building, lots of art - what more can I say? Cultural! I do remember saying to flo " I hope we can shift these guys when we want too" turned out it wasn't all that easy. Moving on... some lovely food in a street vendor and onto a park in an old fashioned american car. We explored the park for ages- it was beautiful but deserted it was really strange but had a great time. Afterwards we made our way to the famous Coppellia where you have ice cream. Then onto our first mojitos where we learnt very quickly from the crazy toilet lady that YOU CANNOT PUT PAPER IN THE TOILET (oops) crazy cuban women arent fun!!

After this we found ourselves in the malecon - where all the young cubans hang out at night and onto a rap club. It all happened so fast but it really was fun. In hindsight we have learnt that we feel much safer with cuban men than solo. Anyway after getting the bus back to our hotel Alex and I were talking whilst Flo and Raul where too -further ahead when a Police man popped out of nowhere and within seconds alex was in a handcuffs shouting to me where the Police Station was. Turns out Cubans arent allowed to converse with tourists and they apparently get put in prison for this - doh!! SO in the police st I had to claim he was my boyfriend and they let him go - no questions asked not even my name or his surname (thank god because I had no idea what it was - I was struggling to remember his first name!!). Anyway at 5 am we managed to shrug them off and off to the land of nod. I do hope we aren't sounding too reckless but we were careful and I am glad we trusted them as we had a super duper day.

Awoken to a hurricane... hurricane Paula. Another crazy experience. Noone seemed to care that there was water coming in everywhere!! The cubans just continued to gulp their rum and smoke their cigars whilst florence and I were slightly nervous.

The next day we ended up in a bar where the Buena Vista Social Club were playing and some random restaurant which was actually someones living room (dont ask)! We have learnt that cubans are friendly but nothing comes for free with them. They help you and want to take you places and then order themselves lots of drinks, smoke all your cigarettes and then make you pay!! We have learnt....!!

Now we have moved from Centro Habana to Habana Viejo where we have had a bit more of a relaxing time. Lots of mojitos, music and chatting to various cubans. We were staying in a very cheap hotel but apparently it is cheaper to stay in Casas Particulares which are peoples homes and they rent the rooms (turns out they arent really that much cheaper than our cheapy hotel but good to practise Spainsh). So in our CP there are a few crazy cubans who want to speak to us all the time I think one lady is off her rocker I just smile say "si" and hope that she thinks I understand.
But last night we didnt have the best night... we had some drinks in a bar called Floridita which was amazing - but we could have been in London. It was a nice break to not have to worry about your phone/money or anyone stealing anything. BUT afterwards we were looking for somewhere to eat where we were approached by a man with security written on his shirt. He said he would take us somewhere cheap to eat and then afterwards we would go to his cabaret bar. But the place we ended up eating was a bit scary and the area of town scary too. Not remember where we were staying we managed to get a taxi and eventually found it PHEW - glad we live to tell the tale if somewhat boring.

We are certainly learning a lot of lessons!!

Only a couple mins left on the internet clock - I have no idea what I have written but no time to check so Jennie sorry if there are lots of spelling mistakes I know you hate that!

I miss everyone and home a lot but having a wonderful experience!!
LOTS OF LOVE xxxx