The girls wake up early again, and I hear them working out on the roof. We have this beautiful little terrace we haven’t put to use yet. I guess I should say I haven put to use yet. I know I should be working out with them, but this is my vacation, and if I don’t have to work, I´m sleeping in late. I was up by 10am… that was my late wake up -___-
I take my shower and try to do what I can wit second day curls. I didn’t bring enough product for this trip, so for the remainder of it, it’ll probably be tied up somehow.
Olivia´s main purpose for this trip was to go to the tobacco fields and the rum factory. Since we couldn’t arrange a trip to Vinales, yet another city, we found an alternative. Alexis, our cab driver, stopped by a hotel so we can buy day passes at a hotel, since we wouldn’t be able to buy tickets at the spot we were headed to. 
Partagas Cigar Factory was pretty close to our casa particular, and since we did a lot bullshitting around the house, we arrived an hour before it closed at 1pm. I was a little upset I had to leave my DSLR in a room packed away with my bag, but at least we were able to take pictures with our cellphones. (I hate taking pictures with my cellphone) 
Our tour guide was a super sassy and a beautiful cuban dressed in khaki, she puffed on a cigar while she spoke and gave us the run down of how cigars are made. When we arrived on the second floor, you could see their office spaces. Tables after tables, after tables. Workers, all busy making their section of their cigar. The workers were amused by the tourist as well, and kept looking at us, some of the guys were pretty damn cute, and they kept smiling at us, flirting. 
Cubans are hustlers man. When we walked outside, there were so many factory workers who were off duty, who chilling in front of the factory, asking tourists if they wanted to buy boxes of their cigars instead of getting it at the gift shop. I personally wanted my box sealed for travel, so I opted out of that option. I decided to get 3 bottles of rum as well, one for my boss, one for my dad, and the other for my aunt. I purchased some cigars, but I didn’t get anything too crazy. 
I already ran out of money and had to change some more American cash at the hotel. The bell hop who was helping me kept saying I was beautiful and he wouldn’t be against finding someone like me to marry his 25 year old son. I knew it was for papers, I said thank you and walked away. 
We roamed a lot.. the bottom of my dress was ruined and it didn’t bother me that much. The streets are filthy and my toes were worse. We walked aimlessly into Chinatown and entered a Chinese restaurant. I ordered a dish filled with fish and lobster. It was sooo good, the amount was a little too generous compared to the small portions I’ve been getting used to.
The waiter was pretty cute, and was helpful. Cuban men so far have been so handsome. I’m one to give a compliment to a woman, but I have yet to see someone who stood out too much.
When I went to the restroom, Alejandro, our waiter, told me I was beautiful, asked if I had boyfriend and if I wanted to be friends. I asked how would that even work. You guys barely have internet. He told me he had Facebook, and we could be friends long distance. He asked if I have heard of a certain song and when I responded no, the television that was over us started to play some music. He told me to sit down and watch the video. Even though I understood it, I asked him to explain it to me. The video was about two friends, who became lovers, and lived across the map from each other. They went off even 20 years and up, just being friends apart. I smiled, and he slipped me his house phone number, which I wont be able to use, and his full name so I can find him on Facebook. His other coworkers, 2 pretty girls just looked on by and asked me my name for him. Hmm… maybe he’s done this before.
We walked some more, and i switch lenses so I can get some detailed shots of the people and the architecture. Even though some things were old and dusty, everything, absolutely everything had some kind of history to it. Tonight we were supposed to have dinner at La Floridita, but we walked in right now instead. The place was packed, this is definitely a tourist spot, we could barely move. When Krys and Julian found a table, the Chilean couple next to me gladly let me have their spare chair. I loved the live band that was playing. I wish there was enough space to dance. 
While walking towards our casa particular, we bumped into a few kids playing soccer in the street. Oli started with them, and because i had a few toys in my bag I started to give them away. I didn’t have much, but they were all shoving and trying to get their own. When we got to our casa, we grabbed the rest of the toys we had, and Olivia had a bunch. We walked three blocks up to where we saw them, and when they saw us they ran to us. They were so excited, and trying to grab everything they possibly could, Olivia gave away, coloring books, markers, crayons, nerf footballs, toy cars, paddle balls and candies. These boys were not about sharing. A little old abuela came walking towards us with a baby girl in hand and another little girl in hand. She asked if we had anything took give her for the girls. We all felt so bad, we’ve already given everything away. Krys wanted to stop by a candy store, and see if she could buy a whole bunch of candies for them, but there wasn’t one close. 
We went to hang out by The Malecon. While they all disputed what their plans were for the next day, I was busy playing with my camera making light trails with the fort-castle in the background. They wanted to go to the beach in the morning and I was perfectly fine staying in by myself. They all kept making plans and I just followed along with them, which is fine for the most part, but I know the next vacation I take will be a solo one. I wont have to please anyone but myself. I can roam the street I want to, plan my day the way I want to, eat where I want to, wake up and go to sleep when I want to. The girls stayed walking el malecon, enjoying the night. 
. I went home, took a wonderful shower and washed the pollution out of my hair. I stayed in a towel and just chilled in the balcony, with my wet hair, feet up, with a wonderful view, a great breeze, the quiet, all while drawing a commission piece for a client. About an hour later they came by, I threw the keys down for them and stayed up a little with them. I was having horrible back pains, sharp pains that would startle me ever time I turned.
Since have any candles, Tanya went into the kitchen, grabbed two forks and stuck newspaper on top of them, shoved them in the cake and lit the paper on fire.
What the hell… I was ready for the place to burn down… but it ended up working either way. We sang happy birthday and the birthday girl made her wish. I had the worst sleep that night, I was on the verge of crying from all the pain my back was giving me, every time I tossed and turned the pain never seemed to go away, I just wanted someone to hug me so tight, so my back would crack. I thought about someone but I tried my best to let it pass.
Category: Portfolio
Cuba: Making it to Matanzas
It’s our last day in Habana, our check out and taxi arrival is supposed to be at 10am. Beatriz, our lovely host meets us at the airbnb and watches us do our last minute packing from the couch. I leave two dresses for her, and two Yankee fitteds for Jovani. I thank them for being so amazing, and stick the post it on the items, leaving them where she can clearly find them. It’s 10:20am now and our taxi still hasn’t arrived. Olivia says she confirmed the reservation, but we’re stuck waiting. We find the house number for the second spot we’re staying at, and give them a call. They didn’t know we confirmed the taxi. Beatriz asks them to head out this way right now, we’re waiting and she has other apartments that she needs to be at. I apologize for the inconvenience and she insists its no trouble. The cab should be here at 1pm, and since we have plenty of time to kill, we decide to go for a walk and roam the neighborhood for a while. We had yet to do that since we arrived, and have been taking taxis everywhere.
The streets are beautiful, I love the colorful houses and the rustic feel to most of it. The island is poor, but many of the houses start to look more modern. We go into a restaurant and order some food, it’s almost 1pm and we don’t want to miss this ride. I ask for a to go box and dash out. Our driver is waiting for us in front of the house. We hand Beatriz the keys and hop on. I’m not feeling too well today, this migraine is killing me. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I haven’t been drinking much water. I fall asleep on Tanya’s lap and two hours later I open my eyes. We’re officially in Matanzas. Matanzas is a major industrial town with an import port for exporting sugar. Their mostly known for their many bridges, and they were many!
Our second airbnb host was sweet, while we wait at the restaurant that’s in her backyard, we pull out our takeout boxes and start to eat. My pescado was delicious, and not salty which is just what my doctor recommends I start doing. She brings us a frothy coconut juice and its delicious. Tanya goes off chasing a hawk that keeps flying above us. I named him Henry, while Luna, the cute little puppy that roams the backyard makes his way towards us. He is so damn cute and not shy when it comes to being held. He just lays there waiting for you to pet him.
Our apartment is cozy and fancier than the last. The first thing you notice is a hot tub with a gorgeous green tile right next to a bar. Oh, we will be using that later. We take a 30 minute nap, and head right back out. Every other car that passed us was honking at us, we got catcalled or was whistled at. Either the local men really love exotic women, or they just love women in general. Tanya’s rule No.1: Don’t make eye contact! I chuckle, because I find it harmless. As soon as they catcall they don’t do much after, they walk away.
When we get back we open up the bottle of rum we had started at Tropicana and wait for the hot tub to fill up. Hot tub minus the hot. The water was cool and there were no bubbles. I decide to go in with only panties, and Olivia joins me in my free titties stance. We talk boys, heartbreaks, work life, family life and bond over old memories, all while trying to plan out new ones. At this point all of us are just chilling in the tub bra less, with our boobs floating in the water. I open up a bottle of wine and continue on with our stories.
Cuba: Tropicana Cabaret
Since Tanya never made her flight last night, it was time to celebrate her birthday in style today… and all she wanted to to was go to the infamous Tropicana!
Tropicana is the most famous nightclub in Cuba. Many famous artists have performed there, like Nat King Cole, Celia Cruz, Josephine Baker and others. It´s been around sine 1939 and is the purest definition of a lavish lifestyle. The club is right in the middle of a forest, so were surrounded by trees, and the lights peeking through the leaves. 
I’ve recently been watching “Celia” on Netflix, and let me just say.. where I walked in, I felt like I walked in where history was being made, But before we get on the show, I’ll start off with this, the girls looked absolutely beautiful. Olivia wore a nude off the shoulder collared shirt, looking cute with her Cinderella choker, ,while the birthday girl was looking stunning, with her brown pencil flared skirt and her Diana Ross hair. When I walked downstairs, I never felt more beautiful. I was wearing a gold dress, and when I stepped outside Jovani’s face was in shock. I was no longer the bummy girl he picked up at the airport. His comment, “Te ves mas bella cada día mas que te veo” made me blush. I greeted him with a kiss on the cheek and he carried on with opening the door for us ladies.
We arrived at the cabaret and was greeted at the door with a beautiful woman dressed in her colorful poofy dress and glittery eye shadow. If that was anything close to what we were getting into, we were excited. The waiter kindly addressed us to our table, and we had wonderful, up close seating. The stage rises, we were served champagne, another toast. We decided to get dinner as well. The show was absolutely spectacular. I don’t even think I can find the words. The costume changes, the musical numbers, the dancing, the orchestra, the performance was worth the steep price, every single second of it. It was so worth it. When the show was ending the performers started to pick people out of the audience to join them, Olivia and I made our way to the stage and danced salsa with handsome men in their bright colorful attire. The mc shouted out Tanya, and the whole cabaret proceeded to sing her happy birthday, he pulled her on stage and more dancing was done, a lot of dancing. Her big poofy hair was looking a lot like Diana Ross in that element. 
Time to hit spot number two. I wanted to keep dancing, and the original plan was to go to La Fabrica de Arte Cubana, a music venue for up and coming singers. Unfortunately it was closed for the night. Jovani asked if we wanted to go somewhere else instead and we arrived at La Casa de la Música. He again, asked us to check out the ambiance of the environment and if we liked it, we would stay and he would wait for us when we were ready. I asked him to join us inside, instead of waiting for us and doing nothing but talking to other taxistas. He gave a small smirk and agreed. 
Anacaona was a band full of women, strong beautiful women. Their interaction with the audience included asking the men “cuanto de los hombres aquí han dicio una mentira?” (How many of the men here have told a lie?) The crowd goes crazy. I order a mojito and make my way to the table. The music was just what I needed. I get up and dance, I never needed any help or instruction for that. Jovani joins me and he asks me if I know how to dance Salsa. “I know how to dance New York salsa, I don’t know if Cuban salsa will be the same.” Anyone who is a New Yorker will know, that this kind of salsa, is more fast paced, a bit more sloppy and way more free spirited. We call it street salsa. We dance and it’s pretty obvious we were in the same rhythm, our bodies just flowed together. 
Some guy comes up to me and asks me to dance, we have absolutely no rhythm together. He feels offbeat, and I hate that I was a originally dancing with Tanya to such a great song, and he whisked me away. The song was ruined for me. He keeps telling me to follow his lead, but his lead is so bad. I struggle to follow in his footsteps, and he swears what he´s doing is right, has attitude was more known it all then anything. order mojitos for the table, while walking back ¨cocky salsa guy¨taps me n the shoulder, and gestured for me to look at him. To look at how he dances with another girl so I can learn. I roll my eyes we all make another toast in celebration of Tanya. The girls are wanting to leave soon, so I take advantage and Jovani asks me to dance one lady’s time. We killed it, he´s spinning me around and we both look good doing it.¨Annoying guy who swears he can dance¨ catches us dancing and his face was priceless.
Like Oh shit, she got moves.¨That’s right I do.
He comes over to our table and asks Olivia to dance, she says no. He looks over at Tanya and kinda dismisses her like..nah…
Cuba: She Made It!
After our beach date, I headed to track down our taxi. I love the beach, but I can’t stay there all day. I saw the green Chevy and I laid on it… waiting for Jovani to come around, where ever he was hiding. He noticed me right away. For a “whatever age you are man” I felt like we had a really good vibe around each other. I don’t know if it had to do with the fact that I was the only one who knew Spanish, but it worked. We kept talking every time we say each other, and even though my Spanish is on point, I still get stuck on certain words. A viejito came around with his guitar playing some soft music, and tipped him right before the door was opened for me to get inside the cab.
Olivia and I told ourselves, we’re going to get home by 2pm. We have no idea what’s going on with Tanya, but if she is really is still going to come on this trip, we should be at the airbnb to let her in the house. Since we arrived yesterday at 3:30pm, we decided to give her a timeline of 6pm. That’s way more of enough time to get where she needs to be. We knew she was going to be alone, not speaking Spanish.. so we were generous.
We were roaming around the apartment for awhile when I hear Julian scream “She’s here!” Ooooooh yeah, we had our doubts. Olivia and I run barefoot about of the house and meet her in her cab. We gave her at least two hugs each and she responds with a “wait, you thought I wasn’t coming?” So non-chalant, like..bitch.. we were worried!
We didn’t even give her time to rest up, were ready to go back out, and since we’ve been taking cabs everywhere it was time for a walk. A two hour walk to be exact. We passed the infamous and largest cemetery in Cuba, El Cemeterio de Cristobal Colon ( I love cemeteries, I actually fell in love with another of his cemetery in Puerto Rico, but that’s another story… see that HERE) 
Soon enough it was 5:50pm, and we had promised Jovani to pick us at at 6pm. Except we had tried to call him to change that to 7pm. None of us had cellphone service. Buying a wifi card seemed out of place for almost no access. It was just a lot of work. Because he didn’t pick up, I didn’t want to keep him waiting for us. The girls (Tanya and Olivia) we’re behind me… I always seem to be the one who walked the fastest and ahead of them… I rushed to our airbnb so I didn’t keep him waiting. Apparently I look better after every time I see him.
I apologized for making him wait and asked if he could pick us up 2 hours and half from now instead. He agreed with no issue. 