Last couple of nights have been with a couple of fellow travellers, two women, one a Brit and the other French. Neither reside in their own country and they both provide enjoyable company. It’s made for a nice change to have other people to sit down and chat to, I know it’s all been in English and my Spanish has been suffering recently. The trouble has been writing, my mind has been filled with the subject matter, the job in hand, with little room for tackling Spanish as well. I can only do so much at a time and my expectations coming here were too high. Looks like the diving isn’t going to happen, it still could but I’m not prepared to put the effort in now. A decision must be made once home whether this is a permanent decision or whether to keep my new kit for another time. At present thoughts of jumping back on the diving bandwagon don’t inspire me at all. I’ll give it some time and see how it goes.
Yesterday I trekked out the other side of the village, just followed the road really to see what was there. It provided some good photos and some really gory sights. It wound up the hillside until it came to the town rubbish tip, at first I was too busy trying for decent photos of vultures to notice what it was they were circling above. So there were the pigs, dogs and vultures all rooting around for sustenance. And then I noticed the reciprocation of this arrangement. A vulture was perched atop a dead dog proceeding to open its stomach and tuck in. The photo came out so well it made for an even worse scene than initially thought, you can see the stringy bits stretching from the dog’s guts to the vultures beak. The original scene wasn’t found to be at all disturbing, though I’m sure it will upset the sensibilities of many folks back home. The picture is the last in this blog, be warned, it’s strong stuff.
Went out to the disco again on Christmas eve, this time with female accompaniment, the French woman. We had a bit of a dance, she didn’t seem keen to spend too long there, which was fine by me. The real fun was watching a young lass take control of a poor unfortunate tourist, and didn’t she play the game well. For me it was an amazing experience, watching it from a more objective point. At one stage he was just stood there looking utterly bewildered as she gyrated her arse in his direction, bent over double leaving nothing to the imagination. I can’t remember if this was the same one I danced with last week, I don’t think it was, she was really fit anyway. It was interesting to observe, it was only young women playing the tourists who were grinding and rubbing themselves off against their dance partners. Boy aren’t they good at the game, the guy had no chance. 
So with regret my time in Vinales comes to an end, my visa needs extending and I couldn’t do it there. My hosts at the Casa have been lovely, much more than patrons of the guesthouse. Half my time has been spent typing and chapter three of my book is finished, now for the next instalment. With careful planning I’ve chosen another quiet place, this time with a definite French influence, Cienfuagos! Who knows where it will be after, I can’t be bothered travelling all the time. which is nothing new for me, I prefer more time in fewer places. You get more of a feel for each place, and the locals get to know you and appreciate you as more than a brief tourist. I do so hate playing the part of your everyday tourist.
Meet two climbers from Manchester, Vinales is the place to come and climb in Cuba. With a profusion of bolted routes it’s gaining a reputation as an international venue for climbers. Does it make for a bleak future for the town? They climb hard and play even harder, it took me little time to decide they weren’t the companions for me. Boasting of mega drinking sessions, falling over and chucking their guts up, made me cringe. And now I feel a hypercrit, but hey, I’m fast becoming an old git who no longer appreciates pushing it that far. Maybe it’s because I no longer need to drink to such excess before falling over. In reality I find it a shame, their climbing prowess earns them massive respect from the local youth, it’s bound to follow their debauchery will have the same effect. And Cubans have so far been saved from the decadent excess’ of the west. That is not to say there isn’t alcoholism, it can be seen on the streets of every town, but not in the same way. It lacks the bolshy hostility so often displayed by drunks at home. They remain polite and friendly, open hostility is a foreigner to these parts. The two Daves were spotted in the disco later that night, in an uncontrollable mess, falling all over the place and loving every minute of it, larging it up! Yep, I’m showing my age!
Getting my hair re-braided later, but still can’t decide whether to renew them for the trip back home. Personally I like it in corn rows, but would love a whole head of rat-tail dreads. Once home it would be almost impossible to continually get the corn rows done, I don’t know the people with the expertise. The most recent thoughts are to have normal plaits done to return home and then turn it into dreads. It would be easy, tie up each plait at the root and leave the braids to fester for a few weeks. Treating them with dreading wax in the mean time will ensure a head start. Then undo the plaits, giving three dreads, very thin and half formed. Job done really!
At the moment I’m very much on my own, I feel comfortable with this, with no cravings for friends and family. Sorry folks, no insult meant! My life must be my own, not dependant on the company of others. I’m constantly being told not to become insular, to remain open to other people. Generally this is meant as the possibility of a new relationship, a new love in my life. OK, I agree! I shouldn’t shut out that possibility: it shouldn’t be the focus of life though! I adore the heart warming closeness of sharing time with someone special, but there is so much more to life. I don’t wish to go on a global hunt for a new love, I have faith, it may come, but it may not! Why waste years trying for the improbable? I’m a wanderer, I crave new experiences, I love being out there living amongst the weird and wonderful. How I’d love to share this with someone else, someone who captured my heart, meant the world to me. But I’m not about to give it all up for some vague hope! We all create our own world, our own destinies. Being true to ourselves, we can’t forsake all we hold dear for a shallow promise.And folks, if you know of sources to promote my writings, my photos feel free to make them aware of me, my life. I’d be more than happy to express myself to a wider audience.
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