I mutilate my feet in Old Havana

02.04.2011

I-Juan teaches me how to take the one peso bus to the old part of town. There are churches and plazas there dating back to the 1500s. Cuba is one of the first places in North America to be explored by the Europeans.

I stop for a break at the only brew pub in the city and try and relax, while tourists circling like sharks try and get me to leave from my table. I went to the washroom and came back to find some eager beer drinkers angling for my place, trying to figure out who left half a pint of beer on the table...

"Um, I was sitting here, thanks..." and they meekly walked away.

Nothing too exciting happened except that I kind of bluffed my way into the rooftop pool at Hotel Saratoga, one of the swankiest places in Havana.

At the door, I told the guards I was going up to the pool. They let me through and then I quickly got changed and jumped in the pool for a few laps. Afterwards, I sat down and read a book. When the bartender came by with a list of way overpriced drinks I said no. That's when they figured out I wasn't an actual guest at the hotel. I told the security guard I was in room 309, but that bluff was again found to be manufactured, and they kicked me out. I ran to the bus station and got lost in the crowds... never to be found by security guards again.

The bus eventually came and I went back home to La Rampa. I bought some new sandals on the way home, thinking they would help my feet. They didn't.

I took a nap and Leo woke me up with the smell of slowly cooked and perfectly seasoned chicken pieces.

Fresh guava for breakfast