Part 6-`OLA` from Paris- Varadero Cuba.

Ola! Above is our hotel Club Amigo which we stayed at for 2 nights in Varadero. And similar to the picture above, that was our backyard beach. Cuba has spoiled us. We call each other 'Paris', because that is whom we have become. We have come a long way from Chile, where we stayed happily in a tiny hostel room with no air con, tv or private ensuite, to complaining about having to pick up our drinks from the bar at the beach instead of having them served to us...lol.

We loved Varadero. People were much friendlier and easy to get along with. I also had my own reason for loving Varadero...*wink*

One night we went clubbing to a salsa club...ufff...again very intimidating- these people can MOVE!!! And after the live music stopped and the dj came on, something happened to Shyama. Well she was approached and pursued by a salsa teacher who made her get DOWN! It was a scene from Dr Jekyl and Mr Hyde. So far Shyama has been rather subdued, but after some attention from Mr 'Junior' (as he called himself), she was moving in ways i had forgotten she could move. she was pole dancing and he was the pole! She was getting down and dirty...meanwhile, when i tried to dance with her, Junior pushed me aside in the arms of some gay looking sleazy italian and insisted that he keep Shyama all to himself.

Well, nonetheless, the night was great and i danced my tush off slowly sneaking away from the gay looking sleazy italian-missing the presence of my beautiful eyed boy. Will explain.

Camma, you will be proud to know that I finally put my Spanish to some really good use. A beautiful Cuban boy working at the hotel caught my eye. The whole morning i spent contemplatng whether or not i should approach him. Even though i saw him having breakfast with 2 rather tall, slim and attractive women. Finally I decided to bite the bullet. I approached him. Mind you, earlier he was the one striking up a conversation with me about whether we wanted to book a restaurant for dinner. And where we were from, etc. Anyway, i digress. First I told him 'excuse me, I don't know spanish but i know how to say the important stuff. 'Eres un cuero'. I got a slightly confused reaction. Turns out, this phrase i learnt in Peru is only relevant to Peru and doesn't apply to cuba. it is supposed to mean 'you are a hottie'. Instead in cuba, it is interpreted as you are an interesting person. Doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

Well, I persisted and said (mind you, thanks to the lonely planet phrasebook, I had been practicing this line our whole trip but never used it) 'tienes onos ochos precioso' - which means 'u have beautiful eyes'. And ladies, a cheesy line like that can work especially if you don't know the language. Overall- I got a very positive response and I asked him to take me dancing - he was a great dancer and met up with me in the evening in the hotel's entertainment area. Later not being able to come out with us to a club since (wait for it ladies)- he had no money. That's the problem with men in cuba- they are beautiful but penniless. Such a shame. I took as much advantage of him (his dancing skills only) while I could. Guys - a tip - no matter how handsome you are - if your breath stinks- you have no chance for a kiss. And unfortunately this cuban hunk's breath was not upto standard.

Marshie will be delighted to hear that I actually convinced Shyama to perform Saiyna with me in front of a very small audience at the hotel. The dj loved the indian music so much that he wanted to burn the cd. But since we couldn't see him again, i let him keep it. Now Bollywood tunes will be echoing in Cuba! Viva la Bollywood!

Now we are in Rio and I have to learn 'you have beautiful eyes' in Portuguese. Camma - any tips?

Missing you all!

Luv

Jag.