Trail Dames - We're Gonna Dance Upon This Earth

Day 9- Cuban Goodbyes...

Day 9- Cuban Goodbyes

 

 

This morning I woke up knowing that all good things must come to an end.  I didn’t sleep well at all because I was nervous about leaving, the flight to the Dominican Republic and all of the work that is waiting for me at home.  But before I had to deal with all of that, I had a few more hours left and wanted to enjoy them.  J I packed slowly, laying out the final gifts I had to give.  I left Mamma Ana some candy, a bottle of lavender shower gel and an Oprah magazine. J She doesn’t speak much English, but she can actually read it quite well from her years as a professor. She said that many genetics texts are in English, so she had to learn it.  I figure that Oprah magazine is as good a way as any to keep practicing that skill!  J

 

While I was finishing up, Alejandro knocked on the door and said that I had a visitor.  I couldn’t imagine who, since I was supposed to meet Merlin at his house in an hour.  I went to the front porch and there was David. J  He had been unable to come to the party last night and I was bummed because I wasn’t going to be able to say goodbye to him.  But there he way, grinning at me.  J  We talked a bit, and finally hugged good-bye.  He kissed me saying, “I will miss my ‘yes’ face!”  I laughed.  It had taken me forever to explain to him what that even was and when he finally got it, he loved the idea.  We were sitting at the table in Merlin’s house two days ago when he looked at me and said, “You really DO have a ‘yes’ face!!”  J J We agreed that we would email and that he would send me some of his model photos so that my friends could see what I was talking about.  J With that, he jumped back into his taxi and headed off to rehearsal.  Another good-bye down…….five to go.

 

As I waited for my own cab, I took photos of Ana and Alejandro, with us all taking turns with the camera.  Six days ago, I said, “Every time I go somewhere, the first few days are like a first date…..we are all formal and polite, not quite sure of what to make of each other.  Then it gets a little better.  By Sunday, I suspect we will all be one big happy family.”  Well, I was right.  Now these people all feel like family and even though I am sad to leave, they have a permanent place in my heart and I am ok, knowing that I can come back and see them anytime!!  J

 

When the cab finally showed up, there were hugs and kisses all around and I explained to the driver that we had to stop by Merlin’s so I can say good-bye to him and his parents.  However, when we got there, there was no Merlin to be found!  His parents got more and more agitated as we waited for him. It had started to rain lightly and they thought he had gone the three blocks to see me at my house.  But when 15 minutes passed, we knew that he had made other plans.  I stood there talking to his mom when I noticed that she was wearing one of the shirts I had given her.  Then I looked down and saw them.  She had on my tennis shoes.  I whooped and hugged her…they fit and she liked them!! She twisted around, showing them to me and we grinned at each other.  What a nice ending to the trip.  J

 

I finally hugged them once more and got into the cab.  I had exchanged tons of hugs and kisses with Merlin last night, and that would have to do.  As we drove down the wet road, I tried to fix the picture in my mind.  The buildings all shiny with rain, the plants and flowers bright and clean looking and people walking quickly to work and school, heads bent against the shower.  I was on the verge of tears when I looked up and saw someone in a red shirt riding a bike quickly towards us.  Merlin!!  I was so happy!! The taxi driver stopped in the middle of the street and I jumped out to grab him.  “I was at the house of my friend!” he said.  I was just glad to get to see him one more time.  We both looked down the block and could see the tiny figures of his parents waving at us from their front door.  Everyone was smiling.  J

 

So, Merlin rode off and I went to the airport. As I sat and waited for my plane, a guitarist sat next to me, playing for money. I explained to him that I had just exchanged all of my money, but he didn’t seem to want to take ‘no’ for an answer.  I opened my book and he sat closer and closer to me, his elbow rubbing up against mine in an attempt to keep my attention.  He went through his entire repertoire, concentrating especially on American music and when he finally broke into The Beatle’s “Yesterday”…. in Spanish….I got the giggles.  I just wanted to be quiet and read and think about the week, but I was in the middle of a Mr. Bean sketch.  When it was time to go through customs, they sent me back to pay the $25 airport tax…..in cuban money…..which I did not have.  I sighed and went back around to the money exchange to turn some of my recently converted Euros back into Cuban money. When the guy handed me all bills and one single CUC coin, I knew it was a sign from the universe.  I walked back to the guitarist and handed him the coin.  Sometimes persistence just has to be rewarded.  J

 

A four hour delay, a two hour flight, one cuba libre and a $25 cab ride later, I found myself back in Santo Domingo, DR, at the Quality Inn Suites.  I have shown that I can be at home anywhere…..one-star hotels, hostels, and hovels. J It is time for some hot water, air conditioning, and high speed internet.  I have an entire free day tomorrow, and while I might take a $40 cab back to the Cathedral, I just might hunker down and answer the 300+ emails that I got while I was gone. As far as I am concerned, this adventure has come to an end.  And oh, what an adventure it was………

Thank you for following my emails and for sending me encouraging messages. I leave this trip feeling even more grateful for the life that I am leading and the friends and family that I have. 

Muchas, muchas gracias,

Anna

Day 8-Cathedrals, tennis shoes and blue beaded necklaces.....

Day 8-Cathedrals, tennis shoes and blue beaded necklaces.....

 

This morning, I slept in and leisurely went through my suitcase.  I have so much to leave behind and want to get it all divided up to give as gifts later today.  After organizing everything, I took some quiet time to sit and finish typing up yesterday’s report.  I went out into the main part of the house and asked Anna if I could sit at the dining room table.  She brought me fresh mango and café cubano and I, once again, was in heaven.  

 

My main goal of the day was to go see the cathedral.  We walked by it several times in the last few days, but I did not get a chance to really enjoy the square and the church itself, so off I went to find a taxi.  Yes, I have made this walk many times this week, but at this point, it is about 845 degrees outside and I just don’t have it in me!  I chose a taxi from the long line of cars in front of the nearby hotel, going for the 1956 Chevy.  There are some newer, smaller cars…all of which obviously have air conditioning…but I do not care! I want to ride in one of these cool old cars!! I asked the gentleman, “how much for the Cathedral?” and he said something I didn’t understand, followed by ‘cinco’.  “Five?” I said, and he nodded.  Best five bucks I ever spent!  I jumped in the front seat and we took off.  He turned away from the direction we were supposed to be heading and started climbing the hills out of town.  Hmmm…..the cathedral that I want is actually downhill from everything else.  I know because when we went to it last night, Merlin warned me that after the cathedral, it was all ‘uphill’.    (which, of course, made me smile….).  Anyway, he was chatting merrily and saying Cathedral-something-or-other and I realize that we are going to a whole other cathedral, which might be ok, but could also be a two hour drive away!!  So I look at him quizzically and say, “Cathedral?  En centro de Santiago ?  (which I really hope means, “The Cathedral? In the middle of town? )   “Eiiiiyeee!”, he says and nods, speaking a whole lot of Spanish and smiling while he turns the car around.  We are finally heading in the right direction and the neighborhoods start looking familiar again.  I know that the fare was too high, but I do not expect him to change his mind, given the change in destination.  It is ok by me and worth it to take that ride!  

 

When he drops me off at the cathedral, I take pictures and gaze adoringly at it. Seriously!  It is beautiful and was originally built in the 1500’s!! It actually stands way up high, sitting on top of a lot of small shops, all closed because it is Sunday. When I try to get in to the wrought iron gates that lead to the stairway, a woman says kindly, “Closed til 5:00” Of course, she says in en espagnol, but I get the drift.  Oh well….. I continue to stroll around the square, but by the time the fourth man has walked by me making kissing sounds, (turns out, I am fairly popular here!!), I decide that it is time to get off the street for a while and I head to Casa Trova.  Last night, I told you about meeting the two different musicians that both said that they were playing at Casa Trova today at 1:00? Well, I walked in, took a seat in the back and looked up to see them waving at me from the stage!!  The room was small and open on one side to the street.  It was full of small chairs covered in leather that still had the hair attached in places, and there was one lone empty chair in the back, with one tiny table.  See, it was meant to be.   I quickly tood a seat and looked up to watch my new friends.  They were both playing on a small stage with four other musicians. The place was small and full of locals...not a tourista in sight til me, (and then later two women).  When I walked in and the musicians started waving enthusiastically, all of the locals turned to look at me.   Then, as I sat down, a man came over to greet me.  It was one of the cellists whose bow I had rehaired earlier in the week!!!  He kissed me and sat down to join me for a beer.  Everyone was looking at me like, "How in the world does that tourist know all these people!!"  :) :) It was awesome!!  The music was awesome as well and I spent the better part of an idyllic afternoon sitting there, swaying and smiling to the beat.

 

 At one point, two women came in, and I recognized them as they sat right in front of me.  I saw them two days ago and knew that they were tourists, but pegged them for Europeans, so I didn't talk to them.  However, when they sat down, someone asked them where they were from and they said "Estados Unitos".  I leaned forward and said, "Where in the US are you from?", and they both started laughing.  One of the women turned around and said, "Oh, are you another disobedient servant of the crown?” :) :)  I laughed and laughed.  "Si", I said. Turns out, she IS from Germany , (I knew she wasn't your run of the mill American), but lives in San Francisco now, with her friend.  They were great, and are the first Americans I have met that aren't here legally. It made me feel better to talk to them and laugh a little.

 

When the music finished, the band all gathered around me to sign the CD that I bought, (naturally, I had to have something to remember this by!).  They all knew that I was a cellist and bassists so I assume the guitarist and bassist had filled them in.  To feel so accepted was wonderful beyond words!  Have I mentioned how much I love Santiago ? :) 

 

After the music, I finished the afternoon at the outdoor restaurant overlooking the Cathedral. I figure if I can’t go in the church, I might as well spend some time enjoying the view. :)  The pizza here…what is it with these people and not serving Cuban food?!?...was fabulous!!  Imagine a large, thin sopapilla with red sauce and a little cheese.  Not Cuban, per se, but it will do. :)  On the square, people are relaxing on the benches, not moving any more than they have to.  There is a nice breeze coming through and storm clouds are rolling in.  The line of taxis doesn’t move……there are no tourists here to hail them.  So I stare at a row of 1950’s American cars and fantasize about what it must have been like back then….the buildings freshly painted in pastels, the cigar smoke wafting by and the sounds of Cuban music spilling out of bars and hotels.  Funny….the only thing that is different is the age of the paint………..

 

Now, I have to go to my party.  It is raining and thundering furiously outside and I am hoping that Latin-time can apply to me tonight. J  Sitting on my bed typing with the windows and doors all open, the oscillating fan circulating cool air and the birds singing, I don’t really want to move just yet.  Yet….how often do you have people get together in your honor?  :) I better jump in the shower…..

 

(Later………)

 

Well, I am getting ready to climb into my bed here in my Cuban home for the last time.  This week has gone by so quickly!!  This evening, I headed to Martin’s place for our party, making a stop by his family home first.  It was drizzling softly and I walked slowly towards the house, carrying six bags of things I had brought from America for them.  His sister, Maline, saw me coming and ran out to help me.  Once inside, I started opening bags and showing them what I had brought.  I was nervous.  I read on the internet that everyday toiletries are very expensive in Cuba and not of a good quality, so they are very much appreciated by most families.  I was banking on that, since that is most of what I brought.  Lotion, sunscreen, new hand towels, toothbrushes and toothpaste, soap, tampax, etc.  The women, (Merlin had stepped out and his dad is out of town), were very excited and appreciative.  The real fun came, however, when I gave Maline the colorful headbands and fruity lip balm that I had purchased with her in mind. What 12 year old girl doesn’t like lip balm that tasted like Life Savers!!  :) One of our local Duluth women had donated a recorder and when I gave it to Maline, she squealed with excitement.  It was my second most favorite moment of the day. :) 

 

She prattled on and on to me in Spanish, her eyes glowing with excitement.  Then I pulled out the bag of clothes I had for Mama Rosita.  She is my size and had commented on my tee shirt earlier in the week, so half of my suitcase ended up going to her.  I thought she was going to pop from excitement!!  She said that in Cuba , it is hard to find clothes her size and that she was so happy!!  It made me wish I had brought six suitcases full for her.  I also had new underwear for her and assorted other things.  And of course, I had to give her a Trail Dames tee shirt. :)  I don’t know how, and I don’t know when, but someday she will be walking along the streets of Santiago and someone will say to her, “Are you a Trail Dame?! Me too!!”  :)

 

At the very bottom of the bag were my tennis shoes.  Last Tuesday, she and I had a long talk about our shoe size and how it is so hard to find shoes for wide feet.  That was the only day that I even wore my tennis shoes and she commented how nice they were. This evening, as I was getting ready to leave for the party, I just wanted to cry. I sat there looking at those shoes…nice, but worn…clean, but scuffed and obviously used….and wished that I had something better to give her.  I wasn’t even sure she would want them, so it was with a little trepidation that I even packed them.  Then, when I looked at her questioningly and pulled them out of the bag, her whole face changed.  I thought she was going to cry.  She just hugged and hugged me.  That was my favorite moment of the night.

 

We finished up the gift giving with a bag of assorted candy and some bubbles.  They didn’t know what the bubbles were, so I had a great time opening them and cascading bubbles across the room. We all three squealed like little girls and giggled and giggled. I called to Merlin to come translate my explanation of the Pop Rocks candy that I had included and then we headed out.  Lasier and his wife Eunice were already at the house with their 4-year old daughter, Ariana. Later we were joined by one of Merlin’s bass teachers, and we had the best time sitting around and talking. :) I broke the ice with a timid Ariana by taking her picture and showing it to her.  After that, I showed Ariana how to work my iPhone and it was official…I was her favorite person!  :) I showed her how to play Angry Birds and she and her mother, Eunice, were hooked in no time!  But Ariana’s favorite was the camera and we all laughed and posed for her as she wore out the batteries in both devices having a good time. 

 

Shortly, Maline and Mamma Rosita came bustling in and called me into the kitchen. They presented me with a gift in a colorful bag.  They had wrapped a pretty three-stranded necklace with blue beads and matching earrings. They said that it matches my eyes. :) Then they gave me a little wooden bracelet.  There was a card from them all, along with a Cuban postcard.  I tried not to cry as Maline fastened the necklace around me and I put the earrings and bracelet on.  How do you tell people that the greatest gift they could give you is letting you be a part of their family for a week? I was so moved and of course, I will treasure that jewelry forever.

 

Later, a dinner of fish, pork, rice and beans was served and soon followed by good-byes. Everyone has to work tomorrow and needs some sleep.  Lasier hugged me three times, and I tried to put a whole lot of gratitude into my returning hug.  This good-bye was soon followed by more of the same with Maline. I am going to stop by the house in the morning to say good-bye to Mamma Rosita, but she will be in school.  Oh, this is the hard part!

Merlin and I closed out the evening…walking for an hour and visiting a subdued Garzon (I actually spelled this wrong last night), before finally heading home. He, too, hugged me three times and kissed me at the street corner where he turns for home.  I teased him all week, “You will miss me when I am gone”.  I think he actually might…..I know I will miss him.

Buenos Noches,

Anna

Day 7- Unforgetable

Well, it is 1:30 in the morning and I am getting in after a long, marvelous day. J  I slept in a bit this morning, because Merlin wasn’t supposed to pick me up until 9:00 and as I sat waiting for him, Anna brought me a wonderful cup of Café Cubano.  This might just be my favorite thing about Cuba !!  J

 

After breakfast we took a brisk 45 minute walk through the city.  (Can you imagine… Merlin accuses me of walking fast all of the time!! ME?!?!?) We ran into David (the conductor) and one of the young violin students, who promptly kissed us hello and turned around to join us.   Our destination for the morning was a flute concert that Lasier is playing on.  We arrived at a lovely little white and blue courtyard, right off of a busy street, and this morning it has been transformed into a small concert setting. I am trying to relax and talk to David, who is delightful in every way, but mostly I am trying not to throw up.  The heat and my general state of dehydration have finally gotten to me and I am not feeling well at all.  I asked Merlin to stop for water twice on the way to the concert, but in the general camaraderie and excitement of the walk, we did not stop.

 

And you must understand, the walk is always exciting!  There are people everywhere, dodging each other and skipping over the big potholes in the sidewalk.  The sun is bright and the sky is a brilliant, brilliant blue, with the rare breeze feeling like utter heaven. The traffic whizzes by, a combination of old Chevrolets, Oldsmobile’s and Fords, mixed with motor bikes and huge trucks, all with their original mufflers. J The sidewalks are narrow and uneven in some places, forcing you to take your life into your hands as you step into the street to avoid a group of giggling school children, or a couple of elderly women walking arm and arm.  The smells of frying dough and men’s cologne mix with those of exhaust and stale beer. Merlin knows everyone and is very popular, so there is a constant stream of people stopping to greet him and say hello. All in all, it is like a big moving social event, albeit with a bit more road hazards than you would normally find at a party!!

 

When we arrive at the flute concert, Merlin says, “Anna, I must go for the work for 5 minutes….I will return”  This happens all of the time and 5 minutes truly means 45 so I ask him to please bring me water when he comes back and settle in for some flute music. There were five flautists, including Lasier, who plays on the only bass flute in Cuba .  These are all professional musicians and they were wonderful!  It was literally perfect, all rapid runs up and down and silky harmonies.   Fifteen feet away, the traffic raced by, offering a constant accompaniment of beeping horns and the above-mentioned ensemble of mufflers from the 1950’s.  But it didn’t distract me at all.  Between the truly beautiful music, the trying not to simultaneously pass out and throw up, and the listening to David’s thoughtful translation of the introduction to each piece, I was fairly focused. J

 

When the concert finished, each musician was presented with flowers and I turned to see Merlin in the back with my water.  I was so relieved….it was going to be very embarrassing to have a heat stroke in front of theses people!!  J  I drank a liter without stopping and felt much better. Lasier walked up and gave me his flowers with a smile.  These men are so wonderful!  After telling everyone that they were fabulous, we headed back to the workshop one last time.  We have about 10 more bows to finish before we are officially done.  David joins us, as does Lasier, and together with Merlin, the four of us spend the next three hours deep in bow work and conversation.  David and I have so much in common, (with the exception that he is a world famous conductor and underwear model- Oh, did I forget to mention that?) J.  We decide that if we were ever living in the same city, we would be the best of friends!  I hand out Tootsie Roll Pops to anyone that comes in and before we know it, we are finished.  We think that the final count is 53-ish rehairs, 12 faceplates, 2 stick cracks, one stamp protector and five thumb leathers, in four and a half days.  Wow………

 

When we are done cleaning up the tools, me leaving a big pile of materials for Merlin, Lasier asks if he can take me for a beer, so the four of us go across the street to a disco that is in full swing, despite the fact that it is 3:30 in the afternoon.  We descend into an air-conditioned, all-black room with TV screens playing loud Cuban street rap and take a seat around a small metal table.  Four beers and a Malta (some kind of sweet, malted beverage that David orders since he does not drink) appear on the table and I look around.  The place is mostly empty, but the people that are there are all families with small children running around.  It is a bit disconcerting to see all of the little kids while hoochie mammas shake their bodies on the TV, but it is normal life here.  I begin to tease Lasier about looking so cool and kicked back in his chair when he explains that he is the boss here. He is kind of the manager and he really is cool and kicked back!  It turns out that the plate of food he brought me several days ago came from this place.  I feel a little relieved knowing that all that meat was in an air-conditioned building at one point!!  J J As we start to talk about leaving, it is obvious that no one really wants to say good bye, so in a quick flurry of Spanish, the guys come to some sort of agreement.  “Anna, we would like to make for you a party at my house tomorrow night….is that good for you?” Ummmmm……….YES!  J J So we said good bye to Lasier until tomorrow and Merlin, David and I went to Merlin’s house for food. 

 

We stroll down the neighborhood streets talking like we have all three been friends forever, which it kind of feels like. The guys head up to Merlin’s, while I go to say hello to his mother.  I have not seen her in a few days and feel badly. I knock on their door, crying out “Mamma Cubana…..Yo Anna” and she comes to the door with Maline, Merlin’s 12 year old sister.  Maline was shy the first time we met but now she prattles away in Spanish like I am her long lost big-sister.  She is bright as she can be and is the first to understand when I have no idea what someone is saying.  She also studied a little English, and while she can’t say anything, she understands the concept, so when she speaks to me, she speaks very slowly, always stopping to say the verb with raised eyebrows and a nod. She is fabulous!!

 

After greetings all around, I went back the three doors down to join the guys for lunch.  As we are waiting, David and I sit at the tiny kitchen table on a side porch while Merlin fusses around, doing dishes and straightening up.  The last time Martin was here, he left an iPod with small speakers and an incredible play list.  David plays DJ, switching between Smetana tone poems and we all hum the parts of our various instruments when The Moldau comes on.  Merlin goes outside, climbs a ladder and picks small, golden mangos from the tree outside of his window. He brings them in, rinses them off and gives them to us. David says, “You have not lived until you have had a mango, warm from the tree”.   He then says, “Wait, I have something for you!” and proceeds to play Copeland’s “Appalachian Spring” on the iPod.  There we sat….a breeze coming through the slatted windows, Copeland swirling softly around the room, and warm mango juice running down our chins.  There are just no words. 

 

Soon, Mamma and Maline come in, having made a wonderful meal, with rice and beans, fresh tomatoes, some kind of grilled pork and a little tiny banana (banana-nita? J). It is so, so good and I am happy that finally, at the end of my trip, I have a bit of appetite.   We sit for hours, talking about every conceivable topic.  David talks about how conducting makes him feel, and he and Merlin give me some insight into the Latino male mind….explaining their feelings about the women in their lives.  David talks about Serbia and what it is like to live in a civil war and Merlin’s face lights up when he talks about the bass part to Shostakovich’s 5^th symphony.  The conversation dances from English to Spanish and back again, with David laughing and translating every time they forget and speak to me in Spanish.  However, I find it easy to follow the Spanish in conversations like these and love the feeling of understanding that comes from time to time.  As the sun starts to set, David puts Nat King Cole on, and as he begins to sing “Unforgettable”, David says to me, “That is what you are to us, Anna….Unforgettable”.  Then he says with a raised eyebrow and cheeky half-grin, “I know that you think that all Latin men say these things, …but this time, I mean it” J J I am half laughing and all touched.  And right on cue, another one of those moments hits me like a brick.  I am so sad to leave this place and these people.  It is amazing the depth of connections you can make in just a few days and my heart squeezes at the thought of leaving them. 

Really, this time has been unforgettable……

 

The sun has set when we finally leave Merlin’s place.  David actually has no idea where he is (it turns out that he is a guest conductor from Havana and stays in a hotel when he is here), so Merlin is going to walk him home.  They are going in the direction of Hotel Santiago and I want to check email, so the three of us head that way, walking down the middle of the street, where the breeze is the coolest.  Conversation is easy and David talks about how happy he is to spend the day with us.  He usually holes up in his hotel room, but today he is happy to be sending time with friends.  They drop me off at the hotel and I go in to check my email.  Did I mention that a few days ago, I met a man and woman here from the United States ? And that he is a pianist from New Orleans ? Well, I did.  J When I first met him, he was sitting in with the musicians, playing a Joplin rag on the piano, and when I introduced myself to him, he said, “Isn’t it staggering how great these musicians are?”  That sentence has stuck with me all week long and when he walked up and said hello, I told him that. We ended up having a drink together and he explained that he was here on a music research visa.  His name is Tom and he really is an awesome pianist!  Since the musicians here all know him, and since the violinist in the group knows me, (My having rehaired his bow and cleaned his violin for him earlier in the week), the whole group comes and sings for us and hangs out for a while.  It is lovely.   Tom invites me out to hear some music, but I have Merlin coming to pick me up at 10 so I tell him that I will keep an eye out for him.

 

I finally end the day by going to Merlin’s house and pretending to be Martin, saying “Come Merlin!  Let us go to where the party it!!” J   We walk up to the main street and there is a huge street fair going on!  They have closed the giant four-lane road and there are vendors selling food, beer, bottles of rum, and jewelry for about a mile. It is called Garcon and Merlin explains that it happens every single weekend.  I love it!!  There are thousands of people everywhere.  Gangs of teen-aged boys elbow each other and glance covertly at the pretty girls, who all studiously look away, only to giggle madly moments later.  Men stand in discussion while women walk arm in arm, stopping to chat with friends.  Impromptu music groups have sprung up from place to place and as people sway to the tunes, dogs weave through the crowds hoping for some food dropped off of a paper plate.  It is my idea of a good time and Merlin quickly tires of me going to up musicians and talking to them. The funny thing is, I met both a guitarist and a bassist who are playing in a band at Casa Trova tomorrow at 1:00!  I met them literally a mile and a half from each other!  When I told Merlin that I thought it was neat that out of a million musicians in this town, I would randomly meet two from the same band, he was not impressed.  I surely need to spend some more time with this young man to educate him on the magic and wonderful-ness that is happening here!!  J J J

 

Now I am back home at 1:30 and I am sorry that this has gone on a bit.  But how can you pack such an amazing day into 3 pages of type?  I have left out a thousand stories and a million impressions, but I hope that you are getting some kind of flavor for this vibrant place.  For now, my bed is calling me loudly and I will say…..

Buenos Noches,

Anna

Day 6-Total Absence of the Blues

Day 6

 

It is 9:00, and I am sitting here on my bed in a pool of melted sweat, relaxing after a nice dinner of cheese pizza.  Ok, the pizza wasn’t that nice….but it was easy and fast and I was able to eat it after doing a quick internet check.  J  I think I might be the only person to ever visit Cuba and not eat at a Cuban restaurant!!  If I suggest it, Merlin gets very upset and says that it is very expensive, and that “we can eat at his house…..just let him go tell his mother to fix me something”.  The only other place to eat that I know of is the hotel down the street.  They have a snack bar and a hoity-toity restaurant that I cannot afford.  Since I am only eating one meal a day…the snack bar it is. J  When I get home, I will go to the Cuban restaurant in Norcross…..it is wonderful. J J

 

Anyway, it is dark outside, the temperature is cooling down to a nice 90 degrees and it is time for bed, right? Wrong!  Merlin will be here in an hour to take me to hear traditional Cuban music! It is about time!!  I am so excited and I will tell you all about it tomorrow!  J  Today was another day full of rehairing bows and seeing students and musicians. Many now greet me like an old friend, kissing me on the cheek as they say hello. It makes me feel so good!    We had another breakthrough today in Cuban/American relations, as well.  You know how I keep talking about these moments that always happen for me when I travel overseas? Well today, right on cue, came the next one.  (I could set my watch by these things.)  Today was the day that everyone forgot that I don’t speak Spanish. J  It always happens around the end of the first week…..people just look at me and start spewing Spanish in normal conversation. These are people that know me!  Trust me; this is not because of some new-found fluency on my part.  I think it happens when the novelty of having a foreigner (me) around finally wears off.  It is pretty funny, actually.  Merlin and I were having an in depth bow conversation when all of the sudden, he switched to Spanish, in mid-sentence, no less! .  When I just looked at him, he simply said, “I know…..I just don’t know how to say it in English”, and then proceeded to keep talking to me in Spanish.  I just laughed and laughed. What are you going to do?

 

My favorite part of the day (so far) was late this afternoon when Merlin, Lasier and I were working on bows.  Two of the young teenage students…both very pretty girls…were hanging out waiting for us to finish their bows, flirting lightly with both of the guys and eating the M and M’s I was sharing.  J  Merlin was playing music on his phone…some sort of Latin hip-hop…. and all of the sudden a slow, Latino love song came on.  Merlin started singing softly as he worked and soon, both Lasier and the girls all joined in.  They didn’t really know they were all singing together, they were just each caught up in the song.  It was one of those moments, you know?  One of those moments when everything got kind of quiet and everyone seemed so content and comfortable.  I just smiled to myself as I combed out the bow hair, thinking, “how lucky am I?”.  I know I say that a lot, and when I am at home, I feel lucky and blessed each and every day. But when I am on one of my adventures, things like this take on a kind of glow and it really brings home how great this life really is. 

 

(Later........ at 1 am…)

Ok, so if you are going to suffer permanent hearing damage, it should definitely happen in a Cuban bar, don’t you think?  J  I am back from my evening and it was wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!  When we left the house, I could tell that something was different.  It is Friday night in Santiago and the town had a celebratory feel to it. The women on the streets were all dressed up and the children were completely precious, wearing little shawls, three piece suits….the ninas wearing flowers in their hair. We walked to the concert hall where we work every day and turned down a street that was full of people.  Every building had a restaurant or bar in it and they all had live Cuban music going on!  I think I have died and gone to heaven!!  We waited in a park for Lasier, and there were people dancing in the square, a band playing under a pavilion and old cars driving by, spewing exhaust from 1956.  It was awesome!  As we sat in the park and waited, Merlin and I played the ‘what country do you think THEY are from’ game.  England , France , Germany ?  I am usually very good at this game and it turns out, so is Merlin, so we had a great time talking about everyone that walked by. J 

 

When Lasier didn’t show up, we started the evening in one of Santiago’s most famous clubs.  Merlin with a beer and me with a Mojito, we settled in for some music.  I have to say, the music was amazing…but very, very loud. I consoled myself by saying that it sure was a heck of a way to lose your hearing, but early on, couldn’t bring myself to leave.  I mean, I was in Cuba , listening to a traditional Cuban band, for Pete’s sake!!

Then they walked in.  Five adults.  Laughing, dancing their way to their seats, making a graaaaand entrance.  The man looked like a brunette Woody Allen and was dancing across the entrance way wearing a tee shirt that said, “F*#% you, you f*#^ing f*#%”. 

The Americans are here.

 

For the first time, I saw how we really look to the rest of the world.  I have to admit, I was laughing at the tee shirt…you can blame the mojito on that.  I mean, who wears a shirt like that??? Then I realized that not only was I a little embarrassed, but I had reached my decibel limit.  Two professional salsa dancers had come out and were working the crowd. Merlin wasn’t so thrilled by the music either so I suggest (yelled, really) that we go find something better.  He was horrified that I would pay $5 for each of us and then leave 45 minutes later, but I explained that given my face, it was only a matter of time before that salsa dancer zoned in on me and that one mojito was NOT enough to get me out on the dance floor! He acquiesced and sure enough, as we were leaving, I glanced back to see the Americans being dragged onto the dance floor by the pros.  (Whew, that was a close one)  J

 

We strolled from place to place, checking out bands, making a quick stop in the middle of a square to visit with some bass playing friends of Merlins.  After talking about Baby Basses, (everyone here loves Ampeg!!!), we asked the advice of his friends and ended up at a delicious bar across the square.  Long and narrow, with a hundred plants hanging overhead and oscillating fans blowing the air around, the outdoor café with its live band was perfect.  We were soon joined by yet another of Merlin’s bass playing friends, and sat enjoying beers and the music for a while.

 

Several phone conversations took place  with Merlin on his cell phone and it turned out that he was in the middle of a big personal problem involving women.  (Doesn’t it always involve women?!)  As he got more and more depressed, I finally taught the both of them about the blues.  Not playing the blues, which they both understood completely, but having the blues.  (Try explaining THAT in a second language!!)  When we finally closed the restaurant down, Merlin declared that he had the blues and needed to go home and play his bass for a while.  The three of us strolled through the darkened streets of Santiago laughing and joking, slowly chasing his blues away.  When we neared my corner, Merlin said, “Please to come, Anna….help me chase the blues away…we will play the bass!!”  I laughed and explained to him that I was old and that he and his friend would do just fine without me.  J  After a bit more cajoling, I sent them on their way and walked the last block home.  I am happy, peaceful, and about as far away from the blues as a girl can get.

Buenos Noches,

Anna

Day 5- Don't tell my parents!!

Day 5

Don’t tell my parents!!!

 

So, today started just like any other day…….isn’t it funny that I can say that when I haven’t even been here a whole week?  But when it feels like you have been here for months, you can say….today started just like any other day. J  I got up and ate some of the fabulous fresh mango and pineapple Anna had made for me, before heading out the door for the half hour walk to the concert hall.  I now know my way there with no problems and would love to walk it by myself, so that I could slow down and take some pictures.  But Martin has told Merlin that he MUST take good care of me!  In fact, Merlin says that he is my Cuban body guard and he takes being my escort very seriously.  By the time we are ten minutes into our commute, I am soaked with sweat.  It is really, really hot here. The humidity is soaring and luckily, I came with my Haiti mindset. That being… dress comfortably, pull your hair back, prepare to never be dry and step in front of every fan you see!!  J  Even the Cubans are hot.  You can see them all fanning themselves and keeping to the shady side of the street.  But they don’t seem to sweat much.  They look cool as can be and I find myself wishing I had a bit of their DNA.

 

When we got to the school, people started pouring in, picking up their bows from yesterday, dropping others off.  Did I mention that they were dropping more off?! You would not believe the pile of bows we have to do! I say ‘we’, but Merlin deposited me at the work bench and took off. He had lots of work to do elsewhere so I was on my own.  I started cutting and cleaning and filing and polishing and combing and tying and rosining til I thought my hands would fall off.  Official count as of now is 20 rehairs, 5 faceplates and four thumb leathers in two days.  J Please don’t tell my parents because they might seriously start to re-think their expectations of my work at the shop!!  J  Merlin did help with some of those faceplates…in fact, if you count the ones that he did by himself, we are up to about 8 faceplates.  Not bad for two days!!  J  At one point, an elderly man brought me a bass bow and asked for hair and a faceplate. His faceplate was bad, but it was still in one piece, so I told him that I would try. I would definitely do the hair but that I would have to see, time-wise, if I could get to the faceplate.  He walked out and returned several minutes later, walked up to me and handed me a huge, beautiful mango.  I laughed and laughed and told him that presents would get him special treatment.  I looked at that mango all day long and his bow was finished by 6 oclock. J

 

Before lunch, David, the conductor of the symphony came in to sit and talk to me while I worked. He is a few years younger than me and has lived all over the world.  He speaks good English and I enjoy hearing about why he chose the music that they are playing for this concert.  After hearing him discuss the difficulty of playing Faure with the orchestra, I finally asked him, “How is it possible that these people play so well with such terrible equipment? “  Earlier I had heard a Paganini Caprice being played in the court yard by what could have been Jasha Heifetz….seriously.  David said, “When I was growing up, my bow was terrible….it had no camber and a third of the hair.” When I would say something to my teacher, they would say, “You make it work….if you have no hair, you find more power in your bow arm…..whatever it takes, you find a way”.  And that is exactly what these musicians have done.  These are not, ‘oh-bless-their-heart-they-are-poor-and-have-no-resources’ musicians…..these are ‘thank-god-they-aren’t-showing-up-for-major-symphony-auditions-cause-all-those-Curtis-kids-would-be-screwed’ musicians. J And it is a pleasure to be rehairing for them.

 

My wonderful friend from yesterday, Lasier, is back and watching most of the day. He can still read my mind and when I figured out how to say it to him in Spanish; he grinned and said that the last LSF guy said the exact same thing to him.  He brought me two cookie-type things at one point for breakfast and later offered to go get me a beer.  I tried to explain to him that drinking while working didn’t really work for me and that I would wait til later, He smiled and took off, coming back 15 minutes later with a heaping plate of food!!  He said that I had not stopped or eaten all day long and that I needed food.  He took the lid off with a flourish and showed me a giant plate of meat. Yeeesh.  Some of it I recognized…ham, cured ham (I think) and some sort of shrimp heaped on what looked like white worms but wasn’t pasta.  ???  The rest of the meat ….there were six different kinds circling the plate…looked tripe-ish.  Oh my…..  Oh, and there was something that looked like Vienna sausage.  The whole thing was covered with slices of cheese.

 

Most of you know that I was a vegetarian for 10 years.  Now I eat meat all the time, and I have no problem with it…mostly.  But this…..there was a whole lot of pig staring at me off of this plate.  How was I ever going to eat it?  This was street food at it’s finest…...all at room temperature.  I just didn’t think I could do it.  But really, you cannot just travel somewhere and turn down kindness like this!!  I didn’t want him to think that Americans were too good to eat their food….or that I didn’t appreciate it!  So, I took a bite of ham in front of him….”Yummmmm’, I said, smiling.  Then I took a bite of Vienna sausage.  Umm…..so definitely NOT Vienna sausage. After he stepped out, I started pushing the food around like crazy, trying to pile it up,  leaving big empty spaces on the plate.  That plate of meat sat their all afternoon.  Cubans would come in, I would offer them some, they would dig in and the blank spots would grow.  At the end of the day, there was STILL meat on that plate!  But there was a lot less and I didn’t feel so badly. 

 

Towards the end of the day, Merlin’s bass teacher came in for an emergency rehair. He is flying to Havana to play a Donzenetti opera tomorrow and was having bow problems.  Merlin did it for him while we talked about bass players we knew.  I shared some M and M’s with them and he showed me photos of his two year old son.  It was a great ending to the day and it stressed for me again, just how small the music world is and how we all have this great thing in common that brings us together, even when we know nothing about each other. 

 

After work, I went home, walking part of the way by myself. Merlin quizzed me on directions and finally seems to feel that I am ok.  I go in to tell Anna that we will not be going to Guantanamo after all and that I will be staying another three nights after tonight.  She smiles and hugs me and says that she is so glad and that I am part of the family.  J  When I ask for directions to the laundry mat, she insists on doing my laundry at no charge.  “It makes our family so happy to have you here”, she said.  How lucky am I?  I gave her my mango, explaining that it was a gift to me and that I wanted to give it to her as a gift. She laughed and said that tomorrow morning, she would make me more mango for breakfast….”not THIS mango”, she said, pointing at the one that I had given her, “I will make you a different one”. 

I feel so cared for. J

 

Tomorrow, I think we might finally be going to hear some music, so if you don’t hear from me, it is because I am salsa-ing with a good-looking Cuban man.  J I will follow up with all of the details later. J But for now……

Buena Noches,

Anna

Day 4- ESP and Secret Girlfriends

This morning, Merlin was supposed to pick me up at 8 am to go to work for the day.  At 5 minutes til, there was a knock on my door…he was here!  With lots of “Buenos dios’s” and “Hola’s” we were off. Today he took me a different way to the school and we spent more time in the neighborhoods before being spit out into the hustle and bustle of the center of town.  The sky was bright blue and the heat was coming off of the street in waves.  Between that and the smog from the cars, it was a bit of a shock to this poor girl who had not had her coffee!!  Speaking of which, there is no such thing as ‘to-go’ here.  And if I were to ask to run into a shop and down a quick cup of espresso, Merlin would immediately insist on marching me back to his mother and have her make me a cup!  For now, I will just deal with the caffeine headache and enjoy my surroundings.  This much noise, color and life is surely enough to distract me! J

 

When we arrived at the school, Merlin went to find out which room we were working in and within 15 minutes, I was spreading out my tools and taking in my first bow. Ahhh…I cannot tell you how good that felt!  Don’t get me wrong…there is nothing wrong with just being a tourist and having a good old-fashioned vacation!  But I have been focused on coming here and doing some good for a long time and the last couple of days have made me somewhat antsy!  Two clips of the scissors….old horse hair falls to the ground, and I heave a sigh of relief.  This is what I came here for.  The first hour went be so nicely….I had three bows come in and I was leisurely putting a thumb leather on one while listening to the symphony rehearsal next door. It probably should have occurred to me that the majority of the bows were actually over there being played!! Sure enough….rehearsal ended and bows started flying through the door!!  And just when they slowed to a trickle, here came the students from the local middle and high schools! 

I looked at the giant pile of bows and decided that I had officially lost my mind!!

 

I spent the next two hours rehairing like mad! When Merlin asked me if I wanted to go to his house for lunch, I decided that it was HIM who had lost his mind!!!  I couldn’t go any where, and told him so.  I had a bag of nuts and a protein bar in my bag…if I could find time to eat them.  J  The afternoon sped by with Merlin dropping in from time to time to help. He is actually quite good at faceplates, so as soon as I got them all glued on, I gave them to him to cut out, which worked great cause I was still rehairing like crazy.  J Merlin tried to explain that I didn’t need to clean and lubricate the bows…just put hair into them.  No way!   I tried explaining that you have to do this….the bow will last a lot longer and perform better if all of the parts work well together and aren’t gunked up with the residue of 10 years of hard playing in the heat and humidity of Cuba.  I don’t think he really understood me…it did lose something in the translation, but being respectful of my place there as the guest and his teacher, (his words, not mine), he let it go.  J

 

The room we are working in is right on the main square of the building and has giant French doors that open out into the courtyard.  I draw quite a crowd for most of the day and one man in particular sits across from me and watches almost all day long.  It turns out that his name is Lasier and he does all of the woodwind repair for the symphony.  He is really paying attention and within a half hour, anytime I search for something in the pile of tools in front of me, he actually picks it up and hands it to me!  I am going to be sorry to see him leave!  It is like having your own bow-rehairing assistant!  J  I offer to teach him to rehair, but he says no, that he prefers watching, so I continue enjoying his assistance.  At one point in the afternoon, he left for a moment and returned carrying two small fried apple dumplings.  He handed them to me with a smile and said, “For you”.  I was so touched.  And I really appreciated his thoughtfulness.  I was beginning  to get quite grumpy when it hit me that it was 4 o’clock and I had not had anything to eat since last night.  Lasier surely saved the day and I resolved to take a little better care of myself tomorrow.  It would be a poor showing in Cuban/American bow relations is I bit someone’s head off for no reason at all!! 

 

Finally at 6 o’clock, I call it a day and tell him that we are done.  My will is strong but my eyes are shot.  As we clean up, he keeps saying, “Do you want to go to my house for a beer?”.  After going round and round, I finally convince him to sit with me in the square to enjoy our drinks, rather than sit inside.  He takes a seat next to me on a wall and looks bored as the people stroll by and the breeze rustles the trees.  An elderly man walked by carrying flowers and I asked Merlin who he thought the flowers were for.  “They are for his wife”, he said with disinterest.  “No!” I cried, “I think they are for his secret girlfriend!!”  And with that I introduced him to my favorite game……making up completely ridiculous stories about the people that are walking by.  J  Soon, a man carrying a shoe box and a woman with a drink sat across from us.  “He is in love with her!!” I said with great dramatic affect, “But she only likes him for his drinks!”  Merlin deadpanned, “And because he buys her shoes. “  I laughed and laughed and finally said to him, “See…..isn’t this fun!?”  “At this moment, I am very happy”, he said softly.  We talked some more about secret girlfriends, (he has two) and working hard, (he has three jobs), before throwing our cans away and heading for home. 

 

On the way to my casa, I try to explain to him that I don’t want his mother to cook me dinner and for him to entertain me.  I want to go check my email and have a quite dinner.  He takes a lot of convincing, but finally says goodnight.  What does one do when kindness clashes with conscience?  I love his family, and enjoy spending time with them, but I do NOT want to be a burden to them!  Feeding an extra person three times a day is not only a big expense, but is a lot of extra work for his mother It seems that when Martin, the other LSF person, comes to visit, he eats all of his meals there, spends all of his free time there and even has his laundry done there!  I don’t know, maybe that was what was expected of me?  But no one told me and I just don’t feel good about it.  I am hoping that in the next few days I can feel things out so that I don’t hurt anyone’s feelings. 

 

I ended my day at the nearby hotel checking my email and having dinner.  It was there that I heard a violin plucking.  I turned around and it was one of the men from the symphony whose bow I had rehaired earlier today!  He came over to say hello and showed me his violin.  It feels neat to actually be out and run into someone I know. J J After listening to his band play for a while, I finally head home.  Anna, my land lady, greets me at the door and runs to the fridge.  She hands me a plate with a small pineapple on it.  With a smile, she lifts up the top and it is filled to the brim with chopped mango and pineapple, “For your breakfast” she says.  How wonderful are these people?  I am going to sleep now, feeling content and well cared for. 

Good night all,

Anna

Day 3- Cuban Mamma's and Muey Linda's

Day 3

 

Did I just get here yesterday?  It is already starting to feel like I have been here a long time.  Every time I go somewhere, the first few days are like a first date.  Of course, I am on my best behavior, but so is everyone else.  They are formal and polite and we eye each other carefully, not quite sure of what to make of each other.  Then it gets a little better, each person a little warmer.  Today, that started happening.  By Sunday, I suspect we will all be one big happy family. J 

 

This morning Merlin was supposed to pick me up at 8 to have breakfast at his house and to go get my visa to work at the school.  I sat on the front porch talking (sort of) to the woman that owns the home I am staying in.  Her name is Anna also, and it turns out she is a retired genetics professor.  Her husband, Alejandro, is the director of the TV station here in town.  In Cuba , the people who have rooms to rent are some of the richest in town.  Their home is lovely, and I am paying $15 dollars a night to stay here.  (Of course, I am paying in Cuba dollars, which is a little bit stronger than the USD.)  Anyway……we sat and 8 o’clock went by, 9:00…..10:00……..finally, she took pity on me and brought me a bowl of fresh pineapple and mango. Yummmm!!!!!  The mango is amazing!!  When Merlin finally showed up, I was only half finished with it, but she kept it in the fridge in my room so I could enjoy it later. J

 

I figured Merlin was on Latin time, (this is an actual thing according to my guide book!!!  Count on everyone being at least 30 minutes later than they say), but it turns out that he was sick.  Not ‘oh I am so sorry’ sick, but “ohhh I should NOT have had an entire bottle of rum last night’ sick. J  Bless his heart; he was seriously, amazingly, terribly hung over.  I asked if he wanted to go later and sleep for a while but he said no, so off we went through Santiago , looking for my visa.  In his neighborhood, we walked down the middle of the street with him greeting just about everyone.  There were people walking everywhere and any time a car, horse drawn cart or motorbike would go by, they would just swerve around us.  The horse or mule drawn carts are loaded with fruit, and each one is topped by an elderly man who looks like the cover of the National Geographic.  You know the type………deep lines etched all over their faces…. thin with gray hair and gnarled hands that look like they have seen 30 lifetimes of work. They don’t pay me much attention, but the other passers by look at me curiously, breaking into big smiles when I smile at them.  Every person but one did this and it made me feel so happy!

 

As we neared the center of town, the traffic and noise swelled and I found myself straining to hear Merlin’s conversation.  We walked for 45 minutes, passing a million pastel-colored shops and businesses, finally arriving at the school.  The sounds of a woodwind quintet battle with those of a saxophone quartet and everything is bouncing off of the salmon colored terra cotta walls.  The entire place has a hacienda-like feel, with the halls being open air and doors leading off to rehearsal rooms and studios.   I know that they don’t have much money, or very expensive instruments, but that has not stopped these people from learning how to flat out play!! 

 

Merlin converses with a group of people in muey rapido Spanish and after waiting a while, a man comes and takes my passport.  I am told that he will have it for two days and they give me a copy to carry around for ID.  Now I am not stupid…the very first rule of international travel is to guard your passport with your life!!  I know that in Europe , the hotels hold them while you are in the building, but you don’t actually GIVE your passport to someone for two days!!  However,  amid a chorus of “No Problema’s” from everyone there,  I realize that this is how it is going to happen.  Sometimes you just have to trust the people you are with and this is one of those times.  J  In the middle of all of this, Merlin makes many rapid exits to find a bathroom.  His late night revelry on the beach is soooo not agreeing with him and he looks terrible!!!  As we leave, I tell him firmly to go home and go to bed. I can tell that he is torn…he wants to be a good host, he wants to take care of me, and mostly he is muey embarrassed, but he desperately needs to go lie down. I explain that if he throws up on me, it will most likely affect our budding friendship, and anyway, I need to find the internet.  J

 

 So I drop him off at his house and I take off to find the Hotel Santiago.  Ahhhh….I wondered where all of the tourists were!  I still haven’t seen a single American, but this is definitely where the Europeans are.  I find the hotel and it is waaay swanky. Huge and fancy with a convention center, I feel just a little guilty for wishing that I could stay there!  I wonder what it is like to live the kind of life where you travel and stay in places like this.  But the thought is fleeting….if I was staying here; I would have already missed a thousand memories with my new Cuban friends.  Give me a room with a local family anytime.  J  I find the internet and check in back home.  It appears that Yahoo has either frozen my account because they think I have been hacked, (because all of the sudden I am trying to log on from Cuba ?!!? ) or they don’t actually allow communication between their US customers and Cuba . In either case, I can’t access my email there at all, so there is no telling when these reports will actually get to my friends.  We will see…..  J I can access Gmail so at least I can tell my folks that I am well and that life is good.

 

After a nice lunch at the hotel and a long nap at the house, Merlin is back, looking a bit better.  J  He takes me to his mother’s house to wait while she cooks us dinner.  We sit in the front room of their home, on five rocking chairs all facing each other about two feet apart.  The small room is made up of cinder blocks that have been white washed and there is a big pile of bricks lining one of the walls.  Merlin’s father explains that they are slowly doing construction on the house and that when he has the materials, he can do the work, but it takes a long time to save up for the materials.  The rest of the house is in a room behind a sheet that has been nailed up across the doorway.  I catch a glimpse behind it and see a small space with a double bed taking up most of the room.  I know that the cooking takes place in there, but I cannot see where.  As we are talking, the conversation turns to coffee and they explain that the best Cuban coffee is exported and that the locals only get the poor quality.  I tell them that in the US , Café Cubano is wonderful and is the best part of going to a Cuban restaurant!  Merlin’s mom makes me a cup and it is perfect…heavy, dark and sweet.  I have to learn to do that at home. J

As the evening wears on, Merlin comes and goes, as does his father.  Conversation is at its best when Merlin is here because he speaks pretty good English and can translate.  However, when his father is in the room, most communication shuts down.  It seems like his dad is very, very upset at him for having…ahem….such a good time last night, and is not speaking to him.  I try to keep the conversation going, laughing and saying silly things but it pretty much is going over like a lead balloon. J Oh well,…..

When his mom finishes dinner, we take it to his apartment to eat.  She carries part of it and sets the table before leaving.  I ask if she will stay and eat but she says no, she will eat with the rest of the family.  I am feeling awkward.  I ask Merlin why we are eating at his house, not his families, and he explains that where they eat is very, very small and that there is not room for one more person.  I take that at face value and sit to enjoy the meal. 

 

You know how I have talked about several ‘firsts’ when I travel?  The first moment I know my adventure begins and the moment when I relax and start feeling more at home?  Well, there is another ‘first’….it is the moment when you realize that your best laid plans for keeping your body, more importantly, your digestive system, healthy are coming to a screeching halt.  You can do your best…buy bottled water, brush your teeth with it, not eat fresh fruits and veggies that you can’t peel…..but there is always that moment that washes all of your good intentions down the drain.  It actually happened last night, but then happened again tonight.  Merlin plopped down a glass of cold water from the tap….in a glass that has also just been rinsed off in the tap.  He looked at me expectantly and said, “It is ok…the water here is very good….it will not make you sick”.  Hmmmmmmmmmm……………  I am sorry, I know that a savvy world traveler would have kindly said, “No, thank you”, and left it at that.  But as I looked up into the face of this young Cuban man who was trying so, so hard to be a great host to me, I just couldn’t.  I couldn’t say ‘no’ last night, and I couldn’t say ‘no’ tonight.  I may pay for it later but some things are more important.  As I ate the cooked pork and rice his mom made, I felt very lucky to be welcomed into this family.  I ate the un-peeled fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, knowing that this kindness was worth all of the traveler’s stomach discomfort in the world.  J  I will double up on all of the immune system stuff that Ann gave me and get on with life. 

 

After dinner, Merlin showed me his collection of double bass music, and before I knew it, he was taking off to get his bass.  On a bicycle.  In the rain.  J  His mom came and sat with me and we talked for 45 minutes, her thinking I know a whole lot more Spanish than I do!  She has no English at all, but we made do. With a lot of laughter and a little help from the worthless Spanish/English dictionary I have, we covered topics like marriage, tennis shoes, music, Salsa, her daughter and the reason she wasn’t playing cello anymore.  At least, I think those were the topics we covered.  J  There is so much I want to know about her…how she met her husband, what she does for a living, and what she thinks about her life.  But for now I will have to be content with shared smiles, laughter and a rough idea of what our shoe sizes are. J

 

Merlin finally arrived with the bass, which he had indeed carried on a bicycle in the rain.  He wiped it off and we proceeded to play a bit.  When he took off to see if a friend of his had his iPod, I continued to play softly while his mother cleaned up from dinner.  “Muey linda......muey linda…” she said softly as the rain continued to fall outside.  I played all of the pretty things I could find, doing my best to make it as beautiful as possible, knowing that tonight, this was the only way that I could say thank you for the kindness she has shown me.   When she walks me home later, I thank her for being my “Cuban mama” and she just laughs and hugs me.  Really, how did I get so lucky?

Buenos Noches,

Anna

Day 2- Cuba Libres and Cuban Sunsets

Wow…..just….wow………

 

It is day 2 of my adventure and I am in Cuba.  Seriously, can you believe it?!?!  J  Most of the day was spent getting to the airport, getting my ticket and waiting to board the plane.  Everything took forever, and due to the unusual-ness of my situation, everything had a covert feel about it.  The other violin maker, Martin, had arranged for my ticket and none of the rules seemed to apply….instead, I stood in my own line, had a certain person I had to work with and was greeted by name, even though I had not even produced my passport yet!  Oscar, the ticket agent was ready for me and treated me wonderfully, so covert operation or not, I was in.   While waiting for my ticket, one of the young men who worked for the airline asked if I had ever flown to Cuba before. When I said no, he smiled kindly and said, “Don’t be scared”.  I grinned and said, “Who, me?  I am not scared!”  But I did wonder what he meant by that……

 

When we finally walked out to the plane, for the first time in this whole process, I had some serious misgivings.  Now, I know what he meant by that. 

 

I am pretty sure that the plane was about 135 years old.  Seriously….peeling paint, bald tires…the whole bit.  Geeesh….I don’t like to fly anyway, but this was really pushing it!  When I got on, it turned out that I didn’t have a seat assignment, but the flight attendant waved her hand and said “Sit anywhere…the plane is empty!”.  Well, the plane seated 48 and was half empty…..but it took me three tries to find a seat that worked!  The first one actually laid down flat into the seat behind it!!  J  Well, I snuck a quick peek at my phone to make sure that there were no, “Get off the plane, I have a bad feeling about this!!” messages from anyone that I knew, and seeing that there were none, I figured I was ok.  J

 

I spent the flight writing in my journal and only looked up when the flight attendant passed out meals.  This is a two hour flight and they served a meal! Who does that anymore?!  And THEN….she offered me the beverage of my choice…coke, water, fresca, orange soda, wine or a Cuba libre!!  For those of you that have not seen the Tom Cruise movie Cocktail, that is a rum and coke!  Who does THAT on a plane!!?  No charge…just welcome to Cuba. J  Needless to say, I was all in. That was followed by a shot of Cuban coffee, very strong and very sweet. What more could a girl ask for?  It also goes without saying that on this flight, there was none of that ‘switch languages in the middle of the flight’ moments.  However, they did try and repeat some of the announcements in English, which I am certain, were solely for my benefit.  I know that tourists go to Cuba, and the people on my flight might not have been Cuban nationals, but they were all definitely Latin.  Dorothy, we are not in Kansas anymore…..

 

When we finally touched down everyone was craning to see out of the windows (none of that silly ‘keep your seat belts fastened’ on this flight!) and there was a smattering of applause.  I got all bubbly and teary…I am in Cuba!!!  Then the nerves settled in.  All I have been hearing from Martin is that Cuban customs is a nightmare.  They held him for over three hours last time and as of two days ago; I did not have the appropriate paperwork to enter the country.  Mom and I joked about me being like Tom Hanks in that movie where he got stuck in the airport, but once I entered the…ahem…terminal, I knew that spending the week here would be no joke.  A large, yellow metal room with nothing in it.  Except a drug dog sniffing everyone’s luggage and a whole lot of scary looking people in uniform.  I eyed the rows of doors nervously…..supposedly, that is where they take everyone to question you.  “Be nice”, Martin has been imploring me for the last month.  “Just be nice…be patient and don’t argue”. 

 

First, the guard steered me towards an immigration booth that said VIP and the guy behind the glass eyed me suspiciously and kept saying something in Spanish that I did not understand.  I finally figured out that he was telling me to stop piling all of my paperwork on his counter.  As he asked questions, I stammered through an attempt at explaining why I was here.  In Spanish.  Note to self….the next time you fly to a Communist country, learn how to say why you are there in Spanish!!!  However, after several minutes of my stumbling over my words and him glaring at me, he sighed and handed me my paperwork.  “Adios”, he said as he pushed the buzzer to unlock the door. I made a quick escape, thanking God for the millionth time for the ‘yes’ face that I have been blessed with.  J 

 

After that, I picked up my luggage and headed for the customs guy.  I was not looking forward to trying to explain horse hair, super glue and chisels to these guys in Spanish. I started to dig out my paperwork that says why I am here and why they should let me in and that I am harmless.  I opened my mouth to say “Hola” and he opened the door and said, “Buenos tardes. Have a nice day”.  I was so surprised that I almost forgot to move!! But then I did.  I grinned and headed out that door before he could change his mind and search my bags. 

 

15 minutes start to finish….it has to be a record for Cuban immigration!!  J J

 

A tall, handsome young man walked up and said, “Are you Anna?”  Merlin, my new Cuban friend and guide for the week, was here and life is officially grand.  He helped me to a car driven by his friend Carlos, a fiat copy that is literally falling apart.  Carlos explains that to have a car in Cuba is very rare and that his car is his priceless, prized possession.  To me, it was wonderful.  After a quick blur of Spanish, Merlin asked if I liked beer and the car veered into a gas station.  The next thing I know, we are rolling through downtown Santiago, windows rolled down, salsa music playing loudly, sipping beers and laughing. (Carlos, our driver was, of course, NOT sipping any beer!)  J Seriously…does it get any better than this?!

 

Santiago is…well, it is just something else.  I have to pinch myself to see if I am really here!  You know how everyone says that in Cuba it is still 1955?  Well, that is totally true. But you have to imagine that everything stopped then, but that time kept going.  So all of the buildings are falling apart, and paint is peeling everywhere.  Yet, it is beautiful!  It is very, very clean and the age of the buildings doesn’t keep the original pastels from glowing in the sunset.  It is obvious that there is a lot of poverty, but it has an order about it that is very interesting.  There are cars going every which way, and the occasional donkey-drawn cart ambling down the road.  It is a little chaotic, but still comfortable, and by far the calmest Latin city I have visited to date. J  There are people walking arm in arm up and down the streets, while others congregate on corners and in doorways. You get the idea that they are enjoying the twilight and the relief from the oppressive heat.  Lights are starting to turn on and more and more music is playing as we drive through the neighborhoods.

 

As we drive, Merlin tells me about his work repairing instruments and performing with the symphony.  He is a bass player too, and when I told him that I played also, he said that we have to play together. He has a duet transcription of the Eccles Sonata and declares that tomorrow we will play it.  “You do read music?” he asks worriedly.  After assuring him that I do, it was settled.  After quite a bit of driving around to get my money changed, and a quick stop at the house that I am staying at, Merlin took me to his apartment.  He spent the whole day patching and painting the walls and took a lot of pride in it.  We hung out with Carlos for a while and were soon joined by a friend of Merlin’s that is a saxophone player.  Merlin’s mother sent over some dinner and we ate around a small table under the light of a hanging lamp.  His apartment is small and peaceful and I am touched to see how proud he is of it.  He is 27 years old, but I get the idea that 27 here is more like 19 in America.  He and his friends are all single and have a youthfulness about them that reminds me of the students I taught in Haiti. I feel completely at home with them, even though I can’t understand most of what they are saying. J

 

After catching me yawning, Merlin took me for a quick visit to meet his family, which live three doors down.   I was able to give them the giant bag of M&Ms that I had brought for them and they  smiled and passed them around before I said goodnight.  We had one more quick stop….a nearby apartment where I can pay $1 for a half hour of internet use.  Well, it took 20 minutes to find a way to email mom and dad and tell them that I am safe.   Between the dial up speed and the fact that Cuba doesn’t seem to like AOL or Yahoo, I was finally able to log onto Gmail and was able to send a quick message home saying that I am in one piece and that life is great. Now I am back at the house and am eyeing the bed.  The mosquitoes are voracious, (as they were in Santo Domingo) and if I can get my bites to stop itching, I might just get some sleep before Merlin is back to get me at 8 tomorrow morning. 

 

Buenos Noches…..

Anna

 

Day 1- Taxis, Cannons and Banyan Trees

(I will add photos later, but for now.....here is an accounting of my latest adventure!!!)

The DR, Day 1- Taxis, Cannons and Banyan Trees

 

There is a moment in every international flight in which I feel like I have truly left home and arrived in another country. I could happen anywhere in the airspace between ‘here’ and ‘there’. It is the moment in which they stop giving airline instructions in English first. You know how it is…..instead of ‘please return your seat backs and tray tables to their upright positions’…pause…’the-same-thing-in-Spanish/French/or-wherever-it-is-you-are-going’, it gets turned around the other way. I am sure that the airlines have a particular time that they do this in a flight, but to me, it is my own little universal sign….’your adventure begins NOW, Anna’. It is official….I am in the Dominican Republic. 

 

Once the airplane landed, I went into serious ‘follow the other passengers’ mode. I have no idea what to do and I find that this is a great time to become a lemming.  Through the line to pay for a tourist visa, which they immediately take away from me in the next line. …..On to immigration and customs…why is it that they are never as happy to see me as I am to see them? 

 

Finally out into the sun to get a taxi. $40 USD later and I am screaming my way towards the center of old town and my hotel. I am looking around like crazy, trying to see some sort of semblance between here and Haiti. After all, not only are we on the same island, we are actually not that far from Port au Prince! It kind of feels like Haiti, but it is obviously wealthier. There are palm trees and tons of colors everywhere….on the buildings, in the graffiti, and on all of the signs. As I study all of the buildings around me, I realize that my driver is going really, really fast. Like….WAY faster than I-285 around Atlanta! As I try to catch a glimpse at his speedometer I notice that it says he isn’t driving at all….and that he has no gas…and no RPMs. Hmmm…..I am thinking it is broken.  As he whisks between two buses, I nonchalantly click my seatbelt on and say a quick prayer. It is best at times like these to realize that you just have to relax…..it are not like you can do anything about it!! 

 

After finally arriving at my hotel, I check into a dark, stifling little room. I am thinking that it would be about a 1 star hotel in Europe, but it is sparkling clean and seems to be in a safe neighborhood, so I am happy. The bell boy motions to a couple of threadbare towels, clicks on a wall air conditioning unit, and turns the TV onto a German channel. (Does he think I am German? )

 

I dump my stuff quickly and go ask how to get to the cathedral. I have one afternoon here and am not going to waste it!!! After five minutes of fruitless conversation with the woman at the front desk….her, no English….me, less than no Spanish….a cute, cute young man from Spain took pity on me and stepped in. With his hand drawn map, walking directions, and a business card from the hotel (for the cab ride back in case I get lost  ), off I go. It is very hot and humid but since I am already all sweaty from checking into the hotel, I don’t mind. It actually feels like Atlanta in July!

 

The roads are narrow and there are colorful, pastel buildings everywhere. Some are other hotels, all hidden behind wrought iron gates and climbing vines and some are businesses. There is a lot of trash on the streets, and I spend the next 15 minutes dodging piles of garbage while looking around at signs so that I can find my way back home. The women that pass me all smile and we exchange friendly "Hola"’s. The men all want to sell me something….belts, necklaces, tours of the old town, and as my "No gracisas" come out with increasing frequency, I know that I am close to the touristy center of town.  I finally find myself walking up a long pedestrian street with salsa music coming out of various windows. Being Sunday, a lot of the shops are closed up behind gates, but there are a lot of street vendors out selling paintings and cheap souvenirs. I know that I should probably buy stuff for friends and family, but this stuff looks bad!! Cheap and tacky, I think I will hold out til later.

 

As the crowds grow, I suddenly find myself looking at a giant, stone building of sorts. One of the men approached me and asked if I wanted a tour. When I asked what it was, he told me it was the big military fort. It seems I have missed the cathedral somehow. Oh well, when in Rome, right? So I paid him $8 USD to take me around and tell me about it. It is really cool!! Giant thick walls, cannons, and gun ports, all right on the river that runs through Santo Domingo. And beautiful green grass in the middle. It turns out that Christopher Columbus’s son and his wife lived here for a while and there were various battles, torturing, etc that took place here. It feels so nice for a place in which no-so-good things happened. 

 

After our tour, Juan, my official tour guide, (he had a business card that said it, so it must be so!!)  offered to do a walking tour of the old town. Unfortunately, I had to turn him down. It is 700 degrees out here and my pesos are in short supply. I promise him that if I change my mind, I won’t do a tour with anyone but him and I take off to find something cold to drink.

 

As I wind my way through the streets, passing old stone buildings, I come around a corner and find myself looking at a giant, pock-marked stone building,….tall, grand and beautiful. My stomach filled with butterflies and goose bumps covered my body. I have found the cathedral. I don’t know why it affected me so much, but tears filled my eyes and I was just so happy! It is very plain compared to the cathedrals in Europe, but there is no denying its purpose. It is the first cathedral ever built in the Americas and it is beautiful. There was a small, metal gate open with a guard inside. He motioned me in and I walked around the grounds. The cathedral itself is closed, and as I walk around the entire thing, I realize that every gate is locked up tight. I am not sure that I am even supposed to be in here! I am the only person walking around and I know that the guard said that it was ok, so I continue on. There are gargoyles stacked up along one side of the building, and I assume that they are doing construction on the building, even though there are no other signs of work being done. As people reach in through the wrought iron gates to take pictures, with me standing on the inside, I finally decide that maybe I am not supposed to be in here and work my way back around to the open gate. The guard smiles and nods, and I stop to talk to him for a moment. He has just enough English to tell me that I am more beautiful than the cathedral.  Laughing and shaking my head, I take off, still in hopes of a cold drink.

 

Coming around the corner, I find the main plaza of the cathedral and know that I have found my home for the next few hours. There are people everywhere, most locals as far as can tell. In the middle of the square, there are iron benches with old men sitting on them feeding the thousands of pigeons that are congregated around. Hot, hot sunshine intersperses with dark shade under huge trees and it is here that the locals are gathered. The children run out into the sun to chase the pigeons, which fly up in droves, only to settle ten feet away. It seems that it is too hot for them to fly far.  No one is moving very quickly and everyone seems settled in to enjoy a nice Sunday afternoon.

 

I find an outdoor café and settle in for some serious people watching, putting on my sunglasses so that it doesn’t seem like I am rudely staring. I order a cold Bohemia and a bottle of water, while trying to decide if I want to eat. I didn’t have lunch, but it is so hot that I have no appetite. It turns out that the restaurant is out of almost everything on the menu. After the waiter tells me that I can have the fried squid or the fried-egg-something-or-another, I decide to stick with my beer.  The smell of cigars wafts through the air and giant leaves from what looks like a banyan tree keep floating down on my table. Two men at the table behind me are having an animated conversation in German and the table of locals next to me is gossiping about everyone that walks by. I know this because anytime someone particularly interesting walks by, the woman sitting with them meets my eye and raises her eyebrows as their conversation escalates. Some things are easy to understand in every language. 

 

After a couple of hours of great people watching, writing in my journal and just plain relaxing, I decide to head down the road to another place for some dinner. It is 7 pm, and I know it is way too early for the locals to be eating, but I am exhausted and the idea of waiting another two hours before eating and heading back to my tiny, clean hotel room is more than I can take. I find a nice hotel restaurant a few blocks down and settle down beside two huge, elderly local women that seem to have moved in for the evening. They, also, are talking about everyone that walks by. There seems to be a preponderance of older white men with attractive, younger local women, and as my suspicions grow, one of the couples walk by. The two women next to me catch my eye, raise their eyebrows and say, "Mmmmm…." Yep, some things really do transcend the language barrier. 

 

Grinning, I finish my dinner and start thinking about sleep. I am only about 12 blocks from the hotel, but it is full of dark now and I have no idea how safe the area is. I ask a taxi driver how much to take me to the hotel. After he says 200 pesos, (about $6 US) I climb in. I am fully aware that I am being overcharged, but I am thinking that the people that love me would consider $6 a small price for me to be delivered safely to the hotel. 

Tomorrow I am headed for Cuba, but for now, I am lying here watching a subtitled version of "The Holiday" on TV and fighting my drooping eyelids. Time for bed…..

Anna