Trail Dames - We're Gonna Dance Upon This Earth

Carvers Gap and Who Lost Shemeah?

Carvers Gap and Who Lost Shemeah?

Posted on August 27, 2011 by sandiadams| 2 Comments

It was about time for a good adventure and the weekend didn’t fail us. Leslie, Still Waters, April and myself rolled on down the highway at high noon on Friday, heading toward the big town of Erwin, Tennessee. The plan was to spend the night and get up early to meet at the trailhead Saturday. I have to say the drive was absolutely a blast. We all talked nearly non-stop and laughed equally as much. At some point the words “fried fish” came out of someone’s mouth and a quest to find a little café with fried anything began. It ended at Elsie’s Steak and Seafood, home of “All You Can Eat Fried Catfish” and the local Optimist club. Obviously we all had been on some kind of fried food fast because everything that landed on the table had seen Crisco and was not long for this world. Stuffed and satisfied, we over tipped Elsie and headed toward the great town of Erwin and the Holiday Inn Express.
A friendly check-in, settling into our clean room, a quick trip to the local Wal-Mart, (Always interesting,) dinner at Clarence’s Drive In and we turned in early. There was little movement and no snoring as we all dreamed of the trail ahead.

After a fascinating breakfast at the Holiday Inn, (Who knew there was an automatic conveyer belt pancake maker?!!!) we packed up at sunrise and headed toward the Hostel to meet our group.

The Mountain Harbor Hostel /Bed and Breakfast was delightful!

For $15.00 a night, hikers can stay in a clean bed, have access to a shower, stocked frig and small kitchen. There was a small General Store that operates on the honor system and for $9.00 a full breakfast at the main house can be had. A member new to our group had stayed the night and greeted us with enthusiasm. Patty aka Dream Believer would prove to be a tireless hiker and cheerleader sharing her wisdom and love of nature.
Soon we were joined by Hemlock, Cindy, and Sweet Pea and were shuttled up a bumpy, curvy route to the trailhead at Carvers Gap. The hike began on a beautiful, blue sky, 80 degree treasure of a day, and slipping through the gate we began our hike. Almost immediately we were embraced by a Balsam Fir forest that can only grow at 5000 feet.( I looked around for Ewoks, but saw none…..) Delighted, we wandered along and soon began our ascent up Round Bald, picking our way past a mile long bucket brigade of young people restoring the trail with rocks. (One of the girls commented as we went by, that we were the pretty hikers!)
The climb continued up, as we topped Round Bald passing masses of Rhododendron bushes with the wind whipping around us. We stop periodically to spin 365 degrees and burst into the Sound of Music ,which will be our theme song for most of the trip! On we go over and up Jane Bald surrounded by magnificent mountains and valleys, numerous plants and flowers and goats grazing beside the trail, guarded by a ferocious “goat”dog.

Jane Bald proves to be the perfect lunch spot to languish in the warm sun and chat with other hikers as they pass through this intersection. Nourished, hydrated and rested we head down the AT back into the forest. Our hard work rewarded by an amazing sea of wildflowers blooming all around us. Much of the trail barely wide enough for our feet, it is like we are walking through a carpet of colors. The surprising and pleasing display included Yarrow, Daisy’s, Bee Balm, Echinacea, Dodder, Turtlehead, Phlox, Gentian, yellow and purple touch me nots, Beech Drop, Queen Anne Lace and Angelica. ^{I can hear Joan swooning in the distance……}

We pass the Stan Murray shelter, do a quick Keen Hiking boot commercial…. and follow the rolling trail down to the Overmountain Shelter, a two story red barn structure housing several college students. This proves to be a good place to regroup and watch the clouds rolling over the valley like waves in the ocean…We made the decision not to camp here, but to press on UP and over Little Hump Bald.
and this……is where we lost Shemeah……….

Almost everyone needed to replenish their water and this was the last source before we would camp. Still Waters and Hemlock had filled up while the rest of us were airing out our toes at the barn. Hemlock waited with April while the water bearers loaded up and Still Waters decided to head on to scout out a site.

The mighty climb up Little Hump began…..Hemlock, with her long legs and natural gait soon became a distant pinhead as I followed, Fabs and Leslie not far behind and April and Patty bringing up the rear. To an overhead observer, I think we might have looked like one of those slinky caterpillar toys, starting and stopping, getting closer together and stretching back out, as we made our way, our breathing heavy and labored up, up and more up.

The views are breathtaking as we go, making the pain worthwhile, majestic mountains with tufts of white clouds rising out of them, waving grasses along the trail, rocky outcrops and the sun breaking the clouds providing us with “God Rays” and more layers of blue mountain ridges.

Catching up with a waiting Joan, Leslie, Fabs and myself reach the top and go up and over trying to outrun a rain cloud with April and Patty being pursued by a rolling fog beneath us. Confident that Shemeah is ahead of us, we laugh that she has already started a fire….. Just as we hit the shelter of the scrubby trees, it starts to rain and we quickly cover out packs and put on our jackets, all the while looking along the narrow grown up trail for a place to hang four hammocks and place three tents.

Not far into the woods, I manage to once again step in a yellow jackets home and feel stinging on the back of my leg. Tearing down the trail with Leslie right on my heels feels all too familiar! Sprays and cream is applied and Joan and Fabs meet up with us after waiting for the nest to die down and suddenly we spy the perfect campsite!!! The heavens open, music plays and we are practically delirious with joy……until we realize…..there is no Shemeah……….

We are joined by April and Patty and begin the work of setting up camp before darkness falls, all the while worrying about our hiking partner. A cell call is placed with a single bar and a message is left. There is discussion about sending Hemlock out to look for her but it is decided that we will all stay put, that Still Waters is a competent hiker and will be fine. We speculate that she might be eating Spam with the Boy Scouts when suddenly we hear her entering camp with a shout!
She receives a heroes welcome and we are all relieved that our group is once again complete. Apparently, she hiked an additional 4 miles, while exploring a new trail and making a wrong turn headed back toward the Stan Murray shelter . She did indeed meet up with the Boy Scouts, but they did not have Spam. ….
Relieved, our dinners are prepared, bear bags hung, business is done and we all retire early, exhausted from the days adventures. Thankfully, I sink into my hammock, cocooned by my borrowed Yeti, (thank you KP) and faithful Ethel, slipping off to sleep to the night chorus of critters and campmates….
to be cont.

Stone Mountain

From the North Carolina Trail Dames....

The views were stunning. We spent a while just sitting, chatting, contemplating, relaxing, and enjoying the view. After 30 minutes, we decided to push on and continue down the relatively flat trail to another outstanding view. After another quick break, we continued on, going down hill to hike along a stream that soon became a huge waterfall. When we got to the bottom of the falls, we took a snack an water break and indulged our feet by taking a dip in the cool refreshing water. It was perfect. We continued on to finish up with an amazing view of the mountain we had just climbed. By this point we were all hot and sweaty and ready for our reward. ICE CREAM!!! We all headed for the local general store for some home made ice cream and cold drinks. This was an awesome ending to a beautiful, warm day.

We had a great group of ladies for this beautiful hike. Sarah, Kimber, Beth, Jalisia, Kerrie, Robyn, Noel, Tiffany, Maureen, Janis, Deborah, Chris, Susan, and I, We all met up at the carpool spot and 3 car loads of Dames drove up to one of my favorite NC trails. After taking our "before" picture, Sarah lead the group up thru the forested switchbacks til we got to the stairs. And boy were there stairs! We climbed for a nice .75 miles. Each time a Dame stopped to catch her breathe, all we had to do was turn around to see the amazing view. Lots of views on this hike. Since I was sweeper, I could hear claps and cheers as each Dame trickled up to the top. It made my heart feel good to see everyone encouraging one another. We really do have a great group. :)

Indescribable

Indescribable

Guest post by Sandi Adams

Not a single day goes by that my attention is not caught by some amazingly beautiful sight outside. It appears that the older I get the more deeply I cherish what is around me. When hiking, I like to touch the bark on the trees, the moss on the rocks, dip my fingers into the creeks. I love to lie on the ground and listen to the earths heart beat and look at the tree branch silhouettes against the sky…. REALLY notice the little details. Every season offers treasures to be enjoyed if we just take the time to notice.

I read somewhere that the average person has 32,850 mornings, (assuming you live to be 90 which I am planning on) That means I have approximately 14,550 or so more to go. I don’t want to waste a single day.

 

Recently my son shared a DVD by Louis Giglio called “Indescribable” (You can watch the series on you tube in Five Parts)
It was a message inspired by Chris Tomlin’s song with the same title. I marveled at what a tiny speck we are in the universe and how everything we can see, smell, touch and taste is so intricately designed. It inspired me to look even deeper at my surroundings and consider our place in this world. Click here for some gorgeous images and video with the Chris Tomlin song.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands psalm 19:1

Inaugural Hammock Trip

Inaugural Hammock Trip: Kimsey Creek, White Oak Stamp, Muskrat Creek, Raven Rock Trail and an aborted trip to Standing Indian…

Guest post by Sandi Adams

Whoopeee, the first trip for the Southeast Women’s Backpacker Meet Up group and I was on it!! My hiking buddy, Salt and I met up with Hemlock and Margaret in Clayton for a weekend adventure. The weather was gorgeous with beautiful blue skies as we made our way toward Franklin and the Nantahala forest. We load up and head off into the lush green forest. I am extra excited because this will be the trip that I get to try out sleeping in a hammock!! Kellye, has been so generous to loan me her hammock and tarp, (which is kind of amazing, because to us our gear is like loaning out our Maserati!)

I always enjoy hiking with Hemlock, as she shares with us all of her wonderful knowledge of all things growing!! We have plenty of flowers to keep her happy as we travel along this trail and wander through a nice field, (which I am sure had some stealth snakes in it) Pretty soon, we come to the creek, which we will follow until we intersect the AT. I love this kind of trail, sometimes the creek was on my right, sometimes the creek was on my left, sometimes the creek was on both sides, (STEREO!!) and often we found ourselves hiking up the creek bed itself!

We all eased into a similar rhythm, of hiking, stopping now and again to take photos of the beauty around us stopping for a short break for a snack and continuing until we came to the Appalachian Trail intersection and headed up to our destination of the Muskrat Creek Shelter. I wandered ahead a bit, savoring the quiet of the forest (Rare, I know, but sometimes I am quiet!!) and enjoying stretching out my legs and thinking, until I come to the perfect lunch spot with a great view and a nice rock formation for us all to sit on. I have found the perfect jack-in-pulpit and pink ladies slipper and can’t wait to show Hemlock my photo!!

 

 

 

 

We move along and about half a mile before we reach White Oak Stamp, we pass a couple of hikers who tell us that Muskrat Creek Shelter is filled with a Boy Scout group. We easily make the decision to set up camp at White Oak Stamp, which is perfect for the 3 hammockers, (YAY) and Margaret who has a bivy.
Hemlock and Salt, my hammock mentors assist me with my set up,Joan demonstrates the importance of selecting a stable tree and everyone gets their space set up.

 

After scouting for water, we determine we will need to hike on to Muskrat Creek and greet the scouts….We take a side trip down Raven Rock Trail to a beautiful overlook and watch the sun go down. It is a beautiful spot and my only regret is that we can’t sit and watch it until dark.

We make it back to camp, decide it is too warm and not necessary to have a fire. The highlight of my meal was the dessert. Instant jello SF FF cheesecake pudding with some Nido instant milk with water added. I shared……
As darkness falls, the 12 miles we hiked begins to sink in and we all retire to our sleeping quarters. I enter my hammock, praying that the velcro holds and does not birth me in the middle of the night, wiggle around a little and quickly fall asleep….I have to admit, I did wake a few times but immediately dozed back off and when I woke and it was morning, I was already mentally placing the order for MY OWN hammock!!
The plan for the morning calls for more high mileage as we head back down the AT , climb Standing Indian, descend and then head down the rocky Kimsey Creek Trail. Sometimes plans change, my foot has begun to throb with what will turn out to be a summer long irritation, Kristen is not feeling well, Joan’s knee is bothering her and Margaret is nursing a burn from her stove. We all agree, to skip Standing Indian and enjoy the hike back along the creek.

We stop for a leisurely, foot soaking lunch, chat with some students heading to the AT, observe a little mole scurrying about and enjoy what is left of the trail.
We end our trip with a visit to the Spring Ridge Creamery for some guilt free homemade ice cream which we eat while overlooking the river.
Another perfect trip……and I did order the hammock…..

Hiking in Hades

Very cool post from Dame Sandi Adams....check out her blog at http://emptynestart.wordpress.com/

Overnighter on the Chattooga….aka Hades

Anxious to try out my new warbonnet hammock, I accept an invite from the Southeast Women Backpackers for an overnighter on the Chattooga River. Kellye, who I had met on a previous EXTREME Appalachian Trail hike, where we defied every law of common sense and hiked in some of the worst rain I have ever seen.( see previous post) and KP who I have not met, are my trail mates. (along with their dogs Sammy and Cowgirl) We meet early morning in Clayton and caravan to the end of the trail. As we pass the bank I notice that the temperature is at 93 on the bank sign and it is not even 11:00…..
We all pile into Kellye’s faithful Honda and bounce down some forest service road. We come to what appears to be a RIVER crossing in the road and Kellye makes us get out, backs it up and guns it through the water!! Woohooo! We wade across and jump in.
We finally locate the start of the trail, make the usual last minute adjustments to our packs and head down the trail. I am excited to hike on the Chattooga River and keep humming dueling banjos as we make our way.

It takes me all of ten minutes to realize that it is HOT, not the oh, I need a glass of ice tea hot, but HOLY MOSES, it is flaming inferno hot!! and at the fifteen minute mark, I am drenched from the inside out. KP and Cowgirl lead the way, with Kellye, Sammy and I lagging behind. We drank often in an effort to stay hydrated and stopped periodically to catch up. About three miles in we stopped for lunch and the dogs took a swim…..at this point, I am wishing I was a dog….in a nice air-conditioned house…
With some effort we pack up our lunch and head down the trail another 3 miles. Between the heat and a nagging foot injury, I started to FEEL it!!! About the time that I was considering falling over into the bushes, we arrive at a nice campsite right on the Chattooga River. (da da dadadadadada da)

We all have been affected by the heat and are a little slow setting up camp. I am soo anxious to hang my hammock that I go and stand in the almost tepid water willing my body to cool itself before beginning. Interestingly all three of us are in hammocks. Kellye, actually loaned me her Hennessey hammock to try out on a previous trip, (I obviously loved it) and KP and I have a Warbonnet. I find two trees and with KP’s help, get my Warbonnet Blackbird and Big Mamba Jamba tarp hung.
Everything seems to take twice as long, due to the fact that the air is not moving, the sun is blazing off the river and the temperature is climbing at 98 according to my iphone and the weather channel (thank you Jim Cantor). But we keep the faith and after a bit, camp is set up and things cools down a little. We sit and share ideas and food, listen to a little Rascal Flatts and friends compliments of KP. Once it cools down enough, KP and Kellye have a fire building contest as I annoyingly hum the banjo theme from Deliverance.

Night falls and we all just enjoy the company of the river and admire KP’s hammock set up complete with sparkly lights, (I am sooo getting some), it finally cools down and not long after dark falls we each retire to hang in our hammocks. I slept great until sometime in the middle of the night when Sammy, (the beautiful German Shepherd) starts barking like a maniac and Cowgirl starts growling….I lay very still waiting as usual to be eaten by a giant bear. This does not happen and I slowly relax and slip back into a wonderful sleep swaying by the river as the frogs croak on.
Tuesday morning, found me the LAST out of my hammock, (WHAT!!) we took our time with breakfast and breaking camp. It was around 5 miles to our cars but not an easy journey. We seemed to be going up and down a lot, though none of the climbs was terribly steep, it was still hot as Hades. We had to climb over, around and though many blow downs. (This Spring was tough on all of our southern trails.) We finally made it to the end by early afternoon and said our goodbyes. My first stop was the Burger King at the corner of 441 in Clayton where I used their bathroom to change into dry clean clothes and had a whopper and an Icee, which I had been fantasizing about since the night before. I made another stop at 23 and 441 at a Burger King and order another, a cherry AND coke icee. When I got to the window, the girl handed me TWO Icees!! LOL, I drank them both!!
One of the things I have loved about my meetup groups, the Trail Dames and Southeast Women Backpackers, has been the amazing people I have met and now consider friends. Women that I would never have encountered, much less spend enough time with to really get to know them. I have met, structural engineers, paralegals, retired military personnel, moms, girl scout directors, scientists, a whole slew of teachers and everything in between! All drawn together by a love of hiking and our gorgeous trails and mountains. I really treasure this special group of friends and always enjoy it when we can get together, (although I doubt any of us would recognize each other if we met dressed, with makeup and out of the woods!)

Maryland Dames Hike.....SNP

Awesome hike report from our Maryland Dames.....
Four of us set out on Wednesday, July 27th, for Shenandoah National Park to take on the 7 1/2 mile Rapidan-Laurel Prong -Hazel Top hike. We all went in my van and left Frederick at noon so that we could arrive at our lodge shortly after check-in time. We had reservations for two rooms, 2 queen beds in each room, at Big Meadows Lodge in the central district of SNP, mile marker 51. The drive went well and we had a wonderful time just chatting as we enjoyed the scenery along the way. We were at the lodge by 3:15 pm. We had hoped for, or actually assumed really, adjoined rooms but that was not to be. Barb K and I shared a room on the first floor of the Rapidan building and Barb M and Katrinka shared a room on the far end of the second floor. We did try to get the rooms changed but the lodge was already booked up and there was no way to manage it.

We settled our bags, checked out our rooms and the lovely views they had, and went to the lodge's New Market Tap Room for drinks and appetizers. Not a bad way to start a hiking trip, aye? We enjoyed cocktails, spinach dip and quesadillas while carrying on a nice long discussion about the books that we enjoyed and the possibility of a Dames book group in the future. Then it was upstairs to the lodge dining room for dinner and wine. Lovely! Afterward Barb K went to our room to relax and read while I went up to the other room to join Barb M and Katrinka on their balcony and watched the sun set. We watched deer silently stroll out of the woods to begin their evening browsing and we think we may have caught a glimpse of a black bear cub, still quite small, as it waddled out of the woods and into the safety of some heavy ground cover. It was a gorgeous evening of peace, towering pink edged clouds, and companionship. Off to bed as we had an early morning start planned.

Always an early riser, I was up first around 5 am, showered and sitting on the patio of our room drinking coffee as the sky lightened up. Birds called and sang, deer wandered out, and soft breezes rose along with the sun. We met for breakfast at 7:30 am, again eating in the lodge dining room, and then drove the 2 miles south to the trail head at Milam Gap parking lot. There was a short-lived panic attack on my part when I thought I had left my wallet in the lodge's restroom. I raced back, searched around, found no one had turned it in, went back out to the van and searched again....to find it in the glove compartment. HUGE relief, but sorry that I had delayed our hike start.

We set off across the road and into the woods, hitting the Mill Prong Trail first. This part of the hike descends gently deeper and deeper into the woods toward Mill Prong Creek. The creek eventually joins Laurel Prong Creek and these two cold, rushing streams form Rapidan River, which drew President Herbert Hoover to the area with the dream of building a fishing camp as Presidential retreat - the first of it's kind. Two miles in from the start of the hike, Rapidan Camp is the predecessor to Roosevelt's Shangri-La in Thurmont MD, eventually renamed Camp David by President Eisenhower. We crossed the creek and picked up the trail again as it paralleled the water until we reached Rapidan Camp. The original Brown House (designed by Mrs Hoover as the residence) is still there and is often open for tours. There is usually a caretaker there to answer questions and explain the camp's history. One other building, the Prime Minister's cabin, is also open to the public and contains self-guided displays from the era. We spent about half an hour exploring the camp and chatting with the caretaker before picking up our poles and packs and setting off once more. The day was warming up but still much cooler than the heat we knew would be building in the Frederick area by then.

We hiked along about another mile or so on easy terrain, crossing creeks, and eventually reaching the beginning of a 3 mile ascent that would take us up to Hazel Top, the 3rd highest point in SNP. The first mile of the ascent is a long, steep, switchback. It tops out on a ridge line, takes a hard right turn, and continues up and up and up the side of the ridge. Enormous, ancient rock formations form a wall on your right and the steep descending hillside and valleys are on your left. The trail grows quite rocky and narrow as it takes you the 2 miles to it's junction with the AT. We identified wildflowers along the way - native red columbine, turk's cap lily, joe-pye weed, trumpet vine. There were many others that we could not identify in spite of the book I was carrying - "Wildflowers of Shenandoah National Park." For a few seconds we found ourselves frozen in place as the unmistakable whine-roar of low flying fighter jets approached. We caught a glimpse of them through the tree cover and they were gone in a flash.

I had done this hike with my husband in May 2010 and I truly did not recall the long steep slog from the junction of the AT to Hazel Top! From the start of the ascent on the switchback to Hazel Top we gained 1000 feet of elevation. That's a lot of continuous gain. The day was definitely getting hotter and more humid. We found some rocks to sit on (before reaching Hazel Top) and sat down to rest and eat our lunches. Huge flies clung and bit, no doubt feasting on our salty sweaty selves. We swatted, ate, cursed, ate, swatted, cursed.......pretty much any typical lunch stop on any summer time hike in the northeast! We finished up, stood up on sore, tight leg muscles, and continued on to our goal of Hazel Top summit.

There is a short side trail leading to the left off of the AT to the rock formations that give the best panoramic views of the mountains and valleys. As each person climbed up onto the rocks "Oh my, look at that." "Oh my God" "Wow, just wow." could be heard. Ridge after ridge after ridge of mountains dipped, rose, and dipped and rose again in the distance in multi-colors of greens, blues, grays. We took it all in, deeply grateful for the opportunity to be out there. With deep sighs, it was time to move on. From this point the AT is described as taking an "incredibly delightful descent", and delightful it is. The trail heads down and down in a very gentle slope, through trees, grasses, huge stands of turk's cap lilies, ferns that were 3 - 4 feet tall. We encountered a pair of deer on the trail and stood still and silent. They did the same and gazed back at us. As we slowly moved forward they would also move away from us, but never very far nor very fast. They stepped into the woods and grass and let us get within about 30 feet. We took pictures, thanked them for their cooperation and patience with us, and continued on back to Milam Gap and the van.

We made a stop at Big Meadows Wayside to use the restrooms, buy some cold drinks and blackberry ice cream, piled back into the van and took off for home. It was agreed all around that our time in SNP was perfection and that we definitely want to do it again. It is well worth the time and expense to get there the day before a long hike and spend the night. We also realized that it would have been very well worth the cost to stay one more night after the hike, rather than make a 3 - 4 hour drive back. The lodges feature live music in the evenings and it would have been heaven to go back to our rooms, shower, change into non-hiking clothes, and enjoy another night of cocktails, dinner, and some good ol' mountain music.

The photos of this hike can be found on the Meetup site. Enjoy!

Linda

How I want to be when I grow up.....

This is a seriously AWESOME post by Dame Sandi Adams!!

Inspiring Aging or How I Want to Be When I Grow Up…

Posted on August 9, 2011 by sandiadams| Leave a comment

I’ve thought a lot about getting older lately… Probably because I am older. This birthday, I finally conceded to being middle aged…, considering 106 to be a respectable run. Sometimes I look in the mirror and am surprised. In my head, I don’t feel different and my body is still strong. ( though a few chinks in the armor are beginning..)
That is why I adore reading about people, who challenge themselves and are still moving, dancing, hiking, playing and living out dreams.

Last week I came across a blog post on Hiker to Hiker, that really made me smile. It was titled “Taking Care of the Elderly on the AT” The Carolina Mountain Club had planned a 9 mile hike led by an 81 year old. They all are over 50, as they point out, some way over 50. (These are my people)
Even thought it was hot, (we are southerners and it is hot here in the summer….) and the weather man kept telling them to “be careful and check on the elderly,” they still kept it moving and had a splendid day on the Appalachian Trail.

I’ve also been following Cimarron, an 88 year old man who has been THRU HIKING the Appalachian Trail since February and has completed 914.5 miles as of today.

His quote before starting says it all, “If you never try to do it. You will never know you could do it.” You can read his trail journal HERE

This week Diana Nyed attempted to swim from Cuba to Key West, Florida at the age of 61. Moments before slipping into the water, Ms. Nyad, clad in a black swimsuit and a blue swim cap, played reveille on a bugle. “I’m almost 62 years old,” she declared. “I’m standing here at the prime of my life; I think this is the prime, when one reaches this age. You still have a body that’s strong, but now you have a better mind.”

While her journey was cut short, she still managed to swim for 29 hours, suffering through an asthma attack, shoulder pain, in cold. shark and jellyfish infested waters and finally abandoning her quest after becoming violently ill. Her comments following the experience were inspiring. She said that her goal had been to demonstrate to people in their 60s that “life is not over” and that the age of “60 is the new 40.” “I wasn’t the best swimmer I could be — the asthma and the shoulder made sure of that,” she said. “I was my most courageous self.”

“Life goes by so quickly and, at my age, you really feel the passage of time,” she said. “People my age must try to live vital, energetic lives. We’re still young. We’re not our mothers’ generation at 60.” For people over 60, she said, the goal should be “to live a life with no regrets and no worries about what you are going to do with your time. Fill it with passion. Be your best self.”
I think these are words that are worth living by no matter your age. So if you are sitting around on your hiney feeling sorry for yourself, put one foot in front of the other and you never know where you might end up.
We should all try to be our most courageous selves…

Trail Report-Pine Log Creek Trail

Trail report from Dame Sandi Adams.....

Pine Log Creek Trail….has it ALL!

Total distance: 4.6 miles
Parking lot Lead Trail: .46
West Loop : 2.12
East Loop: 1.54
Quarry Trail .03
After a friend at work told me about this trail, I put it on my short list for spontaneous hiking.(Also while searching for information about this trail, I read of a stray nude hiker that appears on it but this did not in any way influence my decision….) Friday morning started cool compared to the inferno heat we have been having so David and I packed it up and headed off to try it out.

Pine Log Creek Trail is located in Bartow County only 25 miles from our doorstep. We arrived early to an empty parking area, strapped on the pack and after viewing the faded out map posted, took off to the sounds of birds chattering and a neighboring rooster going crazy. Shortly after crossing a dry creek bed we came to a cool running bend in the creek with a beautifully built wooden bridge crossing. There are actually seven rustic footbridges over Pine Log Creek throughout the well maintained 5 mile hike. The trail includes two loops east and west and a short side trail to an old CCC quarry pond.
We opted to take the east loop first which took us over the creek and through a series of switchbacks to peaks of views of Pine Log Mountain. (Winter will be spectacular!) This trail overlooks a pastoral valley that was once home to the Cherokee village of Pine Log before the native people’s removal west on the Trail of Tears in the 1830s. There are numerous large rock croppings and boulders. The black eyed susans, several varieties of fern,( some HUGE), many giant very old trees along with the winding creek made this a very diverse beautiful trail. We saw traces of the stormy Spring in the form of someones chicken house roof scattered throughout the forest and brush.
The jewel of the trip was located a short distance off the trail in the form of an old quarry pond. David quickly identified several large mouth bass, brim and a stray catfish in the clear water vowing to bring a fishing pole the next trip. (NOTE: There is a large sign that prohibits fishing and overnight camping at the trail head) This was a peaceful beautiful treat and great spot for a lunch or a quick swim.
After exploring the quarry we picked the trail back up and came to the west loop junction continuing over the creek and up the ridge for more views. We took a short stop to hang my hammock for David to tryout and discovered a little box turtle who watching our efforts. One thing to be aware of with this trail is someone has removed the trail loop signs. The posts are there but no signs. We found ourselves taking the east loop again before catching our mistake.
We ended our hike by cooling our feet and wading in the creek under the entry bridge. We both commented that it reminded us of childhood locations where we were free to play and explore. The only “excitement” of the trip came while we were drying off and observed a snake drop off the bank and swim right into the area we had been in. Of course I identified it as a copperhead or water moccasin but really think it was a red rat snake…
This trail is most definitely a jewel and will be on our list of backyard favorites.

Difficulty: Moderate-Some parts are listed as strenuous but not really
Directions
from I-575 in Canton: Take Riverstone Pkwy exit 20, head West for about .5 mi. Take right onto Reinhardt College Pkwy and continue until it dead ends into Hwy 140. Take right onto Hwy 140 W (still also Reinhardt College Pkwy) and go approximately 12 miles. Trail head will be on your right.
From I-75 in Cartersville: Take exit 293 and head North on Hwy 411 for about 7.5 mi. Take a right onto Hwy 140 East and go about 3.2 mi, trail head will be on your left.

Lansford Canal with the NC Dames

Lansford Canal with NC Trail Dames

Eight Trail Dames made it out Landsford Canal State Park in South Carolina!


Six of us met up to carpool (Beth, Kelly, Kimber, Nina, Deirdre, and me), while two
(Chris and Mara) met us at the park. We drove down to Landsford Canal State Park
to catch a glimpse of the infamous spider lilies that only seem to bloom this
time of year. It was a quick 30 minute drive and a $2 entrance fee each, but we
all agreed, it was worth the price of admission.



As we climb out of our cars, we exchange hellos and catch up with each other. I
notice
Chris' new day hiking pack and her weight loss. I am so proud of her.
She looks great and her new pack makes her legit day hiker! haha! Seriously, her
pack was so cute. Kelly and I helped her fill it with water, showed her how it
worked, and explained where the hose goes.


We saw a lot of kayakers getting ready to enjoy the spider lilies up close and
personal. You see, these little hardy flowers only grow on rocky shoals of a river and the Catawba River is one of the largest growing sites. The flowers
are literally growing on boulders in the middle of
the river!


After gawking at the kayakers, we found a nice park ranger that was willing to take
our photos in exchange for our beautiful smiles. So we took our "beginning of
the hike" picture, then we took a silly Dame photo before finally hopping on the
trail. Chatting away, it amazes me how easily we all fall into conversations
with one another. We have an awesome group of ladies and I got a chance to talk
to each and every one of them.



The trail itself was a nice and easy, well maintained path that was very well
marked. We started along the river then turn right into the forest and walked
along the canal path. We learned that the early settlers made these man made
canals through the forest to keep themselves out of sight and safe. We stopped
to read all the historical signs and after a mile we reached the viewing
platform for the spider lilies.



After taking lots of photos, and a water break, we continued on a nice easy trail for another 1/2 mile up to the stone bridge and official historical Indian
trade post sight. I snapped a couple of photos of the Dames on the bridge, then we hiked back to the lily platform one last time.


It started to sprinkle so I mentioned that maybe Kelly's trail name should be Rainmaker. Cause
it seems that each time I've hiked with her, it seems to rain. haha! We finally get back to the cars and that's when Nina surprises us. She pulls out a tupperware full of fresh strawberries to share! They tasted so yummy after our
hike. Thank you Nina! That was so thoughtful. We say goodbye to Chris and Mara
and then the rest of us hop back into my car and head back home. As soon as we
pull out of the state park, it starts to rain and we all look at Kelly and
laugh. haha! At least it didn't rain on our hike! This was a great hike with a
great group. Looking forward to our next adventure Trail Dames.

Backpacking with Beiber

Backpacking with Beiber.....another wonderful post from Dame Sandi Adams

 

Backpacking was on Tanner’s summer bucket list, so we planned an overnight midweek trip. I chose the Cohutta Wilderness because it is my absolute favorite Georgia spot to backpack.
Meals were planned, maps consulted, the packs were loaded and off we went. The morning was sunny and warm as the Yaris took the rutted labyrinth of forest service roads like a champ and after what seemed like a hundred miles, we came to the Hickory Creek trail parking area. Not one soul to be seen… I checked the board for bear warning and nothing was posted which was a bit of a relief.
Tanner and I adjusted our packs, locked the car and took off down the trail. The first part of the Hickory Creek Trail was rocky and weathered with evidence of the spring storms and all downhill as it wound its way to the creek. We hear the water before we can see it and soon get glimpses of the creek before our first crossing. Crystal clear, with plenty of water, it keeps us company as we continue down the trail. Soon we hit the intersection of the Conasauga River Trail and Hickory Creek Trail where we turn right and begin looking for the perfect campsite.
Before long we come to the perfect balance of trees for my hammock and a nice flat spot for the tent. The entire length of the site is situated directly on the Conasauga with a combination of deep pools ,little falls, huge boulders and the constant melody of the river. A covering of hemlocks, a nice big fire pit and a makeshift bench make it the unanimous choice. We go about the business of setting up camp, unpacking, gathering wood and having lunch.

After a short rest, we leave our site and head down the trail to explore.. We pass ginormous boulders, falls and swimming holes, a huge beaver dam which has turned into what must be a diverse mass of frogs, toads and Lord knows what else and come to the opening and intersection known as Bray field. (This used to be an old homestead but is now mainly used by backpackers.) We take off our shoes and wade across the Conasuaga River before I realize, we really don’t want to hike the entire Hickory Creek Trail, so we cross again and travel a bit down Tearbritches Trail, rockhopping the creek and wander along this beautiful easy section of the trail.
As the day turned into late afternoon, we head back to camp and take a swim in the cool clear river . We both enjoy some quiet time, then get to the business of preparing for the evening. We break up our wood, filter our water and settle down to cook dinner. Tanner is a great student of the outdoors, watching my every move and made my day when he tells me, “Mom, I can’t believe you know how to do all this stuff!!” After a satisfying, (although bland) meal of beef stroganoff and pudding, it starts to cool off and we get down to business and start the fire. For years, I have watched my best friend, Leslie, THE FIREMASTER, start epic blazes. I have always been content to gather kindling and drag logs to the pile but she was not on this trip! Apparently, I was able to channel her talent and build one big honking fire!
We roasted a small bag of marshmallows, talked and stared into the fire (aka Hikers TV), until it got pretty late. The moon was new, so the night was DARK.
We made our way to our shelter, Tanner on the ground and me hanging in my hammock nearby and dozed off to the sound of the river. I woke around 7:00, rolled out of my warm bag and started another little fire. (Leslie, are you so proud?!) Sitting and drinking coffee and enjoying the beautiful cool morning, I counted my many blessings, one of which was laying in the tent next to me.
Tanner slept a little longer and finally crawled out, ate his bacon, cream cheese bagel and we reluctantly started to break camp.

We climbed out of Hickory Creek around noon as the day warmed, taking our time while I told Tanner funny stories about David and our many adventures in the woods, pre-kids. An occasional stop for water, a view and to admire a little red salamander made for an enjoyable although, hot hike out.
On a funny note, as we reached the trailhead, I noticed that the BACK side of the information board was COVERED with bear warnings and information underneath the engraved message: WELCOME TO BEAR COUNTRY……
We loaded up our gear and took the rutted forest service road back toward 411 and after what seemed like fifty miles bouncing from bump to bump, popped out in the middle of nowhere . After consulting the map, we found our way to 411. A quick stop at a convenience store for icees and beef jerky and made our way back to Woodstock and civilization.
This trip will always have a special place in my heart and I will cherish it’s memory. My son, Tanner, is an incredible young man. He has been through adversity and difficult times but has emerged strong and confident with a natural, loving, unshakeable faith in God. I am proud of him and grateful for the time spent.

Ann Springs Hike

Anne Springs Hike

Blog post from the North Carolina Dames!!

Several of us carpooled from Charlotte and drove the 30
mintues to Anne Springs Greenway, in Fort Mill SC, where we met up with Joy and
Nina. After paying our $3 entrance fee, we parked and got ready for our hike. It
was a beautiful day and we had 11 Dames enjoying the outdoors. It was Beth,
Karla, Kimber, Sarah, Joy, Dierdre, Nina, Barbara, Linda, Wendy, and me.

At first we had some trouble locating the
Timberline trail, but once we found it, we were good. We hiked up the Timberline
trail to the top, where we passed by a Peach Farm. Lots and lots of trees
dripping with almost ripe peaches. Sarah was curious about the peach tree, so
Dierdre gave her permission to have one and she did! haha! She plucked one right
off the tree. Oops.... ;)

We continued on, looking for the Blue Star trail. We
were supposed to hop on the Blue Star trail, but some how we passed it. Must of
been all the chatting we were doing. haha! We ended up on the Dogwood trail and
decided to hike down it to the Muscadine trail. After hiking by a couple of
ladies out their horses, we find the Muscadine trail just fine. But some how we
managed to make a big loop and end up exactly where we started! I called that
section of trail the twighlight section, because it was so confusing! Deciding
not to hike the Muscadine trail loop again, we road walked it on a gravel road
down to the lake. We met a nice man renting out kayaks for $5 an hour and then
found the Haigler lake trail. We finished up the hike all safe and sound and
then made our way to the Peach Stand for some rewarding, well deserved, yummy,
cold ice cream!

I learned that Joy lived in China for a long time while
teaching and has hiked all over the Great Wall. Sarah, literally, did a 180 of
her life. She sold her house, moved to a different town, started a new career,
and began living a life SHE wants. Lots of yoga and hiking! Wow, I was so
impressed with her bravery. I learned that even though Kimber was in the Navy,
she can't swim! haha! Too funny, we all had a nice laugh. (Sorry Kimber!! We
still love you! haha!) Linda is about to go to Alaska to visit her daughter for
vacation. I am so excited for her, I hope she has a wonderful time. Diedra had a
wonderful time in Charleston, but I the ghost tour wasn't that great. I learned
that camping with Wendy will be an experience! haha! She brings everything but
the kitchen sink with her. I wonder how long it takes her to set up? I wonder
what she's gonna think of my set up? Everything I have for camping fits in my
backpack. Hee Hee! Barbara had a brace on her left knee and told us she had
surgery for a torn meniscus a while back. She seemed to be doing great on the
hike and I hope me asking if her knee was ok didn't bother her. Nina's birthday
will be next Wednesday. Happy Birthday NINA!! Even though Beth is stealthy
quiet, she has an eye for the trail. How about she knew we missed the Blue Star
intersecting trail but kept quiet and let us continue on our chatty merry way.
haha! I think I see a trail name in here somewhere for her, maybe Stealthy.
Hmmm.... Speaking of trail names, Karla was dubbed this hike with her trail
name. Let me paint the picture; It's about 90 degrees out, the sun is shining
bright, and Karla busts out an umbrella in the middle of our

hike because she doesn't want to get sun on her.
We all laughed and that's when it came out. I called her Mary Poppins. So Karla
is now AKA "Mary Poppins". HAHA!!

Smoky Moutain Backpacking

This is a re-posting from favorite Dame, Sandi Adams. Check out her great blog at http://emptynestart.wordpress.com/

Smoky Mountain Backpacking Trip

This three day trip started with a bang, literally, as I was making the trip to Clarkesville to pickup Kellye to head to the Great Smoky Mountains for a three day backpacking trip with SHOE and Turtle. I had to make an emergency pit stop in the dark, under an interstate bridge pylon and sacrificed my favorite pink bandana…
When I get to Kellye’s I realize my camera is missing and we have to backtrack to the scene of “The Incident” where I find it laying next to my pink banadana…

Hopeful that this was not going to be a theme for this trip, we headed to the hills.
We met our hiking buddies, SHOE, (slowest hiker on earth), and Turtle at the Smokemont campground dropped my car at the Mingus Creek Trailhead and headed to the Thomas Divide Trailhead. Thomas Divide is named for William Holland Thomas (1805-1893,) who gained so much favor with the Cherokees that he became the only white man ever appointed Chief. This self-educated lawyer lived with the Indians, learned their language and ways, and defended their rights in Washington. He helped purchase much of the land known as the Qualla Boundary. He was a Confederate Colonel and the bravery of his Thomas Legion of Cherokee Indians and Highlanders is legendary. (Sorry for the history lesson, but I found this interesting)

The trail was moderate with some decent climbs and rewarded us with the diversity of flora and fauna that makes the Smokey Mountains unique. The rhododendrons were abundant and still in full bloom. Yellowish brown cobs of squawroot poked through the leaves. I couldn’t remember what they were called but found out that this is a favorite food of black bears. (We saw much evidence of bears but figured that four chattering women would be enough to scare any bear off!)
We took our time on this warm, sunny day, catching up and taking turns leading the hike. As elevation changed, so did our surroundings. The ghostly silhouettes of hemlocks ravaged by the woolly adelgid against the sky, numerous coves of hardwoods and always the forest floor was alive with fungi and wildflowers.
Arriving at Campsite #52, at Newton Bald, we found a solitary camper who had set his five man tent up in the center of the fire ring area! Kellye scouted the area and found the perfect ridge top spot to spend the night. While we searched for the perfect hammock trees and Lesly and Melissa looked for a flat spot for their tents and we began the ritual of setting up our temporary home for the night.
Our first “excitement” of the trip occurred when Kellye wandered off to take care of some personal business and interrupted a bear! The bear grunted a warning to let her know he was there and they both took off in opposite directions. She quickly came back to home base, eyes wide and put us all on alert that we were not alone!! Needless to say, I did not wander far to take care of my personal business after that!
Dinner was cooked and we spent an inordinate amount of time coaxing flames out of a stubborn fire, night fell, the temperatures dropped into the upper fifties and we all retired to our sleeping quarters. I listened to a little bit of Pat Conroy’s latest and drifted off to sleep only to be jolted awake by the sound of what I was sure was a BEAR climbing the tree that my hammock was attached to!!! The commotion continued as everyone scrambled out of their tents asking Kellye if she was okay, so I rolled out and found her hammock had “ratcheted” DOWN the tree!! Fortunately, she was fine and we all went back to bed. (We think she might have a trail name, Ratchet!)
Day 2, we took our time with breakfast and breaking camp, enjoying the cool temperatures before beginning our hike. We continued on Thomas Divide heading to Deep Low Gap, again enjoying the diversity of the trail. Excitement came when Lesly and I spotted a small creek off the trail. She needed water and I dropped my pack and went off the trail to capture a photo of some red bee balm. Immediately what felt like needles on my legs caused me to scream, as the realization that yellow jackets were swarming around us! Needless to say, we both moved quickly but not before I had at least 12 reminders of why I never want to step in another yellow jacket nest. After retreating a safe distance we took a break where everyone contributed Benadryl cream, anti-itch and Neosporin to ease the sting. (Truth be told I wanted to cry, but satisfied that urge with talking with my trail mate.)
As we began our descent into the lush green forest, crisscrossing small streams, it occurs to me that we have been going down a looooong time and that we will be backtracking up this haul tomorrow morning…….We reach our destination, the very slanted world of campsite #51. Being in the Gap, there is little breeze and the temperature and humidity have increased. Again, we repeat the camp setup ritual spreading out due to an absence of flat areas and spend the rest of the day, chatting, sharing stories, laughing, eating and daydreaming.
As night falls, I gratefully climb into my hammock and quickly fall asleep, only to be awakened around 3:00 am to thunder and rain. After assuring myself that my tarp was secure and all my belongings were underneath and dry, I slipped back to sleep until dawn. Our plan was to leave early, due to the number of miles and difficulty of the trail for the day, so I packed my hammock and gear and sat under the tarp drinking my coffee and eating a builders bar. (a nice perk of having a hammock means you can pack everything up underneath the tarp, leaving it for last)
We all begin the slow tortuous climb in the rain to the intersection that will take us to the Mingus Creek Trail and our car. Seriously, even though I have eaten most of my food, my pack feels just as heavy as when I started and it takes me a bit to find my trail rhythm. Unfortunately a couple more yellow jackets find my rhythm and get between my pack and back delivering more stings!! We space out a bit, each hiking our own hike and meet sweaty and tired at the top of the climb. A downhill stretch follows along the creek and takes us to 90 foot waterfall. It is still raining, so the photo op is cut short as we slip and slide across a narrow bridge crossing and continue down to the trail intersection, where thankfully the rain ends and the sun starts to stream through the trees. After consulting the trail map, we take off on the Mingus Creek Trail. The trail starts innocently enough, absolutely beautiful and follows and crosses the creek for some time. As the temperature and humidity increase, so does the climb. Kellye and I hike together, stopping periodically to curse the trail and sip some water, even taking a break or two for a gu and bar break. As always, about the time, I think I can’t lift my leg another step, we reach the top and collapse for a well deserved break! This was a tough trail! Spotting the trail sign for Newfound Gap Road at 2.9 miles made us very happy!!
However, that happiness was short lived as we began the trek over a jarring, rocky, mossy, slick downhill!! BUT it was sooooo beautiful. If we had more time, I would have loved to linger at the many creek crossings and moss covered logs that called my name! But at that particular moment the lure, of my dry clothes and a burger at the NOC were a motivating factor! As we got closer to our destination the trail widened and we were able to walk side by side, recapping some of the highlights of the trip. The aching shoulders, legs and blistered feet were replaced by the pure joy of spending time outdoors and conquering any difficulties that came our way.
As we burst into the parking area and into reality, I contemplate offering the nearby picnickers a $10.00 bill for a cold drink. NOTE: If you ever see dirty, sweaty, smelly people piling out of the woods with their life on their back, offer them a cold drink, they will never forget you!
The reward for this journey ends at the Nantahalah Outdoor Center or the NOC. I have been hearing about the Flamethrower Burger and the HOMEMADE chips for the entire trip and satisfy this fantasy with my friends. A berry cobbler topped with ice cream is the icing on the cake. Sitting on the river with my feast and friends, I count my many blessings and dream of the next adventure…..

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