We have lift off from station Viazul

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after a very good nights sleep at Jesus' and a delicious homemade brekkie we set off for our 2nd home - the bus station.

so we finally decided that Trinidad is where the sun is shining and get ourselves on the first bus out of the city in search of salsa, mojitos and big fat cigars....


5 hours later we arrive in the beautiful town of Trinidad on the south coast. we have nothing planned or booked and we rock up at Tati's casa at La Boca beach where the sun is shining (strongly!) and the Caribbean sea is calling us...

A quick lunch consisting of yet more beer and a mountain of cheese is followed by a spot of sunbathing and swimming and local boys exciting themselves at the sight of us in the sea - we are beaming white so cannot hide as much as we want to.

Meet a couple of 'happy' germans over dinner - Charles and Herman the German - who have great pleasure in making us feel like tiny little stupid english girls....

early night = early morning for sunbathing!

Day 2 - beach until lunchtime when the clouds come and (yikes) mel realises she may have been un poquo foolish dousing herself in factor 6 tanning oil - thats right - you may be abale to imagine the purpleness of her face....(embarassment central) - CHICKA ROHA...

Cycled into Trinidad for more alcohol and portrait pictures....

Day 3 - cycled to Playa Ancon - beautiful white sands, crystal clear waters (and no local youths!!) Were approached by a trio of Amigos with Rum and cigars - could this be any more perfect? Chilled out and got to know our new friends - Luca, Kin and Jan - aka Italiano, chinko and errr....GERMAN.

Went to casa de la musica for a couple of mojitos (yes do you spot the trend here) and cigars (which may I add Pippa has taken a strong liking to!)


Day 4 - as mel is still purple and it doesnt seem to be easing off we decide to take a trip in to the mountains for some trekking (again unsuitably prepared mel and pippita in flipflops) but we push on through thick rainforest and reach a buenissimo waterfall and natural pool - we eat bananas, tomatoes and naranjas with the 3 amigos.
On the way back up the mountain the most torrential rains flood the path and we quickly get soaked and almost washed down the clay path in flipflops! AMAZING moment - we were all absolutely soaked to the skin and surrounded by lush rainforest, palm trees and a sexy dreadlocked guy!

Day 5 - yey mel is now just about turning back to a normal colour, pippa (surprise surprise) has turned golden brown and we have one last day on Playa ancon with the guys. We go snorkelling on a Hobie Cat to a coral reef and basically just chill to the max. Back to the casa for the most amazing dinner and off out to Casa de la Musica for a spot of salsa with the local cuban men (absolute classic - Pippa dancing with an 80 year old cuban who was about as big as a twiglet) and mel dances with a guy who was very proud of his Chanel purse!!

Lots of mojitos, cigars and salsa later we go to an amazing club 'La Cueva' - this was an underground CAVE RAVE - and it was simply awesome - can gladly say that although cubans dance very well to salsa music we outdid them with our Madonna moves :-)

Didnt quite make it home to our Tati and wandered the streets singing and dancing until 6am.....

It was then time to go back for brekkie and say goodbye to our adopted family :-(

one last breakfast with Tati and a taxi ride back to La Habana awaited....

This brings us to right now - in a hotel lobby sat right next to a cuban band and salsa dancers having just had dinner with our 'interesting' fellow cyclers who we will fill you in on next time!

for now...hasta luego

p.s. we are having an absolutely amazing time. Cuba is fantastico.

Pip and Mel
xx

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