Sixth Day pt2 - The Cuba Diary

Day Six: Goodbye Santiago

Cuba wasn't just a holiday for me. I was doing some studying for my thesis. This is why we visited music venues, talked with musicians and tried to capture all kinds of cultural happenings on camera. Well, must say - I would most likely have done the same even if Cuban music culture weren't the subject of my graduation project.

Anyway, that's why all these music related pictures. ;-)

As written in earlier posts - Santiago is the center of music in Cuba.

The sixth day of our trip was our last day in Santiago.

My phone had switched itself to Summer time two weeks before due time so we woke up an hour too early for breakfast.

After a bit more sleep and having breakky we headed off to walk around Santiago.

Again, we were an attraction. People stopped and stared. Thought they were moving but going nowhere. Onerepublic. Two guys wanted a picture with us again. After 15min they came running back with roses. awwwww. (says a girl who is not into flowers)

The rose event was followed by not that nice a happening. A man came to ask us for water. Didn't really feel like sharing from our bottles, sorry. The man wasn't pleased. He didn't understand to leave. We started to get annoyed by his behavior and decided it was best to just leave. Well, that made him go even more loco and so he began to throw coins at us. Later he changed from coins to stones! Other Cubans around us were embarrassed and horrified but came to calm us by saying: 'Don't worry. It's normal from him. He is crazy.' But wow...war zone material!

Whilst our walk around the city we bumped into a music instrument factory.

We went in and asked if we could look around. For the price of 3CUC the guys there promised to give us a tour. In reality tours weren't probably even possible, neither did visiting probably even cost. Who knows.

As it was Sunday, there was nobody working. A pity as it would have been interesting for my thesis to get pictures of such an environment at its' busiest. Anyway it was a fun random visit. AND we got a pair of hand made music instrument factory maracas each as a present!

On our way home we saw these lovely little fellas again. Ander came to greet us with kisses. Felt sad to tell them we were leaving in a few hours. They promised to come and wave us bye.

Right next to our Casa de la particular there was a viewing place. Didn't cost to visit but if you wanted to take pictures you had to pay 1CUC. That's nothing, but as our 'home' was right next door and even a slight bit higher than the viewing point, we decided to take pictures for free - at home.

It was time to leave to the bus station. We had a car pick us up. Probably a friend or family member of our host mothers. Our little buddies came to wave byeee. For the first time I saw their faces turn from smiles to sadness. I felt the same.

We had a couple of hours before the bus to Trinidad was to leave. Went to hang out in a park and got new friends again.

But ey, can someone tell me what my camera has done to my legs again? What kind of bodybuilder photographing mode did I have on?!?

xo

Lindaaa