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Travels through Cuba: part fourteen
by Pete Keane

Havana
Havana

This week Pete Keane from Preston prepares to head off to Trinidad - if he can find his lost keys!

quoteI was leaving Cienfuegos today so the plan was to go into town and look for the Sintesis song I’d heard yesterday. I spent an age running round the various record shops to no avail. I was told that the band hail from Havana so I might have better luck there.

Back at the Casa I finished packing and spend some time with the family. I gave an English lesson to the head of the family, who is a lawyer. Soon after I made my farewells and am off once more. I arrived at the bus station in good time, only to realise that I’ve lost my keys. An amused crowd watched me frantically empty and re-pack my rucksack. Are they still in the door?

Up in the ticket office I was able to change my ticket for a modest $1-50. Now I will catch the 5pm coach. On the way back I bumped into Carlos and his wife. I explained that Cienfuegos hadn’t exactly lit my fire and I was on my way to Trinidad. Carlos said there was a big festival that evening and would be well worth attending. I would have felt stupid changing my ticket again and politely declined. I promise to email him on my return the UK and wish him well for his remaining time in Cuba.

Sure enough, when I return to the Casa my keys are in the door. I went back into town and bought a cheap key fob. More visits to record shops yielded the same results, no Sintesis album containing the song ‘Ewere.’ I made my farewells once more and got to the bus station for 4-30pm. I sat and read for a while. The bus was late but that wasn’t a problem. It was huge, air conditioned and extremely comfortable. I settled down with my book and enjoyed the ride.

The sunset was incredible. It was also possible to make out the sea and tiny villages en route. We passed some Guajiros (farmers) on their horse and cart, looking at us as if we were from another planet. And I suppose in relative terms, we are.

By now the book was beginning to bore me, just like the Cuban bread. It was the right shape, size and smell but totally lacked any real content. Thankfully it wasn’t too long before we arrived in Trinidad.

I was met off the coach by my new landlady. She led me through the dark cobbled streets and towards the lower end of the town. She gave me a tour of the house and showed me to my room. I turned the air conditioning on and took a quick shower. It was a relief to wash the travel grime off my skin. Back in the bedroomquote it was cool enough to fall into a deep and grateful sleep.

The views expressed on this page are those of the contributor and the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the BBC.

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SEE ALSO

Travels through Cuba: part one

Travels through Cuba: part two

Travels through Cuba: part three

Travels through Cuba: part four

Travels through Cuba: part five

Travels through Cuba: part six

Travels through Cuba: part seven

Travels through Cuba: part eight

Travels through Cuba: part nine

Travels through Cuba: part ten

Travels through Cuba: part eleven

Travels through Cuba: part twelve

Travels through Cuba: part thirteen

Travels through Cuba: part fourteen

Travels through Cuba: part fifteen

Travels through Cuba: part sixteen

Travels through Cuba: part seventeen

Travels through Cuba: part eighteen

Travels through Cuba: part nineteen

Travels through Cuba: part twenty

Travels through Cuba: part twenty one

Diaries of a traveller by Pete Keane

Disco Punk - the new dance? by Pete Keane

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Cuba
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