I havent written my online journal for quite a while as the internet was difficult to access in Cuba and upon arriving back in Mexico I received some really devastating news from my family so I wasnt feeling up to it for some time. But I had wriiten about the rest of my time in Cuba on paper so I will go back to those two entries. 26/07/06 So, the last time I wrote we was in Trinidad, trying to leave for Santiago de Cuba. Infact we ended up staying there for 3 more days because, as we discovered, travelling about in Cuba is not all that easy. Because of the lack of resources (e.g. fuel) there are not many coaches and they were all fully booked. It wasnt the worst place to be stuck mind you and we certainly made the most of it! On the Thursday we went out to the Casa de la Musica again and met up with this little Cuban guy we'd befriended and an English girl, after listen to the live music and several drinks later we all moved on to the other club (the cave) and got pretty typsy. We danced all night and met up with some other Cuban guys who attempted to show us Salsa, without much success! We then all went to the local petrol station (?!) - where they all hangout after the clubs close, we all shared another bottle of rum and the next thing I knew we were all drinking on the beach and the sun was now blazing! Spent most of the day pretty pissed in the sea. It was fun. Slept for that whole evening and most of the next day, went out again that evening and had another crazy night with no sleep. Somehow we still managed to catch our 7am bus to Santiago and slept for the whole 12hr journey! When we arrived late that night, very tired and very confused, we met a gay couple who suggested we all go to a Casa Particular with 2 rooms. We took a ride in a great taxi, an old Chevrolet in excellent condition, and stayed the night there. It was a nice house with a roof terrace - where we got our first glance of the carnival; random people playing music down the street and people running out of their houses, joining in and dancing. But weirdly enough the next morning we got kicked out, apparently they'd over-booked or something. It was all a bit strange, a guy took us to another house, not so nice, to stay in round the corner with a totally crazy lady owner who takes to shouting and pointing a lot, of course we have no idea what she is talking about so it makes it all the more bizzare. There is also a huge piece of manky meat in our fridge in our room, along with a lump of lard, which makes us heave every morning, yuck! Anyway, our first day here we walked around the main plaza (Parque Central) down the road, which is overlooked by a pretty cathedral, is a nice seating area with shade and there is always a band or two practising, lots of hustlers too though. But somehow we did manage to meet a really nice, geniune, Cuban guy; Raul, who doesnt speak much English but does speak French really well so we communicate that way. That night he took us to the carnival with his friend, it was good but not quite as we expected, lots of smallish things going on everywhere but not really one huge main thing like in Notting Hill, but then it does go on for 10 days here! As usual, we had plenty of the local delicacy; rum. We saw some dancers in their extravagant costumes, walked around the various stalls (mainly really disgusting food or a load of old junk for sale), and then we settled by one of the music stands. At some point we took Nikki home and I went back to party some more with Raul and danced like a crazy woman with him and his family! Got in at 10am and slept all day. Tut tut. We went carnival again yesterday with Raul and his cousin Sandy. Was very good and didnt drink! And managed to stay and watch soem more of the parade - lots of men wearing these huge paper-mache heads who go arounfd scaring all the children, dancers in their costumes, bands, and a couple of floats - one amazing one with lots of really camp men dressed up to the max, and one with the carnival queen looking amazing. Today is the day of the celebration of the revolution. We were all meant to go to the beach but it rained. So we went to Raul's friends house and made some reggaeton CD's. I then went his house and got my hair braided by his aunty. Its a big old beautiful house where various generations of his family live. Its crumbling a bit, and there isnt even running water. Its my birthday in 3 days, feeling a bit panicky about it!