music and dancing in Trinidad

Ooh, am such a bad blogger....just have so much to say that whenever i get to the internet i cant bring myself to start. But am determined today to write something, so here you are, a potted resume of my last week!

After Santa Clara it was off to Trinidad for the weekend with lots of beautiful colonial buildings and music. Was a little sceptical as I figured it would be full of tourists on bus trips, but the actual old centre was surprisingly dead. Beautiful but with no atmosphere at all really. Luckily i was staying in casa near where all the cubans live so lots of cheap pizza places (my new favourite food, they sell it from their fronts rooms and is 20cents for a pizza, fab), music blaring out and general energy. Didn't really do much here, just hung out with a couple of slovenians i met, and naturally made it to the beach one day (trying to get rid of strap marks for the much anticipated wedding of the year - vic, hope you appreciate all this effort!!!). Did hear some amazing music though, one band in particular were playing on the street and we ended up listening to them for ages...naturally ended up buying their cd, so expect much listening when i get home....one way to lose friends v quickly. Have also tried to salsa lots (its impossible to sit there and listen to music without one cuban after another asking you to dance...its nice and all but tiring) Anyway, i thought i could just about salsa but it turns out i cant!! Am learning quickly (theres no option, you are going to dance so you might as well try to not kill your partner or others whilst doing it!) but have a looooong way to go. Watching the cubans is just incredible....in particular a guy will dance with 2 girls, or a group will dance in circles together swapping partners and generally being way too co-ordinated for a little brit to comprehend. i think its just rude showing off quite so much, but they insist. I just sit in awe and wonder hows its possible that EVERYONE is so good....but then they start early...see loads of 2 / 3 yr olds shaking their thing in the street

Also had a surprisingly fab sunday afternoon there. The Slovenians had left so I was wandering around (as is my way) when i heard all this music coming from a building. So obviously i wander in and find this huge salsa party in full swing, mostly populated by slightly inebriated old people! So stayed for a couple of hours adn had a fab time dancing with old men and watching in awe as 60 year old women went for it shaking their thing and generally being way too amazing on the dance floor. You've got to give them respect!

Eek, money about to run out, camaguey will have to be a separate entry