The Next Chapter: Day 446 - Back to Havana

Yikes! An 0800 bus ride came early! Kim slept while I snapped a few incriminating photos - my adorable friend sleeping on my shoulder. En route, I discovered that Jose, Joel & Jenn have wiener dogs! No wonder I love them so much! Cat & Darren have an Italian Greyhound. I’ve never seen one & I had a laugh & a half watching the video of their dog running around. He is so FAST! It was hilarious! He was nuts!

As soon as we arrived at the Hotel Parque Centrale, Jenn left for the airport, and the parents hopped on a bus for a tour of Havana. Kim & I joined Jose, Joel & Mr & Mrs for another photo shoot on the streets of Habana Vieja. I was pumped just to have the opportunity to carry a bag & observe!

On our way out, we saw the waiter who had served us dessert on Kim’s birthday. I waved & said hello & he looked confused at first. He then recognized me, but motioned to his head & asked what happened to my hair! I forgot that I had worn a wig the day of her birthday!

Havana is a photographer’s paradise & today was no exception. With Darren & Cat posing – stunning models that they are – it wasn’t hard to find a great photo op every direction you turned! We wandered around to a few locations they had scouted out prior to the wedding & before we knew it, it was a wrap!

Our post-shoot snack found us on the third floor terrace of a building housing 3 different restaurants. We enjoyed a delicious meal, great scenery & great company! After our meal, we dashed to an art studio Kim had photographed & celebrated at 2 years ago when she was in Havana. We knocked on the door to find a few of the artists inside & plenty of amazing artwork all around. What talent lies in Havana!

Quickly trotting back to the hotel to meet the parents for dinner, we stopped at a bar claiming to serve the best mojitos in town. It was mostly rum, maybe that’s why they are the best… I’ll never know, as mine was virgin…

We met the parents at the hotel & left for La Fontana located in Miramar. What a beautiful restaurant! Cat’s travel agent had suggested it & I now know why. I had THE BEST shrimp ravioli I have ever tasted in my life.

The waitress had tried to talk me out of ordering them, as we were pressed for time, but there wasn’t anything else on the menu that tickled my fancy. She spoke to the chef & they would try to make them as quickly as they could. It was worth every minute of waiting. The cream sauce was delightful. Just a hint of nutmeg & the perfect amount of garlic & cream… Yum.

I ordered dessert afterwards & while I was waiting, Kim’s dessert arrived. I waited. I waited. Finally I asked where my dessert was. They had given it to Kim! Funnily enough, she had been given another dessert that also wasn’t hers, eaten some of it & then had to give it away! I don’t know how she didn’t order one dessert & ended up receiving two of them! The whole table, Kim included, enjoyed a laugh over that one! They put the dessert in front of her, she wasn’t going to say no!

While we finished dessert, we were serenaded by 3 musicians. They performed Cat & Darren’s favourite Cuban song – I don’t remember the name of it, but I know you’d recognize it if you heard it!

We raced back to the hotel so the family could catch the bus back to Varadero. Kim & I collected our things from Jose & Joel’s place & we caught a cab to Fernando y Marisol’s place for a few more nights. Sniff sniff – this week is passing way too swiftly!

xxxxMaria