Spanish was a bit subdued today, as it was the last time and Bernard clearly doesn´t want to go.

It´s strange, all the tourists want to stay, and all the Cubans want to get out. Pedro was talking about how he won´t see his son, who moved to the US last year, for at least three years, as he won´t be allowed to visit Cuba until then. For Pedro to visit his two kids is simply unthinkable at this time.

We discussed people trying to cross the Florida Straits on selfmade boats and rafts and Pedro said: ´When one person does it, you say he is mad (está loco) but when thousands of people do it, you say they are desperate´. Conny´s friend, who we went to the Malecón with, said the police often rounds up the homeless people and hungry beggars there, so the tourists won´t see that part of Cuba. That really freaked me out. The longer you stay here, the more you see the thin layer of varnish peeling away and however wonderful and optimistic the Cuban people are, at the moment they are far from happy about their situation.

Afterwards, I got to dance with Ben because Yoyi was a bit late, and he´s really good (it was only his fourth lesson!) After, I just had fun dancing, relaxing into it and watching Angél show off his moves. I think he was enjoying it too, trying to trip me up with lots of turns and me keeping up rather well (I think)... Yoyi said I have learnt a lot and that´s definitely true.

In the afternoon, Ben, Tina, Thomas and I walked to Habana Vieja, me to visit the Museo de Bellas Artes and them to go to the Capitolio. The museum is probably one of the best I´ve ever been in, especially the modern art floor is very interesting. Of course it´s all government approved art so no criticism here, but still.

I took a taxi back and listened to my newly acquired cd´s with Nuelen, who knows the lyrics to all the songs. Charanga Habanera is a group which is very popular at the moment and she made me play that one over and over again.