I finally finished 'The Brothers Karamazov', which I started on the steps of the University of Havana, all that time ago. I left it for Patty the receptionist to practise her English...

I had dinner, which was a wholemeal pizza, a bit odd, and went to find the source of the racket I could hear going on.

It turned out to be a brass band in the main square with badly tuned trumpets. Lots of dancers in colourful costumes were jumping around, some of them only kids, dancing terribly out of sync, so adorable. A little old lady was waving the multicolour banner of the campesinos around, nearly whacking people in the crowd around the head with it. That woman was dangerous, but she was obviously very proud of the role they gave her, so nobody dared to question her flag-waving rights.

Next to me, a mother was holding her kid on the arm, and this baby girl could have gone straight into National Geographic, with her miniature alpaca jumper, colourful woolly hat and big eyes. The music was a bit monotonous though, so after a while I called it a night, staring at the stars some more above my hotel.

I really thought I would be spending my nights alone in my room, but to be honest there have been so many diversions and I have felt so safe, that I have been out late quite a lot on this trip. There is so much to entertain yourself, and as long as you don't feel (too) selfconscious about being the only gringa there, you will more than likely have a great time. Plus it's very easy to meet other gringos, here in the north even more because you stick out like a white llama in a herd of brown ones (if you pardon the politically incorrect comparison).