Tumbas Francis

 After a rooftop breakfast, we were treated to a dance performance by Tumbas Francis.  This family dance troupe consisting of both drummers and dancers of varying ages regaled us with a performance of dance derived from their African heritage.  It seems like most countries have some form of native dance, like our square dancing, that gets passed from generation to generation.  The colorful clothes and rustic drums set the backdrop for their performance.  As the final gesture of their performance they invited our group to join them in dance.  Afterwards, we took portraits of the group.  We really felt like we were immersed in a true Cuban experience.







We returned to our hotel for a rooftop lunch followed by downtime in our rooms.  The midday heat and sun were not conducive to photography so we spent it napping and relaxing.  Later that afternoon we took a leisurely stroll to the waterfront to watch the ferries returning workers back to the city.  Along the way we found interesting street activities such as a man making homemade rat traps and people just sitting on their doorsteps watching the world go by.  

Santiago is a hilly city with vegetation covered mountains serving as its backdrop.  Along our decent we ran across a group of four teenage girls egger to converse with our group.  Different from my first visit to the country, Cuba has access to the internet which opens their world to the larger one outside the island.  Many of the youth have aspirations to leave for pursuits off the island.  These girls seemed like this might be the case for them.  They were happy to pose for us on the giant Cuba sign at the water's edge which was great for our group.  The sign seemed to be a gathering place for kids both to play on and to observe the activities of others.  A group of skateboarders were practicing their tricks nearby.  There were also kids that seemed stuck between lollypops and cigarettes finding their way into adulthood.







We took the van to Restaurant Leon for dinner.  This seemed a step above some of the street establishments. While still offering the standard pork and fish, the tableclothed tables and excellent  service was obviously catering to a well heeled clientele.  Everything was so well seasoned and prepared it would become one of the better meals of our trip.  The flan was so smooth and creamy I will have difficulties finding a match elsewhere.

Back to the hotel, we prepared to depart in the morning for Baracoa.

Tomorrow: A long drive

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