Cuban censorship has struck its first blow. The ESPN transmission of the US Masters has got a big black box across the middle of the television screen, so I cannot watch the golf.
I have noticed a lot of anti-americanism since I arrived. The holiday rep on the bus from the airport cracked one to many anti-American jokes, at least for the American on the that was on the bus. I have also yet to see an American flag flying from any of the hotels along Calle Primera, Valladero's main hotel street. I suspect flying a star-spangled banner in Cuba would be tantamount to flying a St Georges Cross during the World Cup, outside a pub in Glasgow.
The rep also informed us that the Cuban national sport is hitchhiking. Certainly there were large numbers of people standing at the side of the road between the airport and central Varadero. I wonder if there is any etiquette involved, or if you can just drive past the old-weak and only pick up the air hostesses off to start their shift with Air Cubana.
Hotel Dos Mares is a hotelroom of compromises. Do I watch the television or have the air-conditioning on? Do I sleep of have the air-conditioning on? The air-conditioning is extremely antiquated and loud. My bed vibrates when I put it on minimum temperature. I don't think I would notice an earthquake in Valladero if I had it on maximum temperature.
Thinking about derrumabas de tierro suddenly makes me wonder if I need an earthquake strategy, particularly since the ceiling rafters in room 106, Hotel Dos Mares look like they were not constructed with earthquake-proof structuring in mind. Also, I think my bed would collapse if the roof caved in, as it nearly collapsed when I put my rucksack on it when I first arrived.
In conclusion, I think I will horse it downstairs and outside if my hotel room suddenly starts to shake, and my air-conditioning is not switched on.
