This stretch of coastline is mine! 🚩

I suppose Yerandi won’t mind if I claim this stretch of coastline as mine every time I visit between eight and eleven in the morning… 😄 And if he does get annoyed, so what? Once I drop the Worldmappin flag here, it’ll be mine anyway. 🤷‍♀

Just now I remembered that old Western film about the gold seekers racing in their wagons and planting flags whenever they found a spot.

I swear I saw something like that once in my life, but I just can’t remember the title of the film. And I recall it being in colour. If anyone’s seen it and can tell me… you’ll save me a good few hours of insomnia. Haha! In fact, that’s already two films I’ve mentioned today and still can’t remember their titles.

Turns out I even have my own house with windows facing the sea. And no roof, so I can watch the stars and count them.

Truthfully, I can’t tell you who the former owner of this place was. Now it remains there alone, sometimes... just so we can dream.

Sorry about the photos. This time I only had my mobile phone with me. I really regretted not having my camera, because I missed the chance to photograph a curious bird, one of those that make the funniest sounds while running along the dogtooth limestone.

What I want to show here, though I clearly didn’t capture it well in the photo, are those little sea snails (I think they’re called ciguas) that have made their way to the wooden window frames. Take a look at how this window frame now appears smooth, with whimsical shapes sculpted by the elements.

So the breeze, the sea salt, the dew, the mist, the breath of the moon, the calm water — warm or cold, even stormy — and every wave that managed to reach this place… they’re great artists, don’t you see? Oh, what a treasure I’ve found, Universe!

And I also found a mermaid. 😁

I’d asked the Universe, a day or two before, to be on a nearly untouched or very quiet beach… and just look at how things unfolded. Pay attention.

As I said in my previous post, I had gone to the Ukrainian Embassy. It turns out my friend was nearby, and we met up on 5th Avenue. She asked to see the sea, and I thought of taking her to this place known as the Balneario Universitario (University Seaside Resort). It’s right next to the Copacabana Hotel. I told her I used to come here often to play sports and that sometimes I’d swim along this coast with some of my friends who are no longer in Cuba. She thought it was a great idea, and the place welcomed us with phenomenal warmth, though it’s nothing fancy, because like most things around here, it’s been neglected, with no one taking care of its upkeep or trying to make the space more inviting. But all we needed was to look at the sea, to be close to it… the sun didn’t matter. Nothing did. Such a lovely sound the water breaking over the rocks.

She got these maltas from a shopping centre across the street, because I’m not sure if they offer drinks and food here at other times, but Monday morning they didn’t have any. You know I really like malta, and this one was delicious—cold, just the way I needed it.

We had a really lovely time, laughing, joking. I spilled my malta on the sleeve of the shirt I was wearing while dragging my bike. I took it off right then and there, and we used nature’s own laundry between the stones by the shore. I couldn’t bear seeing those little stains on my arm 🤣... me and my OCDs.

It was my friend who came up with the idea of gifting me this place. “It’s yours,” she said. “Didn’t you want a beach all to yourself?

😉

And why did I say between eight and eleven in the morning? Well… wait. I also forgot to mention on weekdays. Because when we left after one in the afternoon, people were already polluting the place. I wish I could say they were there enjoying and respecting the sea, that stretch where the murmur of the water is so hypnotic...but sadly, not everyone does.