Thurs 5th - a storm

Today I decided to go swimming again. Yesterday was rather cold so it wouldn't have been much fun. This morning, as usual, I woke up very early at 5.30, had some tea and then went back to bed and then woke again at 8. I cooked a breakfast of bacon and eggs. Oh, I think I already said that in the last post!

I guess you thought (maybe you were hoping!) that my friend Nini was history but, despite her saying angrily that she was cutting me off completely in Skype and WhatsApp, her profile has continued to be live in Skype. And I didn't block her. Either there was a glitch in the way Skype was sending information or else she was still connected. When I arrived back from Medellín, she sent a brief message hoping that I had a good time. I sent "yes thanks" and a couple of photos. And thus very tentatively, the relationship was repaired. Maybe you will think that it was not such a brilliant idea. But despite the tantrums, (her word) I cannot abandon this beautiful young Colombian friend of mine - and she brought me here.

Cartagena

We arranged to meet in Cuba at 12. And I had already planned to go there because it is on the way to the swimming pool. With her were her sister Luisa with her daughter Estephania, 3 years old. We met at a restaurant and I paid for food for them. I think it came to about 10 euros. And we chatted. And the ice melted. And we arranged to go to el Parque del Café which is a Parc de Atracciones, tomorrow Friday.

After meeting Nini and Luisa, I went swimming as planned and they returned home, with some groceries which I encouraged them to buy. Including a very heavy multiple pack of milk in 1 litre bags which Nini could barely carry! I am happy doing this, buying food for them. Giving money online, that is long in the past.

While I was swimming, I heard the distant rumble of thunder, it was getting cold so I didn't swim for very long, maybe about 20 lengths. I found a bus stop near by and along came a number 44 bus, I asked the driver if he went to Cuba but I think I misunderstood him because he went around Cuba and headed along Ave de la Americas in the direction of the Terminal, which is where I live. I was too lazy to ask where he was going and then the storm arrived with torrential rain. I couldn't get off the bus anyway, I would have got soaked! Half way along las Americas, at a roundabout, he dived off to the left into an area which I don't know. I then explained to him where I was going and said that my only option now was to take a taxi to retrace my route home. After about 10 minutes, we saw a taxi parked. Empty! It was still raining hard. The bus stopped, I jumped off and into the taxi. I thought that was rather funny and I chatted to the driver about it as we went.
  
While I was swimming, I was getting cold feet about the trip. It got complicated later on Skype discussing who was coming. In the end, it will be me, Nini, Luisa, Estephania, Sebastian (Luisa's son) and mama. I was anxious about what Luisa's husband would think about my taking his kids on an excursion which he could only dream about, while he was stuck milking the cows. So I went through an arduous process of making sure he was cool about it, which tested yet again the relationship with my young friend. When I realised that mother was coming, I felt much happier about it.

We fixed a time to meet at the Terminal del Bus next morning. And I cooked supper - very basic, partly the choice of meat and partly because I just have two gas rings. I look forward to cooking my roast lamb special next week!