Umlingani wami wayehlala enephupho elihle lokuvakashela iCuba, angazi ukuthi kungani ezweni lika-Che Guevara, kodwa wonke amaphupho aqashelwayo anelungelo lokubulawa. Nginqume ukukwenza kwamangala ku-Frosty Januwari, ngathenga uhambo lwezinsuku eziyi-8 e-Hotel 4 Stars ohlelweni konke kufaka phakathi. Beka imvilophu enhle ngo-Eva kaNyaka oMusha ngaphansi kwesihlahla sikaKhisimusi - injabulo, imizwelo nezinyembezi zenjabulo enciphile intombazane engiyithandayo. Futhi nalu usuku oluhle, eChita - 45 Frost, sindiza eMoscow, bese sisuka esikhumulweni sezindiza saseSheremeryvo siye eCuba. Indiza iyisidina kancane, kepha lokho ongeke ukwazi ukukwenza ngenxa yamaphupho, amahora ayi-12 kwikhabethe lendiza iKotali ebhekisa ama-movie kwi-laptop yabo, njengoba i-TV ibilahlekile, funda izincwadi futhi ilele. Ukudla isikhathi se-Flight Bay, kudliwe kahle. Nakhu ukufika okuthambile - ipharadesi elishisayo eCaribbean!
Sisihlelele ebhasini futhi sayithathela ehhotela, endleleni emafasikeni esawathanda indawo yendawo, izindawo ezinemibala, izakhiwo zamahhotela, izakhiwo kanye nezindlu ezijwayelekile ezingemuva. Ubuso buthakazelisa kakhulu, kusuka ezindaweni zokudlela ezibizayo kanye namakilabhu kuya kokudla okujwayelekile kokudla okusheshayo nokuhweba amatende okuhweba. Ngokokuqala ngqa eCuba, naphezu kokukhathala ngemuva kwendiza, besaba ukuphuthelwa okuthile, ngakho-ke bahambe ngokucophelela ngaso sonke isikhathi. Lapho efika ehhotela, wajabulela inombolo enkulu ekhanyayo futhi washintsha ngokushesha olwandle. Ukubona ibhishi elinesihlabathi esimhlophe ngoJanuwari, amagagasi aluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka aqonda into eyodwa - kukhona ipharadesi ngesikhathi sokuphila!
Ihhotela laphenduka lithokomele kakhulu, egcekeni kwakukhona ichibi lokubhukuda elinezihlalo eziningi, futhi likhulu ngasekupheleni kukaJanuwari kwakungeyena abantu abaningi, ngakho-ke amabhishi angenalutho Indawo yokudlela yasehhotela, endaweni yokuzijabulisa, kubha, konke kuthule futhi kungokwethu. Ukuhlanza igumbi kwakuwumsebenzi wenkonzo nsuku zonke, onobungane ubeke izingubo zase-US, ezihlotshiswe ngezimbali kanye nokujabula kwesobunxele nezinsuku ezimnandi zosuku lonke! Ehhotela, sasihlala sasemukela ekuzijabuliseni okujabulisayo, i-volleyball yasolwandle, ama-aquaaerobics kanye nemincintiswano nje yakusihlwa nama-discos - ama-animators ahlekisayo.
Ngemuva kwezinsuku ezimbili ezichithwa ehhotela, zijabulela ulwandle futhi amagagasi anquma ukuthatha uhambo, ahambe azungeze idolobha, agibele eminyuziyamu, izindawo zokudlela kanye namakilabhu. Ezokuzijabulisa eCuba kwanele, ungavakashela iziqhingi zaseCaribbean, ukubhukuda ezihlahleni ngokusebenzisa ama-MANGO kuthola izimfudu, ukuyondla izilwane ezihlukile, zibheke izingwenya, ama-pelicans. Futhi vele ujwayelane namasiko abantu baseCuba.
Ekupheleni kokuhamba kwethu okungalibaleki, lapha ngakhombisa inani elincane kakhulu lezithombe, futhi eqinisweni ama-drive amabili agcwele izindawo ezinhle zomhlaba, izikhathi eziqhakazile kanye nezilwane ezimangalisa zeCuba, empeleni zithenge izikhumbuzo eziningi nezipho zethu Izihlobo nabangane - Ama-Magnets, ama-CAPS, amapuleti kanye ne-Cuban Rum kanye nama-cigars.
UJanuwari ongenakulibaleka, ikhiyubhu ehlukile neshisayo, ugu oluhle olunama-Palm Groves - Izinkumbulo ezikhanyayo zisinikeze leli lizwe. Amaphupho aqhaqha xaxa kahle, ashiye izikhathi emnene, acwebezelayo futhi ezimibalabala engqondweni, ohlale ekhumbula ngokumamatheka ebheke imephu yomhlaba eCuba yethu oyithandayo. Sihlela ukubuyela kuleli.