What I see

Sitting on a bench, I asked myself why does nature insist that I witness this sparrow show… again?

Do you like it? It’s like sitting at the edge of a pond, watching the little fish swim. Truly relaxing.

They’re different moments from a video I made that’s one minute and three seconds long.

Did you see when the sparrow fluttered its wings? This is the photo I managed to capture in that moment.

And this one too.

There was even a dove that seemed very friendly with the sparrow family.

Nice!

From the photo of the dove, if you’ve been following my posts, the place where I was sitting gradually reveals itself. It’s Parque Villalón, located in Havana’s El Vedado district, on the block bounded by C, D, 5th and 7th streets.

But this post isn’t about that… I included that moment just to relieve some stress. Get ready for what I’m about to tell you.

Last night I went to bed early. That’s a rarity.

I’d spent the day running errands and cycled about 32 kilometres.

When I got home, the electricity was out, but I’d bought some biscuits, a bar of cremita de leche (a milk-based sweet I love), and a peanut bar—those helped stave off the hunger until around 7 p.m., when the power finally came back on.

I was longing for a hot meal, but of course, I couldn’t eat straight away... there was no way to heat up my lunch… Needless to say, by the time I got home, after four in the afternoon, lunchtime was long gone. So, once the electricity returned, I cooked some spaghetti, added two boiled eggs, some sauce and white cheese, and I ate. Sorry, we ate, Chanel and I. 😃

It was the quickest thing I could prepare because, honestly, I was starving after all that cycling.

And what I did yesterday, more specifically, was wander through El Vedado, Miramar and Playa, visiting various offices where documents are legalised and I printed a few that I needed to take to the Embassy of Ukraine.

As for the legalisation process...well, I noticed it’s actually rather straightforward… so long as you bring along plenty of extra cash. Even a parking attendant might do. Yes, really, he might be the one who knows the right person to have your documents accepted there and then.

I say parking attendant, but it could just as easily be someone selling fizzy drinks or a neighbour from the same street. Naturally, the cost can end up multiplying fivefold.

There are others too, people who already hold pre-arranged appointments to submit documents for legalisation, perhaps for the latter half of this month. The documents would then be ready in about a month’s time, and those individuals, of course, sell the slots at ‘more affordable’ prices.

The official fees for legalising documents are already extortionate through the formal route. But if you pay extra—well, you know how it goes.

It’s honestly disgraceful. So much corruption… echoes of a nation coming apart at the seams, where people just to get by have no qualms about stepping over someone else. There are those truly unscrupulous souls, waiting for any opportunity to pocket a few pesos at the expense of another’s need.

And then, of course, there are other risks—given the times we’re living through…

Just yesterday, before heading off on the adventure I told you about, some neighbours shouted from outside my house to alert me. Apparently, a man had climbed over the wall and slipped into my property. A thief, no doubt, but… the situation is more complicated than that.

What if I had been in the garden and suddenly someone appeared, having crossed over the wall?

It seems that, because the neighbour shouted several times, the intruder got frightened and leapt back over the wall before running off. I was on the terrace at that very moment, or wandering about the garden, gathering mangoes and some dry leaves.

I’m not trying to invent scenarios in my head, but you’ll understand, it’s impossible not to picture unsettling possibilities. Do you think I’d have invited him in for a cup of coffee? That he’d smile and kindly offer to solve all of life’s problems for me?

In any case, I’ll try not to dwell on this troubling incident—better not to direct my energy toward it. Wouldn’t want to risk making it manifest.

Luckily, I always try to ease any kind of stress. After that incident, I got dressed and went out, determined to take care of a few pending things… although, later on, I had another stressful situation, which is better left untold.

I took these photos before heading back home. I passed by the coast to look at the sea before climbing the hill on 70th Street, in the Playa neighbourhood. There are always young vendors there, riding around on bikes with coolers made of polystyrene strapped to the back racks—filled with cold beer, fizzy drinks, and malta. I bought a beer from one of them.

He was very polite—sat down next to me while waiting for the transfer of 250 pesos to come through. The beer was an imported brand called BEYOU, 4.5% alcohol, made in China. I noticed rice among the listed ingredients.

I was just thirsty. And since I usually go for malt, I felt like doing something a bit different… 😂 and because when I drink it quickly, I feel something shift in my head. It’s quite pleasant—especially when I’m really worn out.

These men approached to look at the sea, and like me, they ended up chatting with all that blue.

Hidden Spoiler Text
My head's not in the best place... just a few words to wrap up, as I hadn’t quite reached the conclusion of this post. These are recent photos, ones I take out on the street, and as I share them with you, we chat a little, and I let a few things out… maybe it helps.