Cuban Chimeras

We thought we might be dreaming. It was our first day waking up on the Caribbean in Cuba, and the combination of the sweet balmy air, coconut palms and brightly lit houses we passed on our way to the beach all conspired to create a true sense of bliss.
The beach was so beautiful with turquoise water and sparkling white sand. My best friend and I spent our entire day there swimming, lying in the sun, talking, laughing, and drinking rum and pineapple drinks. The water was salty and warm, and hibiscus of every color bloomed profusely along the shore. Best of all, the beach was practically ours alone. We were in heaven.
For dinner we found two older local women who liked cooking for travelers in their home. Carmen and Maria were sisters in their seventies who had so many great stories to tell. They told us stories of living in the Canary Islands years ago, and about the old days in Cuba. By the time we left we’d felt we’d known them forever, but we’d just arrived. Maybe we were dreaming.