28.11.08

We woke up for breakfast, then hopped onto the bus and into Havannah. We stopped on route to see the worlds longest cigar (45 meters!) in a little shop. The cigar was in a plastic case hung from the cieling. The little shop held a host of coffee, run and cigars, and the compulsion to buy a cigar even though I kow no one who smokes them was almost overwhelming! Bizarre! We drove into Havannah and then did a walking tour with Enyo, stopping in many of the (beautiful) squares. I loved the one with the gardens in the centre and the book market around it, and the one in front of the Cathedral the best. There were lots of people trying to get money - some would come and draw pictures of you so then you felt obliged to buy them, others wore fancy dress with great long cigars (not quite 45 m though!) to entice you to take photos. We had a drink in a bar called O Reilly's with a good band and all danced. Then onto a really lovely 3 course lunch with a not-so good band! The lead singer was a slightly scary woman with a screechy nasal voice and edna everage glasses. After Lunch we had some free time in the market and I bought the boys a baseball each and some sandals for me. Caz got insulted by another man she bought a lovely picture from - he was nice - just a cheeky b*****d!

On the coach ride home we stopped in revolution square. Later Caz and I went for a swim in the very cold pool before gong up with the others to practice our song. We all possed ourselves laughing when Maggie sang her line (keep reading.....!)

We got ready for the celebration dinner and I was stunningly under-dressed. We had a Rum and coke before going in, then got given a mohito and a glass each of red and white wine with the meal. The food was gorgeous. We had salad to start, then steak, then a cakey thing. We all got up and danced like mad things to the all girl group form the hotel, then Gwen did a speech on behalf of Prof Winston, and then Gay stood up to do the 'Oscarinas' which was very tear-jerking! Then we got onto the DIY entertainment. We were the third act up after 2 renditions of the "12 days of cycling" theme.

We were doing and interpretation of "I am the Music Man" - lyrics as follows:

We are the women who cycle,
we are invincible but where's the cream?
Please pass the cream!
The sudo-cre-eam!
Sudo, sudo sudo cream.........

My name is Claude your guide,
There is a breifing now
saty in the shade!
Stay in the shade!
Stay in the shade.....
stay stay, stay in the shade.....

My name is Si-imon
I point my camera lense
please just ignore me
yes just ignore me,
ignore me!
ignore ignore ignore me....

We are your mechanic team,
We turn you bike upside down,
and spin the wheels,
"Nya!" It's Ok!
It's OK!
ok ok it's ok, it's oK......
It is your cycling technique!

My name is Dr Sarah,
I smile and smile all day even when you say,
"I've got a headache"
I've been bitten...
I've got the runs...
I've been stung....
I've got a sore fan-ny! (Maggies line!)
drink, drink, dioralyte, dioralyte.....and put some salt on your tea!

Our names are Anna and Sarah,
we cycle very fast
but we don't sweat!
We look pristine!
Now have some head water!
head, head, head water.....

I'm Gewn from Women for WOmen,
I think we go this way
I might be wrong!
Oh yes I'm wrong!
Oh no it's that way!
This way that way I don't know!
I'm not sure which way to go,
This way that way I don't know!
I'm not sure where to go. (Gwen had been in the group of us who cycled 5 miles the wrong way - even though she did the course the week previously!)

I'm Gay from Action for Charity,
I organise the group,,, But.......(musical pause to break into an entirely different song)

I Don't let the sun go down on me! I don't let the sun go down! (this refers to the night we were all cycling as fast as we could to reach the hotel before sunset, and Gay had sung this at the evening briefing!)


SO it was all going swimmingly, maracas and all, until the "fanny" line, which Maggie was delivering. At this point (amidst alot of laughter from the 'audience'!) I looked round and saw Caz laying on the floor on her back, clutching her knee, seemingly lauging her head off. We all stood and looked at her for about 5 minutes (or so it felt) befor eI twigged she actually wasn't joking! Dr Sarah took a lot of convincing to come to Caz's aid, because this being the verse about her, and as she had (ahen) had a few, she thought we were staging something so we had a chance to trhow water over her or something! Anyway, when she did come, Caz had a fully dislocated knee cap, which was practically out of her jeans and across the room! We popped it (royal we!)back in, Caz clambered with a little help onto a chair and the carried on with the song!

Later we prgressed to the bar, all got the drinks in and hada giggle. I was dancing on the bar with Dr Sarah, Katie, Lis and some of the others, and we finally turned in at 4am!