Pictures courtesy of Vivian Trinh, Jan Ferrer, Edmund Fong, and yours truly.
“We must go beyond textbooks, go out into the bypaths and untrodden depths of the wilderness and travel and explore and tell the world the glories of our journey.” – John Hope Franklin
Santa Clara
You’re going to miss arriving at the grand monument of one of the most controversial revolutionaries in the world, learning about a life both relatable and extraordinary and far beyond what anyone could have expected from a 20 year old doctor-to-be.
You’re going to miss arriving at a city famous for being the site of the last and decisive battle of the Revolution, the lazy walk around town and too tired to think for yourself on what to see, where to eat, or when to stop, the very real struggle to find a place to eat in the shade, and the pleasant victory of tasting their delicious version of a hamburger.
You’re going to miss ordering one hundred scoops of chocolate ice cream for $5 USD (but not waiting over an hour for them to open… that was the worst).
You will miss taking a lazy nap in the afternoon in a futile attempt to catch up on all the sleep you’ve never get back, the low-key rooftop dinner with new friends that has been beginning to feel like a family, the group photos with cigars to look as badass as possible.
You’re going to miss waking up feeling a little more refreshed and grateful for not going as hard last night, the quick exit out the door to leave a town you still barely know.
You’re going to miss stopping your bus in the middle of nowhere…
…and the subsequent 5 minute hike into…well…we had no clue…
…to stumble upon an oasis…
…and having it all to yourself.
You’re going to miss (and crave) this freshly killed pig for lunch afterwards, knowing that whatever I may write here won’t do this meal any justice.
And you’re going to miss the lazy bus ride into a famous town infamous for its nightlife…
(to be continued)…
