I normally do not complain about unpleasant things around me like loud music/people or filthy streets or having a poor quality lunch. Because I grew up in Havana, my complaints are very different from the first world ones. I am “trained” to not to get obsessed about buying a new purse or the latest anti wrinkle eye cream. Truth to be told, my brand awareness was limited to sporadic fashion magazines until the age of 24, when I moved to Canada and I saw the “real” world. I almost bursted out laughing the first time someone asked me in Toronto: – Do you like fashion?.

Perhaps, I am as superficial but in a complete opposite way. Canadians, French and even Spanish could agree. Going swimming is a good example. When the summer comes and I am out of Cuba, going to the beach, which is one of the things I enjoy the most, it is not a priority anymore. First, the water temperature is too cold for me. I WILL NOT swim in a 20 degrees water (68 F) unless there is an emergency. If my feet hurt when they touch the water I will take my book out and enjoy the ocean from the dry side. Non Cubans do not understand what a real beach is for a Cuban. I accept it, when you grow up in the Caribbean you get extremely spoiled in that regard. But, what about the lake? Even worse.

Yesterday, we went to lake Torcy, about 45 minutes by train from Paris. With the heatwave hitting Paris this past weekend all the lakes close to Paris and local swimming pools in the city were crowded. I followed the group’s idea of going swimming, although I knew I was going to “take my book out”… When we got there the place was absolutely packed and the lake was not a Canadian lake… Did I complain when I went to Wasaga Beach in Ontario? I apologize. Canadian lakes are the Caribbean compared to this. The water was cloudy and dirty and there was no freedom of movement.

I figured that if I have witnessed ridiculous conversations about which exact colour tone the dining room is going to NEED and what an inexpensive car that person is driving I think I am allowed to be selective twice or thrice!. Qué viva la playa cubana!