Melancholy

“I’m the one you find deep in that move, that drives your body and your senses, I’m the heat inside, when rhythm and love collide, Cuba, let me introduce myself Cubaaaaaaaaaaa!”

I had this chorus in my mind, playing over and over again. This one song… over and over again. I was walking down the beach front. The sky was clustered with gigantic clouds. Every once in a while the sun peeked through. Just for a brief moment. I felt like in the movie Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. Not really sure why. Because there were no clouds in the movie. In the movie the sun was shining and the ocean was sparkling. But there was this feeling of melancholy. And it was still there. I felt it walking down the beach front.

Now I know that this is what quietly crawls into your subconscious in Havana. The melancholy, hiding deep in the heart of Cuba, weaved in its essence. The essence of Cuba. Once you feel it, you start seeing it. It’s everywhere. In the ruins of Havana. In the ruins of once mighty houses. That still make her so unique and special. The melancholy you feel in ruined streets of this once magnificent colonial beauty. That dazzles and inspires.

The melancholy you feel when you notice that there are no ships, yachts and boats. Even though you are on an island. The melancholy you feel when you realise that people can create unbelievable things and destroy them in a heartbeat. The melancholy you feel in their songs and dance.

The wind starts blowing from the ocean. The waves splash on the front. The wet and salty drops of the Caribbean sea wake me up from my daydream. The sun spikes the clouds and I snap yet another dramatic photo. And there is that chorus again. “I’m the one you find deep in that move, that drives your body and your senses, I’m the heat inside, when rhythm and love collide, Cuba, let me introduce myself Cubaaaaaaaaaaa!” Oh, this beautiful melancholy.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *