Monday 11 September 2017

Fight Club Friday






My last day in Havana I dragged myself out of bed and decided to do ONE fitness related thing.

I took a class at the world famous Rafael Tejo Boxing Gym aka "Gimnasio de Boxeo Rafael Tejo"

I know, I know.
If you do not have a general idea of the sort of person I am, I am the one person who believes vacations are for full enjoyment and indulgence.

Anything that might possibly be stressful issa big fat NO.

So you have to realize that taking this class was really for the culture, as opposed to the love for the sport.

I mean I love boxing  *waves at Anthony Joshua*  and I've practiced on and off for the past 6 months but in Havana this class was purely for the culture.

And it was perfect.

Walked from my casa to the Gimnasio and encountered an Santeria Church.



Santeria religion is like juju and the catholic church having a baby and that your extra aunt in your family is the one raising the child.

Imagine the extraness.

Yes.

I did not bother to explore it greatly because - I'm Nigerian.

Service was about to start and everyone was wearing while and had yellow flowers.

I just smiled and continued on my merry way.

Finally got to the gym 5 minutes later and

Mini photo shoot while waiting for the coach.

Boxing Ring


Now the boxing ring might not look like much but trust me it has so much more soul and character than a Nigerian Politician ever will.

All the Cuban greats trained and train here so you know it is ( like everything else in Cuba) very very community oriented/centered.
I mean my trainers mum showed up and suggested I move to Cuba and get a boyfriend.

 Eventually he showed up, chatted for a bit and got down to business.

Did the cardio drills, ran around in circles, did the lateral runs anti lateral runs- The whole works.

My stance is actually so much better, I was hung over from Tropicana

Also Leg definition- hellloooooo :)

Josbel - Coach
 Half way through the training in Spanish ( which I do not speak),
coach stopped me to ask " Cocaina"?
Me: huh?
He gesticulates the sniffing and back of palm rubbing gesture.
Me: Oh cocaine? No thanks
Him: Did you take cocaine?
Me: *realizing that I must have been giggling like a goat the whole time* Oh no, no cocaina for me.
He looks at me with disbelief but lets it slide

Coach's momma, trying to get me to stay in cuba.
 Also tourists kept popping in and asking to take photos, so if anyone of you see's your girl on anyone else's travel blog- Hola!


My face when my coach asked me out to drinks later that night. 


And when we tried to take a photo together, he lifts all 72kg of me- In one attempt.

I loved loved loved loved boxing in Cuba. It was so much more light hearted than the seriousness of what I have to do in Lagos (whenever I go)

The class cost CUC20.
The walk to the arena was 20 minutes
The walk back, LOL I did not walk back,
 I hopped on a bicitaxi and screamed "Mas Rapido*"

*turns out mas rapido is faster in spanish but it's not the faster you say when you want someone to hurry up, 
it's the faster you say when you are having sex. 
the driver was kind enough to explain this to me in broken spanglish and I'm like oh, my bad.

If anyone is interested I was in a hurry because the place I had breakfast was going to close in 20 minutes and I really liked eating there.

Breakfast spot and favorite waiter.


Ps: Please take a minute to pray for the people of Havana
as hurricane Irma ravages their coast line and floods their streets.
As of today, there are no reports of deaths.
 Join me in prayer that it stays that way.






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