Sophie & Mike

I was vacationing in Cuba with my best friend back in May of 2005.  Neither of us were there to meet a guy nor were we expecting to meet one.  It was just two gals going south for some R&R. 

I had met Mike on our second day there.  

For those of you that have never been to Cuba it works something like this...you go to Cuba with a friend, who meets a friend, who meets another friend that meets a friend and so on and so forth.  You get the picture.  So your group of two becomes a group of twenty by the end of the week.

So I meet Mike on the beach our second day there through friends we had already made on the first day.  Its all good, he's not so bad looking, great biceps, nice body, but a little on the short side, and again....I'm not there to meet a guy.  So I dismiss him (sorry honey).

Well in the wee hours of that evening/next morning (depending on how you see your glass) at the 24 hour bar, I really noticed him.  Maybe it was one too many $1 rum & cokes who knows.  But he was sitting there with his group looking all hot.  But it wasn't so much his looks this time as it was the conversation that followed....

One of the people with Mike was Tim (hi Tim :)).  Tim is around 6'7" and well, lets just say he could quite easily pass for a football player.  So in the wee hours of the morning Tim says he is going for a walk.  The rest of us (as a joke) ask him who's going to protect him.  To which Tim replies "I have Mike to protect me".  Now I look down the length of the table, see this little guy (compared to Tim) and not realizing I'm using my outside voice ask who on earth's going to protect Mike!!!!  I guess feeling a little insulted at this point Mike replies (with attitude) "ahem, did I mention I have a black belt" to which I reply (with attitude) "ahem, did I mention I have one too" 

Mike looks at me, I look at Mike, we're a little intrigued, and the rest is history. :)

The picture to the left is of Tim and I standing side by side.  This is just to give you an idea of how big this guy is and why Sophie thought it so funny that I was going to protect this man.  Tim is also one of the nicest guys you will ever meet.

Sophie's account of how we met is essentially true.  How did I end up in Cuba by myself..  Sometimes you just have to get away.  I, like Sophie and her friend, was not looking to meet anyone on holidays.  I was sitting quietly by the pool on the  evening of my arrival enjoying a drink when a group of younger guests walked past me.  I never gave them a second thought until Lisa, hi Lise :)  obviously in a party mood, stops, turns around, walks up to my table and invites me to come to the club and party with them.  I think what the heck.  I tag along and end up meeting a lot of really fun people.

The first time I saw Sophie was in the pool during a game of basketball.  Members of each group were just beginning to interact.  What initially drew my attention to her were those beautiful eyes.  of course the blue bikini she was wearing might have also had an impact.  She was gorgeous, fun and could wrestle a mean basketball.  Even though I wasn't looking to meet anyone, I was extremely curious about this woman.  I ended up hanging out with her and a few friends at the beach for the rest of the day.  As fascinated as I was with her I had to remind myself to let it go.  Im in Cuba to relax and take a break.  Besides, she was a little tall for me.

Later that evening I discover that this lady quite possibly has the ability to kick my butt and I find that I have to know more.  Needless to say, she has been "trying to do so" ever since.  The simple threat of a tickle usually shuts her down quick.  :)

Eventually, the two groups formed one and became a party force that took over the resort.  We called ourselves TABS, short for Team Arenas Blancas.  It has stuck ever since and we try to keep in touch with some of the team when we can.  Check the photo gallery for TABS pictures.

As Sophie mentioned, the rest is history, except for a couple other items.  The friend she was in Cuba with, her name was also Sophie which made it interesting after the rum began to flow.  We started to refer to them as Sophie1 and Sophie2 just to keep them straight.  Also, did I mention that she was already texting me from the airport before she had left the island.  I just knew this girl was going to be trouble.  But trouble in the best possible way.

Love you sweetheart.

OMG I can't believe that after reading Mike's version I forgot to mention the best part of all!!!!!

So the next day when we were all hanging around the beach, Mike pulls a lounge chair up next to me all shylike, lays down on the chair and starts reading his book.  I tried a few times to strike up conversation with him but I kept getting one word answers.  So I'm thinking to myself, ok either this guy is incredibly shy or he's just not interested.  As one last effort I decide to ask him about his book. I asked him what he was reading and he shows me the cover;  Quantum Physics! 

 ....definitely shy.

How do you not fall in love with someone who brings a book about quantum physics as light reading to the beach!! LOL

And for the record.......I was simply texting him from the plane to let him know about the turbulence.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!