Earlier in the week Alexis had wanted to return to Cafe des Artistes, the restaurant where we had our Christmas Eve gastronomic extravaganza, but they were full. So, we returned on Wednesday evening, New Year's Day. We had a table in the garden, which is more like a mini-jungle than anything formal, with tables on multiple levels causing the poor waiters to run like ants up and down the steps. We had fewer courses, but the food was just as good. The violin player serenaded us, accompanied by the pianist down in the main building (connected by wireless radio with the piano music piped through speakers across the restaurant, if you're wondering how they got the piano in the jungle bit. Sounds tacky, but actually was really slick). When the violinist got to the table next to us one of the guests stood up and sang an aria, rather well if truth be told (well, certainly better than I could). It really is quite a place.
The we took our stroll along the Malecon promenade, mingling with the families, couples, tourists, street vendors, entertainers and the bar staff trying to get you into their novelty establishment.
"Zoo Bar" had giant animal statues; "La Vaquita" had a giant cow, which swung out over the pavement below, and a trapeze over the bar for the use of adventurous customers; "Hilo" had a giant bronze statue of a woman - a sort of Britannia-figure carrying a scythe. All were three storeys high, open to the ceiling, and blasting out all variety of music. I suspect they came into their own in the early hours, but tonight we just had a couple of beers in Zoo, then called it a night.
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