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wide and one foot high. I jumped back and gave it enough room to dream about chewing other Nike-clad feet.

nothing slimy about it. The best fitness centre in Cuba could not have produced a more athletic body.

A boat soon approached the docking bay; a fast boat with a white metal roof propped up by metal rods and nothing else but a man who I thought resembled the Cuban version of James bond. Twenty people or more crammed into that floating tub and we took off. The captain of the boat sat at the stern of the boat which was the only part that touched the water. Some occupants sat on the edge of a metal bench. Others stood with hearts in their respective mouths. Our boat took a wide turn and blindly drove between two tall buoys marking a safe passage between shallow waters and sharp rocks. At the end of that fast wide turn we came upon a maze of wooden pathways and pens, with a glass- house restaurant. As we approached the maze we heard strange noises. The trip was in three phases: swimming with the dolphins [if you choose], a sea lion show and a dolphin show. The trip cost the three of us US$200. We decided to make the most of it. Our guide divided the group of roughly twenty people into two. We were then herded to a pool about 50 mtrs square. When we reached there we saw the trainer couple in the water wearing shorter scuba suits feeding the dolphins. After every successful lesson the dolphins were fed a piece of fish from a red ice-box. Have you ever been kissed by a dolphin? This is it! Donning orange life-jackets that covered the pride of our bulk [or, the bulk of our pride!], we sat down on the edge of the pool to test the waters. The dolphins seemed especially

The trainers now asked us to swim to the far end of the pool. [Life-jackets are good only for floating.] All of us lined up at the far end. Before this, the trainers explained about the two stances to adopt for the ˜ride with the dolphins”. Stand straight in the water with both arms outstretched. When they do this, the dolphins were visible at the other end of the pool. The trainers then did this thing with their hands and the dolphins disappeared. From our vantage point we saw the dolphins emerge behind the person with the outstretched hands and dive down again. They went to either side of the person, and positioned their top fin exactly inside the person’s palms. The person was supposed to hold on to the fin and the dolphins will drag them to the other end of the pool! The second stance, which we chose, was also simple. The first one to go was my son. The trainer told him, “Lie on the water flat on your stomach. Put your hands in the water in front of you. Lock your knees so they do not bend.” The rider got in position. The trainers rapidly motioned with their arms and the dolphins disappeared. They then appeared behind my son, positioned their snouts right in the middle of the feet and pushed him up above the water. He, however, bent his knees and the dolphins dropped him halfway. My wife was next. The dolphins propelled all of her above water and she squealed in delight. [The dolphins joined the chorus!] Just before they reached the end of the pool they dropped her.

fond of my son who got a kiss from both dolphins on either cheek. The kissing session over, we slid into the water propped up by life-jackets. The instructors then asked us to clap, the dolphins followed suit. They asked us to wave our hands in the air and the dolphins emitted this shrill sound which in animal parlance is singing. I was tempted to join the chorus, which was promptly stopped in the throat by my adroit-in-the-water wife. The trainers asked us to turn the dolphins on their backs! Imagine this long body of fish with a perpetual smile asking you to rub its belly? We obliged, delightfully! Delicately, the five of us [three of us and an east- European couple] stood on either side

My turn was next. I heard the sound of the water swirling behind me and tensed. This was the sequence. I lay flat on my stomach arms stretched forward. The next thing I felt was two soft pokes under the feet with hard snouts. [The dolphins propel with their noses, more like pointed chins. One needs to be under a constant exercise regimen to propel my body above water.] These two dolphins lifted me like a sack of potatoes completely above the water and propelled me to the far end of the pool. With outstretched arms, the wind in my face and water all over my body I rode the waves on two dolphins [a less classic version of Leonardo di Caprio on the deck of ‘Titanic’ although for only a few seconds. When I thought I might go and smash against the railings I jumped ship, unburdening them of their precious cargo!

With outstretched arms, the wind in my face and water all over my body I rode the waves on two dolphins - a less classic version of Leonardo di Caprio on the deck of Titanic!

of the dolphins and turned it around. The dolphinswere very much amused. “Come on guys. We are not so delicate. Now go ahead and scratch our bellies.” We touched the pinkish- white under-belly of the dolphins and I thought I heard it gurgling at my touch [or the female touch, depending on the gender of course!]. The skin felt quite hard and there is

After the ride, we completed the trip with the sea lion and dolphin shows. Ordinary fare, when compared with our ‘ride’. That was one experience I may never forget. My wife was so impressed by the ride that she is all set to have her own show: ‘Swimming with the lady’!

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