51 Malecón

Amongst the crumbling facades of the old colonial district a modernistic apartment block, constructed in the sixties, dominates the skyline of the seafront boulevard, the Malecón. As usual the cleaning lady talks to herself, whilst the plumber skilfully seals the leaking pipes with nothing more than a plastic bag. Elsa, an elderly yet highly energetic woman, completes an exercise routine with her physiotherapist, when really she needs to stop smoking. Later in the day she gets together with her friends, they discuss God, the universe and the virtues of men from different countries. The phone line is dead, a neighbour repairs his American-built limousine. Life at a standstill and in motion: everyday tales and snap-shots of a society in a trance, with an architectural structure that serves as a metaphor for the island as a whole. WMH