The Ludmila Confessions

Exposure in Carcas Country Club

Now I was working with all these incredible people at Canal 5- Casica Maria Luisa, and especially the Show de Renni. His wife was Renne, his first daughter was Ronna, and the last one would have been Ranna expect that in Spanish that means “frook.” Being on the Show de Renni” was very good for me, it was the most successful program in Venezuela, with celebrity guests from Hollywood. I loved being on his list of friends and working with him; I met so many famous people, like Pedro Infante, with whom I danced at a party.

I had lost my virginity to the biggest con artist I will ever meet; it was not enjoyable, in fact unpleasant, and to top it off he left me waiting in his condo while he was in another town getting married! What a dog! This was humiliating and painful to say the least, so I did not tell my sister or my mother, much less my father. I did not anyone to see my pain, so I only told Marley, the lady who had taught me to read and love books. She was very understanding and sweet- if she had not come into my life, I would never have started writing poems and learning how to find the passion in my life. My sister and my mama did not have time for me, my sister thought they were immoral and my mama was always working.

Still, more invitations came to me every day, and I was still young and hopeful, so I said to myself,!” NO ME LA PIERDO” ! ( I will not miss this one!). And now, at Christmas, I had a chance to get on board the the biggest yacht in Venezuela and to go out to a most infamous private island , belonging to none other than the great dictator, General Marcos Perez Jimenez! happy memories come back to my mind the love for islands (Porlamar) , the trip was so interesting and exciting. We left the very next day, in the afternoon, watching the sunset from the yacht. We embarked on Christmas Holidays 1956, heading somewhere out near the Islas de la Tortugas, and sailing along with his four Alicanes representing the heads of the four armed forces: the navy, army, air force and marines, they were his bodyguards, he was never alone or unprotected, I did not realize this at that time.

On board, the general himself was playing dominos with his male guests, prime ministers and other elite types. Soon I had drunk to much and I had to rush over to the side, there to lose my exquisite dinner and cocktails to the sea! Even today, I still tend to overdo everything!, I was bent over the side being sick, when I felt a strong cool hand on my forehead, and turned and saw the most handsome of the four alicanes, in white uniform, very tall with azabache black hair. All I could think was, it was no fun having this gorgeous man see me vomiting! I would prefer dancing with him to that romantic music that the live orchestra was playing– I will never forget the song, Bahia terra del… ah memories!.

We arrived at the island without any further adventures, although one of the kind ministers in particular acted like he cared for me (in a fatherly way, escorted me to my guartes, good night.) Nest morning, after breakfast, I went up to help the girls to decorate the big Christmas tree, and then went down to the beach to watch the men racing their speed boats lanchas,. It seemed the General’s favorite thing besides women was racing speedboats, and guess what? I was invited to go with him on his lancha! I don’t remember too much, to tell the truth, because I was petrified, but I do know that he won that race (as always). I think the same kind man (I wish I remembered his name) took me in his arms out of the boat. After a siesta came dinner. I imagine everyone had one of those Cuban rumberas, singers, dancers, on their rooms? not mien . . Dinner was formal, dancing music and than a show, It was the most fantastique rumba, mambo, Brazilian, singing, dancer’ s show, right in front of us, live orchestra and all with the moon full and that tropical breeze, if you never been on the tropical night , you have not experience the most sensual breeze, then you don’t know what you have mis.

This island was the talk of Venezuela and the whole world news , infamous for the scandals and orgies, but I did not see anything out of this world. Still, I was only 16 years old and it was an inolvidable (unforgettable) experience– what a life!

Finally it was time to go back to Macuto, after four days of a feast of everything fun games , dinners that almost went all night with shows and lots of game and fun, for all of us, but especially for man, the few young ladies and women were just like a filler, providing ambience for the trip, so the press would say look they have the whole family, it look very decent and farmles.. Buy now, it was time quit the Canal 5 ballerina show on the government channel that had given me the first of so many opportunities in my life. I was on deemed as a High Fashion model and ballerina. .