Touring Havana the right way is in an "old-timer". We were picked up at the marina by an old-timer affectionado in a vintage 1958 Dodge convertible. Accompanied by our guide, Ruben with Wijincuba Travel, www.wijincuba.com, we started out for the older section of the city.
The old city of Havana, La Habana Vieja, is approximately 10 miles from the marina and is reached by traveling through a neighborhood called Miramar on a tree lined boulevard flanked by splendid early 20th century villas. It is considered the most elegant part of Havana- as it was before the Revolution when the city's richest inhabitants lived there. Today it is home to embassy residences, institutions and upper class Cuban citizens, including the Castro brothers.
Once into the city our first stop was the Plaza de la Catedral which is dominated by the profile of its main church, Cathedral de San Cristobal (construction from 1748-1777). There are four major squares in the old town and the Plaza de la Catedral is the newest with its present layout dating from the 18th century. Before entering the Plaza we encountered the iconic cigar lady whose face with her cigar can be seen on many publications about Cuba including the National Geographic. I could not resist the photo op.
We continued on foot toward The Plaza de las Armas, making stops in two art galleries. The first was the gallery for artist Nelson Domincus, a contemporary artist who currently lives in the town of Cojima where Hemingway often kept his boat, the Pilar. The next was the beautiful Blancarte Gallery celebrating artists of Latin American decent. The highlight of the gallery visit was the painted chihuahuas, large caricature models of the dogs, each painted by a different artist and displayed all around the old city.
The Plaza de Armas is Havanas's oldest square, laid out in the early 1520s. The elegant square is lined with Baroque buildings giving it a delightful colonial atmosphere. The main building of the plaza is the Palacio de lots Capitanes Generales, the Captain's Palace, built in 1798 and in 1898 became the Presidential Palace until Castro became president in 1962. He did not want a Presidential Palace. The Square was formerly used for military exercises, today it has become a favorite of Havana citizens who come for carriage rides, the book sellers, and a place to simply gather and relax. During the period between 1798 and 1898 when the plaza was used by the military, one of the Generals did not like the noise made by the marching and the horses hoofs so he had the cobblestone streets converted to wood. In the photo what looks like a brick sidewalk is actually all wood.
On the seaward side of the Plaza is the Castillo de la Reral Fuerza, one of the oldest existing forts in the Americas. It was build in 1558 to replace an earlier fort that was destroyed by French pirates in 1555.
Walking from the Castillo toward the Plaza Vieja, we saw a Havana that was not the same city we experienced 15 years ago. Here are some random street shots.
One very obvious observation was the lack of bicycles. Where are all the bicycles?
After the downfall of the Soviet Union, the Cubans lost the subsidies for fuel and cars so the government embarked on an aggressive plan in the late 90s for importing inexpensive bicycles from China. Two million bicycles were imported over the course of a year and a half so when we were here in April 2001, bicycles were everywhere.
At the time of our 2001 visit, Jerry asked one of our taxi drivers whether or not there was a problem with bicycle theft. The driver responded, "There is some theft but it isn't a major problem." Jerry then asked, "What happens if someone is caught"? The driver shrugged and said, "Well, if it's the first offense it is punishable by 6 months in jail".
Today we don't notice so many. The government's relaxation of restrictions on Cubans for private ownership of automobiles and oil subsidies coming from Venezuela have enabled Cubans to own cars. MORE ON THE CARS OF CUBA LATER.
Other evidences of an improved standard of living (though certainly still below a desirable economy) are everywhere. The people in the plazas and parks were not just tourists, they were Cubans. There were outdoor restaurants filled at noon and the indoor favorites were packed. The Floridita Bar made famous by Hemingway was overflowing with tourists and locals by midday. So in order for us to avoid the crowds, our guide Ruben suggested a more civilized place for lunch, La Piña de Plata, where we could enjoy the same Floridita speciality drink, the Cuban Daiquiri. Here's to a new Cuba!
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