A unique city on an incredible island (Havana)

Member Name: lm09

Product:	Havana
Date:	22/04/09 (209 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: An atmosphere that you can only experience in Havana

Disadvantages: Times are changing. Get there quick.

I visited Havana in July 2007 and had an absolutly amazing time. We booked our trip, as ever, through Kuoni and had faultless flights and transfers. Our trip was to be 3 nights in Havana and 5 nights in the beach resort of Varadaro.

With Barrack Obama seemingly looking to bring Cuba in from the cold and allowing greateer freedom of travel to Cubans and Americans into Cuba, I would 100% advise you to get to Cuba if not this year then next year, before it loses its charms and becomes another annex of America, much like Cancun is now. Fidel Castro ceeded power in early 2008 and alreday Cuba has started to change and westernise. We were lucky enough to visit it before this happened.

Our transfer from Havan airport to our hotel was at night so much of the drive was a blur of darkness. We arrived at our hotel, the famous Tryp Habana Libre, after only around 30 minutes. The Habana Libre was built in 1958, before Castro and Guevara rolled into town. The building is one of the biggest in Cuba and it is also one of the biggest hotels. On the front is a Venitian tile mural measuring 150 meters. Inside, the hotel also has further tile art. The lobby to this vast hotel is busy and always seems to have a rush about it. The lifts sped us quickly to our rooms and the first thing that hits you is the unbelievable view.

From our room on the 12th floor we had a perfect view straight ahead over Havana's other iconic hotel the Nacional. Beyond the Nacional is the azure blue Gulf of Mexico. To the right from the balcony we got a great view over the city to Capitolio and the harbour. Your eye line naturally follows the beautiful blue of the water.

It is from here that you see first hand the decay of the buildings of Havana. This gives it a certain charm in the old town, but out in the Communist style high rises and town houses some of it just looks rough. The people that live in the grand decaying buildings often live with sparse furnishings and without even the basics. Yet despite this they all apeared so happy and so full of life. One thing that gives them this va va voom is the Cubans love affair with ice-cream. From our balcony we got a great view over the 'helado' emporiium that is Coppelia.

Coppelia is literally one block east from the Habana Libra and is considered a Havana institution. It is surrounded by parkland all around it and somewhat strategically, all the parks routes lead to it. Taxis and coco cabs (more of which later) line the periphery of the park waiting to take happy punters away from it.

So here's the experience. You queue for around 45 minutes in our case. As you queue large menus display the ice-cream flavours and possible combinations. Then suddenly, after the queue not moving anywhere fast, everyone seems to move as the server sits everyone down together maybe 25 at a time. The servers then come round and tell you what is actually on offer and you get served. In truth to Western pallets the ice cream is not that great. Often owing to the frequent power cuts and re-freezing it has ice crystals and the combinations are nothing like good old Ben and Jerry's. Thats not the point though, the point is the whole experience and the anticipation. For Cubans who live mostly without freezers and who suffer frequent power cuts this really is about as good as it gets.

Suitably Heladoed out we then set off on a walk around the local area of the hotel and to the south of the Habana Libre. Most of the major sights lie to the east but the south was one of places my wife and I had seen in numoerous photos was somehere we were desperate to see. The walk should have lasted about 20 minutes. However under the blazing heat of the Cuban sun and with a few un-planned detours (we got a bit lost) it took us well over an hour to get to the Plaza de la Revolucion.

On route we dropped in past the University of Havana which is a very grand and well maintained building, certainly from the outside. The University has stood on this spot since 1728 and today is the place of learning for 25,000 students. Cuba has one of the best education systems and with its Socialist leadership is open to all. As a result Cuba has one of the highest rates of adult literacy in Latin America. We also passed the Carlos Cespedes hospital which again from the outside is another once grand building. Anyone who has seen Michael Moores film 'Sicko' will be aware of the high standards of the Cuban health care system.

Anyway back to it. The Plaza de la Revolucion is today, to be honest, a big (very) traffic island. At its centre though is the heart of Cuban modern histroy. To celebrate me finally getting round to writing up Cuban I have issued a new photo of me in Revolution Square! Thats me with the Cuban flag behind me and the iconic image of Che' on the wall.

Starting in the centre then and the massive monument (about 150 meters tall) to Jose Marti. Marti, around in the later part of the 19th century, was the first to speak up for the Independance of Cuba from the American landowners and he is greatly revered in Cuba. The momnument is vast and it is from the steps of the monument that Fidel Castro once stood and addressed 1.2 million Cubans. Behind the monument is/was the office of the great man himself located in the Comite Central del Partido Comunista de Cuba (Central Office of the Cuban Communist Party).

To the north of the square is the Ministry of the Interior building with the vast image of Che adorning the side and the iconic phrase 'Hasta la Victoria Siempre'. And that is that. The most important space in all of Cuba and we had it to ourselves. So much so that hailing a taxi back to the hotel took some doing.

We did though manage to get back to the hotel to cool off after a few hours in the sun. The hotel itself has a bar right on the topfloor which gives incredible views out to the north over the sea and to the centre of Havana. From here you get up close to the hundreds of sea eagles that linger on the top of the building waiting for the right thermal before drifting back off. This is the best place in Havana to watch the sunset. The colours of the sun on the faded white plaster of the city is absolutly stunning.

This is also the 2nd best place in all of Havana to partake in a mojito. The mojito is possibly my favourite cocktail. To make the perfect one you need Cuban white rum, fresh mint and sugar water. Or if you want to save some cash for a quick and easy effort try Bacardi with diet cloudy lemonade. Poor mans majito! Anyway back to it. This is the 2nd best place to drink Moijito. As the sun goes down and darkness quickly falls the city takes on so many different shades and hues. It truely is a stunning city.

The next morning then and breakfast. The food in Cuba everywhere we had read was going to be poor. Cuba obviously has a major trade embargo with the United States so struggles sometimes when it comes to food and toiletries. Having said that the breakfast in the hotel was good and everything than anyone could possibly want for breakfast was catered for. Fruits, cereals right through to a full Cuban!

From here we had planned to go to the old town. So, then, trasport options. From the hotel it is around 2 miles to get into the centre. From the hotel outside you have the choice of taxis or coco cabs. For me this was an easy decision. Coco cabs everyday of the week. A coco cab is a small racing helmet shaped three wheeler that looks like a modern tuk tuk. They have a top speed of about 30mph which when your swerving in and out of much bigger cadillacs and buses feels nearer 100mph. Added to the poor state of repair of some of the roads and the small size of the wheels, some of the pot holes feel like craters. This is the scariest form of transport I have been in anywhere in the world. It is also the most fun!!

We were dropped of at Capitolio. This was, until the Revolution (1959), the seat of Congress in Cuba. As I approached the structure it reminded me of the US Capital bulding. The large white dome was so similar. We took a walk around the inside. Before going in though, from the top of the stairs have a look behind you at the street. The houses here even if slightly faded, are stunning. All painted reds, pinks and greens the architecture is immense. The wide street could be Paris or New Orleans. Take a look at the cars - look at all the amazing cars...all from a different age. 1950's Cardilacs are like Fiestas in Havana, nice little run arounds.

Inside Capitolio itself, the building is a seemingly endless corridor of marble. Have a look up at the beauty of the dome, with stunning detail and with the bright Caribbean light makes it all the more perfect. My Alan Partridge stat (limited now to one per review) the bronze statue under the dome at 18 meters is the third largest indoor bronze statue in the world! Sorry! From here though where better than the 3rd best place to drink a mojito in Havana. Capitolio has a cafe itself built on a little balcony looking out over the Prado. The mojito in truth here is expensive and doesn't taste that great but for the location and view worth every penny.

From here we headed north alonhg the Prado to the only museum that I was interested in seeing. Havana obviously has numerous museaums, to rum, cigars and the arts which from reading plenty of literature before my travel are all not great. Perhaps this is because all of Havana in reality, is one great museum. Every building looks unique and stunning, every next car that passes is a classic car and round every corner is another stunning vista.

The one unmissable museum though is the Museo De La Revolucion (Museaum of the Revolution). Only around a 5 minute walk from Capitolio much longer with frequent photographing stops. Outside the museum, beyond the customary lines of parked classic cars is a tank which according to some is the actual one Castro rode into town on. What is not disputed is the yacht on display, the Gramma is the vessel that carried Castro from the coast of Mexico to Cuba along with 80 other supporters. Inside the museum ($4) is a whole heap of documents and photographs recording the Revolution. One of the photographs shows Castro on the very step on the Jose Marti monument I had stood on the day before, speaking to a packed Revolution square. Other items of interest are the clothes worn by Che and numerous photos of the great man.

From here we headed back south and got lost in the stunning streets and squares of the old town. Every building seems to have a story and a history behind. We only spent one day in the old town but in truth I could have spent days just getting lost amongst the amazing buildings or strolling on the Malecon.

So then on to the best Mojito in Havana / Cuba / the Planet. The venue itself is the Cathedral Square but before that a look around the building itself. The Cathedral itself, Cathedral de San Cristobal de la Habana is, from the outside, a hotch potch of a building. One tower is much thinner than the other. The fatter of the two towers holds the bells. It is possible to climb this tower and this gives great views over the square but also towards the harbour. The rest of the inner of the Cathedral are pretty plain and understated.

So for the best mojito in the world, literally. Just outside the Cathedral is an area of tables with sun umbrellas. The middle establishment is the one you want. Nowhere on earth does the mojito taste so good. What with the quality of the drink, the perfect sun, the beautful view of the Cathedral and the unique atmosphere this is perfection.

In one corner of the square are two elderly Habenaros dressed in their three piece suits and Cuban hats smoking obviously thick Cuban cigars. For a small fee they are happy to be photographed. In another corner a small band of musicians giving out a Cuban sound. In the busier corner is a fortune telling women again smoking a foot long Cuban. I'm no fortune teller myself but can guarantee anyone stopping by her long enough left with less money than they had when they met her. This is Cuba. This is why Cuba is so special. Not a Starbucks, MacDonalds or Walkabout in sight. This is how life should be lived.

From here we took a walk along the Malecon, the beach front. Nowehere to me says Havana or Cuba more to me than the Malecon. In mid afternoon the rocks are packed with young boys all diving in and showing off to each other. The risk of injury doesn't seem to be a factor, it's all just about having fun. We sat and watched as a group of around 10 made more and more elaborate dives into the rocky water. Not an ASBO amongst them. Further our walk was interupted by a small boy of maybe 8. "Give me a dollar" he politely asked. When we politely declined he proceeded to drop his shorts to expose what was not the Big Issue and ran off. The Malecon is a safe place to just enjoy life and the beautiful sun. It has a unique atmosphere. It is perfect.

Further along, I took a photo of an old man alone fishing off the rocks. Behind him is a large cruise liner seemingly avoiding Cuba. The old man appears to be looking at the ship. What is he thinking? I wish I was there? I hope they're not coming here? I wish they'd go away? Or more likely, I wish the fish would bite. His fishing tackle is something from the 60's his clothes are tatty yet he is so happy. No doubt some of the people on the cruise ship having spent thousands will not find the same level of contentment.

This should hopefully give you a flavour of Havana. Please, though if you can get there before it changes. It will inevitably change in many ways for the better but also in many ways for the worse. How long will it take before the Copellia experience is replaced with Big Macs? How long will it be before the American cruise liners do stop at Havana harbour spewing out their cargo onto the atmospheric streets and squares of old Havana?

I am not blinkered and I am sure that the experience I had as a tourist is not the same experience that Cubans have. Cuba does have very questionnable Human Rights for its subjects and when we talk about the nanny state in Britain we don't know the half of it. The lifting of the trade embargo too will make a massive difference. Without getting too deep into Socialist argument, in Cuba whilst it has been abused it does have some massive plus points. Cuba needs to change and it will change. Make sure you go and experience this unique city and unique island before it becomes franchised.

As for my trip well we left Havana via taxi to Varadaro. So for the rest of Cuba please revisit my Dooyoo. To be continued.....

Actually at this point an open question, please if anyone knows the answer add it to the comments. On our journey leaving Havana province entering Matanza province our taxi and indeed all vehicles were stopped and the owners made to get out whilst the vehicles were filled with smoke? If anyone knows why I woolud love to know.

Available from Amazon to prepare for your trip:-

Waiting For Snow In Havana by Carlos Eire (2003)
A book about the childhood of Carlos in which he talks of diving competitions along the Malecon.
ISBN 0-7432-0737-8
Paperback 402 pages
Available on Amazon £8.99

Cuban Diaries by Isadora Tattlin (2003
Takes a look at life in Cuba after the fall of Communism in Europe . Tells a story through the eyes of Isadora and her interactions with Cubans.
ISBN 0-553-81532-6
Paperback 351 pages

Lonely Planet Cuban (obviously)

Summary: A paradise island with an amazing and unique capital.