First Impressions of Havana

This my wife and I’s first trip to Havana. Our guide is the coolest guy. He starts the morning trip from Veradero with a pit stop at what he calls the best Pina Colada bar in all of Cuba. Now we are instant family; he is Papa and we are the kids. “Kids” he tells us, “I need to tell you a few things about Havana. Once you get there, pretty ladies are going to come up to you in the square and want to take your picture and ask you for two convertible pesos. These pesos are worth 25 times the real Cuban pesos so be prepared, its all fun”.

As we enter the city he tells us about one of Cuba’s engineering marvels the tunnel under the harbor. As we emerge from the tunnel he says, “look back at the Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña.” It is a huge Spanish Fortress rising dramatically from the ocean guarding Havana.

Now we are at one of the oldest squares and sure enough the cigar-smoking ladies arrive in traditional dress, and grabbing my camera they take my picture, one of them plants a big wet one my cheek. Yikes, what a welcome. Everywhere we see built heritage, even an underground water system. Winding down the streets we end up at Ernest Hemingway's hotel the Ambos Mundos. Papa tells us that this is where the best Mojito’s are made, and he is not kidding. Out into the street again we encounter many architectural styles: Neo-classical, Colonial, Baroque, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Eclectic, and Modernism. As we wander along we are introduced to the last remaining Chinese restaurant in Havana, a testament to the many Chinese migrant workers who came to Cuba. Papa takes us back to the bus and we travel down Havana’s spectacular ocean drive called Malecon Avenue, here we see a number of the hotels built in the 1940’s and 1950’s. This is truly one of most impressive ocean side roads I have seen.

Finally we arrive at Plaza de la Revolución where Fidel delivered one his record speeches, lasting over 7 hours. The buildings surrounding the square are solid blocks of concrete housing numerous ministries of the Cuban Government. Interestly enough several display huge pictures of Castro and Che Guevara on them.

Finally papa takes us to the piece de resistance, the old Capitol building. Standing in front of this replica of the Capitol Building in Washington, Papa reminds us that it is taller than its twin in Washington. It is here that I spot her flying over Havana, an angel suspended in the sky. I take a few steps closer; I can now see her twin suspended over the Great Theatre of Havana. Their glory is unlike anything I have ever seen before. Havana is full of surprises and these angels are the most unexpected. If you ever want your fill of eclectic architecture in one city don’t pass up Havana.