When I think of Cuba, I always think of my first night back
in Havana after a whirlwind trip getting to CUBA … From Santo Domingo we left
at Mid-Day and reached at about half past 6 in the evening. At the airport , a
crowd of passengers awaiting their cling film wrapped kraft paper boxes
bringing back everything – from tiny screws to motor spare parts, each carrying
atleast 8/10 pieces of baggage while we struggle with that one extra bag no
body wants to carry around and the check in refused to take. The entire ordeal
which took about an hour and half to finish. …. Once on the streets, being
transported to the hotel in a modern mini-van juxtaposition to the vintage cars
racing to get home… in the old city area
of Havana…the busy atmospheric streets, the snapshots of lives lived out in the
open, and the unmistakable aromas: tropical papaya mixed with tobacco leaf,
petrol and musty carpets. Cuba is a forbidden fruit, a complex country of
head-scratching contradictions. Like the lonely planet I grabbed before getting
to Cuba rightly describes it “Cuba is like a prince in a poor man’s coat;
behind the sometimes shabby facades, gold dust lingers. It’s these rich
dichotomies that make travel here exciting, exhilarating roller-coaster
ride it is. Trapped in a time warp and reeling from an economic embargo that
has grated for more than half a century, this is a country where you can wave
goodbye to Western certainties and expect the unexpected.”
We were staying on the beautiful Malecon in Hotel Melia
Cohiba. The Malecon is a promenade facing the sea, around it many buildings lie
ruined and tattered like aging dowagers waiting for a facelift. Meticulously
preserved, where grandiose lobby with its gold edged railings and a
magnificient lobby bar and restaurant tell erstwhile tales of opulence and
intrigue. We were in the Level Room which is the higher category New Rooms in
the hotel. From our 21st floor Sea Facing room and city facing
jaccuzzi Cuba looks timeworn but magnificent, dilapidated but dignified, fun
yet maddeningly frustrating - Cuba is a country of indefinable magic.
Each day streams of wave-dodging Buicks and Chevrolets
travel the length of the Malecon from the gray hulk of the Castillo de San Salvador
de la Punta to the borders of Miramar. You can hail one from wherever you are –
but the best ones are booked in advance – like we did – to travel in style and
luxury. You can also find them right outside the Capitolio Nationale aka the White House of Cuba.
We hopped into our Chevy and we drove around the city. Our
first stop was the Plaza de la Revolución. Conceived by French urbanist Jean
Claude Forestier in the 1920s, the gigantic Plaza de la Revolución (known as
Plaza Cívica until 1959) was part of Havana's 'new city,' which grew up between
1920 and 1959. As the nexus of Forestier's ambitious plan, the square was built
on a small hill (the Loma de los Catalanes) in the manner of Paris' Place de
l'Étoile, with various avenues fanning out toward the Río Almendares, Vedado
and the Parque de la Fraternidad in Centro Habana. Surrounded by gray,
utilitarian buildings constructed in the late 1950s, the square today is the
base of the Cuban government and a place where large-scale political rallies
are held. In January 1998, one million people (nearly one-tenth of the Cuban
population) crammed into the square to hear Pope Jean Paul II say Mass. The
ugly concrete block on the northern side of the plaza is the Ministerio del
Interior, well known for its huge mural of Che Guevara (a copy of Alberto
Korda's famous photograph taken in 1960) with the words Hasta la Victoria
Siempre (Always Toward Victory) emblazoned underneath. In 2009 a similarly
designed image of Cuba's other heroic guerrillero, Camilo Cienfuegos, was added
on the adjacent telecommunications building. Its wording reads: Vas Bien Fidel
(You're going well, Fidel).
Dominated by two unequal towers and framed by a theatrical
baroque facade designed by Italian architect Francesco Borromini, Havana's
incredible cathedral was once described by novelist Alejo Carpentier as 'music
set in stone.' one of the oldest in the Americas. The remains of Columbus were
brought here from Santo Domingo in 1795 and interred until 1898, when they were
moved to Seville Cathedral in Spain. A curiosity of the cathedral is its
interior, which is classical rather than baroque and relatively austere.
Frescoes above the altar date from the late 1700s and the paintings that adorn
the walls are copies of originals by Murillo and Rubens. You can climb one of the
towers for CUC$1.
Laid out in 1559, Plaza Vieja (Old Square) is Havana's most
architecturally eclectic square, where Cuban baroque nestles seamlessly next to
Gaudí-inspired art nouveau. Originally called Plaza Nueva (New Square), it was
initially used for military exercises and later served as an open-air marketplace.
Sprinkled liberally with bars, restaurants and cafes, Plaza Vieja today has its
own micro-brewery, the Angela Landa primary school, a beautiful fenced-in
fountain and, on its west side, some of Havana's finest vitrales (stained-glass
windows).
Made famous thanks to the rum-swilling exploits of Ernest
Hemingway (who by association instantly sends the prices soaring), this is
Havana's most celebrated bar. A visit here has become de rigueur for tourists
who haven't yet cottoned on to the fact that the mojitos are better and (far)
cheaper elsewhere.
On the corner of Plaza de la Catedral, this cultural center contains the melodious Cafe Amarillo and an exhibition center named after the island's most celebrated painter - Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Wilfredo Lam. Rather than displaying Lam's paintings, it serves as a gallery for revolving temporary exhibitions of modern painters.
You don't have to be an Añejo Reserva quaffer to enjoy the
Museo del Ron in the Fundación Havana Club, but it probably helps. The museum,
with its trilingual guided tour, shows rum-making antiquities and the complex
brewing process, but lacks detail or passion.
A not overgenerous measure of rum is included in the price. The museum sits opposite Havana harbor.
In a country not short of icons, the cigar is one of Cuba's
most enduring images. Even if you have no interest in the product itself, a
tour of a cigar factory is a must: you'll see workers rolling tobacco by hand
and hear the lector (reader) employed to keep the workers entertained in a
tradition dating back to the 19th Century.
Continue to a rum factory to see how
another celebrated Cuban export is produced and to sample different varieties
in the tasting room. Both visits offer the chance to buy souvenirs – a great
way to bring the essence of Cuba back home with you….. We ended out tour on a
beautiful Carribean style Patio with some Cuban Singers on their traditional
musical intrusments & the lead singer singing folklores. The Cigar Maestro
explained to us how to thoroughly enjoy our Cigar paired with our Rum… One
experience that shouldn’t be missed I say ! When in Cuba – definitely drink the
Cuba Libre !
Our sojourn in Cuba was perfect, thanks to our Guide Leo.
This young man navigated us through the bylanes, gave us stories from the dark
side of growing up in an EMBARGO country… some stories that truly make you
believe that there is life without Internet and an economy that can run without
the support of the United States…. Stories of valour, stories of economic
oppression… stories of an adulthood which is much like ours in many ways and
yet different. Leo Doubles up as a waiter in Atelier, a fine dine Italian restaurant,
whose claim to fame is having served the OBAMAS in their historic visit. We
enjoyed the Pasta and the desserts there – they understand Vegetarian so easily…
which is their big plus point and everyone from the server to the waiting staff
all speak impeccable English and are super friendly.
With Leo, who also introduced us to this art gallery owner, who is also a photographer who made me the best cold coffee with local dark chocolate in this gallery cafe... this place hides behind plaza de armas ... It has a very Miami vibe, something I was to learn only later when I actually visited Miami.
For a quick deli style meal, in between your walking tour, near the Capitale is El Del Frente, sit on the open air terrace for the world's best Tacos and a side of Guacamole to die for ... we went twice - because we loved it so much ! The place is impossible to find without Google Maps, download an offline version before you enter Cuba, else good luck finding a good Internet speed to do that while on location !
We also ate at Cafe Artes de Aguillar ... they have the best Cuba Libre and a winning cocktail list. The Pasta fare is worth going for.
There is also a Hukkah bar - for the addicts like me. Head over to Enventos - the place is nothing fancy... but in a quite street not far from the Malecon. Call before going to not be disapppinted - they sometimes run out of flavour and wait for their good friends to travel to Miami to bring them back ! This is Cuba, it can frustrate you one minute and unexpectedly inspire you
the next... Leo sourced the most amazing Cuban Cigar's for us at half the rate of the factory price, since his future mother in law worked as a tourist guide within the Cigar factory... he even brought back some local ones far better than those exported for us to try. He went out of his way to find someone who could drive us safely back home after Enventos so that we wouldn't have to pay Tourist money since he behaved like he was family ! I loved Cuba's robust culture, and its wonderfully preserved history which is on its way to changing. Go there before they start to please the American tourists dying to go there and loose a little bit of themselves slowly and surely like the rest of the world !
