This was a country I really wanted to see. The 6 day tour was quite expensive, but to me it was worth it. I would not want to travel there on my own. Mike was worried that it was too late, that the culture had already changed too much from when Cuba opened up to tourists. He was right in that the cruise industry has discovered it and tourists are everywhere. But I reminded him that if we had gone when it was first a choice, things would have been even less developed. You will see what I mean when I get into more description.
The photo below is of the first home we stayed in. When we got the description of where we would be staying - "accommodations in a private home", I imagined more of a B&B setting. So you could get to know the locals. But what it really is, is a business. More like renting a room and getting a breakfast. Other than that there was no interaction. Since we do not speak Spanish, we relied on our guide from Wijincuba travel agency, Livan Benitez. He is in the left hand corner below.
Across the street from the house is a "hot spot" so people are always sitting around with their cell phones. Food and drink vendors ply them with choices. It was good because we could either go on the balcony as the person below is doing or sit just inside and have access to Internet. The bad was that it was loud. As I understand it, having so many hot spots around is a new thing - only beginning in December 2018. There is only one phone company on the island and you have to buy an Internet access card from them. You can get them most everywhere - but they only last 1 hour. If you want a card with more hours, you might be able to get one by going to the telephone company and getting into the long Que. It might take hours. Livan gave us an example. He had to get a cell phone fixed so he went to the phone company. There was the usual really long line. He saw the person he needed to see to get it fixed so he tried to go over to her. No, he was told, he had to wait in line like everyone else. Meanwhile the lady sat there twiddling her thumbs the whole 2-3 hours he stood in line. When it was finally his turn, he was directed to the lady and two minutes later his problem was solved. It seems terribly inefficient - but that is the way it is in Cuba.
We arrived in Havana on January 9 around 3:30pm. Our guide, Livan, met us just outside of customs. We drove to Havana and were dropped off at our first home stay. We ate mixed nuts (Costco in the US) and rum for dinner.
At the square. I am not sure what the meaning is of this rooster being ridden by a women, but everyone was taking pictures of it.
This is one of the first barbers that was in business in Havana.
Cuba's main religion, which no longer has a very big following, is Catholic.
I really liked the statue below - he really looks like he is walking.
Per Livan, there are not many porches like this in Cuba. And I don't remember seeing many looking back on the week.
More buildings on the square.
One thing I was looking forward too really came true. There are vintage cars all over Havana and around Cuba. I will try to limit the number of vintage car photos! At first it was a necessity to keep repairing the cars you had when the country was closed to trade. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba and Russia had a close relationship. In fact per Livan, the Soviet Union really gave them everything they needed. So there are a lot of Russian cars as well in Cuba.
When the Soviet union collapsed, Cuba was left floundering. Things became pretty bad. After the country was opened up and people were able to travel, they would go abroad and buy auto motors to bring back and install in the vintage cars. In fact most of these cars now have diesel motors.
We saw this fort on day 1.
More street scenes
Everyone in Cuba has to make a living somehow. The lady dressed in her culture's clothing below has a job - she poses with tourists for a fee.
Lots of street art including music.
We went to the top of a building where there was a restaurant. After taking photos - we decided to get coffee and a soda for me on the terrace restaurant. But, they explained they had no coffee - some problem with the water. But, we said, downstairs (the very same restaurant) they had every kind of coffee you could desire. Livan just shrugged his shoulders - "That's Cuba"!
A last photo before we left the terrace - a street performance. Maybe it's good they had no coffee so we could head back down to ground level and see the performance.
Down at ground level!
And we finally got coffee!
Another cathedral.
Other things you must see in Havana are all things Hemingway. We saw the hotel he first lived in - Hotel, Ambos Mundos, when he first moved to Cuba and the two bars he frequented. In one he loved the mojito's. Below, I think the photo says it all. The guy pretending to be Hemingway typing on an old fashioned typewriter. The tourists posing in front of the bar and there was a bigger crowd than it looks like.
The photo below shows the reconstruction of an old home that was 2 stories tall being made into 4 stores. The old homes had extremely high ceilings.
We had lunch at a government run restaurant. It is located in a beautiful building.
The restaurant - see Mike sitting under the drapes of the first window on the right. The food was terrible. No flavor at all!
Of course we had to take a ride in a vintage convertible. Not a Cadillac, but a Ford. Mike and I are in the back seat - you can only see our hats.
We stopped for a photo opp. That's me below.
Someone getting a haircut along the drive.
The end of the ride. So many beautiful cars!
On our walk back to the house.
A statue to honor the barber and beauty business.
Reflection shots.
An old fire engine.
And yet more vintage autos waiting for tourists.
One last tourist stop -the Floradita bar where it is told Earnest Hemingway loved the daiquiris.
Someone making their own barbecue on a side street. Not sure what he is cooking.
This is in the square across from our house.
For some reason we saw a lot of sushi restaurant in Havana.
I think you covered all the bases in Havana!
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