Old Havana | Where colonialism meets revolution

After having visited the island from north to south we’re finally back in Havana but this time we’re ready for discovering the capital’s most secret spots at our own pace. At the end of the day, it is the last part of our trip before taking off and leaving Cuba, how could we rush it ?

We hop down the bus at Havana Vieja (Old Havana quarter) and in a matter of seconds, a man is already offering us a room in his sister’s casa particular (Leidis). Both because we’re looking for a room anyway and its vicinity with the bus stop – later we discover that the house is in the perfect spot to visit anything we want in Havana Vieja – we try giving it a shot. Just after a couple of minutes, we arrive in front of a building featuring a dark pink façade; at a first sight, the number 118 of Calle Chacón looks elegant, spacious and easy-going: all that we need! At the daily rate of 20CUC, this is going to be our base of “operations” for the next three days; with no time to waste, we start exploring what’s around in our lovely neighbourhood.

This time, just by having a quick walk around we realize that this is a “different” Havana; there’s more life, more tourists, more things to see and most of the alleys have have this kind of colonial “look” that we haven’t seen in a while.

Just behind our casa, there’s the “5 Esquinas” (a.k.a. five corners, the filming place for the videoclip of the song “Gente de Zona”, currently filled with international bars & restaurants offering specialties from all over the world) from where we can easily get to the Museo de la Revolución.

Once at the museum, which unfortunately is already closed, we decide to keep following the Avenida del Puerto leading up to the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta on the Malecón. On the way there, we even see some people playing baseball in the middle of the park: kids, teens and even some old chaps, nobody was left behind ! Today, due to the wind being pretty strong, walking on the Malecón seems like walking to a small little end of the world. Every couple of seconds, huge waves crash onto the quay splashing the few fishermen brave enough to fish with that weather; what a moody atmosphere, you can feel the storm coming in the air !

Our exploration ends up on the paseo del Prado which leads us to the Capitolio Nacional. It is there that a beautiful sunset lights up the havanan sky with surrealistic pink colors and together with the parked old Chevrolets in Parque Central, create the perfect set for our photos and videos. We couldn’t ask for anything more.

In the following days, we also manage to visit the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts), super close to our casa, where we’re lucky enough to witness the whole arrange of cuban paining history, ranging from classical to modern styles.

Another day, we get lost in the alleys of Havana in search of the Cathedral of San Cristobal which we later discover sharing the same plaza of the awesome Taller Experimental de Grafica (a satire-based meeting point for artists). In the latter, artists are more than willing to let us through and show us their various techniques to create invaluable satire masterpieces. So much art altogether!

A couple of blocks later, we find one of the most worldwide known symbols of Cuba or in other words the bar where H. Hemingway and many other artists of the 50’s used to go to sip the best mojitos in town: la Bodeguita del Medio. Currently, its 24/7 a touristic attraction (you should see the amount of tourists outside!) rather than an actual bar but you still the beautiful old design and get a chance to taste an awesome mojito. While walking around the area, we also meet Rogelio Marcelo, a boxing champion – at least thats what he says to us – of the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 whom tomorrow is gonna go to Barcelona to train younger boxers. The conversation with him ends up being so interesting that in no time, we reach the other beloved bar of Hemingway for making the best daiquiris: El Floridita.

As everybody knows, day spent walking literally fly past and especially spent walking in such amazing cities. This city has so much to offer; the streets full of life, the people, the unique shops, the fascinating newspapers that we buy from a street vendor, the street-food, the several churches, the art galleries, the amazing views of hotel balconies (especially from the hotel Ambos Mundos, place of residence of Hemingway in the past) and the special atmosphere of bars and restaurant scattered everywhere. It seems like the magic of Cuba belongs to this place. We even meet a couple of catalan guys for the THIRD time in our trip casually eating at the restaurant we’re about to sit down at (we met them three weeks ago in playa Guardalavaca and then again in Santiago de Cuba).

On our last day, we decide to explore the fortresses (La Cabaña and El Morro) located just across the bahia by crossing with the ferry to the little town of Casablanca and then walking our way to the top of the hill. From up here, the views of Havana city are simply astounding, fascinating and gorgeous all at the same time. The sound of the waves crashing on the quay together with slow but busy-city life gives us the opportunity to re-discover Havana once again. In order to get back to the Malecon, we can’t believe the fare asked by taxis (10CUC for literally 2km) and therefore, after a bit of pin balling between bus stations, we manage to get a bus from the main highway that for just 15CUP bring us back to the bus stop where we were first dropped at.

At last, our long trip around the beautiful island of Cuba has finished. We bring home great moments, amazing travel buddies, a more critical insight of the country current situation and a lot of can’t-wait-feeling to tell the world our unique experience. From the window of the taxi on the way to the International Airport Jose Marti, we give a last smiling look back to the city. See you soon, Cuba !

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