Havana (Cuba)
27 MAY - 02 JUNE 2015
Anthony Bourdain on Havana's charms: "Havana still looks like you want it to look. Or maybe, how I want it to look."
27 MAY - 02 JUNE 2015
Anthony Bourdain on Havana's charms: "Havana still looks like you want it to look. Or maybe, how I want it to look."
That's exactly it. I'm sure that most of the population within this city, one of the top 20 largest in the Americas, would probably want it somewhat differently. Again, there's the dichotomy. Almost selfishly, outsiders, such as myself, would love this place to remain untouched, to remain true to itself in the manner which it has come to find its place in the world. The reality and the desire from within Cuba, I'm more than sure, is a lot different.
Change will come to Cuba and Havana. What it does and how it affects live here is anyone's guess. What we don't want to see is another 'Vegas on the Caribbean', that would be a tragedy. In 2014 a global competition named Havana as one of the new 7UbanWonders of the world - the sentiment externally expressing what we openly desire but secretly know won't happen, 'keep what you have, and stick it too them' ...easily said by an outsider.
The only real choice you have therefore is to try and catch Havana as it is now, and even now, in this time, change is evident. From the plethora of American accents we heard on the street we know that the gig is up. Still, for now, that didn't stop Inga & I enjoying what was on offer, and that my friends was a day that commenced at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba with a nice Montecristo and a cocktail to boot. No complaints with that.
Outside of the Hotel Nacional is an ever present line of Buicks & Chryslers just waiting for tourists to hire them out. Which we did on the back of our initial request/attempt to hire and self-drive a vehicle for a day, which was flatly refused at every turn. Still, when you're cruising down the Malecon on a beautiful sunny day, the wind throwing your hair about, lounging deep in the leather upholstered seats, then you can't help but think that you got a few things rights.
With our tour we caught a lot of the sites that are on people's agendas, the Paseo del Prado, Malecon, Capitol, Revolucion Square, Bosque de la Habana, Havana Beverly Hills, Nuevo Vedado and of course parts of Havana Viejo.
Admittedly we did our fair amount of walking too, but that walking entailed stops at some of Hemingway's favourite haunts, El Floridita for a daiquiri and a La Bodeguita for a Mojito. My favourite stop out of these two was definitely El Floridita - full of 'turistas', sure, but hell, isn't every place these days. Inga and I occupied a table in the back corner, lighting up Montecristos, drinking daiquiris and listening to the music on offer. Let me say, on every occasion it was just a fantastic experience. Even when the place was full on the back of tourist flotillas, or outside of those times, the place, just like the rest of Havana, just has a vibe and sense of fun that you can't help but enjoy. In much the same way, when you move out of there and get into the backstreets, there's always music that occupies some little corner, enticing you to see out more...or there's someone running an angle for a hustle, wanting to take you up a flight of stairs to a 'secret' hidden room where the 'cousin of a cousin' has managed to get their hands on a box of Cohiba's that they're willing to sell you at a discount. In fact, that's the way Inga and I managed to secure a few 'cheap' cigars one night. With out readily accessible stash of cash running out it was a quick conversation with the doorman at the Hotel Inglaterra, who then took us to an acquaintance on the street, who the took us down a few dark blocks, up some flights of stairs and into a room where the covert deal was done. Pure Havana!
Whilst most of our time was spent wandering around Havana we did get out to the beach one day at the Hotel Gran Caribe Club Atlantico, Santa Maria del Mar, Playas Este. I'd heard somewhere on the grapevine that for a reasonable fee you could pay for unlimited snacks and drinks for the afternoon whilst accessing the strip of sand behind the hotel and swimming in the Caribbean at one's leisure, which is what we did. We had a fantastic afternoon, although I fear we may have looked quite riddled with disease as the sunburn that we adopted from our stay in Colombia had caught up with us quite nicely. We had layers of skin peeling off everywhere. No matter, the alcohol eventually blunted any self consciousness we had about the situation.
Both for Havana's beauty and decay, its' very hard to restrain yourself from staring everywhere you look - Brin-Jonathan Butler
We found that quote to be right on the mark there was something magical in everything that surrounded us, whether it was the obvious hardship, mode of live, energy and vibrancy. There was just a potent mix of 'something' that made it undeniably magnetic.
Our last meal in Havana, on our last night, kind of typified what we found here. I'd bought in a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue label to celebrate our time in Havana. By the end of our days we were down to our last drinks and had run out of readily accessible funds. We were literally counting dollars for taxi to the airport, possible exit taxes etc and had about $3-4 USD left over. With that $ we walked across the street from our hotel, bought two small take away pizzas from the closest shop and went back up to our room. There on the 16th floor we sat overlooking the lights of the city, glass of JW Blue in hand and a poor, sloppy Havana pizza. Somehow it felt right, it all made sense. Simple pleasures.
Hotel Nacional de Cuba - Havana - Cuba
Havana - Cuba
Outside of the Hotel Nacional is an ever present line of Buicks & Chryslers just waiting for tourists to hire them out. Which we did on the back of our initial request/attempt to hire and self-drive a vehicle for a day, which was flatly refused at every turn. Still, when you're cruising down the Malecon on a beautiful sunny day, the wind throwing your hair about, lounging deep in the leather upholstered seats, then you can't help but think that you got a few things rights.
With our tour we caught a lot of the sites that are on people's agendas, the Paseo del Prado, Malecon, Capitol, Revolucion Square, Bosque de la Habana, Havana Beverly Hills, Nuevo Vedado and of course parts of Havana Viejo.
Plaza de Revolucion - Havana - Cuba
Driving in style
Hasta la victoria siempre - 'Until you get to Victoria always?' - Che loved Australia
Plaza de Revolucion - Havana - Cuba
Admittedly we did our fair amount of walking too, but that walking entailed stops at some of Hemingway's favourite haunts, El Floridita for a daiquiri and a La Bodeguita for a Mojito. My favourite stop out of these two was definitely El Floridita - full of 'turistas', sure, but hell, isn't every place these days. Inga and I occupied a table in the back corner, lighting up Montecristos, drinking daiquiris and listening to the music on offer. Let me say, on every occasion it was just a fantastic experience. Even when the place was full on the back of tourist flotillas, or outside of those times, the place, just like the rest of Havana, just has a vibe and sense of fun that you can't help but enjoy. In much the same way, when you move out of there and get into the backstreets, there's always music that occupies some little corner, enticing you to see out more...or there's someone running an angle for a hustle, wanting to take you up a flight of stairs to a 'secret' hidden room where the 'cousin of a cousin' has managed to get their hands on a box of Cohiba's that they're willing to sell you at a discount. In fact, that's the way Inga and I managed to secure a few 'cheap' cigars one night. With out readily accessible stash of cash running out it was a quick conversation with the doorman at the Hotel Inglaterra, who then took us to an acquaintance on the street, who the took us down a few dark blocks, up some flights of stairs and into a room where the covert deal was done. Pure Havana!
El Floridita - Havana - Cuba
El Floridita - Havana - Cuba
La Bodeguita del Medio - Havana - Cuba
Whilst most of our time was spent wandering around Havana we did get out to the beach one day at the Hotel Gran Caribe Club Atlantico, Santa Maria del Mar, Playas Este. I'd heard somewhere on the grapevine that for a reasonable fee you could pay for unlimited snacks and drinks for the afternoon whilst accessing the strip of sand behind the hotel and swimming in the Caribbean at one's leisure, which is what we did. We had a fantastic afternoon, although I fear we may have looked quite riddled with disease as the sunburn that we adopted from our stay in Colombia had caught up with us quite nicely. We had layers of skin peeling off everywhere. No matter, the alcohol eventually blunted any self consciousness we had about the situation.
Club Atlantico - Cuba
Club Atlantico - Cuba
Hotel Nactional de Cuba
Both for Havana's beauty and decay, its' very hard to restrain yourself from staring everywhere you look - Brin-Jonathan Butler
We found that quote to be right on the mark there was something magical in everything that surrounded us, whether it was the obvious hardship, mode of live, energy and vibrancy. There was just a potent mix of 'something' that made it undeniably magnetic.
The Malecon
The Malecon - Havana - Cuba
Our last meal in Havana, on our last night, kind of typified what we found here. I'd bought in a bottle of Johnny Walker Blue label to celebrate our time in Havana. By the end of our days we were down to our last drinks and had run out of readily accessible funds. We were literally counting dollars for taxi to the airport, possible exit taxes etc and had about $3-4 USD left over. With that $ we walked across the street from our hotel, bought two small take away pizzas from the closest shop and went back up to our room. There on the 16th floor we sat overlooking the lights of the city, glass of JW Blue in hand and a poor, sloppy Havana pizza. Somehow it felt right, it all made sense. Simple pleasures.
Johnny Walker Blue - microwaved pizza and toilet paper - this is Havana
