"Timeworn but magnificent, dilapidated but dignified, fun yet maddeningly frustrating", quote from a travel writer.
Many people seem to have a fascination for Cuba and I suppose we were no different. In the early 50's Havana certainly had a reputation as a swinging city where you could find and do just about anything. Inside the Art Deco Hotel Nacional, Havana's most illustrious, is a bar/museum with murals of the glory days when stars of stage, screen, sports and politics flocked there to gamble, party and dance the night away. It's not quite like that anymore!
The reality of Havana today is one of past reputation, pollution and decay. Even the aforementioned Hotel Nacional has no water in the swimming pool but still advertises itself as 6 star. Thousands of once beautiful buildings are crumbling, many streets have no tarmac, manhole covers lay open where people have dipped their buckets to get water and everyone, everyone is doing their best to take your money. We stayed in modest accommodation, some more comfortable than others but it did give us the opportunity to meet and talk to people more directly than if we were at major hotels.
Hotel Nacional is still magnificent at night.
A number of people have said that Cuba is changing and you need to go there soon before it does. We do not understand that logic because it is going to take so long to change that it will not be much different in our lifetime, there are already lots of tourists. On the day we left, Castro officially stepped down after addressing parliament but his brother Raul will continue, the old guard is not making way for any younger blood and the political columnist Perez said this: " Anyone who thought there would be change now was dreaming". That is very sad because many people we talked to believe that it is going to change, perhaps the visit of President Obama and The Rolling Stones led them to believe that it was imminent. The state still owns and controls every major business, there is little incentive which is probably why everyone sees the tourist as the best source of income.
With Unesco's help some restoration is taking place particularly in the centre along the Zulueta and Avenida Monserrate.
Not surprisingly one of the first buildings to get a makeover is the Museum of the Revolution.
But there's no money to save this magnificent but dilapidated wreck and others like it:
The city is famous for it's vintage cars, all American pre 1956. Most of them are real bangers but some have been restored and repainted and are used as taxis. There are various points in the city where they line up to be admired. A definite highlight for us.
Havana Vieja (Old Havana) is very lively and probably the area where tourists spend the most time.
A walk down Mercaderes will take you past a number of interesting plazas, restaurants and bars. Hotel Ambos Mundos was a Hemingway favourite and it's a place where you can get internet and a cold beer but on both of our visits there was no water in the toilets. Live music emanates from many restaurants and it is fun to sit and people watch, someone will usually start dancing day or night.
Art is plentiful and street art is a good way to dress up the decaying facades, although much of the painting for sale we found to be gaudy and not to our taste.
There is definitely a vibrancy to this city and for a short time one can just about handle the noise, the diesel fumes and the smell of the rubbish, but after 3 busy days it was time to get into the countryside.
Many people seem to have a fascination for Cuba and I suppose we were no different. In the early 50's Havana certainly had a reputation as a swinging city where you could find and do just about anything. Inside the Art Deco Hotel Nacional, Havana's most illustrious, is a bar/museum with murals of the glory days when stars of stage, screen, sports and politics flocked there to gamble, party and dance the night away. It's not quite like that anymore!
The reality of Havana today is one of past reputation, pollution and decay. Even the aforementioned Hotel Nacional has no water in the swimming pool but still advertises itself as 6 star. Thousands of once beautiful buildings are crumbling, many streets have no tarmac, manhole covers lay open where people have dipped their buckets to get water and everyone, everyone is doing their best to take your money. We stayed in modest accommodation, some more comfortable than others but it did give us the opportunity to meet and talk to people more directly than if we were at major hotels.
Hotel Nacional is still magnificent at night.
A number of people have said that Cuba is changing and you need to go there soon before it does. We do not understand that logic because it is going to take so long to change that it will not be much different in our lifetime, there are already lots of tourists. On the day we left, Castro officially stepped down after addressing parliament but his brother Raul will continue, the old guard is not making way for any younger blood and the political columnist Perez said this: " Anyone who thought there would be change now was dreaming". That is very sad because many people we talked to believe that it is going to change, perhaps the visit of President Obama and The Rolling Stones led them to believe that it was imminent. The state still owns and controls every major business, there is little incentive which is probably why everyone sees the tourist as the best source of income.
With Unesco's help some restoration is taking place particularly in the centre along the Zulueta and Avenida Monserrate.
Not surprisingly one of the first buildings to get a makeover is the Museum of the Revolution.
But there's no money to save this magnificent but dilapidated wreck and others like it:
The city is famous for it's vintage cars, all American pre 1956. Most of them are real bangers but some have been restored and repainted and are used as taxis. There are various points in the city where they line up to be admired. A definite highlight for us.
Havana Vieja (Old Havana) is very lively and probably the area where tourists spend the most time.
A walk down Mercaderes will take you past a number of interesting plazas, restaurants and bars. Hotel Ambos Mundos was a Hemingway favourite and it's a place where you can get internet and a cold beer but on both of our visits there was no water in the toilets. Live music emanates from many restaurants and it is fun to sit and people watch, someone will usually start dancing day or night.
Art is plentiful and street art is a good way to dress up the decaying facades, although much of the painting for sale we found to be gaudy and not to our taste.
There is definitely a vibrancy to this city and for a short time one can just about handle the noise, the diesel fumes and the smell of the rubbish, but after 3 busy days it was time to get into the countryside.
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