I have such mixed emotions about Havana. Going into this trip I was convinced I would like Havana better than
Cuatro Esquina but I was very wrong. This big city was like any big city - pollution, traffic, etc. - but far worse than I could have ever imagined
aesthetically. It was just sad, very oppressed, and odd. The best description I heard from another
chaperone was "it looks like a Hollywood movie set that was bombed!" And I believe she was right on. It was hard to enjoy this bustling town knowing what the local people endure and most of their current living situations/lifestyles.
However, I did enjoy trying to visualize what Havana might have looked like in the early 1950s at the height of their cultural history with some of the most fascinating architecture there is. But then again is made me sad to think what is used to look like and compare it to what it looks like today. Most of the people there know not much difference from what they are used to now which is also depressing to imagine. Luckily, Havana is a very safe place to walk around day or night even though some parts look worse than the most
impoverished and dangerous neighborhoods of our country's metropolises.
But...despite my mixed opinion on Havana the team {me included!} had a wonderful time! The last two full days - Monday and Tuesday - were basically free days for us in which we got to plan what we wanted to see and do. We were completely submerged into the culture and on our own. The city is so rich in history and architecture, as previously mentioned, and I adored that aspect. I think I picked out 50 different houses that I would be happy to renovate and move into.
The weather for both of our days in Havana were very overcast and rainy. On Monday we deemed our day the "tour of hotels" to escape the drizzling rain and relax in air conditioning! Again, I wish I had my nice Canon to capture all the potential beauty of this city...
gorgeous national hotel of cuba...the hotels in cuba are actually quite nice and ritzy but still not up to american standards in design, etc. there are many, many european and canadian tourists who frequent havana.
grand entrance hall of hotel #1 on our tour de hotels...same layout/similar design as the breakers in palm beach
one of the hotel's many restaurants
the guys in front of a cigar rolling desk...all cuban cigars are still hand rolled
lunch in the hotel cafe
a refreshing chef salad with chicken
hotel #2: havana libre
this hotel was neat because it was in the middle of a lobby renovation...the partition construction walls were lined with floor plans and renderings of the new space...I found this fascinating of course!
delicious coffee ice cream...we only went here once but talked about it for the remainder of our stay!
the girls along the famous malecon
morro castle (fortress) at the entrance of havana bay as seen from the malecon
hotel #3: riveria
we frequented this hotel a lot. mostly for water and a shot of cuban cafe!
this hotel was straight out of the 50s...totally mid-century mod and never touched or updated.
interesting fact: all the green you see on the exterior are 1x1" mosaic tiles...talk about detail!
entrance lobby to the riveria
wacky lobby interior
{...but it provided us with a air conditioned resting place that afternoon!}
music academy
here's a tour of my dream homes...
{also called the tour of the lack of structural care, etc. of homes with gorgeous architectural features}
this one is right on the malecon overlooking the water 
I would take breakfast on this upper level veranda
a nice corner lot
dreaming of outdoor parties...
we could rebuild the cupola and be set for life!
we had a lovely dinner at this very nice french restaurant a few blocks from the cathedral
this was my favorite drink in cuba...orange soda!! their sodas have natural cane sugar in them which make them a different, yet better kind of sweet. by the end of the trip I could finally pronounce naranja.
dinner of chicken smothered in gouda cheese and sweet potato chips. and yes, that's a decorative swirl of ketchup in the corner...gross.
their beautiful former capitol building...there are only agencies that work it this building now
it was a strikingly beautiful building but still with parts in shambles
one of the famous cigar factories
this was a small art gallery inside the opera. this was probably the most beautifully renovated area I saw...I absolutely love those bi-fold doors!
stylish taxis
we had a delicious lunch in another neighborhood in western havana...as we drove to this restaurant we passed all the gorgeous embassies...all but the U.S.
the whole group in front of the second largest jesus statue in the western hemisphere {2nd to brazil}. jesus watches over the bay of havana. I wish it had been a prettier day and that there wasn't construction going on.
overlooking havana bay...view of old havana
at the havana airport waiting for our departure...everyone was anxious to get home!
this was a treat...david, alli, and I met up with their dad and my parents in orlando for dinner on wednesday night. it was so good to see them! we had a very yummy meal at p.f. changs and shared with them our stories and pictures. we dropped alli off in gainesville to start school and we arrived back in tallahassee around 2:00am. 
