cuba VIII: havana day one

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.