HAVANA, CUBA

HAVANA, CUBA

(Day 9 & 10  if you are following “SEE ALL OF CUBA in 10 DAYS” blog post)

Havana is the largest city with 2.1 million people.

It is the largest import facility on the island and most of the government buildings are located in Havana. 

We went to go to our room and a diplomat was staying just down the hall from us with body guards surrounding his door. It was a little intimidating as I could tell his guards were a little nervous every time we went to our room as it looked like we were heading for his room. We never did figure out who it was.

We went to Plaza de la Revolución (aka Revolution Square). Many political rallies take place here. Fidel Castro and Pope John Paul II have addressed many masses of people here. Measuring 72,000 square meters, it is the 31st largest square in the world.

Like most of Cuba, the arts are in abundance in Havana as well. We visited the Dance performance by Habana Compass Dance Co. a percussion dance group.

We visited the 20 year home of Ernest Hemingway’s Havana House. He lived is his Havana home from 1940-1961. I decided it was worth giving his home it’s own blog post, so you can see Ernest Hemingways home here.

We also went to Habana Mia HM7 restaurant (twice). It was my FAVORITE RESTAURANT in all of Cuba. Therefore, it gets its own blog. Check it our here.

After being vacant for 52 years, the US embassy reopened in Cuba on 2015. Situated in Havana, the US embassy has a beautiful view of the ocean. There are 138 empty flag poles in front of the US embassy that were put there to obscure a giant electronic billboard that President Bush put up to send messages the Cuban people.  The Cuban government put up the flags to hide this electronic billboard from their people.  In 2009 the United States started to reestablish a relationship with Cuba however between Nov 2016 and August 2017 as many as 22 Americans working at the US Embassy fell ill after claiming they heard high pitched noises. The US has since pulled many of its diplomats out of Havana stating the US was a victim of sonic attacks. So Americans are once again on restricted travel to Cuba.

We had a few apperitifs before dinner at Magic Flute. A swanky night club across from the US Embassy. It was hard to find as you had to enter through a door into a small corridor of a lobby which took you to a small elevator up to the club. The music was fun

We ate a nice dinner at La Imprenta an old printing shop. It is run by the state. The middle is open sky and the ceilings are very tall, so one feels like they are dining outside at all times. Ambiance was wonderful surrounding us with old memorabilia from the printing press days. in a good neighborhood.

DAY 11

We took our final day to just walk around and take in Cuban architecture. check out the buildings near the Havana Port.  Old Havana shops In the early 1900’s Cuba was a happening place. I’ve dedicated a page just to show the Cuban architecture, click here. 

Just another piect of art that reminds us of the incredible art and architectural culture that was established in Cuba.

Decorated in one of my favorite Baroque styles, La Catedral de La Virgen María de la Concepción Inmaculada de la Habana sits in the Plaza de la Cathedral at 156 Empedrado. What makes this church so spectacular is that it was built with blocks of coral cut from the sea floor. Christopher Columbus was bured here form 1795 to 1898, then his remains were moved to Seville, Spain.  It opens daily at 9am and is worth sticking your head inside to see this 1770’s architecture. 

Homeless dogs are in abundance in Cuba. The people said they cannot afford to feed themselves how can they feed the animals. However, the dogs and humans do have an understanding and kindness between both is expressed. Here I am feeding the dogs whatever scraps I could take with me from the restaurants.

 

In 1988 Cuban entertainer, Maria Alveres Riso and former prima ballerina Alisia Alonso, opened a Cuban (non-government) association called  ANIPLANT (Protection of Animals and Plants) which aims for improving the lives animals in Havana. I stumbled upon this building in the middle of Old Havana and found dogs laying everywhere around the exterior doorway of this 1920’s falling down house. Donors (typically tourists) helped to rebuild it’s interior but in Cuba, money only goes so far as it’s hard to buy anything due to lack of supplies on the island. It does however, help them spay and neuter their animals.

Many of the dogs had tags around their neck so I asked what that was all about. Due to my lack of Spanish, I wasn’t sure if the person sitting at the door claimed these tags were on the dogs they spayed and neutered or if they were meant to indicate that someone was taking care of them.  The organization claims it’s hard to know which dogs are homeless as people in Cuba just let their dogs wander the streets. The government pays zoonosis (animal catchers) to round up homeless dogs. The dogs and cats are not fed for 5 days and if no one comes to collect them they feed them food laced with poison. It’s so sad and such a painful death. There is an organization called TAP that was sending supplies to the animals in Cuba however the Cuban government cut them off.  If you are planning a trip to Cuba and would like to help, TAP can provide you with a list of supplies ANIPLANT is in need of. Please write to them at: admin@TAPanimalproject.org for more information.

It was odd to see in the middle of everything, there is a private gun collection museum called Compañía Armera de Cuba S. A., I was told it is Castro’s collection containing guns from the revolutionaires and the guns collected from the people. I did see a gun Che Guevara carried with him during the revolution.

At market Cubans have a food rationing system that was set up after the revolution. They are allotted so many staple items per month such as eggs, beans, bread, etc. I was told that the rations typically last ten days and then they are on their own to have to buy (with Cuban pesos) other items for the next 20 days that follow. In essence, there is never enough food on their tables. Although Cubans seem like genuinely happy people, when it comes to food, they don’t really want to talk about it as it only depresses them.

As you are walking the streets, take a look around you, you won’t find people looking at their cell phones. They are actually conversing with each other. Internet can only be received in certain squares and one must have an internet card in order to be able to get signal.

I have never seen such a beautiful and organized pharmacie. All of it’s items are housed in gorgeous ceramic white pots sitting on dark wood shelves- the contrast being very striking. In 1886, Dr. Manuel Serafin Johnson Larralde opened a Pharmacie Drocueria Johnson at 251 Aguiar, La Habana, Cuba. Johnson was a  professor at the University of Havana and a Doctor of Pharmacy.  His store contained not only pharmaceuticals but other products like disinfectants and perfumes. Johnson had five children; four of which became pharmacists and worked in his stores. In the 1960’s the family lost everything as the new government came in and took everything from its people. So the family fled to America. In 2000 it was restored by the Office of Historian of the City and turned into a museum but a severe fire damaged everything in 2005. Restored again in 2005,many of the artifacts inside are still originals.