Return to Havana

This March, the doctor and I decided to return to our new favourite city, Havana.  This vibrant, architectural gem in the middle of the Caribbean kept calling me and I knew that one visit would never be enough.
During this trip, we decided to stay in a different part of town so we could explore new territory.  We found a lovely hotel called The Quinta Avendia in the opulent neighbourhood of Miramar which at one time, was the area where wealthy inhabitants of La Habana Viejo traveled to escape the heat of downtown.  This beautiful section is a mere 10 minute taxi ride from downtown but is quiet and has a completely different vibe from the hub of the original part of the city which attracts the majority of the tourists.

The view from our hotel balcony of the cathedral and the sea

One of many mansions in Miramar

Miramar is dotted with an abundance of mansions that are now home to embassies, ambassadors, as well as Cubans who chose not to leave the country after the Revolution.  Despite popular belief, Cubans of means who chose to stay held onto their homes and money.  Unfortunately, there was no way for the fortune to continue to build so the money became necessary for daily life.  Some of the homes look faded due to diminished finances but many have retained their original beauty and are breathtaking inside.
While La Habana Viejo and La Habana Centrale are buzzing with activity, Miramar is quiet and serene.  One can see joggers, dog walkers with pampered pets, business people who work in the area, large grocery stores, new and faded hotels on the waterfront, outdoor shopping malls that are very nice, small local restaurants and paladares (restaurants housed in homes and run by families), local beaches for Cubans, beautiful parks, cathedrals, and great architecture as far as the eye can see.
From these few paragraphs, it is obvious that I love this area and will continue to stay here in the future.  All of the hotels in the area offer a lovely breakfast which is included in the price and shuttle service to downtown.  In addition, the pools are never busy because this area is frequented by business people who are working during the day; hence, I had the pool all to myself.  Heaven!
Prior to our trip, the doctor purchased a great book:  Great Houses of Havana - A Century of Cuban Style by Hermes Mallea.  We discovered a number of beautiful buildings we did not see during our first trip to Havana.  We wrote down the addresses of our selected homes and public buildings and went searching for them once we reached our tropical paradise.

Palacio de los Matrimonios

One building in particular, Palacio de los Matrimonios is located on the Prado in La Habana Centrale.  Originally, it was the first casino in Havana and is now used as the main location for marriages.  We were fortunate enough to see a wedding while we were there.  It appears that couples arrive in the middle of the day, perhaps during a lunch hour from work in their wedding attire.  Close family and friends meet them in the entrance after which, the wedding march begins, an official appears and boom!  The wedding is finite.
However, before we watched a Cuban wedding, we were taken on a tour of the building by Humberto Martinez Lopez our new Cuban friend and in my opinion, the smartest man in Havana.  Humberto escorted us around this magnificent building while giving us a wealth of information about Havana.  He told us about the renovations occurring downtown which have been spearheaded by Eusebio Leal Spendler (more about him later).  From the roof top of this palacio, Humberto waved his magic wand and made the city come alive for us in a very personal way.  He loves his home and his country and speaks about Havana which such awe and affection.  We exchanged email addresses with him so I could continue to ask questions about this beautiful city.

Humberto

Let me tell you a bit about Spendler.  He is the mastermind behind the recent renovations that are taking place in the downtown core of Havana.  In one year, the doctor and I saw a significant improvement. Spendler and his crew have renovated over 300 historic buildings and the work in ongoing.  Castro has given Spendler carte blanche to use tourist dollars for this renovation project.  Downtown Havana has been designated as a UNESCO heritage site which will ensure that these extraordinary buildings are restored rather than replaced. In addition, many Cubans are working as part of this project.  Occasionally, Castro makes a sound decision.

A former Spanish social club now an art museum

The doctor and I noticed more Americans this time.  At our hotel in particular, there were American university students with their professors who were there to observe companies in Cuba.  I was interested in listening to the observations of these Americans which of course, differed from what they have been told about Cuba.  When will the U.S. wake up and finally allow American dollars into this lovely place?  The Cubans deserve a break!
Since I teach Holocaust Studies, we continued on our search for synagogues in Havana.  Last time, if your recall, we visited a very old Orthodox synagogue in Old Havana.  This time, we discovered a beautiful shul as well as a Jewish cultural centre that had a Holocaust museum inside.  The guide was very sweet and gave us a tour of the museum, social hall and the tiny shul inside this new building.  Religion is once again flourishing in Cuba and the synagogues and churches are thriving.

Inside the Holocaust museum

Apart from all of the great architecture, much improved cuisine, beautiful art and music, one must appreciate the beauty of the Cuban spirit.  Cubans are very special indeed.  I recall Humberto telling me, "we are nice, but we are not stupid."  How true.  Cubans are kind and generous but they will let you know if they want something or in need.  Their needs are many and they are not shy about letting wealthy North Americans know it (they assume we all are wealthy because they have so little).

One evening I finally was able to convince the doctor to attend a performance at the Tropicana.  Sure, it's touristy, but it is also historical and I felt that it was part of Cuban culture in Havana that must be experienced at least once.  Well, it was terrific.  The shows are held in a large space outdoors that holds a thousand guests.  The costumes, dancing, singing and staging has remained the same since 1939 and was worth the price of the ticket.  Go once and have fun.

Omilay

Across the street from our hotel was a darling little paladar called Santana.  It was there we met our new Cuban daughter, Omilay.  She was our waitress during the many evenings we ate dinner there and literally stole our hearts.  She is the main reason I am returning to Havana tomorrow during the summer heat.  I also struck up a friendship with Humberto and his family and will be visiting them as well.  The doctor chose not to accompany me on this summer trip so I am traveling with my friend Carol.  By the way, the food at Santana is really good and the prices are fair.  Unfortunately, Omilay is no longer there and is spending her time concentrating on her studies in English.  But you will still have a good time at this delightful little place on Quinta Avenida.

Another charming little restaurant down the street from the corner of Quinta and the ugly Russian embassy is an outdoor restaurant frequented by Cubans.  I cannot recall the name of it but you cannot miss it.  The food is good, cheap, and the atmosphere is fun.  If I see it again on this trip, I will include the name.

Russian Embassy

Check out the broken glass embedded in the wall.  Don't mess with the Russians!

One day, we decided to walk up Quinta Avenida in the opposite direction (away from downtown).  We discovered a new neighbourhood with more charming buildings and outdoor food stalls.  We found the Yacht Club which is tired looking but still majestic and is positioned next to a small beach that is used by Cubans.  Next to the beach is an amusement park that is a fairly good size so if you are travelling with children, this is a lovely spot to entertain your young travellers.  We continued up this road and found ourselves standing in front of the famed art school of Havana.  The property was a golf course prior to the Revolution and was redesigned by Che Guevara in order to house the extraordinary talent of Cuban painters, sculptors, and musicians.  We were not allowed to enter the premises but could hear the sounds of the young musicians' instruments wafting through the air.  No one plays an instrument like a Cuban or a New Orleans musician.  However, the experience of listening to these bent notes while gazing at the unusual shapes of the buildings in this complex was worth the long walk in the heat.

There actually are some decent stores appearing in Miramar.  In between two hotels on the waterfront, one of which is the Comodoro, is a new outdoor shopping/eating complex that is similar to something you might see in North America.  I was shocked at the prices but if one works in the tourist industry, one can actually pay 80.00 CUC for a pair of running shoes.  I assume that since this mall is near the larger hotels, the focus is on tourist dollars.  Also, during one of our walks in Miramar, we found another little shopping mall which had outdoor food stalls.  This mall is definitely geared to locals-the stores were very different in appearance and quality of stock than the stores near the large hotels.  Let's just say that the shelves were not full and the items were less than thrilling.

I look forward to returning to this beautiful city tomorrow and seeing my new Cuban friends.  I have found some new art studios and music venues to explore.  Havana has so much to offer that it is difficult to find the time in one week to see everything but I will do my best and will be back with a new report in a couple of weeks. TQM  te quiero mucho!