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HABANA VIEJA
The Old
City Havana Cuba
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Habana Cuba city streets alive with music |
“The old squares concentrate the past into an essence that is so rich,”
suggests Barclay, “that it is indigestible unless taken in small sips.”
Each square has it’s own unique flavor, which seems to change with the
hours and light: melancholic in the rain, bustling and alive in the sun,
and voluptuous when a hot midnight is illuminated by lamps and vibrates
with the guitar music and the muffled heartbeat of an African drum.” For
us the scenes and sounds are breathtaking.
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Colorful markets and friendly smiling people
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The old market, set up on the street near
the waterfront under white umbrellas is overflowing with arts and crafts
of unusual and artistic flare. We are mesmerized by the sounds of music
from live bands vibrating in the streets coming from a multitude of
directions as we wonder aimlessly through the narrow rows of brightly
painted papier-mache fish and masks, carved leather bags,
precious wood carvings in Afro-Cuban realism, munecitas (dolls), painted
clay beads and paintings so abundant they make up an isle all of their
own.
It is hot and humid but the breeze off the
water is refreshing as are the innocence and disarming charm of the
people. Mainly of Spanish origin there are about 12% black and 22%
mulattoes of mixed ethnicity as of a 1993 census. Most of the Cubans
were more interested in sharing something with you than getting
something from you. They retain a pride and lack of pretension. The
artists were intent on pointing out how their art depicts the life they
live under communist rule. One points out the black cats on the roofs of
the buildings in his painting then points to the cameras on the rooftops
of the building behind us. He speaks freely of his ideals and allows me
to photograph his work but not him personally. They do not push us to
buy their work yet one sale would enable them to buy extra food or allow
them to eat in the dollar-only restaurants where the good food is
served.
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One of the outdoor cafes on the streets of Habana
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| So much is allowed per person from the state grocery store per month
six pounds of rice, eleven pounds of beans, four ounces of coffee, and
four ounces of lard but only when available. Their conversations are of
concerns for their everyday survival. We chose not to eat in the tourist
restaurants although a beer in an outside café on the Cathedral plaza
was comparable to price as in the states. Instead we chose to eat at one
of the ‘paladares’, private restaurants but we found they are taxed by
the government to run. We found the food very good quality but the price
of $20 each for a meal and drink a bit steep. Typical Cuban fare is
mostly peasant fare, lacking in sauces and spices. We had chicken and
pork the pork being a wild havalina. The Cubans consider vegetables
“rabbit food” but we had a nice dish of sliced beets, tomatoes and
radish with a side dish of fried ‘platanos’ or banana. Rice and beans
seem to be the most abundant and available everywhere. Soft drinks are
imported from Mexico or Canada and there is no shortage of canned fruit
drinks produced locally. The coffee here is enjoyed thick and strong ,
like espresso, served in tiny cups and heavily sweetened. |
Old American vintage cars line the streets of Habana |
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| I was most impressed with the site of hundreds of old American
vintage automobiles parked between Russian Lada’s and Japanese makes.
Studebaker, Edsels, Chevrolets, DeSotos and Cadillac’s flooded into Cuba
for 50 years during Batiste’s days. But then came the Cuban Revolution
and US trade embargo. In terms of American autos, time stopped when
Fidel Castro took power. Steve went into an auto museum and saw the car
once owned by Che Guevara, a 1960 Bel Air. We did not see or hear much
about Fidel Castro but Che Guevara’s photo, T-shirts and hats with his
picture were everywhere. Although he was killed by soldiers in Bolivia
as he tried to get another guerilla revolt under way it was obvious that
Che Guevara is the Revolutions authentic guerilla hero. For two days we
tromped streets of this vibrant town with a population of 105,000. I had
expected to see a run down city but found it not as bad as some third
world countries. Paint was peeling from many large buildings but many
others were under repair and those that were completed lacked some
character. But the people seemed to elicit an apology for the run down
conditions of which I did not see a need. In all it was very clean, the
people obviously taking some pride putting in hard work to keep it that
way and a strong belief in themselves as self-reliant individuals. To
travel here in such a diversified and friendly environment is to me one
of the worlds best kept secrets |