Old Colonial “Habana” – A Beautifully Sad City

“Habana”…500 Years In The Making

The best way to see the 500 year old city of “Old Habana” (as the locals call it) is on foot. That is if you’ve got stamina. Be ready to manage the uneven cobblestone streets and crowds of vendors and locals and tourists. So a walking tour is exactly what we signed up for on our NCL cruise in April.

Someone described Cuba as “a beautifully sad” country. That is a perfect description. There is extreme poverty, yet a real sense of pride and dignity as well. I do wish we had ignored some of the cruise line warnings and that we had ventured out more on our own. (But thanks to some of our fellow passengers I’ll have THEIR photos and stories to share in later posts!)

The $99 per person shore excursion provided a local guide who led us through many of the squares in the old city. The cruise line briefing made it very clear that American money would not be accepted in Cuba so we exchanged a few dollars for some Cuban cash. (The exchange rate was NOT in our favor!) That currency exchange turned out to be unnecessary since the Cuban merchants happily accepted our American money.

Nelson (our Communist Government paid guide) led us out of the cruise terminal and onto the bustling streets of old “Habana.” There we got our first glimpse of those amazing vintage American cars that seem to show up in every Cuban photo. (I’ll write another blog post with many photos of all the old cars we saw that day.) Notice that banner proclaiming 2019 as the 500th Anniversary of Havana. How lucky we were to visit during such a momentous time in Cuba’s history!

Our Walking Tour Begins…

I can’t promise to share exactly where each of my photos was taken, but I hope you will still enjoy a glimpse of the amazing architecture and the Cuban people.

Norwegian Cruise Line provided this introduction:

“Havana, founded in 1519 by the Spanish crown became one of the Caribbean’s main centers for ship building by the 17th century. Today it is a metropolis with approximately 2.1 million residents. The city invites guests to discover a complex mosaic of colors and rhythms. It offers an interesting mix of Baroque, neo-classical and Renaissance architecture.”

Nelson led us across the busy street to our first stop in St. Francis Square. The basilica and monastery were both built at the end of the sixteenth century. That church was the home of the Franciscan community in Havana. The basilica was altered in 1730, and the church was used for worship by the English when they ruled Havana.

On the tour we also visited Cathedral Square, the last of the main squares to be created in one of Old Havana’s most beautiful spots. Originally names Plaza de la Cienaga (Swamp Square) because of it’s muddy terrain. It later became one of the city’s most important squares after it was drained and paved.  I fell in love with this massive wooden door on La Catedral de la Virgen Maria…

Imagine the many hands that have pulled open that door…for centuries!

Nelson led us through the labyrinth of plazas and streets. 

Those narrow streets were very clean and surprisingly litter free, but the cement was crumbling in many places. The curbs and cobblestones were very uneven so it took some skill to walk and snap photos at the same time! (I did NOT relish the thought of ending up in a Havana hospital.)

Look at those  old buildings…and those beautiful floor to ceiling wooden shutters! Architectural function and design personified.

Check out the outdoor dining venues we passed by.

I would have LOVED to stop and ask what this group of musicians planned to eat! (After all…YOU know how I am about FOOD!) 

Speaking of food, our new friend and fellow tour member Toni had missed lunch on the ship before the tour. So she was happy to find a churro stand along our path. The cost? Fifty cents!

She shared a bite with me. It was delicious! So crispy, still warm, and very sweet.

The churro vendors wound their way through the crowds of locals and tourists in every plaza. Such a vibrant and exciting city!

The Cuban people were extremely friendly. Maybe a little TOO friendly for one member of our tour group!

And check out this little old “Abuela”. It’s pretty hard to see, but she’s holding a cigar in her hand. Resting in the square while puffing on a cigar! (It doesn’t get more Cuban than THAT!)

The Habana Calle Mercaderes Street Mural

Notice the street signs in Habana. They’re not on poles as we expect. They’re placed on the corners of the buildings. And Calle Mercaderes Street led us to a real treasure.

This gorgeous piece of art was created by artist Andres Carrillo. It is across the street from the beautiful home of the Marquise de Arcos. In 1844 her home was the center of art and culture in Havana. The mural is made up of 52 panels depicting 67 human figures who visited the art room in her home. You can read all about the mural by clicking right HERE.

Speaking of art, we found paintings for sale on nearly every street corner.

Their vibrant colors were a treat for our senses.

Habana Green Spaces Galore

Flowers and fountains and green space were welcome spots as we walked in the heat of the Cuban sun.

This tiny plant had even managed to take root and live in the stone wall of an old church. That tiny plant reminded me of the determination and  “guts” of the Cuban people. So many have risked their lives to try to reach the American dream they can only imagine. Even though many Cuban people live in extreme poverty they remain proud of who they are and what they have managed to achieve. It was an eye opening cultural experience for us, and one we won’t ever forget. We would go back in a heartbeat!

A glimpse of the interiors of some homes showed the lucky Cubans who seem to be living very well.

We also got a glimpse of how many other Cubans live…and I won’t sugar coat their meager existence. But I’ll save those photos for another time.

This building housed a senior citizen center . 

President Obama is very popular with the Cuban people we met. There are still many reminders of his visit to Havana in 2016. Our current government has once again stopped nearly all American visits to Cuba. Those rules went into effect less than two weeks after we visited. I believe as of now the only Americans who can visit are those who have family living in Cuba. American tourism to the island is prohibited once again.

This popular Cuban poster says “Yes We Came”.

Habana – Cigars and Rum!

Our guide Nelson led us through the streets to a shop many tourists were anxious to visit. After all, no trip to Cuba would be complete without a chance to buy some world famous Cuban cigars and their rum!

We crowded into the tiny dark store to make our purchases. Most folks in our group shelled out LOTS more pesos than we did. Can you believe some of these cigars cost $75 U.S. dollars each…or even more! WOW! Talk about watching your money go up in smoke! No thank you!

We haven’t sampled our rum yet, but I’m guessing it will make some pretty awesome drinks. (I think these bottles of some of their best rum were only $7 each!)

We headed back outside and continued our walking tour. That’s when I noticed many young people wearing school uniforms. School was out for the day.

Education is very important to the Cuban people, and it is free for all. (Even medical school is paid for by the government.)

I peeked in a window to photograph these young people. They were in a class to learn how to work in the hospitality industry.

I would LOVE to know how they get their white shirts so darn white!!!

As we neared the end of our walking tour we marveled at more of the amazing buildings.

We passed what Nelson called a “grocery store.” It was pretty sad.

Definitely not much food on the shelves to pick from. Our government-paid guide assured us that they have no shortages of food or supplies. But one of our fellow passengers had a private talk with a Cuban resident who disagreed. The resident said each family is rationed ONE ROLL of toilet paper PER FAMILY. PER MONTH!  Cuba is definitely a country of haves and have nots.

At the end of our long walk we boarded a modern, air conditioned motor coach to take us to a local market where we could purchase souvenirs. That bus ride took us past some very rundown areas of the city, so stay tuned for those photos. And don’t forget those amazing vintage American cars. You’ll think you’ve been transported back to the 1950’s!

Yes, the best way to see Old Habana is on two feet. And we enjoyed every minute of it!