Exploring Havana!

We quickly learned that if you plan 8 things to do on a given day in Cuba, chances are you’ll get to only two or three of them. Part of this is due to the fact that everything takes time. Exchanging currency isn’t just a matter of walking in a casa de cambio or a bank. It means you spend time in line, waiting for your turn into the bank, which usually is just one or two people at a time. Finding your way around this labyrinthine city also takes time. We had a map, but until you get oriented to Havana, a map isn’t much use.

So our first night there, to get to a restaurant – El Biky – we used the GPS on my phone. I had bought a $40 passport for Cuba before leaving the U.S., which was supposed to entitle me to free texting and a certain amount of data. The next morning, I received a text message that I’d used $111 worth of data! When I called the international ATT, I was told the passport wasn’t active yet in Cuba, so the charge had been removed. Lesson 1: take nothing for granted in Cuba!

The GPS, though, got us to our restaurant and what a perfect intro it was to Cuba. It was mojito night – and Cuban cigar night for Rob, who looks like the Mad Hatter here!

The restaurant walls were decorated with old photographs like this one of an early theater.

It’s a pleasure to walk anywhere in this city. Everything is old and historic, although you also see semi-modern buses alongside a 1950s car.

We returned to our apartment – a casa particular – owned by Jose and his brother. They live downstairs, we had the entire second floor with four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a kitchen and a rooftop porch festooned with plants.

Jose offered to fix us breakfast the next morning – for 5 CUCs apiece – and what a feast it was!

Once Nick arrived at around 10 a.m., the eight of us set out to find a currency exchange place for Nick and to explore Havana and Havana Vieja – the old town.

Historic hotel – used to be the Hilton in pre-Castro days.

concert in old town – full orchestra

The bar Hemingway made famous

Rob chatting with Hemingway

We loved old Havana so much we returned on Sunday. But on Saturday, we drove to Vinales, an area three hours outside Havana. That’s the next post.