Hola Amigos!
We're back. And what a fabulous time we had! Wandering through the streets of Havana reminded me a little of some areas in Rome. The streets are cobble-stoned in Old Havana, and inside open doorways we often found small workshops, art markets, or food vendors patiently awaiting business.
In addition to marveling at the architecture and the narrow streets, we saw a baseball game, found a geocache, visited a cigar factory, ate in some paledars (small in-home restaurants licensed by the government for up to 12 seats), and generally soaked in the flavour of the city.
At the cigar factory I discovered the best job in the world; that of 'the reader'... Beginning with the newspaper in the morning, and novels or other interesting works in the afternoon, his job is to ensure intellectual stimulation in what would otherwise be the mundane task of rolling over 160 cigars each day.
Some locals complained about the economy, but far fewer asked for help than during my last visit to Gastown, where I was overwhelmed with constant (often rude) requests for money and cigarettes. We found murals of Che Guevara covering large cafe walls, highway billboards and banners during our travels... It seemed that most public artwork serves as a reminder of Cuba's revolutionary struggle. It was fascinating.
What I remember most are the interesting vignettes of life and custom that we stumbled upon ... the factory workers who should have been bartenders; the bartenders who should have been factory workers, the fella who asked Ed for his pants, the little boy's bewilderment when we gave him the baseball glove, the policeman who just 'hopped in' for a bit of a ride in our taxi, the diligent washroom attendants who also seem to be plumbers, the teeny tiny little old lady who shooed away the would-be purse snatcher at the stadium, and the toothless woman who wouldn't stop kissing me at the outdoor cafe...
It was a very special trip.
We're back. And what a fabulous time we had! Wandering through the streets of Havana reminded me a little of some areas in Rome. The streets are cobble-stoned in Old Havana, and inside open doorways we often found small workshops, art markets, or food vendors patiently awaiting business.
In addition to marveling at the architecture and the narrow streets, we saw a baseball game, found a geocache, visited a cigar factory, ate in some paledars (small in-home restaurants licensed by the government for up to 12 seats), and generally soaked in the flavour of the city.
At the cigar factory I discovered the best job in the world; that of 'the reader'... Beginning with the newspaper in the morning, and novels or other interesting works in the afternoon, his job is to ensure intellectual stimulation in what would otherwise be the mundane task of rolling over 160 cigars each day.
Some locals complained about the economy, but far fewer asked for help than during my last visit to Gastown, where I was overwhelmed with constant (often rude) requests for money and cigarettes. We found murals of Che Guevara covering large cafe walls, highway billboards and banners during our travels... It seemed that most public artwork serves as a reminder of Cuba's revolutionary struggle. It was fascinating.We traveled to Varadero for the last two days and enjoyed la playa publico where more locals and fewer tourists visit, and enjoyed a freshly caught and grilled fish, on the beach with our double mojitos and 7 year old rum.
What I remember most are the interesting vignettes of life and custom that we stumbled upon ... the factory workers who should have been bartenders; the bartenders who should have been factory workers, the fella who asked Ed for his pants, the little boy's bewilderment when we gave him the baseball glove, the policeman who just 'hopped in' for a bit of a ride in our taxi, the diligent washroom attendants who also seem to be plumbers, the teeny tiny little old lady who shooed away the would-be purse snatcher at the stadium, and the toothless woman who wouldn't stop kissing me at the outdoor cafe...It was a very special trip.
posted by Deborah at 12:38 PM
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