Sort of Legal

In mid-March, my dad and I took a four-night trip to Havana, Cuba.  The city and our experience cannot be described in words alone.  Havana is a lot of things.  It is….

…Cuban Music in the Streets (1)

There’s a reason photographers and musicians alike swoon over Havana and this photo is it.  For spare change, these talented musicians in the Habana Vieja (“Old Havana”) area played Cuban favorites like Compay Segundo’s La Negra Tomasa.

…Old Cars (2)

Old cars are ubiquitous in Havana, Cuba.  I expected to see them but the pervasiveness and variety of colors of these retro vehicles was staggering. We found this purple car and unintentionally coordinating pedestrian were found in the Centro area of Havana. 

Unlike the United States, where vintage cars tend to be owner by collectors and are often one of multiple vehicles, in Cuba, they are primary vehicles driven because that is all that is available.  Locals shared that it is also very difficult to get supplies to repair cars.

…Colorful Buildings (3)

In Havana, it is as though the buildings and cars are in competition to be the most visually stimulating.  The buildings in Havana were colorful and eclectic.  Some had just a pop of color on their door their shutters while others were completely painted in color.  This doorway from the Centro area is just one example of Havana’s colorful buildings.

….Love in a Cemetery (4) 

Just inside the entranceway to the historic and massive Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón(“Colon Cemetery”), a couple embraced without a care in the world about who was watching.                                                                                                            

…Fishing Along the Malecon (5) 

The Malecón is an 7 to 8km (4 to 5 mile) concrete promenade with a seawall that runs along the coast from the touristy Havana Vieja area to the quieter, more residential Vedado area where this photo was taken.  It’s a hot spot for watching people or sunset watching.  We got a little of both here as these fishermen got to work at sunset.

…Beautiful Architecture (6)

The architecture of Havana’s buildings is as diverse as their colors.  It ranges from art deco to Spanish Colonial to many others that I do not know the name of but recognize as distinct.

…In Need of Repair (7)

Some of Havana’s buildings have been beautifully restored, however, many remain in a state of disrepair in major need of TLC.   The government control and difficulty in getting supplies that makes it difficult to repair cars in Cuba likewise plagues individuals and businesses trying to renovate and construct buildings. 

Much (though certainly not all) of the construction we observed appeared to be more labor intensive and less technologically advanced than the industry norms in the United States.  For example, we saw multiple hand-made pulley systems being used to raise items and saw workers doing things by hand that would typically call for the use of heavy equipment.

…Home to Churches (8) 

Cuba is a communist country that until a few years ago prevented religious individuals from joining the communist party.  Despite this, Havana is home to a healthy number of churches and the sprawling Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón had no shortage of religious ornaments like crosses on its gravesites.

We visited the well-known and heavily trafficked Catedral de la Habana (“Havana Cathedral”) but also stumbled across several lesser known churches, like this one smack in the middle of residential homes in the Vedado area, that were equally, if not more interesting

….Gourmet Food (9)

There are a lot of gourmet restaurants in Havana that rival the food and atmosphere that you would find in any major city.   My dad and I passed Al Carbon and on a whim decided to grab a late lunch there.  We had no wait and our food arrived swiftly. Turns out, this was lucky.  We learned from a honeymooning couple dining next to us that Al Carbon and many other nearby restaurants required reservations for dinner.  The flan is not pictured but is a small but rich treat worth the money. 

…(10) Local Food Stands with Friendly Faces

Local food and drink stands and restaurants can be found throughout Havana.  Some are obvious to passersby but others can be tougher to spot if you don’t know what you are looking for.  They pop up in driveways and homes during certain times, take residence on second stories with little or no signage, or can are tucked discretely between buildings. 

At this easily spotted stand, with friendly faces on both sides of the counter, we had Cuban coffee in a mug the size of a thimble that gave us the energy of a full-cup of Starbucks.  (For what equated to under $1USD total)

Like travel inspired photos?  You can buy prints of some of my favorites here.  Want to learn more about Cuba? Use one of these Lonely Planet guides, like my dad and I did.