Hello from Cuba (13) - Exploring Downtown Havana

The last few days I have spent quite a bit of timeObispo, which has numerous expensive stores for
walking around downtown Havana - or Habana Vieja,tourists, you approach the really old historic part of
as they say around here. It is an extremelyHabana Vieja, places such as the Plaza de la Catedral
fascinating place and one of the most architecturally(where there was a mass for Pope John Paul II
consistent colonial city centres in the world.about a week ago), Plaza Vieja and, my favourite
A few days ago, my local friend Pedro and I went toplace: Plaza de Armas. This square dates back to the
explore the Capitolio, which is a beautiful building,early 1500s, and houses the centuries old former city
ironically very reminiscent of the Capitol inadministration office as well as several other Spanish
Washington. Built between 1926 and 1929 as thecolonial buildings that surround a beautiful park with a
former seat of the Cuban government, itsstatue of Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, the founder of
neoclassical exterior is complemented by anthe Cuban homeland.
absolutely astounding Roman interior with all sorts ofYesterday I also had a chance to explore a market
meetings rooms, a library, a souvenir shop and anthat is put up every Wednesday to Saturday just
Internet cafe. In the front entrance hall there is aoff the Malecon, near the Plaza de Armas, where
huge statue that greets you upon entering, truly anthey sell all sorts of trinkets and merchandise for
astounding building.tourists. I had a chance to pick up a few little
The park outside the Capitolio is one of my favouritesouvenirs for my husband and my colleagues and
places, despite the missing seats and backrests ofthen sat down at a little outdoor cafe where there
the benches. Yesterday I also had a chance to visitwas a young Cuban band playing traditional
the Partagas Tobacco Company, a cigar factory inold-fashioned Cuban music. The really interesting thing
existence since 1845. I took the $10 tour and wewas an organ that they were playing that must date
saw the tobacco rolling school where students learnback to the 1920s, accompanied by all sorts of
cigar production for 90 days. Later we movedCuban percussion. I really love Cuban music, but I
upstairs to the area where the real cigars are made.haven't yet had a chance to listen to it a lot. My
Workers have quotas of between 80 and 200 cigarsfriend and I wanted to go and visit the "Casa de la
a day (some of which miraculously find their way intoMusica" yesterday where they play live music at a
the black market...) and the workers sit at oldreasonable price, but for some reason it was closed,
wooden work stations and manually roll the tobacco,something not unusual around here.
while at other work stations the exterior leaf andI also had a chance to walk down to "Prado", a long
later the label and the boxes are added. I reallyavenue with a pedestrian walkway with trees on
wanted to see a tobacco factory since tobacco stillboth sides, and two lines of traffic on both sides of
remains a key industry in Cuba to this day.the pedestrian area, somewhat reminiscent of the
Along these lines, I had a chance to see residentialRamblas in Barcelona. Very close to the Prado is the
areas in Habana Vieja, where people live in extremelyMuseo de la Revolucion which used to be the palace
cramped conditions in crumbling houses, with theof the last Cuban dictator, Fulgencio Batista, prior to
occasional house that has already collapsed inthe Revolution. Fidel Castro's yacht, the
between others. Everybody's life unfolds in the"Granma"which he used to cross over from Mexico
street, you see children, couples, old people, dogswith his rebellious companions, is displayed in a
and cats at all hours of the day, people generally justglass-encased building just behind the palace-like
sit around and chat, and the children play streetMuseo de la Revolucion, and surrounded by various
versions of "la pelota", which is baseball, the nationaltanks and military vehicles dating back to
sport. This street life is something truly differentrevolutionary combat. The Revolution is definitely
from a nordic city like Toronto where there are onlypresent whereever you go.
a few areas where there is significant pedestrianI think I have seen most of the important sights of
traffic. And people generally don't sit around in frontthe city, excluding the Plaza de la Revolucion, which
of their houses or apartments to chat in the m iddlehouses the Comite Central and the political apparatus
of the night.of the Cuban government. I still have to make a little
I also had a chance to see Havana's train station, ofexcursion to that area and also take a photo or two
course absolutely packed with people, the port areaof the memorial of Che Guevara, who still appears to
and some rather derelict industrial areas withbe a very revered individual around here, often
crumbling buildings. The lack of money is apparentadmittedly more so than Fidel Castro.
everywhere.2 weeks is a pretty long time to spend in a city and
Beside the Capitolio is the Teatro Nacional, which isdue to the fact that I have completely immersed
just next to the famous Hotel Inglaterra and in frontmyself in the culture, I think I have a pretty good
is the Parque Central, where men of all ages getfeel for La Habana and I am slowly but surely
together to discuss news related to their nationalmentally getting ready to go home. It's been great,
sport. 2 days ago was the final of the playoffsbut I am also happy to get back home to see my
between Havana Campo (if I am correct) andhusband, my friends, to have my normal life back.
Santiago de Cuba, the second most important city inThere are only 2 and a half days left now for my
the country. Obviously a huge deal in this country,Cuban experiment and there are a few more places
and Havana ended up losing 2 to 1, but despite theto see, but I am also looking forward to coming back
loss a great opportunity for the locals to party.home to Toronto.
Walking down the famous pedestrian street Calle