Got here safe and sound with trusty Virgin Atlantic and after making our way through the slightly intimidating security at the airport, experiencing 3 power cuts while waiting for our luggage (which arrived on 2 seperate conveyor belts - you know, just to keep it simple...) and realising that Cubans are anal about the state of the bank notes you are wanting to change to CUC$, we made our way to our hotel in centro habana.
the quiet motorway into town was lined with huge billboards carrying pro-socialism, pro-révolucion, and pro-Castro slogans yet whie there were hints of strict socialism in the manner in which officials carried out their jobs at the airport, Havana itself (on first impression anyways...) came across as being far more like any other major hispanic/caribbean city than like a communist capital.
Hotel Lido's location was brilliant - everything was within walking distance and while the rooms were pretty standard and the breakfast left a lot to be desired (mainly due to the dry white bread which, it turns out, is actually just the way bread is in cuba...), we actually got a pretty good deal. who can really argue with this kind of view from the roof terrace?
on day 1, we sought refuge from the terrential rain in Café Habana near Plaza Vieja and got our first taste of Cuban coffee - strong espresso (con leche? not here...). But caffeine is caffeine in any form and i was in no way longing for a starbucks despite the jetlag setting in (which even i have to admit says a lot)
before going to Cuba, my image of the country revolved around old-fashioned cars and colourful architecture. the day spent walking through Habana Vieja, visiting Plaza de la Cathédral, and Plaza Vieja definitely introduced those aspects of the Cuban experience to us.
By sunset, we hit Malécon, the avenue that runs along the waterfront and which led us to the 3rd area of Havana extensively covered in the Lonely Planet (damn, almost an entire post without mentioning the Lonely Planet...), Vedado. Here, we joined the crowds for La Noche de los Libros ('The Night of Books') before Paladar Nerei's unexciting pork dish became our expensive dining experience (something we made up for by having CUC$1 ham sandwiches for dinner at our hotel the following day). Afterwards, we took in some authentic Cuban cabaret at chic hang-out El Gato Tuerto.
It would be a complete lie to claim that Havana is short of sights worth visiting and thus day 3 was another sight-seeing day. Malécon got covered again (this time in daylight), followed by a rather impressive trek through Vedado which led us past Universidad de la Habana, Hotel Habana Libre (the 1959 revolutionaries' hang-out), and Plaza Tribuna Anti-Imperialista with significant military presence and anti-american billboards.
Note: doing this in july in 37 degree heat between noon and 3pm does not come recommended...We ended the day exploring Capitolio Nacional before deciding our budgets were already being stretched significantly and spending the evening in the hotel playing cards.
Final thoughts on la Habana: beautiful despite the run-down facade, atmospheric, intriguing, always always always bring shampoo and shower gel from home ( CUC$16.70!) and forget about finding temptations on the supermarket shelves - Cuba really is a rationing state...
