Cuba > Getting to know Havana

The alarm was set for eight o’clock, but I’m already in the shower before it goes off. At breakfast, we meet up with the other travelers again. After finishing a roll and applying sunscreen to our arms, we head into Havana at nine o’clock. Abel leads us on a walking tour of the city. From the hotel, we walk toward the Malecón, the main boulevard along the sea. From there, we have a beautiful view over the bay and the Vedado district with its tall luxury hotels.

Cuba - Fishermen fishing with highrise hotels of Vedado along the Malecon in the background

As we walk toward the harbor, we can see the Castillo del Morro fort, one of Havana’s defensive structures. Abel explains the buildings, statues, and daily life in the city along the way. Through the charming streets of Havana, we reach the Plaza de Armas, or “Weapons Square.” In the past, this square was the seat of the Spanish rulers. They had the stone paving replaced with wooden blocks to reduce the noise of horse-drawn carts. Today, the square is filled with second-hand book stalls. At the Plaza de San Francisco, there is a short break to have a drink or simply admire the square—I choose the latter. A little further on, at a restaurant, we see a demonstration of sugarcane pressing, and the juice is used to prepare cocktails for us. After this break, we continue to the Plaza de la Catedral. Life in Havana’s streets is lively and colorful.

Cuba - The hotel in the Centro Habana neighborhood

We pass a group of stilt walkers performing for attention, hear music playing here and there, and see young girls dressed as brides, which is a tradition for their fifteenth birthday. For lunch, we have a simple sandwich. Back at the hotel, Abel discusses the program for tomorrow (cycling!), we buy a few bottles of water at a shop across the street, and in the afternoon, part of the group heads back into the city. On the terrace at the Plaza de la Catedral, we enjoy the music. One musician places his CDs on the table for sale but forgets to pick them up. We only notice this when a new band comes by for their tip, so we take the CDs with us. In the evening, we go to eat in Chinatown, a district full of restaurants. Each restaurant tries to attract our group. We finally choose a terrace where we can all sit together. Ordering takes a little effort, but Sarah arranges several different Chinese dishes in her best Spanish. Everything tastes excellent. Around 10:30 p.m., we return to the hotel. I update my diary and then go to bed.