Havana Cuba - Habana Vieja

People-watching is a must in Havana - from the street life to the parks to the outdoor cafes, watch the locals chat, make music, and go about their lives. Also, soak up the beautful architecture that, while often forced into decay due to the financial hard times of the nation, still reflect the rich heritage of the people and their city.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking.

This hotel is amazing.

Only one block from Plaza Vieja, about 2 blocks from Plaza San Francisco, and about 3 blocks from Plaza de Armas, the location is great. No cars on the streets in Habana Vieja, the pedestrian-filled streets are great for people-watching and quiet late at night.

A mere five guest rooms above a "tavern-like" restaurant, the staff and bartenders will all know who you are. The rooms are very large with heavy wood furniture, double-high ceilings, and private baths. If you get one of the streetside rooms, you will have a balcony overlooking the street.

Inside is an open courtyard. Downstairs at the bar and restaurant, each night there is live music and Flamenco dancing. I found this a great way to experience Cuban nightlife without having to leave the convenience of my hotel. Both locals and tourists were in the place enjoying the festivities. And the place quiets down (no more music/dancing) around 11:00-11:30 pm, so you can get a good night's sleep.

Rooms have a TV (with cable), air conditioning, and a stocked fridge. Nevertheless, you will NOT feel like you are in an "Americanized" hotel - this definitely is Cuban.

The hotel includes breakfast, which will be served by a pleasant bartender, but only if you let it be known that you are looking for food - otherwise they'll assume you're getting it elsewhere.

This is a small patio restaurant tucked in a nook of Habana Vieja 1/2 block from Plaza San Francisco. The menu has only about 5 things on it - and nothing exciting (sausage, chicken, frankfurters). I recommend the chicken - it is much like what Habaneros would eat (and who wants to eat hot dogs in Cuba anyway)? It's a peaceful setting with average service, but they don't care how long you sit at your table (great for journal writing). But, the best part? Drink, entree, AND tip came to $2.50. Now THAT makes it worth it!

A tourist destination, known for its famous guests. The menu is big, and you'll find somehting you like - though some are more traditional Cuban dishes than others. Live musicians to entertain while there, and you MUST sign the walls!!! Get a mojito while there!

Carnaval time ... means streets flooded with music, drink, and food booths, as well as some craft and CD stands. Very crowded, and it is mostly Habaneros there (not tourists). But it is a lot of fun.

The museo at the Memorial Jose Marti, which is across the plaza from the ironwork mural of Che, is not very exciting - a lot of reading and looking at photographs. If you will be in the area - which I do recommend, since the Che mural is a "must-see" - plan on going up the monument for panoramic views, but only if you are a museum lover and/or history lover is the museum itself worthwhile.

I signed up for a trip to the Tropicana show through a tourist agency that picked me up at my hotel and took me there. There were a total of three of us signed up for the trip, so it was nice to have people to sit with, since we were all travelling alone.

I signed up for the more expensive package, which included a full dinner as well as a bottle of Havana Club Rum. There are different price packages, depending on what "extras" you want. If you just go for the show (no food, etc.) it is obviously cheaper, though still expensive by Cuban standards.

That being said, you can certainly see good dancing for cheaper prices at places other than the Tropicana. But, you might just get home and think "Man, I wish I had gone there just to say I went..." I think it was worthwhile.

It's an open-air venue with a full stage and Vegas-style performances, ranging from salsa to tribal dancing, Cirque du Soleil type acrobatics, and ballroom dancing. Very elaborate costumes, and the dancers enter the aisles and are close enough to touch.

You are supposed to pay to take your camera in there, but frankly, if you don't point out that you have a camera, you won't get stopped. The few bucks that it costs to fess up, though, makes a difference to the Cubans, but it's your call.

You can't go to Havana without visiting the Museo del Ron! This is great. You can sign up for a guided tour (in your language) and go through a replica distillery. There are scale models of the process of making rum, replica rooms and machines, etc. The guide I had was excellent and made it very very interesting. After the tour, you go to a bar and get free samples! Also there is a great little gift shop where you can get rum, glassware, shirts, etc. at fair prices.

Havana is potentially the greatest place you will ever visit. A word of advice though - it is NOT for all travellers. If you like to vacation in the lap of luxury, this is not a trip for you. If you like to explore places, cultures, etc. this IS the place for you. You will simultaneously be saddened by the state of disrepair in Cuba, and overwhelmed by its real beauty and genuine realness. You will see the irony of the conditions resulting from the US Embargo - the poverty coupled with the beautiful lack of McDonalds and American influence.

Some pointers:
ARRIVAL: Upon arrival at the airport, keep two things in mind. 1. Customs will take forever if you fly directly from America, which I did since I was travelling on a visa. And, 2. taxi drivers will try to rip you off. A cab fare to the airport is about $15 from Habana Vieja. They will offer you rides to your hotel for $25 anticipating that you won't know any better. I didn't. I consider it a mere lesson learned, but if you know ahead of time, you will be able to get a fair price.

LANGUAGE: If you don't know Spanish, do yourself the favor of learning the basics (please, excuse me, hello, thank you, etc.) Most Habaneros know some English, and those who work in tourism (hotels, travel agents, cabbies, etc.) can speak rather fluently. But, pay them the respect of at least trying to speak their tongue.

WANDERING AROUND: Head to southern Habana Vieja. It's not touristy, rather poor, but you will get a REAL sense of Cuban life. Also, take a ferry to Casablanca (ferry dock is approximately across the street from the Museo del Ron). Wander up the hilly street to the Christ Statue, taking pictures along the way and admiring the view.

TOURS: You can explore much of Havana on your own with a decent guidebook. But, for day trips, etc. I highly recommend a guided tour as opposed to car rental, etc. Many tourist offices are in Habana and even Habana Vieja and there you can sign up for a vast variety of tours, at a range of prices, dates, and times. They are offered in many languages so you can learn about your destination from a Cuban tour guide who is fluent in your native language.
One thing you MUST be aware of though - a tour will say they are going to pick you up at a certain time, but that NEVER was accurate for me. I would wait in hotel lobbies for up to an hour, fearing that my plans were being ruined! The tour buses always came, and only my nerves were shot and I had to collect myself. It's part of the Caribbean culture to not fret about time (easy going) and they do have potentially a dozen other hotels to stop at along the way and can't be too precise as to when they'll get to you. Don’t let it stress you out too much!

EMAIL: There are email spots around Habana, but the easiest spot that I found was in the lobby of Ambos Mundos. Buy an access card from the front desk.

LIFESTYLE: ABSORB CUBA! Simplicity rules. No keeping up with the Joneses, because nobody has a whole lot and what they do have often came from the government. But, as you observe their struggle to get by, you just may realize how materialistic American (and European) life is. Take that realization and hold onto it!

DEPARTURE: Assuming you've read even the slightest bit about Cuban travel, you should already know that there is a $25 departure tax. But, keep that in mind and don't get down to your last pennies before boarding that plane home!