Hemingway In Cuba

Visit the bars where Hemingway drank like the Bodeguita del Medio and Floridita in Old Havana. Look for the pictures of Hem in the back dining room of Bodeguita. Floridita charges double for drinks and is more of a tourist trap. Hotel Ambos Mundos just down the street from Floridita on Obispo, corner of Mercederes. Visit Hem's room (511) and see lots of photos of him on the lobby wall. Try to connect with some of the Hem scholars at the International Institute of Journalism. They could be very helpful in getting you to places and to people. The Finca Vigia, where Hemingway lived, still looks very authentic. Check to see if it is open now, as it has been closed for renovations. Here is where Hem wrote and lived with Martha Gellhorn and Mary Hemingway, his 3rd & 4th wives. You'll see his typewriter, desk, and Glenn Miller records, his shoes bent to the shape of his feet. The shoes rest in a rack alongside the window of his study.

Quick Tips:

More about Cuba: music abounds. Buena Vista Social Club is just one of many wonderful Cuban bands. The music is infectious. So are the rum drinks called Mojitos. They're a mash of mint, sugar, rum, and ice. Delicious. The Cubans are very nice. Many speak English. Havana is not depressing as some had reported. It's beautiful, old. Lots of restoration is taking place. There is general poverty but people are not starving. The market just to the north of the Old Havana is great. Bargain jovially. Lots of police presence in Havana but no one ever bothered us at all. Take snacks because they are hard to come by. Portions of food in restaurants are generally smaller than we're used to. Take some dry dog food for the strays. No one sells food for dogs in most Third World settings.

Best Way To Get Around:

Most of our transportation was provided. I did take a taxi out to Marina Hemingway, which was a waste. There's nothing to see there. Try to agree on a price for a certain period of time. Buses are crowded. Consider renting a car to get to Finca Vigia (about 7 miles from Havana in the suburb of San Francisco de Paula).

This is supposed to be the grandest hotel in Havana. The rooms were nice. The hot water takes about 5 minutes to reach your room after you turn it on. Get a room overlooking the Malecon, the ocean and boardwalk that run through Havana. The bar along the terrace in back of the hotel is open 24 hrs a day. You can get food here, including relatively inexpensive sandwiches. The hotel has not been updated in some ways. You''ll see the old mail slot for messages. The main lobby has wonderful chandeliers, comfy chairs, and old clocks. The swimming pool is a delight. Ava Gardner, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Weismuller (Tarzan) all swam in the pool.

Walk the Malecon...a boardwalk that runs all the way through Havana. Start in Old Havana, downtown, and follow the sea to the Hotel Nacional. You'll pass the Revolution Square where organized demonstrations (always supporting the government, of course) are held and you will experience the major past time of Cubanos who linger along the sea wall talking, kissing, visiting. The path is flat. The sea comes crashing in along the wall. On a strong day you could get wet. When you see the Hotel Nacional, a huge yellow structure on top of the hill, visit for refreshments on the patio bar. You can order food, observe the peacocks strolling on the grounds, or people-watch. Lots of business is conducted here.

Visit the fishing village of Cojimar, 6 miles east of Havana. It's a very small place. La Terazza bar & restaurant is the only place in town. Hemingway's favorite table was the one in the left corner by the window.

At Terazza you can meet the famous Cuban photographer Raul Corrales who took pictures of Hemingway on his boat, Pilar. A poet has set up a typewriter under a portrait of Hem and pounds out a poem about you depending on how you inspire him. Ask to meet the town historian, a 70 year old gentleman named Oscar who is very knowledgeable about the place. Look for the bust of Hemingway made from scraps of bronze poor fishermen took from the boats so there could be honor paid to Hemingway. Also, inquire whether Gregorio Fuentes, now 103 years old, is able to receive you. His grandson now charges for the privilege, but times are tough in Cuba and it's worth it. Fuentes was Hem's captain and dear friend. He is a gracious and lovely old man.