A lot of gears had to mesh before this trip to Cuba could come together. As Aussies, we have been able to enter Cuba as tourists for years, as long as we entered via some other country than the USA. But we wanted to take advantage of the comfort and organisation that Lindblad - National Geographic offered, so we had to comply with the particular requirements imposed by President Barack Obama's administration on American citizens.
Pina-colada kiosk offering enticements in the search for customers.
Until recently, Americans could not legally visit Cuba except under stringent conditions, but in 2015 Obama relaxed these conditions although they still have strict requirements. Basically, pure tourism is not allowed, but travel for educational and research purposes are permittable. Lindblad developed this itinerary to meet a people to people specification, under which we would be learning of Cuba's history and culture by meeting and interacting with locals.
Initially, there was a complication with our visa. While we could enter Cuba freely, only Americans could get visas to enter from the USA. The Cuban emabsssy in Canberra confirmed this. Lindblad were marketing this expedition to Australians, so we advised them of this Catch 22, and they and American Airways somehow negotiated a resolution with US and Cuban authorities. Now, travellers of all nationalities can get their visa (at Miami airport), with the one exception being people born in Cuba.
Powerful symbol of Havana, the lighthouse at the Castle of Tres Reyes del Morro.
This all went smoothly at Miami airport. We had been warned of lengthy delays on arrival at Havana on arrival after the 45 minute hop from Miami, but (to the surprise of Lindblad staff) this did not occur. Our passage through immigration and customs was speedy, professional and courteous, although it did take a while for our bags to come off the conveyor (and one passenger's bag got lost for a while). The 40 Lindblad expeditioners boarded two very new and quite luxurious tourist coaches, emblazoned with transtur livery. We were to learn that this state-owned company appears to be the dominant player in a bourgening tourist market in Cuba, and that a very large fleet of such Yutono buses in various sizes was part of a Chinese government assistance package.
We were part of the first season of Lindblad's expeditions to Cuba, and from the outset we could see how they go about fulfilling their people to people obligations. The first way they do so is by making extensive use of local guides, native Cubans. Our main guides were Lazaro, Edgar and Ariel. They spoke excellent English, and (we learned) they had fantastic knowledge of Cuba, its history, its culture, how it is governed, and all of its quirks. The local guides worked for state-owned HavanaTour, but it's obvious that Lindblad have gone to a lot of trouble to select the best available.
Edgar, our local guide, hamming it up in front of an old town water fountain.
First impressions as we drove into Havana from the airport? It's no surprise, but the place looks very poor. Roads are in poor conditions, buildings are various states of repair, with none looking very good at all. Traffic in Havana, a city of 2 million or a pretty small footprint, is remarkably light, despite the poor roads, a reflection of the poverty of the residents and their huge reliance on formal and informal means of public transport. All cars are ancient, but we knew that would be the case.
For such a densely populated city, Havana streets are busy with old cars, but remarkably free of congestion.
On approaches to the CBD, block after block of what were once glorious neoclassical European style buildings all seemed to be derelict, although many were evidently still occupied. We were told that this sad state of affairs followed the 1958-9 Revolution and was thought to be an unintended consequence of the 1960 Urban Reform Law which basically decreed "no eviction - no demolition". As part of the socialist revolution, residents of individual apartments suddenly became the property's owners, but apparently, nothing was done to create responsibility for building common areas, structurals, roofing etc - hence widespread great neglect is manifestly apparent.
The 1960 "no demolition" law leaves much 17thC architecture in deplorable condition.
But the "no eviction" law menas many are still occupied.
Our digs for 4 nights in Havana was the Hotel Nacional, a grand palace built in the glory days of 1930. The hotel is billed as 5 star, but it fell somewhat short of that stature in reality. But what it lacked in modern facilities and service standards, it easily made up for in style and grandeur and a spectacular location on the Malecón in the inner district of Vedado. To stay there is to move back 50+ years in time. A magnificent hotel which will surely undergo a massive internal refurbishment soon. The WiFi worked though!
Hotel Nacional de Cuba and the Gulf of Mexico from a lunchtime restaurant.
Afternoon mohitos at the Hotel Nacional, with spectacular view of the Castle and lighthouse at del Morro.
Proud display of the Cuban flag at the Nacional's main entrance, a classic taxi awaiting a passenger.
The hotel is proud of the long line of famous guests who have stayed there. Our welcome mohito was held in the Hall of Fame which features walls of photographs of important guests, including, for the Aussies, Errol Flynn.
At least 3 of those 4 Cuban-made grandfather clocks in the Nacional lobby are still working.
Havana is a very old city - it was first established in 1511 as one of 7 villages started by the Spanish, after Christopher Columbus "discovered" the island in 1492. Havana was to become the jewel in Spain's Central and South American empire.
Old Spanish Havana faces the new city across the entrance to the harbour.
The predominant architecture in the downtown areas of Havana is twofold. Spanish style fortifications dating up to the 1800's characterise the waterfront, very reminiscent of our recollection of Old San Juan in Puerto Rico. Fabulous buildings of baroque and neoclassical style abound in Havana Vieja, built around numerous sunny piazzas.
The moat at fort San Carlos de la Cabana.
Well preserved fort at Cojimar, Ernest Hemingway's favoured fishing village.
Drawbridge mechanism at fort San Carlos de la Cabana.
Lonely soul, desperate for shade, at Forteleza de San Carlos de la Cabana.
A guide described the architecture of Havana as like an onion. From the old core of fortifications, there's the layer of Spanish classicism, ringed by American inspired art deco and modern styles of the first half of the 20th Century, and then (post Revolution) the hideous geometrical concrete monstrosities of Soviet "breeze block" apartment blocks.
Undercover juliet balcony in Cathedral Square.
We look forward to seeing a lot more of Havana!
No comments:
Post a Comment