Day 14 – 17 : Havana

I had enjoyed the good life in Havana, rather than living it as a budget backpacker style.  Had also not done that many touristy stuff, for example the Castillo and the 9pm parade. 

The trip surrounded mostly around the wedding as I tagged along with Rodolfo and friends, and had I not done that, I would never had seen outside of Havana city and experience what Havana really has to offer.  It would also be very boring if I had just stayed within Havana city for all 4 days.

Had seen and experience :

Miramar, where there are at least 30 embassies located one after another on the main street, nicer and better dwellings, normal cars (rarer to see classic cars in the estate)

National Hotel, the oldest hotel in Havana, opened in 1930

Walk along Malecon

Riding in a classic car

Santa Maria beach, with clear water and soft white sand

Visited the bar “La Bodeguita del Medio” which created the original Mojito and made it popular.

Other sections of the old Havana city (Havana Vieja) and the restored squares, which I didn’t visit on the 1st day

Nice local restaurants, such as Palador Dona Eutimia, with really good food.  Those who said Cuban food is boring or lack taste are wrong and had not lived it the local way. 

There’s also a mix of very old and nice restored buildings, very often in close proximity with each other, and even more shocking that some of these really old run down building are inhabited.

 

I did however noticed that cost of things in Havana city is a lot more expensive – bottle of water cost CUC2 (about USD2), taxis even for a short distance could be about CUC10, and I felt that the locals were out to get the tourists’ money. 

Would had enjoyed Havana better if it didn’t felt so exploiting, and with lesser hustling.