Jan. 28 Day 2 Below left: Our hotel in "Old Havana", the Telegrafo, has a long history in the city including the first to have telephones in the rooms. Just across the street is the Iberostar Parque Central looking sort of Art Deco in the early morning light (note the absence of vehicles). The palms on the roof are over the top for style!
Above & Right: Here is the same intersection between the hotels a half-hour later - full of traffic including "Bici-taxis'" and the eye catching 'old' cars. We never really got used to seeing the fully functional fossil cars. There is a lot of work and ingenuity in keeping the oldies on the road.
Left: photos of the old "Old Plaza" and Right: the restored "Old Plaza." The Plaza is now a very pleasant place to get a coffee or to look at the sculptures. Cubans are doing what they can to restore the former glory of the city.
Old Havana has 4 plazas (squares) which can all be visited in a morning's walk.
Left: Adriana, our guide, tells us about one of the city's historical, if quirky, figures known as Caballero de Paris represented by a wonderfully executed bronze statue.
Right: We stopped by La Taberna Benny Moré on our walk to reserve a table for the evening's performance of the Buena Vista Social Club. The poster on the rear wall features Benny Moré a very famous part of Cuban music tradition.
RightL Speaking of traditions, Sandra, Angie and I try a Mojito - good - must be the type of mint. Rum is common in drinks but for Angie they were happy to make her's without alcohol.
Above: January 28th - the anniversary of the birth of Jose Marti - the leader of the struggle for Cuban independence from Spain. This statue to the revered hero of the Republic has floral tributes.
Havana and harbour from the fortress Castillo del Morro
Jan. 29 Day 3 We visit the lighthouse and fortress castle across the entrance to Havana harbour. Later we visit Hemmingway's house, the El Bosque forest park and wrap up the visit by dropping into the National Hotel for a beverage.