Our last day started out with a big breakfast at our casa particular, complete with eggs, bread, fruits and juices. We didn’t order breakfast the first few days because it was too late for them to buy anything. In general, a day’s notice is necessary for owners to buy the food, as in Cuba food is still scarce and needs to be sourced – not that they are going hungry, but to buy certain things requires planning.
Now that we’ve already seen many of the major sights, we decided that this last full day would be a relaxing one in which we walk through some of our favorite places and perhaps discover new ones in between, along with a proper lunch at the right time. We also wanted to capture more street scenes in the process. So here are some of our favorite spots and things to do:
La Habana Vieja
Even though the streets may be potholed, and dead rats may appear here and there, this is still our favorite part of Havana. The history of the city and the beauty of the buildings are all here. Havana is really a walk back in time.
The Malecón
The clear waters of the promenade and its sunset are just amazing. Oh yes, and we had a lot of contact with the waves. Two evenings of sunsets along the promenade at different spots really isn’t enough.
Street Life
I wish I could have taken more street life photos; however, I also want to respect people going about their daily lives. This one you’ll really have to observe in person.
Doors, Doors and more Doors
See this photo and you’ll understand why. There is so much of this city to take in, and I know we’re just barely scratching the surface.
Sadly it’s time to go home. I had a really good chat with our hosts on this last evening, and really got to know them more. This was one of the things on my agenda as well, it’s not just about seeing the architecture and street life, it’s interacting with local people. They told me stories of their lives, including how the husband went to Angola to fight in the war, while we snacked on the Pocky sticks I brought. Even though I could only speak a few words in Spanish, gestures and facial expressions really transcend words. This is why I love traveling and talking to people, you’ll remember this for life.