Poppy travels: Havana, Cuba

Oh Havana. What a magical place. A musical city, with sea-scented air, singing and dancing in the streets, mojitos around every corner and an intoxicating pulse you can feel resonating in your bones as soon as you step off the plane.

The city is quite a different place to the High Life Havana, which Hemingway adored in the 30s and 40s, but instead, it is now a throbbing city, which dances to the beat of the chugging Chevrolets and appears to be glowing from inside a 1950s time capsule. I half expected Doc and Marti to appear in a blinding flash, in the DeLorean.

There is very little internet or wifi in Havana – only a few of the hotels have it and even then, it’s often broken. So the best thing I did (I really am so pleased I did it) was to download the Rough Guide to Cuba onto my iPhone before we arrived. (The Rough Guide to Havana may have been even better, but sadly I couldn’t find it available for download.) It included lots of interesting history, facts and excellent tips and tricks to help us navigate ourselves around the city.

Beautiful wide avenues, secret squares with hidden cafes and narrow cobbled streets were the set for our Havana adventure, and the faded and jaded crumbling buildings just added to the beauty and charm of the city, even though they are a stark reminder of the very sobering history and stories Havana has to tell.
Here are some things to pop on your to-do list:
Wander the streets – tick
People-watch – tick tick tick
Drink mojitos everywhere you go – tick (hic)
Smoke a cigar – tick (I KNOW!) (Well, not a whole one)
Some more specific things that I can now recommend are as follows:
1. Walk down Obispo – this is one of Havana’s most beautiful streets and leads directly to Plaza des Armas, where you’ll find book sellers, musicians, performers and various vendors selling ‘antiques’ (some are less than authentic) – a real insight into life in Havana over the years.

2. Go to an amazing jazz bar, specifically La Zorra y El Cuervo. Doors open at 10pm, music starts at 11pm and it’s open until 3am… we saw some ridiculously outstanding music in this basement bar. Sadly, I can’t remember for the life of me, the name of the band that were playing (blame the mojitos) but I am assured that the music is always excellent. As is the price – $10 with two cocktails included. (Keep your eyes peeled for the entrance through a red London telephone box.)
3. Visit some ‘paladares’. There is quite a bit of free enterprise popping up around Cuba and this is made most obvious with paladares – family-run restaurants, which operate from within their own homes. Apartments, front gardens/yards, roof terraces and kitchens have all been transformed into dinky eateries. They vary hugely in price (40p for a huge lunch of fresh fish rice, beans and coffee, to up to £70 for super swanky Spanish fayre) so you can either do a bit of research first, or just wing it and see where you end up. We ate at a lovely place called Café Laurent, which came recommended in the Rough Guide:
“This airy penthouse papered with 1950s magazines and filled with white furniture is one of the best of havana’s new wave of restaurants. Eat out on the balcony and enjoy the stunning views over Vedado and the ocean”
How could we resist?!

Café Laurent – Calle M No. 257 e/ 19 y 21
5. Go to THIS BAR – La Bodeguita del Medio. Why? Because it is where the Mojito was made famous by Hemingway, who used to prop up the bar, the walls are caked in messages from visitors and pics of celebs, the food is yummy and the live music and atmosphere is wonderful. It is a bit of a touristy trap.. but not so much that it doesn’t feel authentic. The bar is ridiculously crowded and I loved it. Most importantly, it’s where I smoked my first cigar…
La Bodeguita del Medio – Empedrado e/ San Ignacio y Cuba

The world of tourism is still very new in Havana so they really aren’t geared up for Londoners turning up without a clue – you have to take the time to put in the effort; read books, ask folk who’ve been before, take notes and arm yourself with gold dust.
You will be rewarded magnificently.
 

p.s. I would also like to say that this post would not have been possible, without the most excellent and rapid affects of Boots own version of imodium at £2.19.  Thank you. 
p.p.s. To see the rest of my photos, pop over to my Facebook page here.