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Especial del dia…pollo con queso en trigo.
As I sat in the sanwicheria, eating my chicken and cheese sandwich, I contemplated how to tackle parts of the city which I had not seen that day or on my previous day’s ventures.
Should I make my way to the waterside area bordering Avenue del Puerto for its many museums and churches, venture out to the Malecon’s architectural wonders and take in the fresh sea air or head south to the Almacenes San Jose Artisans’ Market to seek out some exclusive treasures?
Finally deciding to head north, I made my way along the narrow, dusty streets stopping to capture the captivating architecture and scenes of daily life on my camera. What fascinated me most, however, were the small markets and the carnicerias…not for what they offered or for their appearances, but how locals were required to stand outside in long lines to purchase products. I was a bit confused with the markets, especially, as people stood with their noses pressed against the windows while shopkeepers unlocked the door and allowed one person inside at irregular intervals. After speaking with my host, I learned that purchases are regulated by the government and it is sometimes difficult for locals to obtain necessities. Thankfully, drinks (beer, water and soda) and food were provided by my host and charged to my account, so I never had to figure out how to gain admission into these exchanges.
Continuing on, I decided to conquer the northern part of the city, starting with the Museum of the Revolution. After paying my admission and checking my backpack in the baggage room, I made my through the former Presidential Palace, which dates back to the initiation of its construction in 1913. The awe-inspiring building was decorated by Tiffany’s of New York, contains a jaw-dropping double staircase and many exquisite rooms including the Salón de los Espejos (Hall of Mirrors), which resembles the room in the Palace of Versailles, the Salón Dorado, used for banquets and decorated in Louis XVI style, the Despacho Presidencial, the President’s office where Fidel Castro was sworn in in 1959 and the chapel with its Tiffany chandelier.
Though I was originally unaware of Cuba’s history, especially during the revolutionary period, the displays, though mostly captioned in Spanish, contain much documentation and photographic evidence of Batista’s overthrow and a somewhat skewed view of Castro’s seizure of power. There is a large array of artifacts, clothing (including blood-stained and bullet riddled uniforms), letters, documents, weapons and newspapers. If you look carefully or have a guide point it out to you, you can spy the bullet holes in the walls, near the staircase, from the students’ attempt at overthrowing the government in 1957.
In the rear of the building you can find the Granma, the vessel that brought Castro, Guevara and eighty-two others to Cuba in 1956 with the purpose of overthrowing the regime of Fulgencio Batista. Due to preservation purposes, be warned, the ship is partly obscured by the surrounding glass and continuously guarded. There are other vehicles associated with the revolution surrounding the pavilion, including planes, rockets and an old postal van that was used as a getaway car during the 1957 attack. In the courtyard and throughout the museum, there were many art pieces by Kamyl Bullaudy Rodriguez.
In addition to seeing many other tourists within the museum, I was a bit taken aback to find many locals as well. I later learned, however, the museum was designed primarily to help Cubans understand their own history.
Exiting the museum, I stopped to take a look at the fragment of the former city wall and the SAU-100 tank used by Castro during the 1961 Bay of Pigs battle. Just beyond these landmarks, I made my way through the Plaza Trece de Marzo, passing the statue of patriot José Marti on horseback, a gift from U.S. donors through a fund initiated by the Bronx Museum of the Arts. The original bronze statue of Marti on horseback, by equine sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington (from which this was modeled) can be seen in New York’s Central Park.
Walking a ways on the Paseo de Marti, again, I was in awe of the architectural gems. Although some were a shadow of their former selves, you could see the artistry that still prevails. This must have been a beautiful place to walk in its heyday and today is still a nice place to stroll with its colorfully, tiled walkways, large shade trees and dedicated effigies.
Crossing the traffic circle near the Spanish embassy, I walked up to the monument that we had passed earlier in the day during my tour…that of General Maximo Gomez, a commander in the wars for independence. The statue is well maintained and frequented by youngsters who used the wide open area to skate.
As the breeze from the Bay of Havana beckoned me toward the water, I found myself at the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta, one of the four historic forts that defended Port Havana. Built more than 400 years ago, San Salvador de la Punta Castle is also one of the three fortresses that appear on the Cuban coat of arms.
Castle La Punta and Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro, the fort I had visited on my tour earlier during the day, were both built on either sides of the channel’s entry. For centuries, a chain barrier was stretched across the canal to prevent access into the port. If this did not deter marauders, pirates and anyone else with ill-intent, there were many large cannons pointed toward the water.
Today, the castle’s moat is no longer functional and the castle no longer serves in its original capacity. Renovated in 2002, to restore it to its original historic appearance, its interior houses the Castle Museum. There are several rooms that inform about the castle’s history and construction, displays of naval models, various objects from sunken Spanish fleets and information about underwater archeology and the slave trade. Intricate models of other castles in Spain, Italy and Cuba can be found on the lower level and many cannons and artillery can be found on the upper level. Don’t plan on asking for any assistance, the staff has other things to do during the mid-day hours! Can anyone say siesta?
After taking in the castle’s interior, make sure to walk around the promenade that surrounds the castle. Here, you can check out dedications to other castles, statues, cannons and fantastic views of the channel, Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro, La Cabana and the Malecón. Take a moment to cross back over the roadway to check out the Monument to the Eight Medical Students, a Greek-style temple, built in 1890, in memory of the students executed in the city in 1871, who were accused of violating the grave of a Spanish journalist and the Real Carcel de La Habana, the remains of a 19th century jail where political figures were incarcerated.
At the beginning of my afternoon, one of the options I considered was making my way along the waterway on the Avenue Del Puerto. I had already seen so much of Havana and there was still so much on my agenda, especially in this area. It was hard to believe I had already seen so many interesting places.
With the walkway bordering the channel nearby, I decided that that would be my general direction. Sunset was many hours away, leaving me with ample time to continue my explorations…what else would I find in this beautiful, old city?
To be continued…
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Museo de Revolucion
- Address: Calle Refugio 1 entre Monserrate y Zulueta, Havana 10600 Cuba
- Hours: 0930-1600, daily
- Admission: Adult Nationals, $8 CUC ($8 US), Under 12 years, free. Adults, International, $10 CUC ($10 US) Guided tours, $2 ($2 US), only available in Spanish. Ticket office open from 0930-1600.
Plaza 13 de Marzo and Statue of José Marti
- Address: Agramonte (y Genios), Havana, La Habana, Cuba
- Hours: 24 hours, daily
- Admission: free
Monument to General Maximo Gomez
- Address: Av. del Puerto Calle Desamparado/San Pedro, Havana Cuba
- Hours: 24 hours, daily
- Admission: free
Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta
- Address: Paseo de Marti Prado y Av. del Puerto, Havana Cuba
- Hours: 0900-1700, Wednesday to Sunday
- Admission: $6 CUC ($6 US)
Monument to the Eight Medical Students
- Address: 4JWR+4W, Havana, Cuba
- Hours: 24 hours, daily
- Admission: free