A Day in Havana

Morning at Plaza del Armes

We walk through the Plaza Vieja to the waterfront where we get a good view of Havana’s Christo statue before heading to the Plaza del Armes.

We have a pretty good breakfast at a restaurant there called “Esto No Es Café” and exchange some money before heading out for more site seeing.

I give a little girl some pencil crayons and am immediately surrounded by people wanting gifts for their kids. I clear out my purse of gifts. Everyone is understanding when I run out.

Off to the Cemetery

We head to the Central Park in front of the Capitol building where we hire a classic car with driver and guide to go to the Colon Cemetery. The car ride around Havana is half the fun.

We learn more about how the government rations food to the people. Our guide also points out lots of sites on our way to the cemetery.

The best were all the stories about many of the graves inhabitants. This cemetery reminds me of the much larger Recoleta Cemetary that we saw in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Searching for Ernest Hemingway

After returning to the Central Park, we try to go to the Museum of the Revolution but it is closed.

We make our way to the Floridita bar which is where the daiquiri was created. So we each order a different flavor. The service is a bit crappy, despite a sign saying we are in the wifi zone we are told there is no wifi. Half the daiquiri flavors are not available and despite large bottles of water being on the menu, there are none available.

The bar is still decorated in its original 1950s style and there is a bronze statue of Ernest Hemingway in the corner because he used to go there almost every day.

We are all a little pooped, so we walk down Obispo Street, which is the closest I have seen to a shopping street and head back to our apartment for naps.

Something Poopy on the Move

Fully refreshed, we walk around the city more before heading to the same restaurant where we went for breakfast. What can I say, when you find a good restaurant in Cuba, you stick with it.

The restaurant is down an alley of white washed restaurants. Tables are set out on the street, little lights are twinkling and a band is playing at the end of the alley.

We have the same friendly waitress as in the morning. Her English is quite good. We order a round of beer to start as we wait for our meal.

We watch men in big rubber boots bring long sections of large flexible piping to the end of the narrow alley. They attach the pipes so that they run the whole length of the alley.

“I think they are about to flush out the poop”, Graham says. “It can’t be”, I think to myself.
It was.

As the loud noise of the pump sucking up the poo vibrates down the alley, a strong odor rises from the pipe. The waitress says “This is so embarrassing but it is Cuba”.

Diners at all the restaurants go inside and doors are shut.The meal is really enjoyable despite the incident.

After supper we wander the streets before heading back to the apartment for a game of cards