Captivating Cuba !

Travelling to Cuba was a dream come true ! Arriving in Havana is literally like stepping into a 1950’s time capsule. Very exciting!

Only one hick up, our 8-year-old Kidsetter had developed a temperature of 39C and we had 2 taxi drivers fighting over who was to drive us to our accommodation. (There was a double up of organising the transfer). It took an hour for the taxi drivers to sort out their argument mean while our Kidsetter had to sleep on the hot pavement. Clearly I’m thinking what have I done !

Thankfully, we arrived at our accommodation in no time and our Kidsetter was able to sleep off his fever.

Havana is a captivating and vibrant city. The city was founded by the Spanish in the 16^th century and due it’s strategic location served as a springboard for the Spanish conquest of the American, becoming a stopping point for treasure-laden Spanish galleons returning to Spain.

Cuba has attracted many a tourist for their love and pride of vintage American cars. The amount of yesteryear Cuban wheels in one location is impressive, albeit the diesel fumes are intense. Of course we had to have a ride !

Our accommodation was nearby to the infamous Nacional de Cuba Hotel. The hotel has had many important guests, including Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra, Ernest Hemingway and Errol Flynn. Our Kidsetter explored the bunkers that Fidel Castro used as his stronghold against dictator Fulgencio Batista back in 1959.

We visited the Nacional de Cuba Hotel for a night of caberet at the famous Salón Parisien. 90 minutes of high energy dancing, singing, storytelling and music. Oh, those costumes! It was fabulous ! Note, Kidsetters are not allowed to attend.

We had scheduled a great day of exploring Havana with Gabriel Sanchez Nuñez our Cuban driver. He is young, fun and very personable. Our Kidsetter remained glued to his side.

First stop was Old Havana which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The grandeur of the architecture, friendliness of the people, charm of old ways of conducting business and vibrant music playing make it impossible not to be intoxicated with the beauty of Old Havana.

We visited La Bodeguita del Medio. A small authentic bar established in 1942 that was especially popular among bohemian circles in Havana. Drawn by its unpretentious but atmospheric vibe, writers, musicians, and journalists flocked to the watering hole to meet up with friends and enjoy a mojito including the likes of Ernest Hemingway. The walls are decorated with signatures of famous customers and our Kidsetter enjoyed signing his name amongst them.

Walking along the streets of Havana our Kidsetter couldn’t help but be drawn into Cuba’s infectious enthusiasm for life.

We visited an old historic fire station with it’s façade designed as a monumental arch. Our Kidsetter loved reading about the collection of historic fire tenders.

It was time to drive to Plaza de la Revolución. The square is where many of Fidel Castro’s political rallies took place. The square is dominated by the Jose Marti Memorial which features a 109m tall tower. Many government buildings surround the square whose facades feature matching steel memorials of the two most important heroes of the Cuban Revolution: Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos.

Next, we drove to Jardin Botanico Nacional which is Havana’s 600-hectare botanical garden. This looked amazing however due to ever increasing popularity in Yoruba religion there were many sacrificed animals placed here so the stench was horrible ! Moving on….

Next Gabriel drove us to visit the Christ of Havana statue which is carved out of white Carrara marble and is 20 metres high. The sculpture is located in Casablanca and is 51 metres above sea level, allowing the locals to see it from many points of the city.

Next, we visited Fusterlandia. A Cuban artist JosÉ Fuster reclaimed his impoverished neighborhood as a dreamy folk-art kingdom. His art has been compared to that of Picasso. Fusterlandia is a sprawling, mosaic covered labyrinth of streets and bungalows. Our Kidsetter was in awe !

We attended the 35th international Jazz Festival held at Teatro Nacional de Cuba. David Liebman was among the very best from around the world performing in one of the greatest jazz cities of the world. Phenomenal !

We attended a contemporary ballet performance at the Danza Teastro Retazos called ‘Las lunas de Lorca’.

We also booked a guide to inform us of all the wonderful stories of the theatre. This theatre was home of the famous blind ballerina named Alicia Alonso. Our Kidsetter enjoyed hearing the grand stories of the past.

Next, we were eager to visit the Museum of the Revolution. The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt conducted by Fidel Castro’s revolutionary 26th of July Movement and its allies against the military dictatorship of Cuban President Fulgencio Batista. The revolution began in July 1953, and continued until the rebels finally ousted Batista on 31 December 1958, replacing his government with a revolutionary socialist state. 26 July 1953 is celebrated in Cuba as the Day of the Revolution. A fascinating insight into the Cuban people’s history.

To finish our Cuban stay on a high we had saved the best view in Old Havana for last. The Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana is equipped with a fantastic rooftop bar called El Surtidor Pool Terrace and Bar with amazing views of ancient and classic Old Havana.