Woke up at 5:50 a.m. to go on “dawn patrol.” Beth would be proud of me! Walked down to the waterfront for sunrise. The early morning light was beautiful. Then breakfast at the hotel. They had a huge spread from made-to-order eggs, pastries, fruit, meats, cheese, etc. Breakfast was definitely the best meal of the day.
After breakfast, we took a motor coach tour of Havana with several stops for photography. Our first stop was Plaza de Armas where we saw the fortress, Real Fuerza, and the Governor’s Palace. This is a site where vendors sell books and revolutionary memorabilia. They also have government employees dressed in Cuban costumes strolling around for photo opps. Of course you must tip them 1 C.U.C (@ $1).
Our next stop was the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, a historic luxury hotel on the Malecón facing the water. It opened in 1930, when Cuba was a prime travel destination for Americans, long before the embargo. My parents and grandparents vacationed there often in the mid 1950s. The hotel reminded me of the Vinoy.
Our next stop was Plaza de la Revolution (Revolution Square), with its impressive monument designed by Cuban architects as well as murals of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos. It is the site of many famous rallies and speeches of the Cuban Revolution.
After lunch, we had a group meeting for insights into the week’s schedule. Two English-speaking Cuban photographers from Fototeca, Chang and Eduardo, also introduced themselves and showed us their work. We divided into two groups (“mojito’s” and “crysatal’s,” local beer). Our group walked down Neptuno Street in Old Havana to experience life on the streets. And that we did! Part of the street was blocked off because a building had just collapsed killing some people inside. It’s not surprising that happened b/c the buildings are incredibly dilapidated and run-down. Apparently it’s not a rare occurrence either. We met Cubans from all walks of life. The people are unbelievably friendly and even invited us into their homes. Can you imagine walking down the street in this country and peeking your head inside someone’s home and having them invite you to come inside? No way! Unlike some other countries I’ve visited, people here are eager to have their picture taken.
Our stroll ended on the Malecón, a broad esplanade, roadway and seawall, which stretch for 8 km along the coast. There was lots of activity. Teenagers diving into the water, children playing, street musicians performing, people enjoying themselves or so it seemed. An older woman confided in Lisa that her life in Cuba was very hard. Others in our group said locals handed them notes saving “Please, help me get out of here.” Although the tour guide said life in Cuba is hunky-dory, we suspected otherwise. The sunset was spectacular. From sunrise to sunset, it was an action packed day.
Earlier in the day I bought an Internet card and it took me forever to download my email. Extremely slow! According to the tour guide, locals don’t even have Internet access in their homes. They must go to a business center to get online. We felt like our computers were being monitored and nothing was secure. Bottom line.... Internet in Cuba is very controlled!! So between the slowness and potential lack of privacy I decided to wait until I got home to post my blog.
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