Walking around Havana was a fascinating experience, not just because it hasn't changed much since 1960, but also because of the of influences of the communist system on everyday life. For example, it occurred to us that neither of our careers (marketing and investments) exist in any form here. These are two growing industries worldwide, and neither career path is an option for young people in Cuba. Even China, which is still politically a communist society, has evolved to a largely free market economy. In one way, it's unfortunate that the people in Cuba can't benefit from these opportunities. However as a visitor, it was refreshing to experience a society free of chain restaurants, hotels, stores, in-your-face ads, etc. In many respects, life is much simpler here and people really seem to enjoy the company of one another. You'll find some of the friendliest people in the world in Cuba, even if you are an American:)
One afternoon, Pepe from Casa de Ana y Pepe offered to show us around the old city of Havana. On another day, my cousin Tere and her family brought us around the neighborhood to see many of the notable areas of Vedado and Miramar. When we weren't with family, we also spent some time on our own in Havana, exploring the old city, walking along the Malecon (Havana's sea wall) and wandering through the streets of Vedado. Much of the city has been frozen in time since the 1950's, so it's a fascinating place to simply wander around. Here's a photo recap of many of the things we saw. This is the athletics area of the university which has clearly been abandoned. I imagine at one point this pool hosted swim meets. A common theme we saw around Havana was pools and fountains without water. We suspect the fountains and pools remain waterless due to the electrical requirements and associated cost of operating pumping and filtration equipment. An old fashioned pharmacy named Taquechel. In the old days, the chemists used to keep medicines and herbs in the porcelain jars in the glass cabinets. They would mix them in the back lab and send them off to their customers. Today it's still a pharmacy - but the things that are actually for sale are on the lower cabinets. The jars are just for show. Colon Cemetery in Vedado. With 500+ elaborate mausoleums, it is one of the great historical cemeteries of the world. It is said to be the second most important cemetery in Latin America after La Recoleta in Buenos Aires. Unfortunately, we only saw the cemetery from outside the gate as the guards tried to charge us to enter (even though I have family buried here). Final Thoughts
Walking around Havana was a fascinating experience, not just because it hasn't changed much since 1960, but also because of the of influences of the communist system on everyday life. For example, it occurred to us that neither of our careers (marketing and investments) exist in any form here. These are two growing industries worldwide, and neither career path is an option for young people in Cuba. Even China, which is still politically a communist society, has evolved to a largely free market economy. In one way, it's unfortunate that the people in Cuba can't benefit from these opportunities. However as a visitor, it was refreshing to experience a society free of chain restaurants, hotels, stores, in-your-face ads, etc. In many respects, life is much simpler here and people really seem to enjoy the company of one another. You'll find some of the friendliest people in the world in Cuba, even if you are an American:)
1 Comment
ILIRJAN MEHMETAJ
4/3/2014 05:06:42 pm
Very beautifull. Thank You Havana. I love you.
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AuthorEva has been traveling for 15+ years, including an 8 month journey around the world. Archives
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