Havana good time
Seemingly caught in a 1950s time warp, Havana is a fascinating mixture of communism and Caribbean. Pat Riddell spends a few days in Castro's shadow ...
"The government," said our new friend Alex, "takes everything." I wondered if that was entirely true as he helped himself to another beer on our bill. He soon returned the favour. Presenting us with our first Cuban cigar, Alex explained in broken English it was "just like Castro smokes" - I guess we'll overlook the fact he gave up smoking over 20 years ago.
His girlfriend Katia, now part of our entourage and also recipient of a beer, invited us to her impending 27th birthday party and, unprompted, Ernesto told us at length about his brother, a political exile in Manhattan, and his sister who was studying IT at Oxford. In some cities you really need to scratch the surface to find its heart - not so here. Having been in Havana just 24 hours, we soon realised it scratched its surface for you. It is impossible not to meet the locals, even more so when you're sat in a bar, and in two hours we had an idea about Cuban life that a guidebook can't give you (albeit for the price of a few beers).
The clichés about Havana are all true - the beautiful colonial architecture really is crumbling, there really are immaculate 1950s Chevrolets and Buicks prowling the streets, constant music and dancing meet your every turn and Cubans are welcoming, friendly people who are fiercely proud of their country.
Havana today is the result of three defining factors - more than 400 years of Spanish rule, the 1959 revolution and the subsequent US embargo. While the embargo continues to cripple the country's economy, it is a relic from the Cold War which ensures the city remains a testament to its past.
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Its centre, La Habana Vieja (Old Havana), has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with buildings dating back to the 16th century, when the city was an important hub for Spanish trading thanks to its vast harbour. It was a Spanish colony rich on sugar cane and affluent families built the mansions, parks and grand avenues which remain in La Habana Vieja, where a significant number of Habaneros live now. But without the resources to maintain buildings, their facades have been ravaged, resulting in the faded colours and crumbling walls visible today.Go with the flow
There is a place in Havana where all is peaceful and tranquil. A place where you can barely make out the non-stop salsa, Afro-Cuban jazz and Latin sounds that emanate from the city's thousands of professional musicians.
Look towards the harbour beyond Plaza de Armas, the oldest square in Havana and the site where the city is thought to have been founded in 1519. But of course, you will still have to sidestep the moustachioed chap wearing a sombrero with a guitar welded to his chest, who will attempt to serenade you for two minutes and expect a few dollars for his 'hard' work.
A better bet is to go with the flow. Forget about the sound of silence and head back into the centre down the main thoroughfare Obispo, where every shop, bar, restaurant, hotel and home blares out live and recorded music at any time of day or night. The narrow street is a perfect illustration of a Havana at odds with the globalisation taking over the rest of the world - there are no branded chains here, the Cuban flag is the only recognisable symbol and tourists and locals alike dodge the potholes.
Try as you might, it's impossible to avoid the ghost of Ernest Hemingway in Havana and the Hotel Ambos Mundos on Obispo is where the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist stayed on and off between 1928 and 1939 until he moved to a house in Finca Vigia, just outside Havana. Room 511 remains as it was during his tenancy, although if you've booked to stay, be assured the other rooms have since been refurbished.
Retracing Hemingway's steps down the street will lead you to his favourite bar El Floridita, dubbed 'the cradle of the daiquiri', an essential stop for any visitor. On the wall, above his favourite spot, there is the bronze bust inaugurated in 1954 for his Nobel Prize for Literature. The surroundings are luxurious and authentic - a daiquiri will cost you $6, two or three times more than in any other watering hole.
Hemingway's other spot was La Bodeguita del Medio, around the corner from Ambos Mundos. Equally famous for its mojitos, Cuba's national drink, it forgoes the plush decor of El Floridita in favour of scrawlings on the walls from its many visitors over the years. Any misapprehensions you had about Cuban food will be resolved here - ask nicely and the welcoming staff will bring out roast pork, fried pork, rice and black beans and black bean soup. Simple it may sound, but it's quite a revelation.
"You want cigars, my friend?" became a conspiratorial whisper in my ear - a mantra throughout our two weeks in Cuba. "Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta - good price," buzz the voices beyond earshot of officials. The most coveted smokes in the world are only 'prescribed' through official private enterprises, given the communist status of Cuba. Blackmarket cigars and fakes are widely peddled as their value to Westerners is well-known - a box of 25 that might cost over $200 back home could come in under a quarter of the price.
From Obispo, across Parque Central, the bustling hub of Old Havana, is the magnificent Capitalio building, modelled on the US Capital building in Washington DC. And behind the Capitalio you'll find the Partagas cigar factory, which - given the reputation of Cuban tobacco - is definitely a must, even for non-smokers.
After the revolution, private enterprise was nationalised, hence all the major brands are produced under the one roof - Romeo y Julieta, Cohiba and Montecristo. Despite producing 25,000 cigars a day, everything is still done by hand: following nine months' training, workers are expected to make up to 120 cigars a day, depending on size, using just a wooden board, metal knife and small guillotine. Walking through the factory, we viewed every process, from separating the tobacco leaves into sizes and rolling the cigars through to 'quality control' and the final process conditioning room.
The rolling process seems remarkably simple and yet there's clearly method and skill in selecting the correct leaves to distinguish each cigar's flavour, smell and burn. In Orwellian 1984-style, Granma, the official party newspaper, is read to the workers over a loudspeaker in the morning followed by a novel in the afternoon.Revolution revived
The real Granma, the yacht in which Castro and 81 others sailed from Mexico in 1956 to launch the revolution, is on display at a memorial accessible through the Museo de la Revolution, which occupies the Palacio Presidential, official residence of 21 Cuban presidents from 1920-65. The museum itself is largely revolutionary propaganda in Spanish, but is still well worth a visit for the background and history of one of the most enduring legacies of the 20th century.
How long that legacy will last is an enduring question. Before I left the UK many people insisted now is the time to visit Cuba and they are right. Cuba is changing by the day as the burgeoning tourism industry seems increasingly at conflict with the socialist regime - private sector vs public sector, free market vs state-controlled.
If - and it remains a big if - the US lifts its 41-year embargo, Cuba will see dramatic change. Close to Florida, it will be flooded with Americans and US businesses will move in. It won't become the Hollywood playground of the 1950s again, but it won't remain the secret it is today.
In the know
Up your street?
If you're after history, culture and something a little different, then Havana should be right up your street. However, you shouldn't need more than a few days here and it's not for those looking to relax or shop - the beach resort of Varadero is very much geared up to families and couples and is just over an hour's drive away. Alternatively, Santa Maria del Mar is just 20 minutes east and is probably the most beautiful beach in the area.
When should I go?
The best time to visit Cuba is between November and March, when the climate is at its best. The heat can be unbearable during July and August and the rainy season in September and October attracts the occasional hurricane.
Something extra
Santa Clara and Trinidad are both close enough to Havana to warrant a day-trip and most tour operators offer the chance to visit other parts of Cuba. Santa Clara is best known as Che's city - this is where the remains of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara lie and in a museum here you can see the jacket he wore in that photo. Trinidad is a fascinating and beautiful little city, almost unchanged since the 19th century - the centre is protected by UNESCO and the cobblestoned streets are lined with blue, pink and green buildings.
Value factor
While Cuba is not as cheap as some other Caribbean destinations, it is still good value against UK prices. Imported goods obviously attract a higher premium, but Cuban produce is remarkably cheap - cigars and rum for example. While tourists will generally pay a tourist rate in dollars, eating out should cost no more than around $10 per person, including drinks.
Essentials
Currency: Cuban peso. Exchange rate: £1 = CUP1.58. Tourists, however, will use the US dollar (£1 = $1.52) for almost everything. You should be warned that credit cards issued through US banks will not be accepted, so it's wise to check with your issuer.
Time: GMT - 5. International dial code: 00 53.
Stay healthy
Cuba has one of the best healthcare systems in the world, although as a foreigner you will be expected to pay, so make sure you are insured. The main problem you will likely come across is mosquitoes, so take repellent; the good news is they're not malarial.
Red tape
British visitors require a visa costing £15 from the Cuban Consulate. There is a $20 departure tax from Cuban airports.
Getting there & around
The only scheduled flights from the UK are with Air Jamaica and Cubana from London, but charter flights operate from Gatwick and Manchester. The direct flight time from London is around 10 hours. Air France and Iberia offer scheduled flights via Paris and Madrid respectively. Taxis are the best way of getting around Havana, especially if you jump in one of the many classic cars available - make sure it's metered or you agree a price, though.
Top tips
* Paladares (private restaurants) are one of the few signs of free trade and offer the chance for visitors to mix with Cubans in their homes.
* Hang around Parques Central and you'll get the opportunity to be driven in a classic American car. Hire a driver for the day or just use instead of a taxi.
* Tourist police stand on most street corners in Havana should you be in need of help.
* Beware of blackmarket cigars. Cuban cigars are sealed in a box with a banknote-style label at the front and a smaller Habanos label in the corner.
* Be sure to read Graham Greene's Our Man in Havana or Hemingway's The Old Man and The Sea.
* Mojitos, Daiquiris, Ron Collins - all Cuban cocktails consist of rum, so you better learn to love the spirit.
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