Havana Daydreaming (no more)
SummerSalt is gently berthed in Marina Hemingway in Havana, a historic old Marina, that shares much with the antique American cars, lovely but in need of some updating. Anita and I are glad to be here and looking forward to the arrival of family (Kevin, Nicole and Nate) tomorrow who are popping in for a quick visit.
Anita caught two more barracuda on the sail to Hemingway, so we decided to rename her 5 catches baracubas. So far SummerSalt has traveled 480 miles along the northern shore of Cuba without any mechanical, electrical, or plumbing issues; had to “McGyver” a few things along the way just to make the captain feel needed. “Otto” the autopilot steers way better than me, and is an invaluable crew member.
La Habana Vieja (old Havana) is everything you have heard and more, with buildings that remind us of aging movie stars, worn down over the years, but their immense beauty still shining through. It is a photographers dream and nightmare at the same time, wanting to shoot every building and alleyway. I am especially drawn to the magnificent architectural buildings with laundry drying on the balconies and sunny courtyards seen by stolen glimpses through open street doors. A visitor has to walk slowly to take in the flood of senses in this city; beautiful structures, holes in sidewalks, crush of people, smell of unfamiliar foods, and regular piles of trash. Make no mistake, Havana is a big city (3 million) with big city issues. No matter what street we wandered down, we never felt unsafe or threatened. Cubans are a kind and gentle people with a strong sense of family.
Our sunset stroll along the famous Malecon, a wide walkway, threaded between a 6 lane highway and the deep blue ocean, was a powerful lesson in Cuban life, full of people intertwined, singing and laughing, fishing, and just cooling down in the sea breeze at the end of a day.
Although the food here is very good, few come for the culinary experience. We ate dinner at a paladar, a small family owned restaurant, where Anthony Bourdain visited on his last trip to Cuba. The fish was excellent and only $8 USD each. When the family arrives tomorrow, the 2 carnivores will be outnumbered by three vegetarians, making for more interesting challenges to our already pitiful use of the Spanish language.
Steve and Anita
