nov
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Unseen Cuba by Marius Jovaisa Happy Birthday Havana What’s a “habanero”? my beautiful havana
Havana Guide
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El Morro Castle (foreground) and Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña dominate the promontory that overlooks downtown Havana.
editorial ‘Sensual, surreal, and seductive, Havana is simply sensational. To call the city “unique” is no cliché. Arguably Latin America’s best-preserved capital city, Havana is one of the oldest, grandest and most seductive cities in the Americas. It glories in historic import.’ Liudmila y Nelson -El viajeChristopher Baker, author of the Moon Guide to Cuba My beautiful Havana (La Habana) has a major birthday coming up. The half millennial celebration, which will take place in 2019, will mark the pinnacle and possibly finale to the career of Eusebio Leal, the historian of the city. It will mark the end of this restoration period and the beginning of a new chapter. This year is Birthday number 497. While that may not have the same ring to it as 500, it is significant nonetheless and a chance to take a step back to see just how quickly Havana is changing before our eyes as a mixture of sensitive state-sponsored renovation and a new wave of private entrepreneurship combine to put a spring back in the step of Cuba’s iconic capital city. The Villa de San Cristóbal de La Habana was founded on November 16, 1519, with the first mass being held under a ceiba tree on the former domain of the aboriginal chief Habaguanex. Today, El Templete bears witness to that event and on the night before, at 11pm, thousands of people walk three times round the ceiba tree and ask for a wish. This month’s issue is simply dedicated to and focused on My Beautiful Havana. What better way to start than with the simply stunning photography of Marius Jovaisa who has captured Havana magnificently from the air? His book Unseen Cuba is a must for anyone with a love for this island. In other articles in this month’s issue we explore Havana though its sights, smells, obsessions and idiosyncrasies, its people, their quirks and its colors. I may not ever really be a Habanero but this is my home and I love this city. Many Happy Returns. If you have the energy, what better way to see the City than running around it (twice) in Havana’s annual marathon, the Marabana, which will take place on November 15. This year promises to to be a major sporting event with the largest number of runners ever. November is packed with events for music lovers. The JoJazz festival for young jazz musicians takes place from November 19-22 and is an opportunity to see Cuba’s best up-and-coming talents. And if classical music is your thing, don’t miss the International Havana Contemporary Music Festival from November 14-22—a good opportunity to get up-to-date with the latest trends in contemporary concert music. Salsa lovers will have a field day, or rather a whole week, to get acquainted with salsa through classes, concerts and competitions in Baila en Cuba, taking place November 22-27. The Patria Grande Festival (November 13-18), a meeting of Latin American rock musicians, will be held in Havana, Pinar del Río, Sancti Spíritus & Villa Clara. Don’t miss the opening concert at the Tribuna Antiimperialista with the performances of all participating bands. Abrazos! The LaHabana.com Team
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Elegant buildings along Paseo de Martí in the heart of Havana bear testament to the Cuban capital’s colonial past.
november 2015 my beautiful havana
Havana Listings
Havana Guide
Unseen Cuba p7 November 16, 1519: Havana’s birth p22 El Malecón: Havana’s Outdoor Lounge p24 Havana and the smell of its foods p25 Havana Dressed in Green p27 Havana’s Art Deco highlights p30 Havana’s Quinta Avenida p34 It’s not Havana without the Industriales baseball team p36 The Maqueta de la Habana – Mini me p39 Photogenic Havana p42 The Man-on-the-Street in Havana answers: What’s a “habanero? p44 How many Havanas make up Havana? p47 Run, Charlie, Run p51 Almendrones Routes by La Habana p53 Visual Arts p54 — Photography p57 — Dance p58 — Music p59 — Theatre p67 — For Kids p68 Features - Restaurants - Bars & Clubs - Live Music Hotels - Private Accommodation p72
The majestic mystique of Havana, the paradisiacal shores of Varadero, the untamed beauty of Ciénaga de Zapata, the timeless landscapes of Viñales… the western third of the island of Cuba, comprised by the provinces of Pinar del Río, Artemisa, Havana, Mayabeque, Matanzas and Isla de la Juventud, is as diverse as it is enchanting. Seen from above, the landscapes of this memorable slice of Cuba can be enjoyed in all their splendor. Discover the unseen magnificence of occidental Cuba, from the marshlands of southern Matanzas to Cabo San Antonio, the island’s westernmost point.
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Completed in 1929 and the seat of the Cuban government until 1959, El Capitolio was Havana’s tallest building until the 1950’s.
Thanks to its rich, centuries-old history, Havana is a treasure trove of architectural styles that run the gamut from colonial, Baroque and Neoclassical to Art Deco.
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Considered the “Key to the New World” by the Spanish, Havana remains to this day the largest city in the Caribbean.
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Foreword by the Author Cuba is a country of extraordinary beauty and breathtaking landscapes; however, due to its unique history and exceptionally restricted airspace, no photographer had ever been granted access to photograph the island from the air... until now.
“... Our love longs for Cuban breezes Cuba is your heart, Cuba is my sky, Cuba, in your book may my word be written.” Jose Martí
My passion for aerial photography has spanned more than ten years and has led me to some of the most scenic destinations in the world. Flying and shooting from the air is a tremendous adventure for me, but also a privileged opportunity to discover and share sights and perspectives that most people never get to see. I have flown over every continent in helicopters, large and small aircraft, gliders, hot air balloons, and practically any other craft that can get airborne. And my journeys have led to the creation of aerial photography books of my home country of Lithuania as well as Belize and Mexico. It was during one of these expeditions that I discovered that no such collection of aerial photographs existed about Cuba, and I decided to create one. The book you are holding is the culmination of nearly five years of securing the needed permits, negotiating permissions, and traversing the island on numerous trips. I can proudly say that I am the first photographer to be allowed to fly over and take pictures of Cuba. Even the Cubans I met and worked with on this project could not believe that someone would be able to succeed and produce a book of aerial photography about their homeland! This complex work was like an ultramarathon with almost countless hurdles and obstacles.
I achieved it only with the help of new acquaintances, reliable old friends, respected colleagues and my loving family. Even my children helped me create this book while traveling with me in Cuba. It took many trips, months of waiting, an undulating series of over-enthusiastic moments and hopeless disappointments, and endless expense (both financial and emotional), but today I am thrilled to have succeeded in photographing this beautiful island from the air and publishing this labor of love. I could even write a separate book about the process of realizing this unique work, but that is another project, for another day. In the meantime, I’ve summarized my experiences in a chapter entitled, “The Making of this Book.” A great many people have contributed to Unseen Cuba and have become my friends for life. While in Cuba, I experienced numerous challenges and surprises during what would become one of the most creative and transformative periods of my life. The process of creating this book has been the longest by far of any project I have undertaken. I first touched down in Cuba in March 2010, and I captured my last photo in June 2014. I hope that my journeys to this country, which I admired so much from the sky, will help you discover and appreciate its extraordinary beauty, its incredible diversity and its unique place in the world. Let me introduce to you Unseen Cuba, a look through the “eyes of the angels” at the timeless landscapes and cityscapes of a country unlike any other, photographed from the air for the very first time.
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La Habana 500 years
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November 16, 1519: Havana’s birth by Victoria Alcalá
The Templete is a small neo classical building constructed in the early 19th century to commemorate the first Mass and council held in the town of San Cristóbal de La Habana on November 16, 1519. Each year this event is celebrated by a series of commemorative events the most notable of which is the custom of walking three times around the ceiba tree that is planted at the entrance of the Templete. As Eusebio Leal has explained: “Someone asked me once to explain why we walk around the ceiba, as if poetry, which is the spice of life, could be explained.” The clock is ticking down to the 500th Anniversary on November 16, 2019. Havana, November 15, hundreds of people wait at the door of the former Palace of the Captains General, today Museum of the City, for a curious procession to begin. The motley crowd is composed of smiling youths and solemn elderly people, couples with their children and grandparents with their grandchildren, lovers and lonely hearts. Many are wearing their everyday clothes; others,
their Sunday best and even new clothes for the occasion. It’s 6 o’clock and the chimes of the bells from the Castillo de La Real Fuerza announce that the ceremony is about to start. Preceded by children from nearby schools who carry the silver maces that once belonged to the Council of Havana,
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and accompanied by a group of his collaborators, Eusebio leal Spengler, Historian of the City of Havana, exits the Palace of the Captains General. Someone cries: “Here comes Leal!” and the people who have been waiting hours for this moment quickly join the procession and walk across the Plaza de Armas to the Templete. Although Leal’s words are always received with pleasure, the crowd is always impatient. The Historian, who for many years has headed the procession, senses this and is brief. He reminds his listeners that Havana will be commemorating its half millennium in a few years and until then, Habaneros rejoice in the celebration of the founding of the town called San Cristóbal de La Habana.” On the custom of walking three times around the ceiba tree that is planted at the entrance of the Templete, Leal has said that “it is essential that we walk around the tree and, in that spiral, ask time to stretch out its hand…and know that the future can be only approached from the past.” At the mere mention of the ceiba, which recalls the tree that existed back in the 16th century and under whose shade the first Mass was held, a stir takes hold of the long line of people, sensing that the time is near for the procession round the tree to begin. The first person to walk to the ceiba is Leal himself, who walks three times round the tree throwing a coin on every turn. Then, the historian invites the public to follow suit and the ritual begins and continues all night and into the morning of the 16th.
Although according to tradition, waiting in line must be done in absolute silence and what you are going to ask the tree for should be kept a secret, it is almost impossible for a Cuban to keep quiet so long, and pretty soon you can hear absolute strangers telling each other their reasons for coming this night to Old Havana: cures for illnesses, happy endings to unrequited loves, prosperity for newly started businesses, the solution to lengthy immigration procedures, success in infertility treatments, good results in university entrance examinations, finding prince charming… Those with a more pragmatic approach to life simply ask what the Spaniards sum up as “health and wealth.” The details of the ritual have never been really established. No one can say for sure if you only ask for one wish or a different one with every turn; if you throw a coin every time you go round the tree or only one coin or several at the end. The two currencies in Cuba also pose unprecedented concerns. What will be most effective, an offering in moneda nacional or in convertible pesos? Others are suspicious about the destination of the money left under the tree or inserted in the tree trunk and the well-known answer is that it is used for social works in Old Havana. So, amidst, conversations, questions and suspicions, the hours go by and with the break of day, the line begins to grow with workers before they head off to their jobs in schools, hospitals, banks, stores, offices…They too wish to dedicate some time and make a wish at the ceiba of good fortune.
photos by Alex Mene
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El Malecón: Havana’s Outdoor Lounge by Victoria Alcalá
On a hot summer day, the Malecón will be packed with young lovers, bored housewives and kids. Kids being kids and there being a cool sea, over the wall you will see endless jumping, dipping, soaking. And if the right group are in town and you are feeling brave, you may see a teenager run barefoot across four lanes of traffic launching themselves 20 feet out to land in a shallow pool of water a further 20 feet below. I can’t look. Victoria Alcalá takes a brief look into the history of this iconic bit of pavement and sets it in context within Havana. Construction of the first stretch of the Malecón began on May 6 1901, with beautiful lampposts placed along the sea wall. However, the battering of huge waves during the following Cuban winter caused the original design to be replaced by another, this time with no attachments to the wall. The works were finally completed in 1959. The buildings facing the sea alongside the road, which cover three different city districts, are a colourful sample of the predominant trends of Havana’s architecture. The Malecón begins in Old Havana with the Castillo de la Real Fuerza—the city’s oldest fortress and one of the very oldest in the Americas. The sea front drive is then lined with 18th- and 19th-century stately homes, followed by a row of 20th-century buildings, with their unusual combination of styles and profusion of portals, columns and pilasters that loosely follow classical lines. On its last stretch, bold examples of 1950s modern architecture, such as the Riviera Hotel, emerge, before the road disappears into a tunnel leading to the Miramar district.
But beyond the architectural values of the buildings (many of which are showing the effects of years of neglect and the endless battering of wind and saltwater), its greatest charm lies in being somewhere to stroll or hang out on a stiflingly hot day. It is a place where casting a fishing line may be more important than actually catching a fish; where the breeze joins nostalgic old couples and young lovers. It is Havana’s outdoor lounge.
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Havana and the smell of its foods
photos by Y. del Monte
by Ricardo Alberto PÊrez There is a popular saying in Havana that there is a chef under every rock. In other words, there is an army of cooks at work preparing delicacies for families and friends. This is a city where food appears around every corner and both locals and viistors easily fall prey to the sin of gluttony. Havana is home to Cubans coming from all over the Island and they bring with them their particular styles of cooking. We should try to infiltrate their homes to find out what’s happening. There is a profusion of smells out there, a result of the way in which Cubans improvise in the kitchen.
many city dwellers come into direct contact with the street and with everyone moving around there and pedestrians tend to be close to what goes on in the interiors of the houses. Part of this exchange deals with home-cooking, and, especially, when the pedestrian happens to be hungry, the effect is a very powerful one. It seems like the entire neighborhood is spontaneously affected, more so in the early evening hours. The smells of Creole black beans, onions and plantains frying, the heavenly fragrance of fried pork and egg and potato omelets are floating in the air. When
One detail that cannot be overlooked is that Cubans adore their herbs and spices and this is what contributes to the cornucopia of smells. Many spices are de rigueur for Cuban cooking: number one tends to be oregano and cumin, accompanied by garlic, onion and green pepper. Next in line come bay leaves, basil, nutmeg, black pepper and all the others. One by one, the smells of these various spices are a delight to the senses, but when they are combined in the pot, a magical concoction takes place. Because of the way the city of Havana is built, especially in the municipalities of Centro Habana and La Habana Vieja, inhabitants and passers-by share a very close spatial bond. To a large extent, the Cuban climate is responsible for the fact that
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thousands of Habaneros return home from work, that’s when they start to cook and the city breathes in the rich mixtures coming from their kitchens. The port area, close to the water and the ferries crossing the bay, shares these passions. We can start to understand from there how important eating is to the inhabitants of this city and the joy that is symbolized by sitting down at the dinner table. We have a very hands-on technique of preparing foods, seemingly unaffected by the rush-rush of modern times and the limitations placed on us by the economy. None of this has damaged the style and innovative capacity of Cubans when it comes to cooking. Present day foods have a close connection to the culinary history of our Island—daily life has been transforming our nutritional habits. The dire chapter of slavery, the different sorts of immigrants coming to Cuba over the centuries, and the Cubans going to other parts of the world and bringing back something they have learned abroad, have all had a profound influence on what we eat and what we like to eat. In some cases, that talent we have of living on the streets begins to break down the edges of a certain sense of the private, forcing us to participate more actively in social life. For example, some of our “underground chefs” are quite famous, even among the foreigners among us, for their tamales or other special dishes. What used to be a mere reference attained through the sense of smell in the urban context is now a much more specific manner of sharing and reaching the human palate. Havana allows that wonderful “ajiaco” or stew that defines us in many regards to become manifest. So, add a bit of spice to its beauty and partake of the smells and tastes that are part of Cuban culture.
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photos by Y. Monte
Havana Dressed in Green by Ricardo Alberto Pérez I have always preferred and admired cities that protect and encourage their “green assets,” or in other words, their botanical diversity. The quality of our lives would not be the same without it. Call them forests, gardens, farms or parks, those areas are important for the metabolism of societies that respect their citizens and contribute to their leisure time and spiritual balance.
Whenever I talk to people my own age in the capital, we share childhood experiences that took place during a time when efforts were being made to promote projects to develop those forestry reserves. We were lucky enough to witness the inauguration of those natural complexes that
Fortunately we Cubans are lucky to have a capital city today that well illustrates such ideas. Every one of its municipalities has a remarkable number of parks and squares with abundant tree and shrub growth. Habana Vieja, Vedado, Diez de Octubre and Playa are among the best municipalities for this and it is an interesting phenomenon speaking volumes about the urban richness San Cristobal de La Habana possesses. An interesting fact is that the parks and plazas of all these municipalities have features that differentiate them noticeably from each other and at the same time play a part in personalizing and enriching the dynamics of the municipalities. When we talk about the verdant lungs of our Caribbean Paradise we have to stress the leading role that is played by Havana’s large green nuclei: the Cuban National Botanical Gardens, the Parque etropolitano (also known as El Bosque de La Habana, or Forest of Havana), La Quinta de los Molinos, Monte Barreto and Lenin Park.
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The National Botanical Garden has taken on some important social functions such as the essential role of providing guidance for Cubans about eating habits within an ecological context. It also works on an educational level to replenish and look after Cuba’s forests.
fortunately are still around. Some of them can be found within the city limits and others are located on Havana’s outskirts. I was especially impressed when Lenin Park opened in 1972, some 25 kilometers south of the city. I was just short of my tenth birthday then and we were living in Arroyo Naranjo around two kilometers from the park. It was for that reason that a lot of my free time as a child, teenager and youth was spent there.
The Bosque de la Habana, especially the Almendares Park which is a part of it, is particularly close to the hearts of Havana residents since many of us received our first experiences in the amatory arts there. I still remember the robust trees that allow you to recline easily on their branches and the romantic boat rides on the Almendares River. The forest extends through four municipalities and besides the aforementioned park it also has three other popular recreational complexes: El Parque Forestal, Los Jardines de La Tropical and Los Jardines de La Polar.
It started out as an arid area full of marabú scrub. The soil had to be improved in order to transplant flora species brought in from different regions in Cuba until there were over 80,000 adult trees growing there. Some of the most significant species are yagruma, majagua, cedar, carolina, sago palm, mahogany, royal poinciana, bamboo and several palm trees, just to name a few. The vegetation took up approximately 670 hectares. Lenin Park has been designed to provide different recreational possibilities from pools, an amphitheater, an art gallery and a rodeo, to restaurants decorated by important modern Cuban artists and an amusement park. Not too far away from Lenin Park are the National Botanical Gardens. Opened in 1984, it is a real source of pride among Cubans as it synthesizes the research, hopes and dreams of a group of Cuban naturalists. Vegetation from the four corners of the planet reside alongside Cuban flora. Panama, Mexico, Nicaragua, Guyana and Jamaica contributed specimens of their flora for this site. A particularly noteworthy event occurred at the Botanical Gardens in 1989 when the Japanese Garden, a promenade garden style, was inaugurated. The garden is built around an ovalshaped artificial lake. Especially attractive are the waterfall, two meditation pavilions and a pavilion built on water. The Japanese landscape architect Yoshikuni Araki from Osaka designed it and it is considered to be a transcendental work.
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I should like to conclude our passage through Havana’s green areas by stopping at a place that is not just regarded as a purely natural setting: La Quinta de los Molinos, for many years the site of Havana’s Botanical Garden, has connections with history than run deep. In fact during the colonial era, there were two mills there, one used to mill tobacco and the other to produce snuff.
Moving westwards to Playa Municipality, on the corner of 7th and 70th streets, we find the ecological reserve known as Monte Barreto that one way or another has accompanied Havana through a series of mutations and enlargements.
At this location, from 1820, Cuban scientist Felipe Poey carried out important studies on plants and animals. The enclave also included the residence of Máximo Gómez, Major General of the Cuban Wars of Independence. When in 1936 the Mariposa, or white ginger lily, was declared Cuba’s National Flower, the ceremony took place at the Quinta. A butterfly reserve has been recently installed. With its accessible main entrance on Avenida de Carlos III, it is possible to visit and relax in this welcoming green environment right in the middle of the city.
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Havana’s Art Deco highlights
by Ricardo Alberto Pérez photos Y. del Monte
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Art deco made a deep impression on architects and public alike, perhaps because making use of more ‘noble’ elements from Egyptian art, in fashion thanks to recent archaeological discoveries, and some classical reminiscences which fell in with the neo-classicist and eclectic styles preferred by the rich criollos to exhibit their solidity and opulence, it ‘brought up to date’ and simplified ornamentation without reaching the aesthetic synthesis of modern art. Graphically displayed in Conrado Walter Massaguer’s suggestive drawings for the covers of Social, the famous magazine of the fashionable Cuban society of the times, and who as early as October 1925 made a photo story about the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes held in Paris four months back, a sort of ‘coming out’ for the style, art deco would contribute greatly to outline the appearance of Cuban cities, especially Havana starting in the 1930s.
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the emblematic Bacardí Building located at calle Monserrate esquina a San Juan de Dios, La Habana Vieja, which exhibits an exquisite work in majolica in its tower and upper floors, an abundant display in its interiors of marbles and granites from a great number of European countries, an accentuated use of colour, and meticulous carpentry work. Art deco would also reign in other buildings: hospitals, such as the Municipal Children’s Hospital, built in 1935 on Avenida de los Presidentes entre 27 y 29, at El Vedado, or the América Arias Maternity Hospital on the same avenue on the corner of Línea Street; theatres such as the América (Galiano entre Concordia y San Rafael, Centro Habana), whose decoration lavishly uses the style’s motifs, or the Fausto Theatre (Paseo del Prado esquina a Colón, La Habana Vieja), remodelled in 1938 and which boasts a pure art deco façade accentuated by its illumination system; cinemas such as the Duplex, the Arenal and the City Hall; apartment buildings such as the Rodríguez Vázquez (Galiano entre Neptuno y Concordia, Centro Habana), the Colonial (Reina entre Campanario y Lealtad, Centro Habana), more modestly conceived but with an interesting work in balconies and façade, or the Solimar (Soledad esquina a San Lázaro, Centro Habana), whose curved balconies reveal the presence of the Streamline movement; or commercial establishments (Ultra department store, La Moderna Poesía bookstore). The Monumental Modern trend is present in several buildings at the University of Havana, such as the School of Science, the School of Medicine and the Given a cold reception by Cuban architects and investors, art nouveau would not leave a significant imprint on the island’s architecture. Confined mainly to domestic buildings of the petite bourgeoisie and the middle class, with outstanding examples in stately homes such as Masía L’Ampurda, designed by Catalan architect Mario Rotllant in the suburban district of Víbora, and a few commercial buildings, it is hardly seen in public or religious buildings because its voluptuous flowing lines and stylized natural forms were considered foreign or perhaps irreverent. However, its intricate ornamentation would pave the way for geometrical art deco, which did make a deep impression on architects and public alike. Although its presence in private homes—an outstanding example is the exquisite interior decoration of the residence of Catalina Lasa and Juan Pedro Baró (1927) located at calle Paseo, No. 406 entre 17 y 19, El Vedado, with a harmonious deco integration in floors, furniture, lamps and decorative objects--can be considered discreet, it became quite evident in the first Cuban skyscrapers, such as the López Serrano Building, located at calle 13 esquina a L, El Vedado, with the typical volumetric play of the H-shaped ground plan and a pronounced verticality; or
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Library, all located on University Hill, and the School of Veterinary, built on the corner of Ayestarán and Carlos III, or Salvador Allende, avenue where two other examples of art deco stand: Biblioteca de la Sociedad Económica de Amigos del País and the National Masonic Temple. Perhaps the highest expression in Havana of the Monumental Modern is the Centro Cívico de Marianao designed by architect José Pérez Benitoa and built from 1940 to 1948, with a syringe-like obelisk surrounded by imposing buildings whose colonnade seem to reach toward the sky, such as the Maternidad Obrera Hospital, the Kindergarten Teacher’s Training College, the Home Economics School, the Residential Home for the Elderly and the Marianao Institute. During the 1950s, when other architectural styles dominated the national taste, art deco buildings were still being built such as the 1951 Methodist Church and University Student Centre in El Vedado (calle K esquina a J), and the Great National Masonic Temple (Avenida Salvador Allende esquina a Belascoaín), whose construction ended in 1955 as a sort of reminder that art deco was set on staying alive--as if the hundreds of humble homes and buildings that for decades adopted its most basic decorative codes to ‘adorn’ without making it too expensive were not enough. From Massaguer’s sophisticated girls to the monumental buildings of Marianao’s Civic Centre, art deco covered a long stretch in Cuban culture and is still a distinguishing feature of the motley silhouette of its cities.
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Photo by Y. del Monte
Havana’s Quinta Avenida by Ricardo Alberto Pérez
Visitors to Havana are often stunned by the wide, palm-tree lined Quinta Avenida, or Fifth Avenue, after emerging from the narrow, winding streets of Old Havana. Coming out of the tunnel that connects Fifth Avenue with Calzada Street in Vedado, it feels like you have entered a completely different city. If the straight and level road complete with a grand pedestrian boulevard are not enough to settle the nerves after a trip through the backstreets of Vedado, then the mansions, fountain and clocktower should at least provide a welcome distraction. Then, there is the once famous Coney Island Amusement Park.
The avenue’s original name was the Avenida de Las Américas, or Avenue of the Americas, which explains why the fountain situated at its very entrance is called the Fountain of the Americas. A little farther west sits the clock tower whose four bells reproduce the sound of Big Ben in London. Both landmarks were built by Duncan.
Tourists acquainted with New York City often chuckle at the Coney Island Amusement Park before a confused look passes over their faces. Yes, it is not a coincidence. The well-known twentieth-century American architect John H. Duncan, who designed the Wolcottt Hotel and Grant’s Tomb in New York City worked alongside the Cuban architect Leonardo Morales, a graduate of Columbia University, in designing this thoroughfare. It is not by chance that Miramar, with its rectangular blocks of 100 x 200 meters, is reminiscent of Manhattan.
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Many legends abound about this splendid avenue, most of which are connected to the mansions that line the street and the people who once inhabited them. Make sure not to miss the manion on the corner of Fourteenth Street that was ironically nicknamed “The Shack” by its owner, President Ramon Grau San Martin. The “humble” abode contains nineteenth bathrooms, not counting the ones in the garages and pool of course. The mansion of the Countess of Buenavista on the corner of Sixth Street is also worthy of attention, This grand building, which won the 1929-1930 Facade Contest of the Rotary Club, is now a tenement house home to 23 different families. The most famous house is perhaps the Green House on the corner of Second Street. Somewhere in the great house, they claim, lays hidden a magnificent treasure. Today this mansion is a center for the promotion and study of modern architecture, so you will have to fake interest in architecture if you want to go in search of the treasure. Walking or driving down Quinta Avenida is a treat in itself. Not only is it one of the longest arteries in Havana, it is one of the loveliest. The central part of Quinta Avenida is a pedestrian walkway landscaped with bushes, flowers and trees. In the mornings, it is a place for jogging, running or working out, whether in groups or alone. In the afternoons, especially before nightfall, parents take their kids to the walkway where they can run, ride their bikes or skate. Whether you join the multitudes of joggers or the hordes of families in the early evening, Fifth Avenue is not to be missed.
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It’s not Havana without the Industriales baseball team by Ricardo Alberto Pérez This city has painters who won’t consider any other color than bright blue. It is the bright blue we all immediately associate with the capital’s baseball team, the Industriales. Writer Leonardo Padura has made the tongue-in-cheek comment that in life you can change your wife, your political party, even your country, but you can never change your baseball team. Of course he was referring to the Industriales. Becoming an Industriales fan is a little like falling head over heels in love—reason has nothing to do with it! You fall into a sort of trance where your nervous state is in a tizzy. I have to confess that this becomes fanaticism and then turns into addiction. Kicking the Industriales habit, or at least not caring about their games, could be as complicated as giving up drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes. For sure, this grand passion is worn with pride. We can see it in graphic form throughout the city: sheets hanging from walls emblazoned with the team name, stickers on car windows, on bici and Coco-taxis, and even on the ferries going between Regla and Casablanca. Banners fluttering in the Caribbean breeze, filling their fans with hope.
Havana is symbolized not only, for instance, by the statue of the Christ that overlooks the Bay, or the Hotel Nacional, or the Malecón, or the Morro— there is also the baseball team. It’s not only the Paseo del Prado lions which guard the city; there is also the team lion which delights the fans at the Latinoamericano Stadium, the home of the Industriales, its symbol and good luck amulet. This lion goes way back, before the triumph of the Revolution, when Havana’s professional ball club of the era had the lion as its mascot. Above all else, the Industriales team is a controversial phenomenon worthy of study by sociologists. They alone would be capable of unraveling love and hate with the same intensity. Most of our great Cuban ballplayers that have played on the Industriales’ rival teams confess that they have dreamed of wearing the blue uniform at some point in their careers. Whenever some of the team members leave to play in other leagues, including the MLB, many of the club fans continue to follow their careers. Orlando “el Duque” Hernandez once said that he
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used to wear his Industriales jersey under his New York Yankees uniform. Havana can never ignore whatever is cooking in the magical blue cauldron. As I mentioned, even its architecture gets painted from time to time by that strange tsunami that drags its fans along to cover surfaces with paint and symbols. On some of the roads into the city, the first things you can see are those symbols. The most widespread graffiti declares: INDUSTRIALES CAMPEÓN (Industriales – the Champs). Let’s talk a bit more about their home, the Latinoamericano Stadium which can hold 55,000 fans. At each game, the party takes place under the watchful eye of the Number One Fan: Armandito “el tintorero” a veritable Cuban popular legend. Nobody could compete with Armandito “el tintorero”’s enthusiasm. He never missed a game along with his dog, Pillo Chocolate and would lead the cheering from his bench by third base. The entertainment would never be complete at the stadium without his sayings in favor of the Industriales and against the rival team. After he died in 2004, a bronze statue was placed on his habitual seat so that he could remain permanently attached to his favorite baseball club.
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The Latinoamericano Stadium is the only one in Cuba that gathers fans coming from every region. Each person brings along their own particular passions and the atmosphere is always one of friendly competition, testimony to the fact that being a cosmopolitan city is one of Havana’s most significant features. You can see people in the stands sporting different team colors: green for Pinar del Rio, Santiago’s red-and-black and the orange of Villa Clara. They are all there together affirming that Havana is the great city it is. At the sporting events throughout the city, Industriales fans are distinguished for stating their opinions in an impassioned and unabashed manner. They broadcast steadfastness even if they
should be mistaken—there is never any room for doubt. The most visible and well-known sporting event is the one occurring daily in Old Havana’s Parque Central. Dozens of fans get together, day in and day out, to respectfully talk about baseball. Of course the main course at these occasions is Industriales. Among Havana’s seductive passions that persist on a daily basis, the one inspired by the blues involves thousands of persons. Radio announcers in the capital have a special phrase: “ruge león” (the lion is roaring). It is the concept that being an Industriales fan and a resident of Havana are essentially one and the same thing.
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By Juliet Barclay
The Maqueta de la Habana – Mini me
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There are few better ways to understand the geography of Havana than to see it all laid out in miniature form in the Maqueta de la Habana. It took me years to understand how the city fits together. A morning at the Maqueta and I would have saved myself lots of wild-goose chases! This is one of Havana’s best exhibits and really should be near the top of the list of things to see‌
Scale models are used all over the world in architecture, research and urban planning. They provide not only the appearance of cities in the past but also what our surroundings look like today or will look like in the future. They are useful tools for engineers and architects in developing cities. These miniature cities, however, are not only functional; they can become true works of art if they are built with great attention to detail to achieve the simulation of an actual dimension. The detail is such that the scale model of a city displays from the smallest or narrowest street to water tanks on rooftops. There are many scale models of cities the world over, like the ones in Moscow, Stockholm, Tokyo, London, Quebec City, New York and Shanghai, the latter two being the largest and second largest scale models in the globe, respectively, while our own scale model of Havana ranks third. It was built at a scale of 1:1000 and spans over 144 square meters (1,550 sq ft) which is equal to 144 sq km. It is
approximately 22 meters long and 10 meters wide and weighs six tons. A team of nine designers, model makers and architects led by Orlando Martorell worked for eleven years to build a detailed model of the Cuban capital mostly out of Habano cigar boxes, cardboard, sponge, plastic and sand. The careful study of each place, deft fingers, creativity and the perseverance of these specialists from the Group for the Integrated Development of Havana guided the patient work of reproducing a city inside a room that was especially designed for that purpose. The spacious room is surrounded by a ramp that allows an aerial or panoramic view of the scale model. The visitor can take a closer look at the city as a whole or locate a particular building or street thanks to binoculars that are placed on the ramp.
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For those who know the city, searching with the binoculars becomes a game or a bet to locate specific places or addresses, and no one escapes the temptation of finding their house in the midst of the intricate urban fabric. Those who visit the scale model for the first time discover the magical universe of its constructive mix: the tropicalized 18th-century Baroque reflected in the beautiful churches and mansions in the Historic Center; the 19th-century neoclassicism with outstanding examples in the area around the former city walls; the grand architectural movements of the 20th century; the omnipresent eclecticism scattered practically all around city; the beautiful and sensual art nouveau; the very popular art deco which can be seen both in magnificent constructions like the Bacardí Building and in modest homes; the modern movement, clearly expressed in the “skyscrapers” of the Vedado district and the sophisticated residences of Miramar; the eastward expansion that began in 1959; the splendid National Art School, and so much more. Summing it up, the
“the styleless style” of the metropolis that Alejo Carpentier called “the city of columns.” In order to give the visitor an idea of the constructive evolution of the city, the buildings are displayed through the use of different colors— brown for the colonial period, i.e. until 1898; ochre for the Republican period, from 1902 to 1959; ivory for the revolutionary period to the present day; and white for projects, sculptural monuments and cemeteries. The scale model of Havana is not only useful for further studying the urban projection of a city that never stops growing, but also as a tourist attraction. No wonder it is visited by so many people, both nationals and visitors from other countries. So, if you’re in town for the first time, it is strongly recommended that you stop by the Maqueta de La Habana, which is a good start to understand the dynamics of the Cuban capital, and surely, better than a map.
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Photogenic Havana by Ricardo Alberto Pérez If you are said to be photogenic, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a knockout. That term actually appears to cover some huge mystery that comes directly from the seductive power emanating from the magic of photography. I would dare say that it is a phenomenon reserved not only for human beings—it frequently also occurs with cities. In fact there are cities that historically have inflamed the passions of famous photographers and of thousands of other photographers who exercise the art of taking pictures in anonymity. There are many reasons these days that make certain urban areas more attractive for the camera’s lens than others. Havana has special features, valuable visual assets that have succeeded in augmenting its documentary and artistic appeal over the decades. This is a city that harbors a plethora of reasons to position it under the probing eye of a camera lens, attempting to freeze the present so that it can become inserted into the future. Not only the buildings and natural landscapes attract our
attention, there are other more subtle elements that endow Havana with its special air—the customs and comings-and-goings of its inhabitants and its political, economic and cultural past. In the year 1933, a young American named Walker Evans arrived in the city drawn by one of the most moving periods in the history of Cuba. He eventually became famous as an incredible photographer. Evans came here on an assignment for the leftist writer and reporter Carleton Beals who needed some shots to illustrate his book “The Crime of Cuba.” At that time, Cuba’s capital was caught in the throes of the bloody repression unleashed by the dictator Gerardo Machado as an answer to the brave revolutionary movement that threatened to put an end to his government. The era had its contradictions though. It was also a splendid cultural moment, with Cuban music, notably the son, taking over Havana nightlife. It is said that the photographer Evans became friends with Ernest Hemingway and for about three weeks they concocted “mythical Havana,” intense and fleeting.
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No doubt about it: that spirit of rebirth, no matter how great the obstacles and difficulties, is always present in the pictures that best represent Havana. One of the most concrete examples of this is the fact that many attempt to immortalize those veteran automobiles we have come to call almendrones, the best proof of the resiliency and inventiveness of Cubans. The obsession about chronicling our streets and buildings is alive and well. Some recent Cuban photographers have turned this into a genuine artistic statement. There is a tendency to zoom in on details and to explore the city on minimalist terms, such as in the work of Nelson & Liudmila, two artists who worked together to intuitively show us the city in one of their series called Las puertas [Doors], revealing a fine-tuned reflection on the memory of what these doors protect behind them. Some of our best photographers and artists have attacked the subject from different viewpoints. Alejandro González has specialized in the ties binding the urban setting with its inhabitants, often broaching the subject matter of nightlife seen from the edges, while Carlos Garaicoa’s photographic vision of his city proceeds along archeological even anthropological lines, leading us to profound reflections. Evans’ photos do not exaggerate; nor are they sad. They cleanly and objectively focus on the denunciations for which they were being used. Their value lies in the fact that while they were recording a true tragedy, they could also project the city’s face to the world and, more importantly, towards the modern times that were around the corner. These photos for the book zeroed in on the most intimate circumstances of a city, granting it a sort of halo of irrefutable mystery. The photogenic spirit of Havana has been aided and abetted by the abrupt yet complementary clash of two periods in the twentieth century: the so-called Republican Period from 1902 to 1958 and the Revolutionary Period from 1959 to the present. I think that the controversy reigning about Cuba hasn’t just been ideological. It has had a strong visual aspect that could permeate and enrich everything else. Sometimes the photos of Havana resuscitate a past that surprises us as being nostalgic. At other times they are more critical but they always contribute to reinventing the city of the present. Legendary photos captured the frenzy of the Revolution… and there are photos bearing witness to the city’s resistance which becomes the real hero of the images.
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The Man-on-the-Street in Havana answers: What’s a “habanero? by Ricardo Alberto Pérez Havana is being transformed. Many are enthusiastic and quite a few are skeptical, but the verdict is in: Havana is changing. Daily life in the city is becoming richer with all the new possibilities being offered by private initiatives and with the openings associated with the world of communications. We are being swamped with cafés, bars, privatelyowned restaurants and discos. Our Havana has always had an intense, varied and top-notch cultural life. But if we wanted to follow up an excellent concert, play or ballet performance there were never enough evening options around to let us prolong the experience. Nowadays, this has substantially improved: Havana residents and visitors alike can find places to hang out after-hours. In the midst of all these changes, we decided to go out and ask the man-on-the-street some questions on the topic. It wasn’t difficult to hear a broad range of opinions from passers-by. Anyone who has ever gone out to the different neighborhoods for the purpose of chatting with its denizens always ends up being surprised with some unexpected results. It often turns out that the answers are much more up-todate than we could imagine. It’s autumn, and the summer heat is still with us. People tend to seek a welcoming breeze in parks, under the leafy trees. Over there, a couple of med-
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students seemingly reviewing their schedule take advantage of the opportunity to continue their romance. As I interrupt them, I quickly discover that the young man speaking is from Havana and his girlfriend is from another province. It is often said that Havana residents are somewhat stuck-up but he is convinced that they are fantastic, friendly and polite. Right on the famous corner of G and 23rd Streets in El Vedado, we wait for the light to change as one almendrón (the old American cars serving as private collective taxis in the city) after another stops. Inside these vehicles it’s prime territory for people to chat and exchange opinions while they are on their way to various destinations. Passengers and drivers alike agree that “Habaneros” are the greatest; they are friendly, familiar, affectionate… in a few seconds the adjectives just keep on multiplying. When we come across persons who may have read a little more or spent their lives immersed in the humanities, things get more complicated. They suddenly remind us of Alejo Carpentier, recipient of the Cervantes Prize for Literature, who had plenty of opinions on Havana and its inhabitants. One lady starts to elaborate on the origin of the city’s name, saying correctly that it comes from the native peoples—the exact origin of Habana is the name of the native chieftain Habaguanex.
We are surprised to hear another passer-by take us back almost two centuries. A resident of Havana is something magnificent, very connected to the history of his country. For example, the newspaper bearing the name of “El Habanero” is considered to be the first Cuban revolutionary manifestation appearing in the press. It was founded by Felix Varela and printed between 1824 and 1826 in the US cities of Philadelphia and New York. Many citizens concur with the idea that we have to look after Havana. Even though the changes it is undergoing now are positive ones, they believe that a lot still must be done to not lose some of the city’s precious symbols. A city that is painted up and has its gardens in order, its streets and avenues clean, all of that reinforces its irrefutable charm of having the ancient live alongside the modern, something that could even be called “exotic.” Conversations become more heated when we pit a born-in-Havana resident against someone coming from another province to live in Havana. The “immigrant” starts to say that Habaneros think they know it all, that they are arrogant and independent-minded and that there is nobody like the people in their hometown. At that point the “capitalino” answers with the same argument: “So why don’t you go back to where you came from, if it’s so much better there?” That generally creates an awkward pause in the conversation.
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A woman from Havana tells us that the city for her is a one-of-a-kind cradle: when you are a child you need it and it protects you, and when you grow up it is still there to take you in and can even guide your steps. She also said something odd: Since she loves the city so much she would have wanted it to be full of the music that comes from the eastern part of Cuba, especially from Santiago de Cuba. And there we have another important trait of the residents of this city, their sincerity. There is always someone who says that no matter what a Habanero’s skin tone is, most of them are very connected to Afro-Cuban roots, particularly in music and religious beliefs. Different neighborhoods have been settled by groups of practitioners and over the years these beliefs have taken on a sense of continuity and they have been able to spread into different areas. When a resident of Havana leans over his or her balcony, they can be met by a variety of greetings from the neighboring balcony or even from one that is way down the street. A lively discussion can then be started on topics ranging from the current water situation to more complex issues in international politics.
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How many Havanas make up Havana? by Victoria AlcalĂĄ
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Over the years, Havana has been a changing capital. Of course it first started out as what we today call La Habana Vieja, Old Havana, with its imposing forts and government buildings, lordly mansions, churches and squares. But in the nineteenth century that quarter began to mix up all sorts of functions and became more popular, so whoever could do so moved elsewhere to gain back their sense of privacy. They drifted towards the splendid estates of El Cerro which very soon suffered a decline for exactly the same reasons which saw it grow: the invasion of the “masses”. Or maybe it was because the ancient area of the city walls became part of the urbanization process, occupied by luxurious small palaces. Nowadays, the Historical Center of Old Havana has once more taken on some of its ancient splendor thanks to the restoration program of the Office of the City Historian lead by Eusebio Leal. Not only is it a tourist magnet, it also constitutes one of the undeniable cultural centers of the city. Any one of its residents can become a spontaneous guide after having heard the Historian speak so many times. By the twentieth century, El Vedado was known as the chic part of town, preferred by the upper bourgeoisie for their residences surrounded by metal grillwork fences and gardens that isolated them from the roar of the traffic and the curiosity
of the “plebs.” This select piece of real estate gradually started to fill up with tall buildings, offices, the best cinemas, nightclubs, restaurants, and small theaters that stamped it with a modern cosmopolitan air that it still possesses. In the present day, it is the heart of Havana nightlife. Some of the upper class families once more took up their exodus, moving even further west to what is now Playa Municipality, following the coastline towards Miramar, Alturas de Miramar and the neighborhoods known as Atabey, Siboney and Cubanacán, all aboriginal names that were adopted after 1959, having nothing in common with the residential enclaves around the Country Club Park or the Biltmore. Most of these exclusive areas didn’t even have any bus service. As soon as all the private beach clubs were opened to the general public and with the building of the Art School (1960-1963), the Convention Center (1979) and some hotels in the 1990s, accompanied by new restaurants, Playa Municipality, which is joined to El Vedado by a tunnel and the famous Steel Bridge (Puente de Hierro), took on a more lively profile, but it still maintains a lot of the exclusivity it acquired at the start of its existence. As for Centro Habana, it became the business center for the entire city after the 1930s. Movie theaters like the Payret, the Rex-Duplex, the National Theater (today the Alicia Alonso Grand Theater of
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Regla, Casablanca and Guanabacoa, all on the far side of Havana Bay and the last of these with an interesting historical downtown area, are lovely places full of deep-rooted traditions. If you should be having a streak of bad luck, someone will always recommend a trip to Guanabacoa because it’s famous for babalawos. Many go to Regla to ask the “Black Virgin” for something, or to fulfill a promise and at Casablanca people go to admire the monumental statue of The Christ. Still further east are La Habana del Este and the Villa Panamericana: they prove that it is possible to plan popular neighborhoods without the sparseness and ugliness of their neighbor Alamar. All three are known as “dormitory” towns whose residents conduct most of their social and cultural lives on the other side of the tunnel but in the summer take advantage of the excellent beaches nearby, such as the most popular two, Santa María del Mar and Boca Ciega. The fishing village of Cojímar, which lies between Habana del Este and Villa Panamericana, basks in the memory of Hemingway; it is both a town and a beach and this seems to have molded the personalities of the people who live there, always ready to welcome the curious who are on the trail of Papa and The Old Man and the Sea without altering their daily routines. The municipality of Diez de Octubre, one of the most densely populated in Cuba (it is practically a city in itself with a population of well over 200,000) connects to downtown Havana by the avenue of the same name. This road used to be called Jesús del Monte and joined the city to the nearby rural Havana), a wide assortment of department stores such as El Encanto (the largest and most luxurious store, which was destroyed by a sabotage attack during the early years of the Revolution), Fin de Siglo, Flogar, La Época or La Filosofía. Shoe stores, jewelers, furniture and perfume shops…the variety was infinite, every kind of business imaginable. And there were dozens of stores in Chinatown, a must visit for anyone wanting to cook Chinese fried rice at home. People living in the outskirts often say: “I’m going to Havana” whenever they’re going downtown for any reason. Even if today the buildings are looking a bit run-down and nobody goes “window-shopping” anymore, Centro Habana still conserves that lively spirit of times gone by. The streets are always filled with people and refurbished Chinatown, even though you can no longer buy sausages, beans and other delicacies there, has dozens of Chinese restaurants that serve menus that have more to do with San Francisco than Beijing. Nevertheless, far off the usual tourist trail, we have “other Havanas.”
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areas. You can see amazing variety throughout this municipality. Luyanó has humble houses and rooming houses and is known to be rowdy, extroverted and often bellicose. The somewhat sleepy and laid-back Lawton and Santos Suárez have undergone a kind of renaissance in their old mansions thanks to a recent wave of real estate fever. The same has happened in La Víbora and even in tree-shaded Sevillano whose inhabitants are known for being rather private even though extremely friendly amongst themselves, sharing news, gossip and homemade desserts. The novelty of well-appointed private restaurants springing up has resulted in seeing families who are all dressed up and going out to celebrate some special occasion at places that offer menus a little more “sophisticated” than the usual pizza or “comida criollas.” There are places in Havana that haven’t been able to shake off their rural pasts: Santa María del Rosario, Santiago de las Vegas, Calabazar and El Calvario. They are very much like any typical provincial town with their large central park presided over by the church. Santa María del Rosario, for example, is even in the heritage category. The people living there are a little warier than “big city” folk. Some parts of Marianao also remind you of a past that was more rural than urban, but others are bubbling with unique popular spirit, religious beliefs, music, tastes and smells, much like what happens in El Cerro whose main road, under the inevitable patina of time, retains the ancient splendor of large estates surrounded by humbler buildings, narrow streets and spontaneous folk always ready to cheer on the Industriales baseball team in the neighboring Latinoamericano Stadium. A little further in the Casino Deportivo, modern homes, well-looked after gardens and generally deserted streets remind you more of
Nuevo Vedado than the bustle of El Cerro to which it officially belongs. And so those are the “Havanas,” different from each other and contrasting. Only those who are brave enough to penetrate the “hinterlands,” leaving behind the advertised tourism routes, can really get to know a city that can live and vibrate with the sea at its back.
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Run, Charlie, Run Marabana Marathon Havana, November 15, 2015 It is dark outside, 5:30am. Wishful thinking that I could simply sleep in and let the Havana marathon wait another year. I have, after, all been signed in various times over the years and never quite made it. Unfortunately, I have a pick-up arranged and the phone wakes me from my slumber to let me know that the car is waiting outside—around the corner, to be precise. We pick up a couple more people (Elena, Rob). I only ever see them drinking so how serious can this be after all? The start of the race (is a marathon really a race for a middle-aged plodder?) is at the Capitolio. It is an impressive building that gives some legitimacy to the typical Cuban casualness outside. Numbers are pinned onto shirts. The more enthusiastic push forward to get in the front of the pack. I am in no rush: my training schedule fell off a cliff some months ago, replaced by an acceleration of drinking and late nights. Even my associates are now looking professional, limbering up, stretching, rubbing oils and potions, drinking energy drinks. I guess that a pre-race cigarette would not be de rigueur. We are into the countdown: 10, 9, 8… and the race begins. As I say to my kids, ‘Hup 2, 3, 4’. It is a gentle start down the wide Prado Avenue (hints of Barcelona’s Prado but only the faintest hint) down onto the Malecón. There is sufficient space now to accelerate past people. We rush past a family
with two six-year-olds in tow, cruise past the man with one leg on crutches and then are locked into a bitter battle to get past some members of the female Cuban walking team. Onwards along the gorgeous ocean boulevard. There is a loud cheer for an Italian’s call of nature into the sea and another one for the same Cuban walking team— “Oye, linda, ¿qué vas a hacer más tarde?”—from the Cuban lads. Stepping up the pace now, the fading colonial facades rush by. Well, crawl by would be a better description. The first water break, cheap plastic bags of water and squash, the 5 km mark. So far, so good. Bystanders start asking for the squash bags. This must be the only marathon in the world where the runners give refreshments to the spectators. The sun is starting to come up; it is going to be a long morning. At the end of the Malecón, we go around the 1830 Restaurant and I see my running partner, Michaela, accelerate away into the blue yonder. We tack back into the city and up one of the few (and pretty moderate) climbs up 10th Street heading to the Charles Chaplin cinema. Around me are a motley collection of runners. It is difficult not to be depressed with my own running abilities when I am running alongside people who seem more like they are running for a bus than finely honed athletes. It is Cuba, so perhaps I should not be too surprised that running gear is a little basic.
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At the 10 km mark, a flush of satisfaction rushes through me as many people wrap up their participation with a 20-meter sprint. I am in for the long haul(ish). We are running down 26th Avenue. This is a much less attractive part of the city. Vedado into Nuevo Vedado past the seriously downbeat city zoo. Little old ladies shout out for agua/jugo. Bags go flying in their direction—I don’t look. I am still annoyed that the guy with holes in his shoes who keeps stopping, always manages to get back ahead of me. He looks like he might be a rubbish collector on a regular round. Down to the Ciudad Deportiva (a sports complex with a large indoor stadium which hosts volleyball, basketball, boxing events, etc.) situated alongside a busy roundabout. The traffic has not really been stopped as much as temporarily paused as we go by. It makes me feel guilty as the line of cars waits for us to struggle across. And around the associated sports fields of the sports complex. This now feels like the back of beyond. A distinct lack of glamour. I am cheered up though as I pass a friend who justifies his crawl by a requirement to keep his girlfriend company who is walking now. The 15 km mark goes by; I wonder how far it is that we really have to go. I am committed to a half marathon, which means there can’t be so much more left. I still haven’t collapsed and that must be a good sign although my shirt has come off much to the outrage of Cuban officials. We are coming up a slow climb to Plaza de la Revolución—that great barren expanse in the heart of the city that hosts the annual Labour Day parade into which a million people regularly pack. Not now, I am with a steady stream of runners, nothing more.
And now it is the home stretch through the rundown commercial district of Central Havana. Past the downbeat Carlos III shopping mall and back towards the Capitolio, which is present in the distance. A somewhat surprising burst of speed now has me passing people left and right. The other runners appear a little bemused now by the charging, puffing elephant roaring up behind them into the final 2 kilometres. This is feeling better. Shirt back on to cross the finish line, down to the last 100 meters and ultimate triumph is mine as I thunder past Michaela, my original running partner. She is devastated. A forlorn scream of “No!” is left behind as the finish line approaches. I guess that I was her one-legged guy. After all, if the middle-aged fat bloke beats me, what is left? I look anxiously for my kids to cheer me onto the line. Nothing. Still, 2 hrs and 12 minutes have passed and I have finished for the day. Funnelled into a cold building, we are awarded gold medals and a little gift bag. Out into the bright sunshine to see the finish of the marathon proper. These guys are serious runners who have been around the course twice in only a few minutes more than it took me to go around once. And the tall lithe Cuban runner crosses the finish line easily with a bounce in his step. Other runners start round for their second lap—I do not envy them. Traffic has now resumed and a second lap looks like a lesson in masochism as the sun beats down. I have a few missed calls from my wife—I guess she was not so convinced I would finish and was waiting to rescue me on a breakdown call. I am out of here, straight to my physio to inspect the damage.
Contact Information for the Havana Marathon: Phone Number: (53) 7641-0911 Email: marabana@inder.cu Official Race Website: http://www.inder.cu/marabana
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Visual Arts
photos by Alex Mene Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Edificio de Arte Cubano
Contaminación
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Edificio de Arte Cubano Through November 22
Altavoz contra la pared, a retrospective of the work of Esterio Segura, including projects from the 1990s to the present, which show the ingenuity, humor and irreverence used by the artist to delve into pressing matters of contemporaneity. The show includes well known pieces from his collection, performances and interactive installations
Through December 31
Vida en las formas, a show zoomorphic, anthropomorphic bronze sculptures, and the combination of both, by international artists of different periods . Cristal de Murano, valuable pieces of the museum’s collection.
El eco del último disparo, focuses on the changes occurred in the artistic production between the 19th and 20th centuries Curator Delia María López points out classical composition, the representation of historic events and basic elements of academic art.
Biblioteca Rubén Martínez Villena Opens November 20
Museo de Artes Decorativas Through November 19
October 30 February 14
Don´t Play with History, an exhibition by Hander Lara Figueroa, which alludes to two historical moments translated into visual codes to define them at their minimum, abstract expression.
Casa del ALBA Cultural November 3-30
Creación y materia, an exhibition by Mexican artist Dalia Mendoza.
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photos by Ana Lorena Factoria Habana
Factoría Habana Through January 15
Signos. Arte e industria y viceversa, which has been conceived as an installation that brings together objects, texts, artefacts, photos, ceramics, graphic works, video and printed materials, aims at emphasizing creative experiences in which a balanced fusion between art, design and industry, and elements of the urban and architectural environment takes place through the works of Carlos José Alfonzo, Juan Carlos Alom, Félix Beltrán, Alberto J. Carol, Gonzalo Córdoba, María Victoria Caignet, EMPROVA, Cirenaica Moreira, Miguel Díaz, Felipe Dulzaides, Leandro Feal, Mario Gallardo, Mario García Joya (Mayito), Carmelo González, Roberto Gottardi, Arturo Infante y Renier Quert, Nicolás Guillén Landrián, Roberto Matta, Ernesto Oroza, Amelia Peláez, Manuel Piña, René Portocarrero, Idelfonso Ramos, Leyden Rodríguez, Mariano Rodríguez, Humberto Solás y Héctor Veitía, Lesbia Vent Dumois, as well as the projects Ediciones en Colores, TELARTE, Arte en la Fábrica, Arte en la Carretera and Arte en el Muro. For the occasion, Factoría Habana has reopened the Laboratories on Ideas and Design with the presence of important artists, designers, critics and historians who have carried out projects and research the link industry, art and design.
Centro Provincial de Artes Plásticas y Diseño November 17-December 6
Atrapados en su propio juego, paintings by Rolando Fernández Álvarez, drawn by the New Historicism, the mythical, the oneiric and the pleasure of mixing the figurative with the abstraction.
Galería Habana November 6-January 15
Verbum II, solo show by Ivan Capote, minimalist and subtle creator, which always demands an intellectual exercise from the viewers.
Complejo Militar Morro Cabaña Casa de las Américas Through November 22
Arte en valija, exhibition of reproductions of works by Armando Reverón (1989-1954), important painter of the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Venezuela, probably the maximum exponent of Venezuelan expressionism.
Opens November 14, 5pm
VIII edición del Festival Love in Novart, group show in Novarte orhanized by the El comité organizador del Love In Festival and the Casa Yeti.
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Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Wifredo Lam Through November 15
Through January 1
Masson y Lam: Diálogos imaginarios brings the work of two masters of Surrealism who approached this 20th-century artistic movement in different ways: the French and Cuban artists André Masson and Wifredo Lam, respectively. 25 años de Galería Continua. Group exhibnitionof installations by Anish Kapoor, Shilpa Gupta, Subodh Gupta (India); Michelangelo Pistoletto (Italy), Daniel Buren (France), Carlos Garaicoa (Cuba), Ilya & Emilia Kabakov (Russia), Moataz Nasr (Egypt), Nari Ward (Jamica), among other international artists in their collection.
Through November 22
Malecón y Bicicleta, exhibition of paintings by artist Luis E. Camejo, dealing with bicycles on the famous Havana seawall.
Galería Galiano November 13-January 4
Personal exhibition by Adislén Reyes, prizewinner at Post-it 2, thanks to her her proposal of printmaking technique using pictorial representations and her mastery of photographic techniques.
Galería Latinoamericana. Casa de las Américas Through November 29
Esculturas dibujadas, show by Colombian artist Ricardo Cárdenas.
Galería Villa Manuela
Museo Castillo de La Real Fuerza Through November 22
Galería Artis
Azulejos estilo Delft, Exhibition of mid-18th-century Sevillian Delftware wall tiles. Donated to the Archeology Office and Museum in 2005, the 95 tiles are hand painted and have independent decorative themes. The five designs include landscapes, people, animals, flowers and hunting scenes.
November 13-December 13
La inmunidad de lo ingenuo, show by Glenda León and Diana Fonseca, two exponents of contemporary Cuban artistic vanguard.
Hostal Los Frailes Through December 31
Post devoto, group show contemporary religious art.
of
Plaza de San Francisco Opens November 12
Museo de Arte Colonial Through November 15
Ritmos, exhibition of Afro-Cuban drawings and ads by Jaime Valls, which belong to the collections of the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. The coloquium “Modern art. In the thresholds of Afro-Cubanism” will be held on Nov 5 and 6, at 10am. Discussions will deal with graphic communication in the shadow of official art, Rise of the Cuban pictorial vanguard. Afro-Cuban view in the first explorations (1925-1938), Brief overview on the rise of Black elements in Cuban music and Notes on the early Afro-Cuban approach to literary texts. Brief introduction to the work Ecué Yamba O!
Travesías de XICO por América Latina is a collection of sixteen 1.8 meter pieces intervened by Latin American artists who have sought to rescue the roots of the continent and show the world its history and traditions. Artistas incluye Eduardo Roca (Choco), Carlos Guzmán, Ángel Ramírez, Darlyn Delgado, Víctor Mora, Lyzbeth Labañino, Mariana García Botello, Sandra de Huelbes/ Karen Rivero, Francisco Gordillo, Héctor López, Rafael Pantoja (Frank Mysterio), Cisco Merel, Andrés Orjuela, Rolando de Sedas (Rolo), Leticia Gutiérrez Rojas, ISHA JUDD (Education for Peace Foundation), Cristina Pineda, Luis Enrique Gómez and Pablo Álvarez Carreto.
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photography
Fototeca de Cuba Through November 30
Steve McCurry, exhibition of photos taken by the world-famous photo journalist. Art galleries in Old Havana
Cine Charles Chaplin October 10 November 8
Mandala... el universo de las estrellas, photo and digital art exhibition by Humberto Mayol, Javier Rodríguez, Laura Alejo and Emilio Arias.
November 2-30
Casa de Asia Through November 22
Wushu: 20 años. Photographic show on occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Cuban School of Wushu, which has promoted health, wellbeing and ethical integrity of the community through the practice of martial arts, traditional Asian exercises and other manifestations of Chinese culture.
Noviembre fotográfico Since 2008, the Fototeca de Cuba, along with the National Visual Arts Council, has organized “Noviembre Fotográfico,” an entire month devoted to Cuban photography. The event aims to combine the efforts of art institutions and galleries in the capital to promote Cuban photography and photographers.
Casa Víctor Hugo Opens November 13
Brief tour of how technological techniques and devices have evolved. Exhibition organized by the the Historical Photographic Library of the City Historian.
Museo de Arte Colonial Opens November 20
Fotografiando mi Habana, is a collection of images of the city and its people.
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dance
Photo Alex Mene
Ballet Nacional de Cuba Sala Avellaneda, teatro Nacional November 28, 8:30pm; Nov 29, 5:30 pm
The Ballet Nacional de Cuba will perform En las sombras de un vals (choreographed by Alicia Alonso and music by Josef Strauss), Cuba dentro de un piano (choreographed by Eduardo Blanco and music by Manuel Saumell, Ignacio Cervantes, Ernesto Lecuona and Harold Gramatges); Lucía Jerez (choreographed by Alicia Alonso and music by Enrique González Mantici, original script by de Fina García Marruz); and Don Quixote (suite, choreographed by Alicia Alonso, Marta García amd María Elena Llorente, based on Marius Petipa’s original version and the adaptation made by Alexander Gorski, music by Ludwig Minkus).
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MUSIC
Contemporary Fusion
Los Ángeles Photo Alex Mene
The contemporary fusion and electronic music scene has expanded recently as new bars and clubs have opened party promoters have organized events in parks and public spaces. Good live music venues include Bertolt Brecht (Wed: Interactivo, Sunday: Déjá-vu) and El Sauce (check out the Sunday afternoon Máquina de la Melancolía) as well as the newly opened Fábrica de Arte Cubano which has concerts most nights Thursday through Sunday as well as impromptu smaller performances inside.
In Havana’s burgeoning entertainment district along First Avenue from the Karl Marx theatre to the aquarium you are spoilt for choice with the always popular Don Cangreco featuring good live music (Kelvis Ochoas and David Torrens alternate Fridays), Las Piedras (insanely busy from 3am) and El Palio and Melem bar—both featuring different singers and acts in smaller more intimate venues.
José María Vitier in Concert November 19, 8:30pm Teatro Mella
Concert by pianist and composer José María Vitier with guest singers Zule Guerra and Ivette Cepeda. Visual artists will be video-mapping the event.
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Balneario Universitario El Coral Fridays & Saturdays
1pm-1am
Submarino Amarillo / 9 pm
Electronic music with rapping, DJing, Vjing, Dj-producers, breakdancing and graffiti writing, among other urban art expressions.
La Máquina de la Melancolía, with Frank Delgado and Luis Alberto García
Tercera y 8 Mondays
Baby Lores
11 pm
9 pm Vieja Escuela
Fresa y Chocolate Thursdays
Café Concert El Sauce / 5 pm Sundays
Saturdays
Tesis mde menta
10 pm Havana Hard Rock / 6 pm Every other Friday
Soul Train, a show of soul music
Sat & Sun
Rock cover bands
Le Select
Barbaram Pepito’s Bar / 5 pm
Sundays
Thursdays
Los Francos
Sundays
Discoteca Onda Retro
Los Ángeles
5pm Diablo Tun Tun
Centro Cultural Bertolt Brecht / 11 pm
Fridays
5 pm
Wednesdays Interactivo Fridays
William Vivanco
Saturdays
Saturdays
David Blanco
11 pm
Sundays
Kialo
10 pm
Gens
Jardines del teatro Mella / 5 pm
Gato Tuerto Saturdays
Proyecto Lizzy
Tenor Bernardo Lichilín and DJ Eddy Sánchez
November 12
Rap group Conciencia
November 19
Dúo Jade
November 26 Rap group Conciencia
Salón Rosado de La Tropical Fridays
Electronic music with Sarao,
9 pm Café Cantante, Teatro Nacional / 5 pm Tuesdays
Raúl Paz
Wednesdays Qva Libre Thursdays
Elaín Morales
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Photo by Alex Mene
Photo Alex Mene
Salsa / Timba Casa de la Música de Miramar Mondays
Casa de la Música Habana
5 pm Will Campa 11 pm Sur Caribe
Mondays
5 pm Havana Show
Tuesdays
5 pm El Noro y Primera Clase 11 pm Havana Show
Tuesdays
11 pm Pedrito Calvo
Fridays
5 pm El Niño y La Verdad 11 pm NG La Banda
Wednesdays
5 pm Pedrito Calvo 11 pm NG La Banda
Saturdays
11 pm Bamboleo
Thursdays
5 pm Pupy y los que Son Son
Sundays
5 pm Bamboleo
Fridays
5 pm Charanga Forever 11 pm Yaser y Nueve Milímetros
Saturdays
Piano Bar Tun Tun Thursdays
11 pm NG La Banda
Jardines del 1830 Fridays
Azúcar Negra
10 pm Salón Rojo del Hotel Capri Sundays
11 pm Juan Guillermo
Tercera y 8 Wednesdays Alain Daniel
11 pm
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MUSIC JAZZ
Jazz Café
Calle 88A No. 306 e/ 3ra y 3ra A, Miramar. +53 (07) 209-2719
Shows: 10:30pm - 2am
Mellow, sophisticated and freezing due to extreme air conditioning, the Jazz Café is not only an excellent place to hear some of Cuba’s top jazz musicians, but the open-plan design also provides for a good bar atmosphere if you want to chat. Less intimate than La Zorra y el Cuervo – located opposite Melia Cohiba Hotel.
Café Jazz Miramar Shows: 11 pm - 2am
This new jazz club has quickly established itself as one of the very best places to hear some of Cuba’s best musicians jamming. Forget about smoke filled lounges, this is clean, bright—take the fags outside. While it is difficult to get the exact schedule and in any case expect a high level of improvisation when it is good it is very good. A full house is something of a mixed house since on occasion you will feel like holding up your own silence please sign! Nonetheless it gets the thumbs up from us.
Asociación Cubana de Derechos de Autor Musical November 19
6 pm
Alexis Bosch (pianist) and Proyecto Jazz Cubano.
UNEAC November 12
5 pm
Peña La Esquina del Jazz hosted by showman Bobby Carcassés.
Jazz Café. Galerías de Paseo November 1
9pm/ A Otro Tiempo 11pm/ Michel Herrera (saxophonist and composer) & Proyecto Madre Tierra
November 2, 15, 18, 25 & 29
9pm/ Erick Jon (singer and composer)
November 2
11pm/ Emilio Morales (pianist and composer) & Nuevos Amigos
Jazz Café. Galerías de Paseo November 3, 10 & 17
9pm/ Beatriz Márquez (singer)
November 3
11pm/ Jessie Valdés (drummer) & Proyecto X
November 4, 8, 11, 18, 22, 25 & 29
11pm/ Chewy (saxophonist) y Eclipse Cubano
November 5 & 11
9pm/ Jessica (singer)
November 5, 12, 19 & 26
11pm/ Oscar Valdés (percussionist and singer) y Diákara
November 6, 13 & 27
9pm/ Cesar López (saxophonist and composer) & Havana Ensemble
November 7, 14, 21 & 28
9pm/ Denis Carbó (saxophonist) & Jazz en Trance
November 8
9pm/ A Otro Tiempo
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MUSIC Bolero, folklore, son & trova Asociación Yoruba de Cuba Saturdays
Diablo Tun Tun
Los Ibellis (Folkloric group)
4 pm
El Jelengue de Areíto 5
Waldo Mendoza
Tuesdays
5pm
pm
Conjunto Chappottín
Wednesdays Trova
Café Concert El Sauce / 9 pm Tuesdays
Trova
5 pm
Café Cantante, Teatro Nacional Saturdays
Thursdays
Charly Salgado and guests
Thursdays
Conjunto Arsenio Rodríguez
Fridays
Rumberos de Cuba
Hotel Telégrafo Café Teatro Bertolt Brecht / 9 pm Thursdays
Fridays
Rafael Espín and guests
4 pm
Saturdays
Bolero Night
9 pm
Eduardo Sosa
8 pm November 13
9:30 pm Hurón Azul, UNEAC
Casa del Alba November 4
Ivette Cepeda.
november 26 Poetry in Motion: poetic “jam
6 pm
Annie Garcés
4 pm November 20 Trovador Gerardo Alfonso
6 pm
Pabellón Cuba 4
session” that combines poetry reading with performance art, music and dance.
pm
Fridays
Peña Tres Tazas with trovador Silvio Alejandro
Saturdays
Peña Participo with trovador Juan Carlos Pérez
Casa de la Cultura Comunitaria Mirta Aguirre November 29 Get-together with trovador Ireno
5 pm
García.
Fresa y Chocolate Casona de Línea Sundays
Saturdays
Trova
7pm
8 pm
Centro Iberoamericano de la Décima
Casa de África November 7 4
4 pm 3
Duo Ad Libitum
Eduardo with Cheketé Sosa Síntesis
November 7
Cheketé, Annie Garcés with the folkloric group Obiní Batá
November 29 El Jardín de la Gorda with trovadors
8 pm 4 November 14 13
Leo Vera
3 pm 5 pm
from every generation.
Delirio Habanero 10
Casa Memorial Salvador Allende
pm
November 20 Get-together La Juntamenta, with
Wednesdays Mulata Son
5 pm
Thursdays
Abel Maceo y Buena Vida
Saturdays
Sonyku
trovador Ángel Quintero.
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classical MUSIC
Basílica Menor de San Francisco de Asís November 7
6 pm November 12
6 pm November 14-21
The Solistas de La Habana String Orchestra will share the stage with singer Beatriz Márquez, trovadora Marta Duarte, tres player Pancho Amat and flutist Niurka González, along with other musicians who will play works by Tomaso Albinoni, Manuel Corona and René Márquez, among other composers. Pianista Frank Fernández will play works by Robert Schumann. Compositions by Roberto Valera, Carlos Fariñas, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Pietro Mascagni, Johann Pachelbel and David Popper, among other composers, for piano, harp, voice and cello octets, conducted by cellist Alejandro Martínez. Concerts of the 28th Havana Contemporary Music Festival.
6 pm November 28 The Ondina Duo, made up by pianist María del Henar Navarro and flutist Niurka González,
6 pm
will paly works by Yalil Guerra, Javier Zalba and Jorge López Marín, among other composers.
Biblioteca Nacional José Martí Saturdays
Concerts by chamber soloists and ensembles.
4 pm Sala Covarrubias. Teatro Nacional Sundays
Concerts by the Nationl Symphony Orchestra.
11 am Casa Víctor Hugo November 30 Musical afternoons with Cáliz Duo made up by guitarist Luis Manuel Molina and clarinetist
5 pm
Vicente Monterrey
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Centro Hispano-Americano de Cultura November 7
Tribute to barítone Pedro Arias Domínguez by opera sangres.
5 pm November 14
5 pm
Concert by the Cáliz Duo, made up by guitarist Luis Manuel Molina and clarinetist Vicente Monterrey, and guest musicians.
November 20 Lecture by Irish folklorist Mike Moloney and concert of Celt music.
10 am Cine teatro Miramar November 27-28
Performances by Ópera de la Calle, with the show 1959.
8:30 pm Iglesia de Paula / 7 pm November 14
Concert The Spanish Organ (El órgano español), 16th-18th centuries, conducted by Moisés Santiesteban.
November 15
5 pm Composer of electro-acoustic music Martha Mooke will give the concert No Ordinary Window, made up of works composed for and played with a five-string electric viola.
November 20
The Lauda Ensemble announces the wind instrument concert Mudéjares, dedicated to the presence of women in Iberian medieval music.
November 21
Concert L’arpegiata, by soloists from the Ars Longa Early Music Ensemble, of Italian Renaissance and Baroque music.
November 28
Mara Tieles will play the six original suites for cello by Johann Sebastian Bach, transcribed for baroque viola.
Casa del ALBA Cultural November 8
En Confluencia, conducted by guitarists Eduardo and Galy Martín.
5 pm Oratorio San Felipe Neri / 7 pm November 14
4 pm Concert by the Clásico Scherzo Trio (pianist Mayté Aboy, violinist Desiré Justo and cellist Alejandro Rodríguez.
November 19
7 pm The Orquesta de Cámara de la Habana, conducted by Daiana García, and the Cuarteto de Guitarras de La Habana, will play works by Tchaikovsky, Nino Rota and Leo Brouwer.
November 21
9 pm Concert with Argentinean pianist Daniela Campisi, the D´Accord Duo and the Coro Polifónico de La Habana, with works by Germán Carrasco, Magaly Ruiz and Eduardo MoralesCaso, among other.
November 28
4 pm Concert by the Nueva Camerata wind ensemble..
Sala Gonzalo Roig. Palacio del Teatro Lírico Nacional November 29 Cuerda Dominical, with guitarist Luis Manuel Molina.
5 pm
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Theatre
Teatro Trianón Photo Alex Mene
Decamerón
Teatro El Público / Production: Carlos Díaz Fridays & Saturdays 8:30pm; Sundays 5pm Teatro Trianón Several stories from Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron are put onstage with more than a hint at Cuba today. Those who expect nudity galore from Carlos Díaz are in for a surprise.
Ni un sí ni un no
El Deseo de Macbeth
Comedy by Abelardo Estorino, winner of the National Literature and Theatre Prize in 1992 and 2002, respectively, a true master of character study, efficient dialogue and of taking comedy into the realm of love and death.
New interpretation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth from a contemporary, Cuban view, by Cuban playwright and narrator Agnieska. The play interacts strongly with the audience.
Compañía teatral Hubert de Blanck / Production: Fabricio Hernández Fridays & Saturdays 8:30pm; Sundays 5pm Teatro Hubert de Blanck
Teatro D’Dos / Production: Julio César Ramírez, Fridays & Saturdays 8:30pm; Sundays 5pm Argos Teatro
Aladino
Anfiteatro de La Habana Saturdays and Sundays, 9pm Aladino, musical based on Casey Nicholaw’s Broadway hit, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Chad Beguelin. The magical world of the One Thousand and One Nights enacted with the usual imagination, good taste and professionalism of Alfonso Menéndez and his company.
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For kids La calle de los fantasmas Teatro El Arca October 9-11, 16-18, 3pm Teatro de Títeres El Arca
Ghost Street, emblematic play of Latin American puppet theater, by Javier Villafañe, adapted and directed by Miriam Sánchez.
La princesa Sarah Estudio Teatral Alba November 6-8, 13-15, 3pm Teatro de Títeres El Arca
This is the story of Princess Sarah, who lives very happily in her palace, unaware that an evil dragon and his witch mother are planning to dirty the streets of the kingdom. Performed by the Estudio Teatral Alba Children’s Theater, the play focuses on the importance of taking care of the environment.
Havaneando
Saturdays and Sundays, 4pm & 7pm Carpa Trompoloco The Compañía Havana presents a selection of the circus numbers presented during the summer season.
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EVENTS IN HAVANA Baila en Cuba November 22-27 This World Meeting of Casino and Salsa Dancers and Dance Academies will focus this year on the mambo, dance genre which revolutionized dance in the 1940s and 50s, and which continues to be an important part of the rhythmic base of Cuban popular music bands. The event also offers the chance to get acquainted with salsa through classes, concerts and competitions.
© Adam Bernstein - Will Magid gives it his all at Jazz Plaza 2012
Jo Jazz
November 19-22 Different venues in Havana Although some people still see it as a mere preamble to the International Jazz Plaza Festival, Jo Jazz has been gaining in popularity from that distant day in 1998 when the first festival was held on the initiative of the famous musician Chucho Valdés and other enthusiasts. The ever-increasing numbers of Jo Jazz fans are getting ready to enjoy this competition for young Cuban and international jazz musicians and composers from 16 to 30 years of age. Prizewinners have included musicians who today are popular not only in Cuba but abroad, such as Yasek Manzano, Michel Herrera, Yissy Garcia and Harold López-Nussa. Besides the competition, the event will include workshops organized by experts on the subject, concerts and jam sessions in various places in Havana. However, one of the most exciting thing for jazz lovers seems to be to predict, in situ, the birth of future Cuban jazz stars. Venues include Sala Avenida, Centro Cultural Bertolt Brecht, Teatro Mella, Pabellón Cuba, Universidad de las Artes (ISA), Conservatorio Amadeo Roldán, Conservatorio Guillermo Tomás, Escuela Nacional de Música.
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EVENTS IN HAVANA
XVIII Festival Internacional de Música Contemporánea de La Habana November 14-22
Different venues in Havana Founded in 1984 and presided by the composer and conductor Guido López Gavilán, the Havana Contemporary Music Festival has been honoured with the participation of important musicians, including Luigi Nono, Krystof Penderecki, Hans Werner Henze, Luis de Pablo, Marlos Nobre, Alfredo del Mónaco and Xavier Montsalvatge, just to name a few. This a good opportunity to get up-to-date with the latest trends in contemporary concert music. The 2015 edition is dedicated to Cuban composer Edgardo Martín and teacher and musicologist Carmen Valdés on the centennial of their birth. The program also includes special concerts dedicated to musicians Félix Guerrero, Jesús Ortega, Joaquín Clerch and the Amanecer Duo. Musicians who have confirmed their participation in the event include from Denmark, Mikkel Andersen (guitar) and Henriette Jensen (saxophone); from Italy, Namaste (clarinet duo) and the chamber music trio made up by Adriano Ambrosini (piano), Anne-Sophie Freund (violin) and Tommaso Benciolini (flute); from the US, American Composers Forum and Ensemble Third Sound; from Argentina, Daniela Campisi (piano), Gonzalo Antuña (guitar) and the chamber music trio Voxes Contemporáneas; from South Korea, the Hansori Korean Muisc Special Ensemble; and composers Claudia Montero (Spain), Ada Gentile (Italy), Ivan Jevtic (Serbia), Louis Aguirre (Cuba-Denmark), Karen Obrodna (Italy), and composer and singer Evelín Ramón (Cuba/Canada). Venues include Basílica Menor del Convento de San Francisco de Asís, sala Ernesto Lecuona del Teatro Lírico Nacional de Cuba, Oratorio San Felipe Neri, sala Ignacio Cervantes, Casa del ALBA Cultural de La Habana, sala teatro del Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Casa de las Américas, Sala Covarrubias del Teatro Nacional de Cuba and sala Villena de la UNEAC. More information at: http://www.musicacontemporanea.cult.cu/
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Around Cuba
Festival de la Música Popular Cubana Beny Moré November 26-29 San José de las Lajas and Cienfuegos Founded in 1980, the Havana Theater Festival which takes place every two years, will focus this year on stage direction. The event will pay tribute to British film, theater and opera director Peter Brook, on his 90th birthday, and will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Havana’s Teatro Buendia Company. Although the official program has not yet been announced, 43 international groups from 23 countries have confirmed their attendance, Cuba will present 16 prizewinning companies or which have outstanding performances. The opening will take place on October 22 at the Sala Covarrubias, Teatro Nacional with the play Charenton, directed by Flora Lauten with Teatro Buendía
XVIII Festival CubaDanzón Matanzas 2015 November 12-15 Matanzas Cuban and non-Cuban dance couples can participate in the categories 16-35 years old and 3675 years old. Participants shall be acquainted with the following danzones: “Las alturas de Simpson,” “Fefita,” “Almendra,” “El Cadete Constitucional,” “La flauta mágica,” “El bombín de Barreto” and “Rompiendo la rutina.” As usual, theoretical meetings with music experts, musicians, researchers, teachers and other experts will take place during the Cuba-Danzón.
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Havana’s best places to eat
La Guarida
El Atelier
5
Bella Ciao
5
Café Bohemia
5
Café Laurent
4+
Experimental fusion
Homely Italian
Café
Spanish/Mediterranean
Interesting décor, interesting menu.
Great service, good prices. A real home from home.
Bohemian feel. Great sandwiches, salads & juices
Attractive penthouse restaurant with breezy terrace.
Calle 5 e/ Paseo y 2, Vedado (+53) 7-836-2025
Calle 19 y 72, Playa (+53) 7-206-1406
Calle San Ignacio #364, Habana Vieja
Calle M #257, e/ 19 y 21, Vedado (+53) 7-831-2090
Casa Miglis
El Chanchullero
La California
5
La Casa
5
5
5
Cuban-Creole/International
Contemporary fusion
Swedish-Cuban fusion
Spanish/Mediterranean
Beautiful C19 colonial building. Great fresh pastas.
VIP service. The Robaina family place. Thurs Sushi night.
Oasis of good food & taste in Centro Habana
Fabulous value hole in the wall tapas. Trendy.
Calle Crespo #55 e/ San Lázaro y Refugio, Centro Habana (+53) 7-863 7510
Calle 30 #865 e/ 26 y 41, Nuevo Vedado (+53) 7-881-7000
Lealtad #120 e/ Ánimas y Lagunas, Centro Habana (+53) 7-864-1486
Teniente Rey #457 bajos, Plaza del Cristo, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-872-8227
El Cocinero
Corte Príncipe
Il Divino
5
5+
4+
D. Eutimia
5+
International
Italian
International
Cuban/Creole
Industrial chic alfresco rooftop with a buzzing atmosphere
Sergio’s place. Simple décor, spectacular food.
Set in huge gardens outside town. Great for the kids.
Absolutely charming. Excellent Cuban/creole food.
Calle 26, e/ 11 y 13, Vedado. (+53) 7-832-2355
Calle 9na esq. a 74, Miramar (+53) 5-255-9091
Calle Raquel, #50 e/ Esperanza y Lindero, Arroyo Naranjo (+53) 7-643-7734
Callejón del Chorro #60C, Plaza de la Catedral, Habana Vieja (+53) 7 861 1332
Iván Chef
El Litoral
La Fontana
4
Habana Mia 7
5
5+
5+
International
International gourmet
Spanish
International
Consistently good food, attentive service. Old school.
Endless summer nights. Excellent food and service.
Brilliantly creative and rich food.
Watch the world go by at the Malecón’s best restaurant.
Calle 46 #305 esq. a 3ra, Miramar (+53) 7-202-8337
Paseo #7 altos e/ 1ra y 3ra. Vedado (+53) 7-830-2287
Aguacate #9 esq. a Chacón, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-863-9697
Malecón #161 e/ K y L, Vedado (+53) 7-830-2201
Nautilus
5
Nazdarovie
5+
Nero Di Seppia
5
Opera
5
French/Mediterranean
Soviet
ITALIAN
INTERNATIONAL
Imaginative, tasty and innovative menu.
Well designed Soviet décor, excellent food & good service.
Calle 84 #1116 e/ 11 y 13. Playa (+53) 5-237-3894
Malecon #25, 3rd floor e Prado y Carcel, Centro Habana (+53) 7-860-2947
SThe new location for Havana’s best pizza chef, Walter. Same food, great locale.
Homely & intimate environment. Quality food. By reservation.
Calle 6 #122 e/ 1ra y 3ra, Miramar (+53) 5-478-7871
Calle 5ta #204 e/ E y F, Vedado (+53) 5-263-1632 (+53) 8-31-2255
Otra Manera
5
Río Mar
5
San Cristóbal
5
304 O’Reilly
5
international
International
Cuban/Creole
international
Beautiful modern decor. Interesting menu and good service.
Contemporary décor. Great sea-view. Good food.
Deservedly popular.Consistently great food. Kitsch décor.
Chic, stylish. Superb gin & tonic. Best in Old Havana.
Ave. 3raA y Final #11, La Puntilla, Miramar (+53) 7-209-4838
San Rafael #469 e/ Lealtad y Campanario, Centro Habana (+53) 7-860-9109
O’Reilly #304 e/ Habana y Aguiar,La Habana Vieja (+53) 5-264-4725
Starbien
VIP Havana
Calle #35 e/ 20 y 41, Playa. (+53) 7-203-8315
Santy
5+
5+
5
El Templete
5-
Sushi/Oriental
Spanish/Mediterranean
Spanish
Spanish/Mediterranean
Authentic fisherman’s shack servicing world-class sushi.
Fabulous food and great service in the heart of Vedado.
Jordi’s place. Fabulous modern open-plan space.
Overlooking harbor. Good quality but expensive.
Calle 240A #3023 esq. a 3ra C, Jaimanitas (+53) 5-286-7039
Calle 29 #205 e/ B y C, Vedado (+53) 7-830-0711
Calle 9na #454 e/ E y F, Vedado (+53) 7-832-0178
Ave. del Puerto #12 esq. a Narciso López, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-866-8807 contents
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La Guarida
5+
TOP PICK
Style of food
Contemporary fusion
Cost Expensive
www.laguarida.com
Type of place Private (Paladar) Food Ambience Service Value Best for Authentic, charming and intimate atmosphere in Cuba’s best known restaurant. Great food, professional. Classy. Don’t Miss Uma Thurman, Beyoncé or the Queen of Spain if they happen to be dining next to you. Concordia #418 e/ Gervasio y Escobar, Centro Habana. (+53) 7-866-9047
El Litoral
5+
TOP PICK
Style of food
International
Cost Expensive Type of place Private (Paladar) Food Ambience Service Value Best for Quality décor, good service and great food. Best new place recently opened. Don’t Miss Drinking a cocktail at sunset watching the world go by on the Malecón Malecón #161 e/ K y L, Vedado. (+53) 7-830-2201
Nazdarovie
5+
TOP PICK
Style of food
Soviet
Cost Moderate Type of place Private (Paladar) Food Ambience Service Value Best for Getting a flavor of Cuban-Soviet history along with babuska’s traditional dishes in a classy locale. Don’t miss Vodka sundowners on the gorgeous terrace overlooking the malecon. Malecon #25 3rd floor e/ Prado y Carcel, Centro Habana (+53) 7-860-2947
Santy
5+
TOP PICK
Style of food
Sushi
Cost Moderate Type of place Private (Paladar) Food Ambience Service Value Best for Fabulous sushi, wonderful ambience overlooking fishing boats heading out to sea. World class. Don’t miss Getting a reservation here. Calle 240A #3023 esq. 3raC, Jaimanitas (+53) 5-286-7039 contents
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Café Bohemia
5+
TOP PICK
Style of food Traditional Cost Moderate Type of place Private (Paladar) Food Ambience Service Value Best for perfect for taking a break from long walks and seeking shelter from the stifling Cuban. Don’t miss location in the cool inner courtyard of the colonial building. Ground floor of the Palacio de la Casa del Conde de Lombillo, Calle San Ignacio #364 (+53) 5- 403-1 568, (+53) 7-836-6567 www.havanabohemia.com
Iván Chef Justo
5+
TOP PICK
Style of food
Spanish
Cost Expensive Type of place Private (Paladar) Food Ambience Service Value Best for Spectacular innovative food. Light and airy place where it always seems to feel like Springtime. Don’t Miss The lightly spiced grilled mahimahi served with organic tomato relish. Try the suckling pig and stay for the cuatro leches. Aguacate #9, Esq. Chacón, Habana Vieja. (+53) 7-863-9697 / (+53) 5-343-8540
Casa Miglis
5
TOP PICK
Style of food
Swedish-Cuban fusion
Cost Expensive Type of place Private (Paladar) Food Ambience Service Value Best for The beautifully designed interior, warm ambience and Miglis’s personality create the feeling of an oasis in Central Havana. Don’t Miss Chatting with Mr Miglis. The Skaargan prawns, beef Chilli and lingonberries. Lealtad #120 e/ Ánimas y Lagunas, Centro Habana (+53) 7-864-1486
www.casamiglis.com
Habana Mía 7
5
TOP PICK
Style of food
International gourmet
Cost Moderate Type of place Private (Paladar) Food Ambience Service Value Best for Stylish and fresh décor give a Mediterranean feel for long endless summer nights. Excellent food and service. Don’t miss Watching the world go by on the lovely terrace overlooking the ocean. Paseo #7 altos e/ 1ra y 3ra, Vedado (+53) 7-830-2287
www.habanamia7.com contents
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La California
5
TOP PICK
Style of food
Cuban-Creole/International
Cost Moderate Type of place Private (Paladar) Food Ambience Service Value Best for Beautiful C19 colonial building. Popular place with quality food and great service. Love the fresh pastas. Dont’t Miss The interesting history of the neighbourhood, where Chano Pozo (legendary Afro-Cuban jazz percussionist) hung out. Calle Crespo #55 e/ San Lázaro y Refugio, Centro Habana (+53) 7-863-7510
Atelier
5
TOP PICK
Style of food
Experimental fusion
Cost Expensive Type of place Private (Paladar) Food Ambience Service Value Best for Interesting menu, beautiful building with great décor and service. Don’t miss Dinner on the breezy terrace during summer. Calle 5ta e/ Paseo y 2, Vedado (+53) 7-836-2025
atelierdedecuba@yahoo.es
La Casa
5
TOP PICK
Style of food
International/sushi
Cost Expensive Type of place Private (Paladar) Food Ambience Service Value Best for Warm hospitality and openness from the four generations of the Robaina family. Quality food. Don’t miss Thursday night sushi night. The Piña Colada. Calle 30 #865 e/ 26 y 41, Nuevo Vedado. (+53) 7-881-7000
alerobaina@restaurantelacasacuba.com
Otramanera
5
TOP PICK
Style of food
International
Cost Moderate Type of place Private (Paladar) Food Ambience Service Value Best for Beautiful modern décor and good food. Don’t miss Pork rack of ribs in honey. Sweet & sour sauce and grilled pineapple Calle 35 #1810 e/ 20 y 41, Playa (+53) 7-203-8315 otramaneralahabana@gmail.com reservas@otramaneralahabana.com contents
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Sloppy Joe’s
Havana’s best Bars & Clubs Traditional Bars El Floridita
4+
Hemingway’s daiquiri bar. Touristy but always full of life. Great cocktails. Obispo #557 esq. a Monserrate, Habana Vieja
(+53) 7-867-1299
5
1950s Traditionals
GUEST PERFORMERS INCLUDE BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB MEMBERS Sociedad Rosalía de Castro, Egido 504 e/ Monte y Dragones, Old Havana (+53) 5-270-5271
Sloppy Joe’s Bar
4+
Cervecería Antiguo Almacén Madera y el Tabaco
Recently (beautifully) renovated. Full of history. Popular. Lacks a little ‘grime’. Ánimas esq. a Zulueta, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-866-7157
5+ de
la
Microbrewery located overlooking the restored docks Simply brilliant. Avenida del Puerto y San Ignacio, La Habana Vieja
Contemporary Bars El Cocinero
5+
Fabulous rooftop setting, great service, cool vibe. Calle 26 e/ 11 y 13, Vedado (+53) 7-832-2355
Espacios
5-
Laid back contemporary bar with a real buzz in the back beer-garden.
TaBARish
5
A comfortable place to chat / hang out with your friends. Great service.
Calle 10 #510, e/ 5ta y 31, Miramar
Calle 26 e/ 11 y 13, Vedado (next to the Puente de Hierro) (+53) 5-329-6325 www.facebook.com/fabrica. deartecubano
(+53) 7-202-9188
Contemporary bars/clubs Don Cangrejo
4+
Love it/hate it—this is the oldest Friday night party place and is still going strong. Outdoor by the sea. Ave. 1ra e/ 16 & 18, Miramar (+53) 7-204-3837
5
Packed night after night with a young dressed-up clientele wanting to party. Don’t go looking for Buena Vista Social Club!
4
Bohemian attracting a hip Cuban crowd. Excellent DJ’s keep the place jumping.
El Gato Tuerto
4+
Late night place to hear fabulous bolero singers. Can get smoky.
Calle 17 e/ E y F, Vedado, La Habana (+53) 7-832-0433
Up & Down
5
From the team that brought you Sangri-La. Attracting a young party crowd, very popular. Take a coat.
Calle O e/ 17 y 19, Vedado (+53) 7-833-2224
El Tocororo
Sangri-La
5
For the cool kids. Basement bar/club which gets packed at weekends. Ave. 21 e/ 36 y 42, Miramar (+53) 7-264-8343
Calle 3ra y B, Vedado
Calle 39 esq. 50, Playa (+53) 5 -294-3572
Other
Sarao’s Bar
Bolabana
5+
X Alfonso’s new cultural center. Great concerts, funky young scene.
Calle 20 #503, e/ 5ta y 7ma.
(+53) 7-836-3031
Fábrica de Arte
4+
Expat favorite hangout. Small indoor bar with live music and eclectic clientele. Calle 18 e/ 3ra y 5ta, Miramar
Bertolt Brecht
5
Think MTV Unplugged. Hip, funky and unique with an artsy Cuban crowd. Calle 13 e/ I y J, Vedado (+53) 7-830-1354
Gay-friendly Cabaret Las Vegas
4
Can get dark and smoky but great drag show (11pm) from Divino—one of Cuba’s most accomplished drag acts. Infanta #104 e/ 25 y 27, Vedado. (+53) 7-870-7939
El Sauce
5-
Mellow outdoor club. Avenida 9na #12015, e/ Calles 120 y 130, Miramar. (07) 204-6428
Fashion Bar Havana
A superb example of queer class meets camp, accompanied by a fantastic floor show. San Juan de Dios, esq. a Aguacate, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-867-1676
5
Café Bar Madrigal
4
Pop décor, fancy cocktails, and the staff’s supercilious attitude, this is a gathering spot for all types of folks. Calle 17 #809 e/ 2 y 4, Vedado (+53) 7-831-2433
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Bertolt Brecht
5
TOP PICK
Contemporary Bar/clubs Ambience Popularity Entertainment Service & drinks Best for Hanging out with hip & funky Cubans who like their live music. Don’t Miss Interactivo playing on a Wednesday evening. Calle 13 e/ I y J, Vedado (+53) 7-830-1354
Espacios
5-
TOP PICK
Contemporary Bar Ambience Popularity Entertainment Service & drinks Best for Laid back lounge atmosphere in the garden area which often has live music. Good turnover of people. Don’t Miss Ray Fernandez, Tony Avila, Yasek Mazano playing live sets in the garden. Calle 10 #510 e/ 5ta y 31, Miramar (+53) 7-202-2921
Sangri-La
5+
TOP PICK
Contemporary Bar/CLUB Ambience Popularity Entertainment Service & drinks Best for Hanging out with the cool kids on the Havana Farundula in the most popular bar/club. Don’t Miss The best gin and tonic in Havana. Ave. 21 e/ 36 y 42, Miramar (+53) 5-264-8343
Bolabana
5
TOP PICK
CONTEMPORARY Ambience Popularity Entertainment Service & drinks Best for Trendy new location near Salón Rosado de la Tropical Don’t Miss Hipsters meet the Havana Farándula Calle 39 esq. 50, Playa
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Sloppy Joe’s Bar
4+
CA TOP PICK
Style
Bar / Traditional
Ambience Popularity Entertainment Service & drinks Best for Immense original bar lovingly restored. Good service, History. Worst for Not quite grimy. Too clean. Ánimas, esq. Zulueta La Habana Vieja, (07) 866-7157
Fábrica de Arte
5+
TOP PICK
Contemporary Bar Ambience Popularity Entertainment Service & drinks Best for X Alfonso’s superb new cultural center has something for everyone Don’t Miss Artists who exhibit work should demonstrate ongoing creativity and a commitment for social transformation. Calle 26 e/ 11 y 13, Vedado (next to the Puente de Hierro)
Fashion Bar Havana
5
TOP PICK
Gay-friendly Ambience Popularity Entertainment Service & drinks Best for A superb example of queer class meets camp, accompanied by a fantastic floor show. Don’t Miss The staff performing after 11pm San Juan de Dios, esq. a Aguacate, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-867-1676
TaBARish
5
TOP PICK
Contemporary Bar/CLUB Ambience Popularity Entertainment Service & drinks Best for A comfortable place to chat / hang out with your friends. Great service. Don’t Miss The homemade Russian soup – just like Matushka makes it. Calle 20 #503, e/ 5ta y 7ma. (+53) 7-202-9188
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Basílica Menor de San Francisco de Asís
Havana’s best live music venues
Concert venues Karl Marx Theatre
5
World class musicians perform prestigious concerts in Cuba’s best equipped venue. Calle 1ra esq. a 10, Miramar (+53) 7-203-0801
Jazz Café Jazz Miramar
4+
Salsa/Timba
4
Attracts the best Cuban musicians. Recently renovated with an excellent new sound system. Ave. Paseo esq. a 39, Plaza de la Revolución (+53) 7-878-4273
Contemporary
5
Think MTV Unplugged when musicians play. Hip, funky and unique with an artsy Cuban crowd. Calle 13 e/ I y J, Vedado (+53) 7-830-1354
Trova & traditional Barbaram Pepito’s Bar
4+
Some of the best Cuban Nueva Trova musicians perform in this small and intimate environment. Calle 26 esq. a Ave. del Zoológico. Nuevo Vedado (+53) 7-881-1808
A truly beautiful church, which regularly hosts fabulous classical music concerts.
Fábrica de Arte
5
X Alfonso’s new cultural center. Great concerts inside (small and funky) and outside (large and popular!).
Oficios y Amargura, Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, Habana Vieja
Calle 26 e/ 11 y 13, Vedado (next to the Puente de Hierro)
Jazz Café
La Zorra y el Cuervo
4
Galerías de Paseo Ave. 1ra e/ Paseo y A, Vedado
Cine Teatro Miramar 10:30pm – 2am Ave. 5ta esq. a 94, Miramar
Café Teatro Bertolt Brecht
5
A staple of Havana’s jazz scene, the best jazz players perform here. Somewhat cold atmosphere-wise.
Clean, modern and atmospheric. Where Cuba’s best musicians jam and improvise.
Café Cantante Mi Habana
Basílica San Francisco de Asís
Casa de la Música
Intimate and atmospheric, this basement jazz club, which you enter through a red telephone box, is Cuba’s most famous. Calle 23 e/ N y O, Vedado (+53) 7-833-2402
4
Casa de la Música
Centro Habana
Miramar
A little rough around the edges but spacious. For better or worse, this is ground zero for the best in Cuban salsa.
Smaller and more up-market than its newer twin in Centro Habana. An institution in the Havana salsa scene.
Galiano e/ Neptuno y Concordia, Centro Habana (+53) 7-860-8296/4165
Calle 20 esq. a 35, Miramar (+53) 7-204-0447
Don Cangrejo
4+
Love it/hate it—this is the oldest Friday night party place and is still going strong. Outdoor by the sea. Ave. 1ra e/ 16 y 18, Miramar (+53) 7-204-3837
Gato Tuerto
4+
Late night place to hear fabulous bolero singers. Can get smoky. Calle O entre 17 y 19, Vedado (+53) 7-833-2224
5
El Sauce
4
Recently renovated, one of Cuba’s most prestigious venues for a multitude of events. Paseo y 39, Plaza de la Revolución.
Privé Lounge
5+
Small and intimate lounge club with great acoustics and beautiful decor. Jazz groups play Sunday night. Calle 88A #306 e/ 3ra y 3raA, Miramar (+53) 7-209-2719
Salón Rosado de la Tropical
5
Ave. 41 esq. a 46, Playa Times: varies wildly (+53) 7-203-5322
5-
Ave. 9na #12015 e/ 120 y 130, Playa (+53) 7-204-6428
Teatro de Bellas Artes
4+
Small intimate venue inside Cuba’s most prestigious arts museum. Modern. Trocadero e/ Zulueta y Monserrate, Habana Vieja.
5
The 1950s traditionals, a project created over 10 years ago, pays tribute to the Golden Era of Cuban music: the 1950s. Sociedad Rosalia de Castro, Egido #504 e/ Monte y Dragones, Havana Vieja (+53) 7-861-7761
5
Teatro Nacional
The legendary beer garden where Arsenio tore it up. Look for a salsa/timba gig on a Sat night and a Sun matinee.
Great outdoor concert venue to hear the best in contemporary & Nueva Trova live in concert.
Tradicionales de los 50
Sala Covarrubias
4+ Salón 1930 ‘Compay Segundo’ Buena Vista Social Club style set in the grand Hotel Nacional. Hotel Nacional Calle O esq. a 21, Vedado (+53) 7-835-3896
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Havana’s Best Hotels
Hotel Nacional de Cuba
Simply the best… Iberostar Parque Central
5+
Santa Isabel
5+
Luxurious historic mansion facing Plaza de Armas
Luxury hotel overlooking Parque Central
5+
Stunning view from roof-top pool. Beautiful décor.
Narciso López, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-860-8201
Neptuno e/ Prado y Zulueta, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-860-6627
Saratoga
Terral
5
Wonderful ocean front location. Newly renovated.
Paseo del Prado #603 esq. a Dragones, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-860-8201
Malecón esq. a Lealtad, Centro Habana (+53) 7-862-8061
Boutique Hotels in Old Havana Florida
5
Beautifully restored colonial house.
5
Cuban baroque meets modern minimalist
Obispo #252, esq. a Cuba, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-862-4127
Oficios #152 esq. a Amargura, Habana Vieja
Business Hotels Meliá Cohíba
Palacio del Marqués...
5
Oasis of polished marble and professional calm.
Meliá Habana
5
Attractive design & extensive facilities.
Ave Paseo e/ 1ra y 3ra, Vedado (+53) 7- 833-3636
4
A must for Hemingway aficionados
Mercure Sevilla
4
Trocadero #55 entre Prado y Zulueta, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-860-8560
On the banks of the Río Almendares. Calle 28-A e/ 49-A y 49-B, Reparto Kohly, Playa (+53) 7-204-9232
3
Deauville
Lack of pretension, great location. Galiano e/ Sán Lázaro y Malecón, Centro Habana (+53) 7-866-8812
4+
Hotel Nacional
Saint John’s
Lively disco, tiny quirky pool. Popular. Calle O e/ 23 y 25, Vedado (+53) 7-833-3740
H10 Habana Panorama
4+
Cascades of glass. Good wi-fi. Modern. Ave. 3ra. y 70, Miramar (+53) 7 204-0100
5
Riviera
3
Spectacular views over wavelashed Malecón
Calle O esq. a 21, Vedado (+53) 7-835 3896
3
5
Mercaderes #202, esq. a Lamparilla (+53) 7-862-9293
Eclectic art-deco architecture. Gorgeous gardens.
Economical/Budget Hotels Bosque
Occidental Miramar
Conde de Villanueva
Delightfully small and intimate. For cigar lovers.
Oficios #53 esq. a Obrapía, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-867-1037
Ave. 5ta. e/ 70 y 72, Miramar (+53) 7-204-3583
Stunning views from the roof garden restaurant.
Calle Obispo #153 esq. a Mercaderes, Habana Vieja (+53) 7- 860-9529
5+
Immensely charming, great value.
Good value, large spacious modern rooms.
Ave. 3ra y 70, Miramar (+53) 5-204-8500
For a sense of history Ambos Mundos
Hostal Valencia
Paseo y Malecón, Vedado (+53) 7-836-4051
3
Vedado
3
Good budget option with a bit of a buzz Calle O e/ 23 y 25, Vedado (+53) 7-836-4072 contents
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Casa Escorial
Havana’s best private places to stay For Help reserving any Private Accommodation (Casas Particulares) in Cuba please contact sales.cu@cubatravelnetwork.com
Mid range - Casa Particular (B&B) 1932
Miramar 301
4
Visually stunning, historically fascinating. Welcoming.
5
5
Beautiful colonial townhouse with great location.
Luxury House
4 bedrooms private luxury villa with swimming pool
Campanario #63 e/ San Lázaro y Laguna, Centro Habana (+53) 7-863-6203
Habana
Julio y Elsa
5
Cluttered bohemian feel. Hospitable.
Calle Habana #209, e/ Empedrado, y Tejadillo, Habana Vieja. (+53) 7-861-0253
Consulado #162 e/ Colón y Trocadero, Centro Habana (+53) 7-861-8027
Casa Escorial
Hostal Guanabo
Up-scale B&Bs (Boutique hostals) Cañaveral House
But undoubtedly the most beautiful about private homes in Cuba
5 Vitrales
39A street, #4402, between 44 y 46, Playa, La Habana Cuba (+53) 295-5700 http://www.cubaguesthouse. com/canaveral.home. html?lang=en
5
Hospitable, attractive and reliable boutique B&B with 9 bedrooms.
5+
Attractive accomodations with a panoramic view of Plaza Vieja Mercaderes # 315 apt 3 e/ Muralla y Teniente Rey, Plaza Vieja, Habana Vieja (+53) 5-268 6881; 5-278 6148 maylu21@hotmail.com
Habana #106 e/ Cuarteles y Chacón, Habana Vieja (+53) 7-866-2607
5
Beautiful 4 bedroom seafront villa in sleepy Guanabo. Excellent food. Calle 480 #1A04 e/ 1ra y 3ra, Guanabo (+53) 7-799-0004
Apartment rentals Bohemia Boutique Apartments
5+
5+
Beautifully designed and spacious 3 bedroom apartment. Spanish colonial interiors with cheerful, arty accents.
Gorgeous 1-bedroom apartment beautifully decorated apartment overlooking Plaza Vieja.
Luxury Houses
5
Rent Room elegant and wellequipped. Beautiful wild garden and great pool. Calle 17 #1101 e/ 14 y 16, Vedado (+34) 677525361 (+53) 7-832-1927 (+53) 5-360-0456
Casablanca
Tropicana Penthouse
5
5
Morro-Cabaña Park. House #29 (+53) 5-294-5397 www.havanacasablanca.com
Michael and María Elena
This leafy oasis in western Havana has an attractive mosaic tiled pool and three modern bedrooms. Calle 66 #4507 e/ 45 y Final, Playa (+53) 7-209-0084
5
Lamparilla #62 altos e/ Mercaderes y San Ignacio, Habana Vieja (+53) 5-829-6524
Galiano #60 Penthouse Apt.10 e/ San Lázaro y Trocadero (+53) 5-254-5240 www.tropicanapenthouse.com
Elegant well-equipped villa formerly owned by Fulgencio Batista. Beautiful wild garden.
Suite Havana
Elegant 2-bedroom apartment in restored colonial building. Quality loft style décor.
A luxurious penthouse with huge roof terrace and breathtaking 360 degree views of Havana and the ocean.
Concordia #151 apto. 8 esq. a San Nicolás, Centro Habana (+53) 5-254-5240 www.casaconcordia.net
San Ignacio #364 e/ Muralla y Teniente Rey, Plaza Vieja Habana Vieja (+53) 5- 403-1 568 (+53) 7-836-6567 www.havanabohemia.com
Villasol
Casa Concordia
5
Residencia Mariby
5
A sprawling vanilla-hued mansion with 6 rooms decorated with colonial-era lamps, tiles and Louis XV furniture Vedado. (+53) 5-370-5559 contents
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Casa Escorial
5+
TOP PICK
Facilities Rooms Ambience Value Best for Attractive accomodations with a panoramic view of Plaza Vieja Don’t Miss The smell of fresh made coffee from the café below. Mercaderes # 315 apt 3 e/ Muralla y Teniente Rey, Plaza Vieja, Habana Vieja (+53) 5-268 6881; 5-278-6148 maylu21@hotmail.com
Bohemia Boutique Apartments Blue
5+
TOP PICK
Facilities Rooms Ambience Value Best for i1 internal balcony, 1 spacious bedroom on the mezzanine with air conditioning. Don’t Miss The apartment is fully furbished, plenty of light and very well ventilated. San Ignacio #364 e/ Muralla y Teniente Rey, Plaza Vieja, Habana Vieja bohemia.plazavieja@gmail.com (+53) 5 4031 568: (53) 7 8366 567 www.havanabohemia.com
Bohemia Boutique Apartments Red
5+
TOP PICK
Facilities Rooms Ambience Value Best for 3 small balconies (facing the Patio of the Palace), 1 spacious bedroom with air conditioning Don’t Miss The apartment is fully furbished, plenty of light and very well ventilated. San Ignacio #364 e/ Muralla y Teniente Rey, Plaza Vieja, Habana Vieja bohemia.plazavieja@gmail.com (+53) 5 4031 568: (53) 7 8366 567 www.havanabohemia.com
Cañaveral House
5+
TOP PICK
Facilities Rooms Ambience Value Best for Large elegant villa away from downtown Havana. Great for families or groups of friends. Don’t Miss Basking in the sun as you stretch out on the lawn of the beautifully kept garden. 39A street, #4402, between 44 y 46, Playa, La Habana Cuba (+53) 295-5700 http://www.cubaguesthouse.com/canaveral.home. html?lang=en contents
November 2015
page 84
Thank You
Wishes to thank all of the following entities for their support and involvement with What’s On Havana.
Center for Cuban Studies / Cuban Art Space