Havana Really Is Magical

As we entered Havana, we went by the dramatic El Morro, under the harbor, and then up town.  It was neat seeing the same sights we had visited two years ago.  With 2019 being the 500th anniversary of Cuba, the city has been benefitting from UNESCO money to renovate, paint, and refurbish important buildings.  (More on that later).  

Anyhow, the city looks great, even with many crumbling buildings, roads in need of repair, and sidewalks that are broken and unsafe.  There is something magical about Havana.  Carol hit the nail on the head when she remarked on how vibrant Havana is.  It has a beat and a rhythm of its own, and it is very intoxicating, at least to this Iron Tourist and Mrs. Iron Tourist.

Charlie and I had booked separate hotels.  We were not doing the old Boston Red Sox thing (25 guys, 25 cabs because they didn’t like each other).  Instead I was following the advice of my friend Steven Law and booked at the Hotel Saratoga, whilst Charlie went with the known (to him) Hotel Nacional.

So, Carol and I were dropped off.  Our hotel is right by the Capitol building, the Gran Teatro, Jose Marti Square with all the grand old cars from the 1950s.  Not far from the heart of the Old City, the Hotel Saratoga was a great recommendation.

Speaking of Jose Marti, there are busts and statues to him everywhere in Cuba.  Carol suggested a new drinking game – see a statute or bust of Jose Marti, take a shot.  (We didn’t actually do it, but feel free next time you are in Cuba.)  It would be very dangerous – not as much so if you take a shot every time our current and most recent Presidents refer to themselves in a speech – but still dangerous enough to get a frat boy wasted.

After a friendly check-in, and learning that we had two unlimited WIFI sign-ins that worked everywhere in the hotel, including our room, we headed off to lunch.  Following the concierge’s advice, we went to Ivan Justo restaurant.  We had a hard time finding it, as his directions were off by a block.  It all worked out fine, though, as the restaurant business card he gave me had a rudimentary map on it.  

After climbing the narrow stairs to the third floor terrace, lunch was great. I had lobster tail in a rice sauce of sorts, while Carol had suckling pig.  Both were amazing, and sitting up top with the views of Havana rooftops was very cool.  I even broke down and had a glass of the house Merlot (day drinking is not a strength of either of us).

We had plans for an early dinner, so we did not have a great deal of time for sight seeing after our late-ish lunch.  So instead, we simply strolled the streets of the old city, going to all three of the main plazas, exploring some different sights, before heading back to the hotel.  

We had thought about going to the Museum of the Revolution, but scratched that for the next day.  My main interest in the museum is that it was Bautista’s presidential palace, and there are bullet holes in the famed marble staircase from when he barely escaped an assassination attempt.  That would be cool to see.

Really, just walking around Havana is a great way to spend an afternoon.  It’s vibrant beyond words.  So instead we walked around Havana, as we only had a few hours.  We went to all three main plazas because we could.  We then made our way back to the hotel to get ready for our early dinner.