Havana, Cuba
Above: Colonial buildings of Plaza Vieja; Right: Royal House of Charity and Motherhood. A nun in the background carries on a tradition of caring for children. Established in 1711, a small door in the wall allowed infants to be anonymously placed and received by a nun on the other side. A sign reads, "Mi padre y mi madre me arrojaron de si la caridad divina me recoje aqui." (Loosely translated: "My father and my mother abandoned me to be taken in by the charitable souls inside.")
|
Laid out in 1559, Plaza Vieja was once known as Plaza Nueva or New Square. During the colonial era, the square and the blocks immediately surrounding it were home to some of Cuba’s richest and most socially-prominent residents which led to the square’s eclectic architectural mix. Today this vibrant plaza contains galleries, restaurants and bars, as well as a local primary school.
|
The Catedral de San Cristóbal is said to be the only example of a baroque construction that possesses asymmetrical features; one of the bell towers is wider than the other. This particular feature was conceived in order to allow the water that tended to accumulate on the plaza to freely flow through the streets during the colonial period.
|
We had the most fun ever seeing many of Havana's highlights from our gorgeous purple vintage convertible!
The historic Hotel Nacional, which opened in 1930, was designed in a mix of styles including Sevillian, Roman, Moorish and Art Deco. Famous guests who have stayed here include Winston Churchill, Ernest Hemingway, Marlon Brando, Johnny Weissmuller, Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner, and several rooms are even named after their most recognized occupants. The Gran Teatro de la Habana is the home of the Cuban National Ballet and the Cuban National Opera.
Left: The Floridita, the bar made famous by author Ernest Hemingway. Right: Standing on a hilltop 167 feet above sea level is El Cristo de la Habana, a gleaming white statue of Jesus Christ overlooking Havana's waterfront and the cruise port. Local sculptor Jilma Madera used 67 blocks of Carrara marble imported from Italy. The pieces were blessed by Catholic Pope Pius XII before they left their home country.
|
After returning to the ship to change, we joined Jimmy for the evening. First was the cannon shot ceremony at Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña, built around 1774 by the Spaniards to control access of Havana's port. Soldiers in 18th century uniforms fired a cannon over the bay at precisely 9:00 p.m., a historical reconstruction dating back to the colonial era.
Next we headed to see the Parisien's cabaret show, "Cubano, Cubano". Telling the story of Cuba's history through elaborate costumes, with a fusion of the Indoamerican, Hispanic and African music and dance that make up the Cuban culture.
The show was a great finale to our day in Havana. Then it was back to the ship and back to Miami!
Click here to go to the home page.