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The Streets of Old Havana

The Streets of Old Havana

Two Options

Walking the streets: two-hours, 3-miles, or
Driving the Streets; in a shiny pre-1960 vintage American car?

Both!

Why the streets of Havana appeal to me

Havana’s well-manicured public parks, line the streets.  History is on display along Caribbean waterfronts.  Spanish architecture dominates Havana, Cuba’s capital is not another “Caribbean town.”  Cuban music jumps out every block along the route.

Where Down the Block do we Start?

First let’s walk. 

Head north from the ferry terminal 200 meters. Pause on the harbor side of the walk at the base of O’Reilly Street, where it joins Ave Del Puerto Desamparados.  Walk away from the port, towards the city to Plaza de Armas.  Cross O’Reilly street into the grounds of Castillo de la Real Furza.

Exit the Castillo grounds on the harbor side. The Malecon walkway follows Havana’s channel.  Continue along the waterfront channel leading into/out of the port of Havana.  At the sea entrance to Havana’s channel, a lighthouse guards the east side of the entrance.

Shake your head, NO.  Wave off the drivers of the 1905 vintage cars as they patrol the boulevard, calling, “Tour of Havana?”  Driving the streets comes later.

Across Ave. Del Puerto Desamparados, on the city-side, is Park Luz Caballero, .35 miles. Next on Park Cespedes, .5 miles.  Ahead lies San Salvador Castle Point, you’ve walked .9 of a mile.

Approaching San Salvador, vintage car riders will be crossing the Entrance Channel via an underground tunnel.  On the NE side of the channel two forts and a lighthouse guard the port of Havana.

Reaching San Salvador Castle Point on foot, turn hard left. Paseo Marti is a marble pedestrian urban park that leads to Park Central, 1.6 miles, and the magnificent Capitolio, 1.8 miles.  Along the Paseo de Marti; the Royal Prison, Cuba’s Revolution Museum, Museum of Art.

Past Parque Central (heading south), continue to Partagas’ (cigar) factory/retail shop, just behind (west of) the Capitolio on Industria Street (Calle Industria), 2.0 miles.  Partagas retail sells all the major cigar brands produced in Cuba. Cigar Price is regulated in Cuba.  There is no advantage is seeking out a discount cigar vendor – they offer knock-off cigar brands.

Walk back to Parque Central (2.2. miles), grab a bench seat in the shade on this fabulous plaza.  Analyze your options; walk, ride.  Confused?  Take a break, enter the Hotel Parque Central. Ride the elevator to floor 8, the pool deck (no food service) for the view. Slake your thirst by repairing to Hotel Parque Central’s lobby bar. 

Outside Parque Central, a row of vintage cars stand ready to serve. Continue walking, or ride – still not certain? 

Head into the lobby of neighboring Gran Hotel Manzano Kempinski. Kempinski’s restaurant/bar on floor 6 overlooks all of Havana – while offering great nibbling/drinking options.  Settle in.  Food is pricy, drinks are not, $4 for Cuban beer.  Kempinski’s  6th floor with its 270-degree view, is not Communist Old Havana, but you can see it from here. Like everywhere in Havana, the 6th floor bar is cigar friendly.

Why you might not leave

My bartender Omar, from behind his altar on Kempinski’s 6th level bar, said, “This might be the best location for an after-dark beverage and cigar in all of Cuba.”  It was 7:30 pm, I was back; smoking a Montecristo #2, sipping a Bucanegra beer.

Omar was insightful.

Lesser Known Facts      

Havana Club Rum is sold in the USA by Bacardi.  In the rest of the world (Cuba), Havana Club is sold by Pernod and the Cuban government in a 50-50 venture.  Bacardi’s recipe differs from Pernod’s. 

The legal fight for rights to Havana Club brand continue

A Ron Collins (rum) cocktail may be a throw-back to your ancestors 1950’s parties, but it is still mixed and served in Havana.

Partagas’ cigar shop, two blocks from Parque Centrale offers all makes of Cuban cigars; Montecristo, Cohiba, Romeo & Julietta.

There are no beaches for swimming in Old Havana.

Local Recommendation    

You’re winding down on two hours embedded at the Gran Hotel Manana Kempinski 6th floor.

How to return to our Start Point walking the streets of Havana?

Slow, slightly downhill, one step at a time. Leaving the Hotel Kempinski, head east towards the port on Obispo Street.  

Skip Bar Floridita, a reputed favorite stop for Ernest Hemingway. Floridita is packed with tourists. The visiting interlopers slurp green, county-fair style, snow-cones the bar staff foists as daiquiris.  Fifty-plus icy, little green melters are lined atop Floridita’s bar in communist mock-tribute to America’s capitalistic production line efficiencies.     

Worthwhile pauses while walking down Obispos street:

Restaurant Europa, Obispo Street, Cuban jazz pulls you to their gate.

La Ruinas del Parque, the music plays all afternoon.

Restaurante 5 Sentidos, San Juan de Dios 67, a Cuban paladar. Found on the corner of Habana and Compostela, two block detour, north, halfway down Obispo.  Sample the octopus appetizer. 

Hotel Ambos Mundos; the caged elevator serving the lobby, delivers you to Ambos Mundos’ rooftop deck.

Something for Nothing 

My ranking

1.  The parks of Havana, well-manicured.

1.  The façade of Havana’s federal building; The CAPITOLIO. Perhaps the Caribbean’s most magnificent building.

1.  Parque Centrale, this plaza features a statue of Jose Marti.  Marti, organized and unified Cuba’s struggle for independence from Spain.  The Marti name is a synonym for liberty throughout Latin America.

What about a Vintage Car Tour?

Jubal drove, I rode shotgun.  Inside Jubal’s fluorescent pink convertible, it was 1955.  Outside it was 9:30 am on a January, Monday morning in Old Havana.  The bench seats of Jubal’s Chevrolet Bel Air were covered with sturdy clear plastic, providing a wax-paper slide from steering column to passenger door as Jubal turned a corner.

I avoid bumping the manual gear shift jutting from the right-hand side of the steering column.  Jubal executes a classic 1950 style gear-shift from Reverse, through First, Second and Third;

Depress clutch, pull shift toward driver, yank down, lock, release clutch. Accelerate, clutch-in, lift shift, push forward, up and lock into 2nd gear.  3rd  gear is a straight down-slam, clutch out.  Who could forget learning to drive a stick shift? 

Jubal drove his 55’ Chevy convertible north along Avenue del Porto, leading seaward from Old Havana’s commercial harbor.

Jubal spoke little English, I speak no Spanish.  We were talking cars and politics.

     “Original engine,” Jubal shouted in English.

     “Incredible,” I replied in Italian, confusing Jubal and myself. 

Jubal wore a white, Boston Blacky style, hat.  Both of our heads from eyebrows up were above the blow line pushing over the wind shield.

Jubal turned left, heading down, into the Tunnel del la Habana, crossing the Canal de Entrada. Exiting on the east side of the port of Habana.  The slight centrifugal pull of the Chevy Bel Air’s left turn, slid me against the interior passenger door.

NO DOOR HANDLE!  Perfect, Jubal’s 55’ classic was tricked out for Friday night, Drive-In Movie, dating; no seat belts, lazy-Susan bench seats, no interior escape handle on the passenger side door.

     “Where you wan go?” Jubal asked. 

     “Anywhere,” I said to keep communication simple.  It was 80 degrees, no clouds. Havana streets ran thick with vintage Americana transportation.  Somewhere Cuban Bucanegra beer stood chilling.  So long as our 1955 Chevy Bel Air convertible didn’t lift off the ground and fly towards Florida seeking vehicular asylum, I was smiling and waving.

Jubal honked at the Havana residence of Che Guevara. He pulled his ride to a stop at a nearby park. 

     Jubal pointed, “Missile monument.” In the poster, Fidel pointed back.

     “Fidel say you coming to take our missiles, prepare for fight,” Jubal said. 

I nod, remembering 1963.

     Jubal said, “Biggest news in Cuba summer 1963.  Same in US?”

    “No,” I said, “2nd biggest.  Ed Sullivan announced the Beatles would be on his Sunday night TV show.” 

     Jubal looked sad, “Castro ban Beatle music here in Cuba, he say capitalist trick.”

Beatles music banned in Cuba?  Seemed to me John Lennon and his Beatles were a bit commie at times?

old havana
“Be prepared for battle”

We drove west along the Malecon towards Vedado.  Havana when constructed, was a European city.  The skeleton of the Spanish opulence can be traced, a black and white outline of a once-grand city.  Havana is not a Caribbean city.

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Havana Plaza Vieja

Havana, Cuba – Plaza Vieja


– Quote from Owner

“Start at Plaza Vieja,” Carlos, my AirBnB host, said.  It was already 3 pm, I had just flown to Havana and was checking into my AirBnB room.  I had not even sipped my 3rd beer of the day yet.

“Plaza Vieja is our Old Square, there are several bars,” Carlos advised.

“Gracias Carlos, I’m out of here.”

Carlos called as the apartment door shut behind me, “Do you need anything else?”

Why this place appeals to me

Cigars, music, rum, vintage cars.

Cuban jazz was on my Havana to-do list.  Turning on San Ignacio street, guitars, drums and maracas lured me towards Plaza Vieja.  Music played everywhere

Slow-stepping the uneven cobblestone street fronting the bar Papa Ernesto, a Cuban gentleman with a Cuban-style hat sat with a friend.  The Cuban tipped his rum and coke towards me.  He pointed at the COHIBA cigar extending from my shirt pocket. 

Carlos, my host, told me his previous guest at my AirBnB left behind an entire box of Cohiba cigars.  Help yourself, Carlos said to me.  Carlos’ previous guest left behind a $750 box of Cohiba cigars in an AirBnB room that rented for $55/night?  Fuzzy math; these forgotten COHIBA’s required certification of authenticity.

“You like cigars?” the Cuban man asked me.  He waved his rum drink again.

I handed my gift Cohiba to the drinking man wearing his Cuban hat, “I like real real Cohiba cigars.”

“I sell cigars,” the Cuban man said, accepting my Cohiba.  He inspected the label, “Your cigar is garbage, no good.”

Plaza Vieja, in the heart of Old Havana.  Once upon a time home base for Havana’s wealthiest citizens.  From their balconies Cuban aristocracy looked down on Plaza Vieja executions, cheered fiestas in Havana’s Old Square.

By 5 pm the corner of Plaza Vieja was alive, Café La Vitrola was serving tapas and Cuban jazz to patrons and gawkers.  I paid $2.50 at the Vitrola bar for my Heineken and wandered out the door into Plaza Vieja, gawking.

Plaza Vieja, La Vitrola, Saturday 5 pm

Turning slowly, I absorbed Plaza Vieja.   Cafe El Escorial, legendary coffee bar, offering history with croissants every morning on corner #2.  Café Bohemia; just beer, rum drinks – corner #3. Restaurant Santo Angel, quiet at 5 pm, corner #4.

A much-pondered sculpture centerpieces Plaza Vieja.  A Cuban rooster (COCK) of colossal dimensions, atop of which, a bald and naked lady (SENORITA) straddles, holding a gigantic fork (FORK). Plaza Vieja hums, begging me to return after dark. 

As dusk approaches I walk north on San Ignacio street.

How Far Down the Block? 

Why you might be nearby?

Along my route I turn west, up Obispo street, stopping outside Restaurante Europa, 5 blocks from Plaza Vieja.  Cuban jazz oozes from within Europa.  Me and other street gawkers are in Cuban Jazz Heaven. Surveying the crowd, I conclude Havana has no restrictions on where one can carry a drink.

Obispo street, 4 pm, Restaurante Europa

Step into the lobby at Hotel Ambos Mundos (4 blocks from Plaza Vieja), 153 Obispo street.  Beckon the caged elevator. The elevator attendant speaks perfect English. Ask to be delivered to the rooftop terrace.  Was the Ambos Mundos (translates BOTH WORLDS) really Hemingway’s hideout where he penned For Whom the Bell Tolls

The rooftop bar of Ambos Mundos, overlooks the port of Havana.  A Mojito is recommended.

Recommended

Down the block, on the corner of Lamparilla and San Ignacio, the waitress at restaurant San Ignacio 214, smiles me in.  “You can finish your cigar at the table senor.” 

Old Havana restaurants (paladars) are often known by their street number.  From inside 214 (2 blocks from Plaza Vieja), street traffic outside the open door entertains me.  My smiling waitress places a cigar-style ashtray in front of me. 

“Mojito,” I say.  San Ignacio 214 is a Cuban paladar.

Lesser Known Facts    

A Cuban paladar is a private enterprise restaurant, authorized by the Cuban government.  Paladars have a maximum of 12 seats, and a minimum of two employees, both employees must be family members of the homeowner.  Paladars offer Cuban home-cooking. 

AirBnB designated my room Casa Particular; a room in a house.  Similar to a B&B.  I shared an apartment with another couple, although I never encountered my house-mates during my three days in Havana. Carlos was my host.  Carlos arranged for a driver to meet me at the Jose Marti airport, and porter me to Old Havana in a black 1950-ISH Chevrolet for the 20-minute drive.

The US dollar is charged a 10% surtax at all exchange offices; in addition to the buy/sell spread.  The Euro, Canadian dollar are not subject to this 10% surcharge, so bring Euros’ if you have them.

Local Recommendation    

At 9 pm, I’ve returned to Plaza Vieja.  Eight musicians are throbbing Cuban jazz outside restaurant Santo Angel on the NE edge of semi-dark Plaza Vieja. 

Plaza Vieja, Santo Angel, 9 pm

On stage at Plaza Vieja’s Café Bohemio, seven female musicians are singing and playing Cuban.  I wander forth sipping Heineken and tapping my toes.

La Vitrola on the corner of San Ignacio, has a five-piece group swinging; music, food and drink are delivered by rhythmic staff.  Inside décor features memorabilia circa pre-Castro.  A 14” TV spools 1950’s black & white footage of life in Havana.

Havana Club rum is claimed by two producers; Pernad Ricard sells Havana Club worldwide – most of it in Cuba. Bacardí has legal rights to the brand name Havana Club in the US only. These two producers of Havana Club are locked in legal battle for worldwide rights; 60 years after the Havana Club brand name went up for grabs in the 1959 Cuban revolution.  The rum recipes are not the same.

Something for Nothing      

Music, music, music.

Categories
Cortez/Anna Maria; Annie's Bait Shop Florida

Cortez, Florida: ANNIE’S BAIT & TACKLE; Minnows, food, Heineken & cigars

Annie’s Bait & Tackle, Cortez, Florida (Bradenton Beach); An inter-coastal bait shop offering Heineken & cigars.

Why this place appeals to me

Annie’s explains their dining as EXTREMELY CASUAL – it is.

     “What time do you open shop?” I asked Bruce Shearer, owner of Annie’s Bait Shop for the past 18 years.

     “6 am, used to open at 5:30, but no reason any more, not busy in the morning,” Bruce said.

     “How come you’re not busy at 6 am, that’s when fishermen like to head out?”

     “They died,” the owner of Annie’s Bait Shop said.

     “The fish died out,” I asked.

     “No, the fishermen,” Bruce explains. “The old guys, down from Michigan, used to charter a boat for the entire season, one day a week, all winter December through April.  Now, an occasional old guy brings his grandson by once a year to show him what a rod and reel looks like.”

Florida, bait, intercoastal, cigars, Grouper, Cortez, dockside, on the water, Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, cold beer, locals, cheap meals, undiscovered, hidden, jogging, running, restaurant, bar, cheap meals, beer, price
Annie’s sign from out front

Annie’s Bait & Tackle is local, but with a surprising touch of class.

Nancy pulled a cool Heineken from the cooler as I selected a Macanudo cigar from the humidor atop the bait counter.

“Need a cutter?” she asked.

Nice touch; a $7 cigar does not offend my yearning to go local.

How Far Down the Block?      From McKechnie Field spring training home field for the Pittsburgh Pirates it’s a nine mile drive.

From mid-crossing on the Sunshine Bridge spanning the entrance of Tampa Bay it is 37 miles to Annie’s Bait & Tackle.[mappress mapid=”8″]

Florida, bait, intercoastal, cigars, Grouper, Cortez, dockside, on the water, Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, cold beer, locals, cheap meals, undiscovered, hidden, jogging, running, restaurant, bar, cheap meals, beer, price
Cortez Road Bridge from Annie’s Veranda

Why you might be nearby?      Social demands on Longboat Key have you seeking somewhere local to sip on a cold beer.  Grab the tender from somebody’s yacht and zip north to the Cortez Road Bridge, following the channel into Annie’s immediately northeast of the bridge.

Lesser Known Facts      Bruce Shearer once sold 15,000 bait shrimp daily to the fishermen pushing off from Cortez into the Gulf of Mexico.  Fishing in 2014 isn’t the same as the 1980’s, Bruce moved with the money.  Annie’s Bait Shop now serves cold Heineken with their signature Grouper Sandwich on the ten bar stools, four indoor tables or dockside on their … well, it’s just a dock..

Bruce, a refugee from Michigan – now proprietor of Annie’s Bait & Tackle, headed south in the late 1970’s with a stash of $1,800.  He stands the afternoon watch at Annie’s these days

Local Recommendation

     “What’s the specialty?” I asked.

Nancy, who came down from Cincinnati, was on duty at Annie’s. She said, “The Grouper Sandwich, 100%.”Florida, bait, intercoastal, cigars, Grouper, Cortez, dockside, on the water, Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, cold beer, locals, cheap meals, undiscovered, hidden, jogging, running, restaurant, bar, cheap meals, beer, price

Nancy was right.

Something for Nothing      Park your car, lace up your running/walking shoes and head over the bridge towards Anna Maria Island.  Round trip from Annie’s n the east side to the base of the bridge on the West side and back is 1.5 miles.  Continue on the Gulf, extend your exercise routine and return to Annie’s thirsty.