I am always trying to get Sarah to do more walking. Like my travel buddy Bill we walk and walk then repair ourselves at the bar. Today Sarah says her back feels great so off we go....
We begin at Plaza Veija. A lovely symmetrical plaza filled with eye catching architecture and excellent cafes. We are filled with numerous cappuccinos from the hotel breakfast so no cafe startup. I noticed more and more construction going on from the last time I visited in May 2012. Havana is moving forward with new hotel construction on the west side of the plaza. The building here all have before and after photos posted on each building. You get a idea of the restored grandeur of the past brought back to life.
We continue on an important street that leads us to our first stop the Museum of Chocolate. They sell lots of different chocolates. We pick a few of our favorites and head back to the pavement. One of the side effects of renovation is busted sidewalks, holes, cracked pavements where ankles beg to turn over or at least mine. You need to be extra careful and look down which is a more difficult thing than you can imagine when you have a feast for your eyes above with the architectural splendor of Old Havana.
An Eastern India window catches Sarah's eye. We proceed inside and Sarah finds herself a nice lace hat band for her fake panama. It for sure adds a touch of class to her hat. Happy and walking forward we proceed to the hotel Amber Mundos where Hemingway wrote and lived for a time in the early 30's in Cuba. There is a dedicated Hemingway room which without success I have tried to enter twice in the past to no avail. That is another thing here, buildings open and closed and undetermined times or it seems that way to me. Room 511, I finally got to enter, maybe Sarah was my good luck charm. We knock on the door and a woman opens and gives us a brief tour of the Hemingway mystique at the hotel. The theme of the room changes and this time it deals with his drinking.....Nice, lots of interesting drinking artifacts like a bottle from WW II Vichy France. His daiquiri recipes are on display as well. A nice tour witht he required photos.
We begin at Plaza Veija. A lovely symmetrical plaza filled with eye catching architecture and excellent cafes. We are filled with numerous cappuccinos from the hotel breakfast so no cafe startup. I noticed more and more construction going on from the last time I visited in May 2012. Havana is moving forward with new hotel construction on the west side of the plaza. The building here all have before and after photos posted on each building. You get a idea of the restored grandeur of the past brought back to life.
We continue on an important street that leads us to our first stop the Museum of Chocolate. They sell lots of different chocolates. We pick a few of our favorites and head back to the pavement. One of the side effects of renovation is busted sidewalks, holes, cracked pavements where ankles beg to turn over or at least mine. You need to be extra careful and look down which is a more difficult thing than you can imagine when you have a feast for your eyes above with the architectural splendor of Old Havana.
An Eastern India window catches Sarah's eye. We proceed inside and Sarah finds herself a nice lace hat band for her fake panama. It for sure adds a touch of class to her hat. Happy and walking forward we proceed to the hotel Amber Mundos where Hemingway wrote and lived for a time in the early 30's in Cuba. There is a dedicated Hemingway room which without success I have tried to enter twice in the past to no avail. That is another thing here, buildings open and closed and undetermined times or it seems that way to me. Room 511, I finally got to enter, maybe Sarah was my good luck charm. We knock on the door and a woman opens and gives us a brief tour of the Hemingway mystique at the hotel. The theme of the room changes and this time it deals with his drinking.....Nice, lots of interesting drinking artifacts like a bottle from WW II Vichy France. His daiquiri recipes are on display as well. A nice tour witht he required photos.
Yes, that is the hat band
A new hotel going up.
Our guide...
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