We again started the day with breakfast on the rooftop patio. This time around we’re a little bit later to dine than usual and it’s a full house. On the upside, we were lucky enough to share a table with two very nice German girls; on the downside, we proceeded to sweat so much we all need another shower before the day can actually begin…
To start off the day, we head first to the museum of St. Francis, where Grant had been dying to see the Leonardo Da Vinci exhibit we’d heard good things about. Upon arrival we found that… it’s closed for renovations. Bummed but not deterred, we pivoted and headed to Jess’ preferred museum, the Havana History Museum, housed in the Governor’s Mansion at the Plaza de Armas. Even better, we stopped stop for fresh Churros along the way to further soothe Grant (though in all honesty, Jess had been dreaming about them for days at this point!).
We opted to have a guide show us around the entire museum, during which we saw many many paintings of famous personas in Cuban history (some didn’t have any names underneath…why?!). During our time, there’s a notable focus on José Martí, who is famous for being a wise and revered personality in Cuba’s revolutionary history. However, we remain a little puzzle as to why he is the “Apostle of Cuba” with so much historical fame, when several others seemed to have done more for the country (including Grant’s personal vote for MVP: Antonio Maceo — we won’t ramble about Cuba history here for brevity, but those are two figures you should definitely check out on wikipedia!).
Grant posed with General Manceo
Jess posed with Jose Martí
Then we moved on to the the incredible “Hall of Flags”, which is home to almost every iteration of the Cuban flag since the beginning, many of them in battle-worn, which made the scene that much more powerful.
We end our tour by exploring the ground floor which held several pristinely preserved carriages, as well as a stroll through several roped off rooms – quite the perk of having a guide!
From there we strolled over to one of the most famous bars in Havana: El Floridita (yes, El Floridita) which is well known as Hemingway’s personal favorite spot to sip daiquiris. We enjoy a daquiri ourselves, listen to some live music, and pose for pictures with a life-sized bronze statue of Ernest Hemingway himself, perched whereelse than at the end of the bar. The drinks were tasty, but pricey, and the A/C was a nice escape, until a power cut politely removed that part of the experience from the equation.
After that, we finally made one of our most important stops: time to buy cigars and rum for our friends back home. In the shop, which by the way, is one of a chain, run specifically by the Cuban government, and therefore the only way to ensure the goods are legitimate, despite the moral unease of directly giving money to a government that we are still trying to size up. Inside the shop, we meet some fellow Americans who are in Cuba building basketball courts for underprivileged kids, which is more or less all kids in Cuba. We have a sudden onset crisis of morality about the fact that our trip is for fun only, but eventually put it behind us…
Cigars and rum from wall to wall!
Buy one? Buy one hundred? You can do it here.
And the next stop? More museums! We headed over to the Museum of Belles Artes Cubanos (Museum of Cuban Fine Art), in which we look at confusing modern-ish art. Sadly, not only is the museum not air conditioned during midday, but we are not allowed to take pictures. We amuse ourselves with interpretations and personal musings nonetheless, and end with an exhibit on the jailed “Cuba Five” (which are a well known group in Cuba, but which we somehow never heard about in the US).
At this point, we had finally had our fill (and maybe a little more than) of museums and walking, so we strolled back to the Casa for a siesta (Havana is HOT!), then saunter over to our fancy dinner at Chef Ivan Justo’s restaurant for dinner. Grant summits a mountain of Suckling Pig; Jess conquers a giant bowl of Seafood stew, and we split some amazing ceviche and gazpacho. Everything was more than delicious, and it’s no surprise that Ivan had won an Iron chef!
After dinner we walk back (/roll back) home. With our remaining nights in Cuba diminished to only a couple, we considered heading to the roof for a nightcap and cigar, but as we contemplated climbing 3 flights to get to the roof… we quickly decide that is 3 flights too many, and… end scene. Bed.
-G & J
p.s. Here are a few other Havana pictures from the past two days’ wanderings!
