# My trip to Havana - Cuba



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

I went to Havana for 3 days as part of my round the world trip in early January. 
I arrived on an Air Canada flight from Toronto and the weather was fantastic for the whole time I was there (sunny with max temperature of 25 Celsius during the day and minimum of 18 Celsius during the night) 

Getting through customs/immigration at the airport was quick and easy and then I got a taxi to get to the city centre which costed about CUC 30 ($ 35). Cuba is a fairly expensive country for tourists but I was happy to pay because tourism is an important source of income for the country which still has to deal with the despicable trade embargo imposed on them by the USA

I stayed in what they call "casa particular" or private house which is basically people renting out rooms to tourists which is a great alternative to staying in a hotel if you want to save a bit of money. The casa particular where I was staying was fantastic as it was located on the 9th floor of a building and it has penthouse views all around and I only paid CUC 35 per night which is a bargain when you compare it to the CUC 150-200 that you would pay if you stay in a full service hotel

Despite the poor state of the infrastructure in Cuba I really had a nice time going out and about, mingling with locals, sitting around having a coffee or just observing daily life in Havana go by. Due to the lack of modern technology such as internet, cable tv, playstation and all the rest... most people go out a lot to socialize and there is a greater sense of community


Havana street scene by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Havana street scene by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Havana at sunset by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


old car in Havana by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


An old car in Havana by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Havana street scene by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Havana street scene by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Malecón by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Havana street scene by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Malecón by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


A mural in Havana by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Old Havana by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Havana sunset by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Coco Taxis by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Havana street scene by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Havana street scene by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


----------



## skymantle (Jul 17, 2010)

Magnificent. Havana is a dream location for me, I'm envious. Cuba's not often featured on these forums, so well done. Great colour and composition in your pics too. :cheers:


----------



## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

Nice city with all these old classic cars! The last one looks postcard like.


----------



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

El Capitolio by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Havana street scene by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


----------



## guille_89uy (Jan 14, 2008)

Bravo!


----------



## alexander2000 (Aug 6, 2011)

great! 
I love those 40's and 50's vintage automobiles.


----------



## Linguine (Aug 10, 2009)

great new thread for Havana, a really interesting ang fascinating city almost frozen in the 1950's and 60's time....thanks for the wonderful photos.:cheers:


----------



## JoseRodolfo (Jul 9, 2003)

Hermosa!!


----------



## el palmesano (May 27, 2006)

lovely city!!


----------



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

Havana old square by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Hotel Inglaterra by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Old cars in Havana by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


----------



## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Awesome, great shots from Havana, Cuba :cheers:


----------



## Rombi (Apr 17, 2010)

Havana is my "must be there" No.1


----------



## 0scart (Apr 17, 2011)

Such beautiful yet run-down architecture!!! It's a pity it looks like that. I hope things change for the best.


----------



## juanico (Sep 30, 2005)

Gotta be one of the most photogenic cities on the planet!


----------



## Manitopiaaa (Mar 6, 2006)

Hellospank, these pictures are absolutely stunning!!! Wow, what great shots. Kudos to you. Havana is an absolute gem. I actually think the rundown, gritty nature of the city is part of it's charm. Havana is a real city. It's not a city for show. It's grandness comes from it's raw vibrancy and colonial beauty. It's a stunner. Hopefully, the embargo can end soon so Americans can go visit


----------



## minneapolis-uptown (Jun 22, 2009)

I LOVE Cuba!!!! I really want to go back but it is extremely expensive for americans because we have to pay for this whole week-long "cultural learning tour" or whatever to even be able to visit.


----------



## Ulpia-Serdica (Oct 24, 2011)

The old town looks gorgeous! Imagine if all those buildings get renovated


----------



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

Old Havana by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Old Havana by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


Havana street scene by Piero Damiani (back home), on Flickr


----------



## DanielFigFoz (Mar 10, 2007)

Lovely!


----------



## Cov Boy (Jun 4, 2006)

Nice pics!

Is it safe for tourists from Europe to visit Havana & Cuba in general?


----------



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

Havana by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


Havana skyline by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


Waiting for the bus in Miramar by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


Havana street scene by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


Second hand books in Havana by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


----------



## el palmesano (May 27, 2006)

hellospank25 said:


> [
> 
> 
> Waiting for the bus in Miramar by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


strange but nice structure!


----------



## El Tiburon (Mar 21, 2010)

el palmesano said:


> strange but nice structure!


That's a bus stop shelter at the entrance to Marianao coming from Vedado via the 23 Street bridge over the Almendares River. That's where 45 Avenue splirs off from 47 Avenue and curves to further become 41 Avenue.


----------



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

Havana street scene by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


Havana by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


Havana street scene  by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


----------



## Kampflamm (Dec 28, 2003)

Cool shots. Do you do anything in particular to get that slightly yellowish hue in some of the pics?


----------



## madonnagirl (Aug 7, 2011)

what I like about Havana are the old colonial buildings and the old cars.
my bro and his wife had a 5-day trip to Havana which included a bus ride to
Varadero and he was not too enthusiastic to relate their experience...mmm kind of expensive.


----------



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

Kampflamm said:


> Cool shots. Do you do anything in particular to get that slightly yellowish hue in some of the pics?


It's a free software called Dynamic-photo HDR


----------



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

Havana street scene by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


----------



## marlonbasman (Apr 21, 2012)

nice candid shots.


----------



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

University of Havana by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


Hotel Nacional de Cuba by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


----------



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

Havana  by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


Havana street scene  by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


----------



## Linguine (Aug 10, 2009)

thanks for the very nice new pics from Havana...kay:


----------



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

Urban decay in Havana by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


Old car in Havana by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


----------



## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Beautiful, very nice shots from Havana :cheers:


----------



## balthazar (Jul 19, 2007)

:cheers: nice shots


----------



## karnilla (May 4, 2012)

What a charming city indeed. To relate it to interior design terms, this a great example of shabby chic I must say!


----------



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

Havana by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


Havana street scene by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


Havana skyline by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


----------



## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Really beautiful updates from Havana :cheers:


----------



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

A lighthouse in Havana by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


Havana by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


----------



## Student4life (Sep 23, 2011)

Your pics are wonderful !


----------



## Linguine (Aug 10, 2009)

thank you for sharing your beautiful photos from Havana...:cheers:


----------



## weirdo (Feb 15, 2003)

Great capture of the city's character. :cheers:


----------



## Salazar Rick (Feb 6, 2009)

Nice and interesting city in Cuba


----------



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

Havana street scene by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


----------



## Skyprince (May 2, 2006)

Why I hardly saw any new buildings & structures in this thread ? 

I got an impression of a very old city with very little new development


----------



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

Skyprince said:


> Why I hardly saw any new buildings & structures in this thread ?
> 
> I got an impression of a very old city with very little new development


There are no new developments, no new buildings, no projects and no construction in CUba since there is no money. 

The only construction going on is the restoration of some historic buildings in old Havana which is possible thanks to donations from some European countries and unesco


----------



## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Once again, very nice photos from Havana :cheers:


----------



## el palmesano (May 27, 2006)

hellospank25 said:


> There are no new developments, no new buildings, no projects and no construction in CUba since there is no money.
> 
> The only construction going on is the restoration of some historic buildings in old Havana which is possible thanks to donations from some European countries and unesco


it is not true, there are lot of new hotels in habana and for every restored building you can see, they had to build a new one in the suburbs of the city, because, the problem of these buildings was that in a building for 7 families were living 30... so obviously, the old buildings couldn't support that. It happened because the economy of communist cuba at first depended of the other socialist countires because the couldn't have commerce with american countries, then, the urss and other communist countries fell down, so the economy get worst. But a few years ago the circumstances change, so lot of buildings have been restored and luckly they are opening their mind and allowing private business.

if you want to see about new buildings and projects:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1497838


obviously the number of new buildings still being very little, but we can't say that ther's no new buildings, because it isn't true. It just seems that you didn't go to any place with new buildings...


----------



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

^^ nice projects, thanks for the link


----------



## el palmesano (May 27, 2006)

yourwelcome 

there are videos on youtube with lot of information, but the videos are in spanish..


----------



## hellospank25 (Feb 5, 2008)

Havana by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


Havana street scene by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


----------



## endymar (Sep 19, 2010)

This place looks amazing.. great photos too.

I have to get there.


----------



## Severiano (Jul 5, 2006)

Awesome pics. A little pressure wash and some paint and this city will be amazing!!!!!!


----------



## little universe (Jan 3, 2008)

^^


I actually quite like those stained walls and disrepaired decors...make the city looks so different from anywhere else in the world!!!

Fabulous!!! Havana would be an ideal setting for art movies!


----------



## isakres (May 13, 2009)

I friggin love Havana the way it is, old and disrepair and would love if it remains just like that. But then I start to remember so many faces, smiles and talks and finally get that Cubans also deserve a better life. Those that want a better life at least.


----------



## el palmesano (May 27, 2006)

^^ I think that everyone who says that havana is much pretty with all their buildings in bad conditions is because they didn't know that this city is one of the cities in the world with the best architecture, yes in the world, and definitely is one the best in the hispanic world, because it was the richest city in the spanish empire, so they built incredible buildings and for example cuba was the place where the first spanish rail was made..


----------



## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Indeed those projects from Havana are really great


----------



## mottymot_007 (Apr 10, 2008)

these photos play Salsa music!


----------



## El Tiburon (Mar 21, 2010)

el palmesano said:


> ^^ I think that everyone who says that havana is much pretty with all their buildings in bad conditions is because they didn't know that this city is one of the cities in the world with the best architecture, yes in the world, and definitely is one the best in the hispanic world, because it was the richest city in the spanish empire, so they built incredible buildings and for example cuba was the place where the first spanish rail was made..


That's exactly how it was! Cuba had many first and was a very advanced country until the Castro brothers stoppped progress dead in its tracks with their totalitarian dictatorship. Havana was a very beautiful European-style city with amazing architecture, and that architecture still shows through the ruins of the past 53 years. 

Even though the ruins may look "artsy" or "classic" to some foreigners, they are hell to the residents of Havana and need to be restored and preserved. Before 1959, when all those buildings were owned by people, they were kept in tip-top shape and in good state of repair because the owners took care of them because it costed them their sweat and hard work to build them or buy them.

Sadly, the economic "reforms" taking place now are very shallow and need to be broader and much deeper to really make a difference.


----------



## El Tiburon (Mar 21, 2010)

hellospank25 said:


> A lighthouse in Havana by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


That's not just "a" lighthouse in Havana. That's "the" O'Donnell Lighthouse commonly known as "la Farola del Morro" which is recognized all over the world as a symbol of Havana and sits at the tip of the Castle of the Three Holy Magii Kings of the Morro.



> Havana by The Globetrotting photographer, on Flickr


That's the Alameda de Paula in Old Havana, between the San Francisco de Paula Church and the Muelle de Luz (Luz's Dock).


----------

