Canadian World Traveller

street parking lots filled with shiny classic cars
from the 1940’s and 1950’s, and I roamed
through residential streets adorned with
imaginative street art.
And just about everywhere there were signs
indicating that the restoration of a nearby
building was part of a city renaissance, initiated
by the occasion of Havana’s 500th birthday.
In fact, at FITCuba, the annual tourism
conference that took place in Havana this
year, Manuel Marrero Cruz, the Minister of
Tourism enthusiastically declared that, “The
500th Anniversary of Havana is no longer
November 16. It’s every day of 2019”, and
we learned that some 4500 projects fall under
the umbrella of the big birthday celebration.
The person responsible, not only for re-invigorating
the city and tourism but also for reenergizing
the inhabitants, the Habaneros, is
Eusebio Leal, the City Historian and visionary.
He was quoted as saying, “It’s important for
people to not just see Cuba as a country of
WT Library Photo
beaches and palm trees. Behind the beautiful
image of a tropical paradise, there is a rich
cultural history, which should be portrayed to
visitors”. But Leal didn’t want to create sterile
city blocks of restored buildings. His goal was
to create a robust relationship between the
goal of preserving culture and history, and the
daily lives of residents who work, shop, play,
and raise their families in the city. Leal noted
the pride that Habaneros were feeling toward
the restoration; “Almost like magic, there has
been a rebirth of historic Havana together
with activities for children, youth and adults”.
On the Malecón, new modern structures have
been built alongside buildings, some over
100 years old that have been ravaged by
humans, time and weather. And as part of the
500th Anniversary, visitors can interact with
fascinating works of art, originally installed
for the 13th Havana Biennial Art Exhibition.
Now the Malecón experience includes crashing
waves, memorable sunsets and rows of
fishermen standing on the seawall as well as
Roberto Fabelo’s sculpture of the ‘Turtle Man’,
called “Put a Good Face on it”, Xavier
Mascaro’s series of powerful iron figures,
called “Guardians”, Rafael Miranda San
Juan’s delicate “Iron Statue of a Woman’s
Head and Shoulders”, along with many more
paintings, sculptures, sketches and exhibits
that instill a sense of wonder and enhance the
appreciation of Havana’s history, culture, creativity
and beauty.
Leaving the Malecón, Paseo del Prado passes
right through art exhibits and alongside street
murals. This tree-lined promenade is in the
middle of a boulevard with stunning buildings
from the early 20th century on either side with
some notable modern exceptions. The Hotel
Biscuit, built in 1911 no longer exists, but in its
place is the new 5 star Iberostar Packard
Hotel with a very classy retro-themed façade
and interior.
The promenade continues to Central Park,
home to the historic Hotel Inglaterra, which is
next to the lavish, neo-Baroque architecture of
the Gran Teatro de la Habana, which in turn
sits beside El Capitolio, the Cuban legislative
building. Across the street is the new 5 star
Manzana Kempinski Hotel, one of the 500th
Anniversary projects, occupying a fully
restored building from 1917. And next door is
Iberostar’s 5 star Parque Central Hotel with
the Rooftop pool and bar also serving
as possibly the best vantage point in the
city to take in the history and beauty of
the Central Park area.
The dome of El Capitolio resembles the U.S.
Capital in Washington D.C. but that’s where
the similarities end. The two bronze doors of
the building relate the history of Cuba and
under the dome is the impressive Statue of the
Republic, sculpted by Angelo Zanelli. It
appears as a young woman dressed in a tunic
with a helmet, shield and lance, ready to
defend the people’s right to establish their
own government. It’s the 3rd largest bronze
statue in the world at 17 meters (56 feet) high
and weighing 49 tons. The plan is to unveil
the restored statue for the 500th Anniversary.
Walking around Havana is a safe experience.
Certainly when Renaldo Garcia Zapata, the
President of the Government of Havana spoke
at the tourism conference, he began by talking
about safety in light of the festivities
planned throughout the city in the months
ahead. Zapata also emphasized the charm of
the city’s green parks and the five historic
Plazas. He noted that Plaza Vieja, with its
eclectic mix of buildings and architecture from
centuries past, was actually the Number One
visitor attraction in all of Cuba.
On our last evening, we went to see the show
at the famous Tropicana Club. For fans of the
“I Love Lucy” television show, this is Ricky
Ricardo’s club, gone wild. The dancing, music
and extravagant costumes are amazing and
seemingly emphasize that you’re in a very
special destination like no other.
When I asked a millennial-aged store keeper
what Havana’s birthday meant to him, he said
“we want to show that we’re an active part of
this world and that the world is welcome to
come and celebrate with us”.
Havana’s 500th birthday has been a catalyst
in reinvigorating the city and re-energizing
the spirit of its residents, and of tourism in
general. This birthday is not the end of an era,
but the beginning of making this already
amazing city – and country- even more of a
must-see destination.
www.gocuba.ca
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Canadian World Traveller Fall 2019