| On April 1928, the steamship Orita coming from | | | | fishermen passed through day to day; fishermen he |
| France docked in the port of Havana Bay. Among its | | | | helped out so much. In 1933 his second wife, Paulina, |
| many travellers, the American writer Ernest | | | | was involved in a street shooting and Ernest decided |
| Hemingway was on the ship in his transit for Key | | | | to go away for some time. They decided to go to |
| West. It was his first time in Cuba and spent on the | | | | Santander, Spain and when departing he said to his |
| island only a few hours. He returned in 1932 and again | | | | friends that he hoped that the days of that |
| in 1933 staying during his two visits in the Ambos | | | | "miserable tyrant Machado" were over soon. During |
| Mundos Hotel, located on Obispo St, in the very | | | | the trip he found out by the radio that Machado had |
| heart of Old Havana. This hotel was both his house | | | | been defeated by a popular revolution. A part of that |
| and office for nearly 10 years. He liked it so much | | | | experience was expressed in his novel "Have and |
| due to the view he could get of the old city, the | | | | Have Not". |
| hustle and bustle of the people, the closeness to his | | | | In 1939, married to Marta Gellhorn, he began to think |
| boat (docked in the port), and the places he | | | | of having his permanent residence in Cuba. Marta was |
| worshipped the most in Havana: the bars and coffee | | | | not very fond of the bohemian life they were living in |
| shops where he got together with his friends, both | | | | the Ambos Mundos Hotel and she found the Vigía |
| national and foreign. He was also fascinated with the | | | | Farmhouse (in San Francisco de Paula, 9 miles away |
| flavor of the tropical fruits, especially those of | | | | from Havana City) while looking for a rental. At the |
| pineapple and mango. He used to say that Cuba "filled | | | | very beginning Hemingway did not want to move |
| him with juices". | | | | out, but after the reconstruction and arrangements |
| Hemingway loved the nature of the island as well, | | | | his wife made, he decided to move in and a year |
| especially the nature surrounding the sea and the | | | | later he became the owner of the estate. In the |
| nearby keys. In the articles and books he would | | | | quietness of his new home, the author wrote his |
| write during that period he described with admirable | | | | most fascinating novels: "The Old Man and the Sea" |
| perfection the coralline bottom of the sea, the virgin | | | | and "For Whom the Bells Toll". |
| beaches, and the hard work that the humble | | | | |