| Decaying paint-peeled buildings skirt the mayhem of | | | | Cuba is the safest country in Latin America. As one |
| the city's once grand avenues and plazas, all the way | | | | local joked, "There are 11 million people in Cuba, and 7 |
| into Centro Habana. Tiny Russian Ladas scamper past | | | | million of them are police". There are a noticeable |
| enormous American Fords, Chevy's and Cadillac's of | | | | number of police and soldiers on the streets, |
| the 1950's. Dueling horns blast as cabbies weave their | | | | however, it's the eyes and ears of the Revolution |
| latest shipment of gringos between rickety bicycles, | | | | that most fear. However, anywhere in the world you |
| plodding horses, tottering carts, and steaming food | | | | find "rich" westerners, there are always a number of |
| stalls. Amongst it all, the eclectic Havanians, hustle, | | | | those entertaining but troublesome professionals, the |
| bustle, linger and loiter through another day of | | | | hustler. |
| post-Revolution life. | | | | Being hustled in Cuba is opening your box of |
| Sweeping around a corner, you'll see rusty farmers | | | | "genuine" Coheba cigars to find they weren't actually |
| aboard their hobbling donkeys amble past elderly | | | | rolled on the thighs of a country virgin, but in the |
| rocking chair gossips, fanning themselves under | | | | greasy, sweaty palms of some city mechanic. It's |
| oppressive midday heat. Sassy young chicas in | | | | being guided to "a bar featured in the Buena Vista |
| electric spandex body stockings and micro mini's strut | | | | Social Club film" for heavily commissioned drinks, |
| with mock contempt past the leering gaze of | | | | before staggering back to the hotel, and suddenly |
| brooding hombres prowling the street corners. School | | | | noticing that every bar in Havana looks like the ones |
| kids laugh, play, flirt, and tease, comically mimicking | | | | in the Buena Vista Social Club. It's amusing, irritating, |
| them all. Spaniard melts into African - a beautiful | | | | usually harmless, so don't let the thought of being |
| mélange of exotic milk and dark chocolate in all | | | | hussled prevent you from meeting the warm, |
| shapes and shades. | | | | passionate and proud Havanians. |
| Nowhere to be seen are billboards plastered with | | | | Music is the blood of Cuba, so make the most of the |
| Western celebrities flashing over-bleached smiles and | | | | opportunity where it presents itself. Slip into the |
| the latest soft drink flavor. Instead, are the watchful | | | | restaurants and bars surrounding Obispo and listen to |
| eyes of Ex "El Commandante" Fidel, and comrade | | | | jazz and rhumba bands play the Cuban classics. |
| "Che" Guevara - whose face you might remember | | | | A smorgasbord of fantastic after dark entertainment |
| from the t-shirts of Western celebrities with | | | | awaits in Havana. Folk and traditional music venues, |
| over-bleached smiles. On highways and streets, huge | | | | such as Casa de la Trova, offer the audience a real |
| posters, murals, and well placed "graffiti" shouts out | | | | "son" style performance amid the intimate courtyard |
| reminders to Viva la Revolution. | | | | stage of a dilapidated Vedado building. |
| Tourism in Cuba isn't overwhelming by any means, | | | | In the newer tourist center you can sink into a |
| but it is growing. Mainly in the sizable shape of sun | | | | leather barstool at a piano bar with a drink and listen |
| starved Europeans and Canadians on their hibernation | | | | to some of Cuba's finest musicians and singers |
| escape package holidays. During the northern winter | | | | before the call of the nightclubs, cabarets, and discos |
| months, these curious looking creatures migrate | | | | beckon. |
| across the vast plazas in the late hours of the | | | | It is forbidden for a tourist to leave Havana without |
| morning, before grazing in expensive restaurants, | | | | experiencing a night of Salon Rojo Cabaret, once a |
| lapping up ten dollar cocktails at Hemingway watering | | | | haven for the 1950's mob. For $10, a dinner-suited |
| holes, waddling through absurdly priced souvenir | | | | waiter will bring endless quantities of rum punch and |
| shops, and finally disappearing into a dense jungle of | | | | beer to your front row table, whilst you lap up the |
| waiting coaches. | | | | eye-catching entertainment both onstage and |
| To avoid being crushed (or eaten) by the herd, it's | | | | offstage. Marriages, hardships and inhibitions are all |
| advisable to start your sightseeing early. Wander | | | | left at the Salon cloakroom ,as exotic young women |
| through "must do" attractions such as the Cigar | | | | seductively slip onto the arms of Western |
| Factory and Museum, Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza de | | | | businessmen, Cuban couples and friends lose |
| Armes and Plaza San Francisco, and mandatory | | | | themselves in music and laughter, and young |
| museums on the tourist trail before midday. A quaint | | | | backpackers fall in lust with pretty much anyone who |
| and reasonably priced palate reward isn't hard to find. | | | | is willing to give them a sideways glance. |
| Just stand outside the nearest overpriced souvenir | | | | The dark rich red curtains, plush carpet and dim |
| shop and walk at least three blocks in any direction. | | | | lighting play the perfect backdrop to this decadance |
| The only way to lap up the true character of Havana | | | | and the cabaret show itself is a retro delight. Big |
| is to wander along the less traveled paths. You could | | | | band music gets the shapely exotic dancers in |
| spend an afternoon tucked in an outdoor bar/music | | | | sequenced g-strings shaking like rattle snakes, whilst |
| shop sampling CD's, tapes and cold cervesa's (beers) | | | | enthusiastic crooners in matching sequenced vests |
| with local afficianados keen to voice their opinion on | | | | and excrutiatingly tight vinyl pants work up the |
| Cuba's best music styles. Or zigzag through the maze | | | | crowd. Once the show is over, the crowd piles on |
| of colorful wilting streets and lanes, playing, posing | | | | stage and breaking into salsa frenzy. |
| and brokenly conversing with the friendly and curious. | | | | There are two things you want to pack with you on |
| Then wander along the sparkling oceanfront Malacon, | | | | a trip to Cuba. A good understanding of Cuban |
| past the brooding hombres who had managed to | | | | Spanish and a hot set of dancing feet. Having arrived |
| charm one the strutting chicas into a kiss, safely | | | | with neither, we opted for the crash course instead - |
| hidden from the steely gaze of her father. | | | | the Salon Rijo all-inclusive drinks pass. |