| Old Havana is a place really picturesque and | | | | but the most symbolic and appealing are the |
| beautiful. Its cobblestoned, narrow streets | | | | old ones who -with the strength of a thousand |
| and corners full of the purest contrasts | | | | lions - continue to offer the best of the |
| between sun and shade are now a musical | | | | popular art learned a long time ago. |
| center -as it can be seen today- a real Cuban | | | | |
| party. | | | | Some 72 musical groups invite us to move our |
| | | | feet, or simply to listen to them while we |
| Noisy as it is, colonial Havana is better | | | | have a snack or a supper in company of |
| known for its more-than-80-year-old musicians | | | | friends or relatives. |
| than for its museums -as many foreign | | | | |
| visitors confess. | | | | The origin of such animation can be traced |
| | | | back to December, 31st, 1994, when a supper |
| Perhaps, the world reign of Francisco | | | | was organized at the Cathedral Square -the |
| Repilado (Compay Segundo), an already dead | | | | most emblematic of the five squares that |
| troubadour and sonero propitiated that a | | | | exist around that old area- and from that |
| considerable part of all the people who pass | | | | moment on, music, gastronomy and architecture |
| by this part of the Cuban capital look for | | | | combine in order to offer the visitor a new |
| that musician's lineage -and find it. | | | | opportunity. |
| | | | |
| Such richness can be found in bars, | | | | The milieu is contagious, but the most |
| restaurants and hotels of this Cuban area | | | | recommendable restaurants are El Patio, with |
| founded in 1519 -a wonderful landscape full | | | | its big umbrellas in the same Cathedral |
| of chromatism and the affable environment | | | | Square -all very noisy- La Mina, Don |
| that its dwellers grant to this place. | | | | Giovanni, the Lobby Bar of the Ambos Mundos |
| | | | Hotel, the Café Paris or La Lluvia de Oro |
| There, tourism is operated by the Cuban | | | | -all of them very close to each other. |
| company Habaguanex, an enterprise that was | | | | |
| named after the last indigenous chief who | | | | The Plaza Vieja (Old Square), for instance, |
| lived in that area and since 1994 has been in | | | | has one corner that is quite remarkable for |
| charge of maximizing the historic and | | | | its sounds and music. It is the Café |
| cultural recreation in the approximately 4.5 | | | | Taberna Benny Moré, built as homage to the |
| square kilometers of this old area of the | | | | worldwide famous musician of the same name |
| city. | | | | who is already dead and who was baptized with |
| | | | the name El Bárbaro del Ritmo. |
| Through narrow streets, shops and truly | | | | |
| beautiful corners there can be seen lots of | | | | Cuba is a great amalgam, but in the musical |
| people walking and mingling with foreigners | | | | field it cultivates more than 25 diverse |
| who are eager to understand the nature of | | | | rhythms, among which we can clearly find the |
| Cubans, with a very strong base on its music | | | | Son, the Conga, the Rumba, the Mambo and the |
| and dance. | | | | Cha Cha Chá, now very peculiarly diffused |
| | | | all over the world, especially through the |
| Out of the 100 facilities for recreation or | | | | Salsa. |
| stores, 40 enjoy live animation, be it | | | | |
| traditional, instrumental, Spanish or | | | | It is all about a real Cuban party in all |
| Latin-American music. | | | | senses, capable of persuading the most gentle |
| | | | of all parishioners, may he come from |
| There exists a prevalence of young artists, | | | | whatever corner of the world, simply magical. |