Day 7. 9.4.16. Havana Artist visit, Havana Rum factory, walking tour. LSCT day # 3.

Our breaky had some added presentation this morning.

Fruit = guava mouth, banana nose. Pineapple and papaya eyes/brows.

Eggs, ham and cheese.

Met Yaniel and Juarne at 9.00, short trip to a marginal/poor suburb of marionao to visit an up and coming young visual artist – Yenny Ferro – a printmaker. She uses a range of media to create prints. Her ‘matrix’ (template) were made from wood, plastic and a variety of other mediums added for texture (one was hole punch circles.) She also engraves wood (began by using her Mum’s cake board bases). Yenny had her printing press made for about $600.00 cuc, based on the one at art school, to buy one would be $8000.00, but still a huge investment for a young girl starting out. (Remember, government workers are paid up to $60 per month.) LSCT tries to promote up and comers and Yenny and her husband live with grandma. Her studio is her sister’s bedroom (tiny) as her sister has gone to live with her husband.

Yenny in her studio, holding one of her matrices.

The wood base that she engraved with the resulting print on the table.

The printer.

Some of the sights on return trip.

Arts school.

Bus stop.

Working on restorations.

The posh part of town.

Lots of these patriotic type signs around the streets and highways.

Old car. Local use these as taxis a form of public transport, very complicated. Lots of handsignals only locals understand.

The bonnet dec, some type of russian vehicle.

On our way back we stopped and walked a little artist/alternative street - Calle Jon de Hamel.

Street art.

Goats in the school yard.

Bath tubs featured heavily as sculptures and seats.

Tanks.

Bongo drums.

One of the resident artists.

More of the street.

We returned to Old Havana for the Havana Rum tour – it was ok, but a bit cheesy, explained the process simply with diorama’s and models. Laura was a young Cuban guide with excellent English; we got to taste 14yo rum at the finish – phoof!!!

The Foyer.

Our Guide at Havana Club tour.

Lovely pink flower

After a busy morning we were in need of  a cooling drink at Hotel San Felipe, before continuing our walking tour of Old town.

Some guys trying to fix the wiring...it was a mess.

A mural of people of Old Havana.

We visited the missing square – Catedral Square (the one we didn’t see the first day.) The Catedral is limestone, the tower on left was built first, but building started to lean so they built the bigger tower on the right to balance things up – evidently.

Catedral. Skinny tower on the left and fat tower on the right.

Up another street to La Bodeguita del Medio Bar – famously associated with Hemingway. It seems most bars claim some connection. There was a large queue for a drink, the bar features in many of the tourist paintings around town.

The queue outside La Bodeguita Del Medio. Hemingway bar.

A couple of street sellers whiling away the time playing checkers.

We bought some ‘internet’ cards at Hotel Ambuso, we returned to the rooftop terrace for lunch, but no luck accessing Wi-Fi. Some great views from up though.

Ready to ride to the Ambuso Hotel Rooftop Terrace, there was some anticipation in the group for access to Wi-Fi...and no it was NOT me!

Looking across the Harbour to Fort.

Some sort of Street Parade happening down below.

Our arvo was free, we wandered to find a sewing shop Suzie had read about, found a magnet or two for Margot and Glenda finally had some success with card number 3 for some money. Glenda, Jeannie and I wended our way through the streets to the Artisanal market (handicrafts) while Suzie and Margot bici-taxied home. 

Delivering cardboard, no idea for what purpose.

Some more Street performers. We actually saw lots of stilt peformers in Havana. Even one day a group of kids from Stilt School (similar to circus school in Oz)

and again.

One of the flash hotels, with staff lounging at the front.

Some of the ornate iron work. There is lots through Cuba.

The lady and the cock sculpture in our Plaza Vieja. The story is that that some girls basically looked for Sugar Daddies and prostituted themselves almost. The fork represents the 'meal ticket' and the high heels represents prostituion.

A facade that has been kept, the building is dilapidated and under repair. From memory it belongs to the crane in the sunrise shots.

Internally gutted and under repair. Two guys were sitting on the stoop and invited us to have a look. They were very proud of their work to restore such an old building.

The balcony were basically being eaten away, didn't look too see.

Lorenzo and Alberto, with their doors, which were original.

Lorenzo was particularly keen for me to take these little knobs all over the door.

The Artisan Market, it was pretty mad, A bit like Queen Vic really.

Again a range of interesting streetscapes, doorways, windows, buildings with interesting patina, of peeled paint and concrete, many decaying buildings and many others undergoing renovation or reconstruction. The opening up to USA is going to blow this place away, it is already pretty chock full of tourists.  Jeannie made a painting purchase at the markets.

Che Guevara and Cuban flag, inside a building in our street.

Che up close.

A bit fascinated by doors and windows here.

Electrical work is interesting to say the least.

The patina of paintwork, concrete, bricks, render etc.

Che is another fascination.

Get used to him, I have taken pics all over the country.

Back home and off to  Los Mercaderes for dinner, quite a nice setting and meal was pretty good, a lobster cocktail with bread and salad for me, with the almost obligatory Mojito.

Found back at the Casa, a half smoked Cigar.

Street decs at the corner of Cuba and ?

The interior of La Mercaderes.

Cool posters all around.

Remember rates are pretty much 1:1 for $USD.

Chef's Suggestions.

More prices.