By V. Lori Hedges

The blue-gray glow seeping through the cracks around the shutters and the increase in honking horns and roaring engines on the street below signals that a new day has begun in Havana. I open my balcony doors and do what the locals do – step out and lean on the railing to watch the show taking place around me.

Taxi drivers are already out in full force, piloting their world-famous vintage autos as they troll for customers eager to part with 7 to 10 CUCs to avoid walking to their destination. The neighbors across the street are busy hanging laundry on the balcony clothes lines – a perpetual sight in Cuba.

Right now, the air is a pleasant 70 degrees with a cool ocean-fueled breeze. However, as the sun continues to climb the sky, you know that within the hour the air will change to hot and sticky. Even in April, shorts and lightweight shirts with sandals are favored attire.

From the next room, I hear the call to breakfast from my hostess extraordinaire, Yeny. She has set out a literal feast: three plates of fresh fruit – pineapple, mango and bananas – and a pitcher of freshly squeezed juice – usually pineapple or mango. At each place setting a dinner-plate-sized omelet waits to be savored. A secondary plate holds a ham and cheese sandwich on a freshly-baked roll from the bakery down the street. The meal is topped off with strong Cuban coffee served with hot milk.

My son, Tyler, and I relish the fruit which was picked ripe and bought from the neighborhood produce stand. (We squirrel away the ham and cheese sandwich for our midday meal.)

By the time we finish our breakfast and get ready for our day, temperatures have soared into the mid-80s. It’s time to hit the streets in search of musicians to interview for our documentary.

The first full day in Havana, we weren’t sure where we wanted to begin our search for people to video and interview. The night before Tyler had gone for a walk and had gotten lost – a happy accident really since he now had a bit of an idea about the lay of the land. “There is a really beautiful church down the street that you should see, he said. So off we went in the direction of the church.

The doors were open so we stepped into the dim quietness of the sanctuary. An older lady was kneeling in one of the front rows, silently talking with God. A younger man stood in the isle reverently looking up at the statues of saints. In the hush of the room, the click of my DSLR sounded too intrusive. After a few close-up shots, I switched to my phone camera.

Although I am not Catholic, I felt compelled to spend a few moments in prayer before I continued my wander about the room. In a place where the communist government discourages religion, this church had obviously been preserved with love.

Our visit was cut short when a nun from the adjoining convent began closing up the doors for the mid-morning break. It was time to move on down the street.

We had walked several blocks down the street, and had stopped next to a building to discuss where to go next when a smiling man approached us.

“Hello! Where are you visiting from?” Felix Javier asked in heavily-accented English. He introduced himself and explained that he is a promotional representative for the artist community of Callejón de Hamel. “Hamel,” he said was a couple blocks from where we were standing. He described the place as part art gallery and part music venue. It sounded like just the place for which we were looking. Felix also introduced his friend and business partner, Leo Moré, noting that Leo is a Rumba drum teacher in Hamel, as well as a tour guide.

The four of us walked the few short blocks to Hamel which is located between Armburu and Hospital streets. There is no other way for me to describe Callejón de Hamel than as an alley covered in a riot of color. Brightly painted Murals and sculptures ingeniously made from all manner of recycled stuff line the narrow winding street.

I marveled at the colorful (and very useful) benches fashioned from discarded iron bathtubs. Intriguing sculptures made from old auto parts and other items which dotted the area, depicting a variety of human forms. Most of the murals and sculptures are by Cuban artist Salvador González, who started the alley project in 1990. Now people from all over the world, including celebrities, make a point of visiting the alley when they are in Havana.

Halfway through the tour, Felix directed us to a bar called “El Barracón de Hamel, where he introduced us to the Cuban cocktail, the Billongo, a mixture of honey, rum, lime, mint, and ice. Although it proved to be very tasty, I decided the 90-degree temperatures and high humidity called more for a bottle of water than a rum beverage.

The bar itself has its own claim to fame as a mecca for celebrities, the most recent being Mick Jagger, who stopped in for a drink when the Rolling Stones were in Havana to perform a free concert last year.

While in the bar, Leo, who speaks only Spanish, shared a bit of his life story as a Cuban musician. As a young man, Leo had traveled the world and performed on television with a Cuban National Music Group. He laid well-worn photos out on the table and noted that out of the dozens of band members, only a few are still alive to tell the stories of those days. Most have died, he said, but a few fled to the United States.

Today, Leo teaches people of all ages the art of Rumba drumming. He also performs with other Rumba musicians each Sunday in Hamel.

We made an appointment to return and formally interview Leo and shoot footage of him playing. Then Felix took us to an indoor gallery of Salvadore’s smaller works before we said goodbye to our new friends and took our leave at the opposite end of the alley.

What an afternoon it had been! We learned so much, saw some beautiful art, heard some great music, and got to know some interesting people … and that was only our first day exploring Havana!

Notes about visiting Callejón de Hamel

•   If you visit Hamel with one of the many guides (like Felix and Leo), understand they are not giving you a tour out of the kindness of their hearts. This is their job. They expect to be tipped.
• Also, if you stop at El Barracón de Hamel for refreshments, they will expect you to pick up the tab. If you’re not willing to do so, you need to tell them up front.
• There are many musicians there selling CDs of their music which, according to several with whom I spoke, provide money for scholarships for the Rumba school in Hamel. They offer the CDs for 10 CUCs each. If you don’t want one, politely, but firmly say “no” and keep walking.
• Do visit on Sunday around noon if you want to see what the Rumba school is all about.

Below: Tyler and Leo collaborate on one of Tyler’s original songs, “Crazy.”

All photos and videos are the property of V. Lori Hedges, and may not be used without permission.

Part 3

By V. Lori Hedges

Havana is a city of rich history, vibrant art, and lively music, with plenty for a visitor to see, hear, and experience. However, when my son, Tyler, and I set out on our adventure to live in Havana for 10 days, we had one main objective: Film a documentary. Our lesser objectives were, for me – to gather material for this travel blog and to shoot photos for an art show – and for Tyler – to play music with Cuban musicians.

Through these objectives, we planned to see and experience as much of Havana as possible. However, because we were so busy meeting people and working, we had little time to tour most of the places tourists usually go.

We didn’t get to tour the following places during our trip, but they were on our list of places to see and are certainly worthy of consideration when you make up your own Cuba itinerary. Here are a few places to consider:

• Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes – Edificio de Arte International
• Calle Trocadero e/ Zulueta y San Jose, Habana ViejaOpen Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is 5 CUCs for one building or 8 CUCs per person for both galleries.

• Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes – Edificio de Arte Cubano
• Calle Trocadero e/ Zulueta y Monserrate, Habana ViejaOpen Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is 5 CUCs for one building or 8 CUCs per person for both galleries.
• Museo de Arte Colonial
• San Ignacio #61 e/Empedrado y O’Reilly, Habana ViejaNo admission
• Museo de la Revolución
• Refugio #1 e/Avenida de las Misiones y Zulueta, Habana ViejaOpen Daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is 5 CUCs.
• Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro
• Northeastern Side  of the HarborOpen daily 10am-7pm daily; Lighthouse: 9am-8pm daily. Admission is 4 CUCs.
• Catedral de la Habana
• Empedrado #156 e/San Ignacio y Mercaderes, Habana ViejaOpen Monday through Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free.

This list barely scratches the surface of the places that should be on your list to see. For a more comprehensive list of information on what to tour in Havana, visit www.lahabana.com.

TASTY TREATS

While you are in the Old Havana area, you may also want to take a break and drop in at La Bodequita del Medio, Ernest Hemingway’s favorite hangout, for lunch or a refreshing libation from the originators of the mojito. However, these days, this famous writer hangout is THE place to go if you’re a tourist so be prepared for an elbow-to-elbow, standing-room-only situation.

If you’d prefer a quieter place to lunch and recharge, you might consider the Barroco Café, just off the Plaza de la Catedral on Calle Mercaderes. You can watch the chef’s make your meal from the dining area while you sip one of the best Piña Coladas you’ll ever taste!

SHOPPING

Old Havana is also the perfect area to purchase inexpensive souvenirs. Shops line the streets offering everything from the expected T-shirts to musical instruments and paintings of all sizes. The Troubadours who walk the streets in search of an audience also often offer CDs of their music, usually for about 10 CUCs. Whether you’re shopping from a cart on the street or a proper souvenir shop, don’t be afraid to haggle as you’ll often get a better bargain.

Since Americans can only travel to Cuba for official activities, planning several visits to the Old Havana area during down times is a good strategy to fit in a bit of tourism. Old Havana has enough cultural activities, shopping and food options to fill out your time for several days without having to spend a lot of time driving or walking. The streets are full of music, historical sites, art, and interesting people. Enjoy!

Tips for Sightseeing in Havana:

• Wear comfortable, sturdy shoes. Streets in Havana are often uneven, and you will be walking a lot.
• Go early in the day or later in the evening to avoid the hot, sticky temperatures of midday.
• Carry toilet paper and wet wipes with you. Most public restrooms do not have toilet paper or soap and paper towels.
• Carry a bottle of water with you to avoid dehydration.
• Wear sunscreen and a hat! The Havana sun in brutal, and you don’t want to spoil your trip with a painful sun burn.
• Carry some change for bathroom fees and tips for musicians.

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Stay tuned for Part 4 as we visit Ernest Hemingway’s Havana home: Finca la Vigía or Lookout House, located in the town of San Francisco de Paula.

(Featured photo is the Catedral de Havana.)

All photos are the property of V. Lori Hedges, and may not be used without permission.