I rarely walk through a city that’s just waking up, and to be honest, I love doing it; but the thing is, I live a bit far from the places I’d like to stroll through at those early hours. That would be El Vedado, Old Havana, and perhaps a few spots in Centro Havana near the Malecón. So what I’ve done is go by bike, though not that frequently. Maybe I should try heading out more often, even if it’s by bike, since it’s cooler at that time of day. That way I could be back home around ten in the morning.
But walking… let’s see:
These photos were taken between 7:36 and 7:55 a.m., exactly on the 27th of August.
I wish it had been earlier, but to leave the house I have to wait for daylight, walk through a rather dangerous area, go down a bridge, and try to catch a taxi that’ll take me to the Parque de la Fraternidad in Old Havana. The ride takes about 20 minutes, depending on how fast the taxi goes and how many times it stops to pick up passengers.
So, once you're there at the Parque de la Fraternidad (Fraternity Park)—which I didn’t photograph—you walk a few steps, cross the street, and find yourself facing these views of the Capitolio. It’s the seat of our Parliament, a building that now shows off its finest splendour thanks to the tireless work of the City Historian’s Office and its late director, Eusebio Leal Spengler (Havana, 11 September 1942 – Havana, 31 July 2020).
I took these photos with my phone. I didn’t spend much time thinking about proper angles, really, because I was walking towards a meeting point near the Bay Tunnel, where a photographer friend was waiting for me. He appears at the end of the video I shared in yesterday’s post.
As curious facts about our Capitolio, I can tell you that it dates back to the first years of the 1900s and was built inspired by the Panthéon in Paris, St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, and the United States Capitol. Its neoclassical style is unmistakable, and that dome you see there is covered in 24-karat gold leaf, reaching a height of 91.73 metres. What’s more, the Capitol marks Cuba’s Kilometre Zero—the point from which distances to other cities across the country are measured.
There’s so much more to discover about this majestic building, including juicy legends and mysteries that have already been widely written about.
A bit further on, I stepped into the wide arcades where people usually walk to escape Havana’s scorching sun. It was still cool, but I went in to get closer to the grand entrance of the Gran Teatro de La Habana, or Alicia Alonso Theatre. Honestly, I didn’t like the smell of that place… it seems the early hours lend themselves to certain unscrupulous individuals doing… things they really shouldn’t be doing there. I’m sorry, friends, but I can’t hide the truth. Havana has its lights—but many, far too many shadows. I thought of the poor cleaning workers who would have to deal with all that mess.
Imagine my thoughts at that hour of the morning… I try to push them aside and focus on beauty, or on loftier things—looking up at the sky, at the tops of the buildings, at this sculpture, for instance, titled Kiss, created by the Chinese artist Xu Hongfei, known for his series of sculptures called Chubby Ladies.
I took the next photo while walking down Prado Avenue. It’s curious how your mood can guide your gaze. I took it because the ruins and the rubbish caught my attention, and then I saw the sign that read “No hay”. It’s part of a series of graffiti that’s been appearing in different parts of the city, but this one went beyond anything I’d seen before. It uses all three verb tenses: past (specifically the imperfect - For learners, Spanish tends to be more intricate than English...), present, and future. “No había, No hay, No habrá” (There was none. There is none. There will be none).
I was a bit stunned… with a mix of emotions. I felt amused and, at the same time, sad, ashamed, embarrassed—so many feelings all at once.
On both sides of Prado, these lions spend all their time roaring in silence. This one was surely in a bad mood that morning.
🙅
I’m arranging the photos in order—by this point it was already 7:50. I kept stopping along the way… how inconsiderate of me, given someone was waiting for me. Though, once I got to the meeting point, we still had to wait a few more minutes for the girl who also appears in the video I posted yesterday. She was even later than I was, hahaha… Transport here can ruin anyone’s plans. And besides, punctuality isn’t exactly a Cuban trait… you’d be surprised how many events and meetings start late—it’s always the same. Though in my case, when I arrive early I end up waiting, and when I’m running late, things start on time. A paradox, really.
A streetlamp on the other side of the avenue.
That’s the Havana Dance Centre, and you can see that the neighbours nearby are either cleaning or collecting water. The water situation in Old Havana is very complicated. It’s scarce due to structural deficiencies and power cuts. And to that… add the unsanitary conditions in some neighbourhoods where rubbish isn’t properly collected—whether it’s due to a lack of fuel, a lack of trucks, or a lack of… well, anything really. You know how it goes… No hay.
I took this photo right in front of the Hotel Packard. What caught my eye was the reflection in its glass façade. That delicious contrast you find in Havana—where poverty is mirrored in opulence.
Straight ahead, this is the view we have. Street art. There are true gems painted on the walls of our city.
With these two photos, I wrap up today’s post. That day I walked a lot, photographed many birds, and captured scenes that meant a great deal to me—moments that lifted my spirits. I felt truly happy, because it was one of those rare times that fill you with such deep satisfaction. Never stop doing what fulfils you, no matter how challenging the path may seem. That’s my advice to you, dear reader. Sending you strength, and I look forward to reading you here on Hive. I’ll be looking out for you.
Oops, I almost forgot...
while we were waiting for the girl at the meeting point, I suggested to my friend that we go somewhere for breakfast, and I came across that scene I stopped to photograph. Isn’t that elephant adorable? 😀
👋
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Every image I include in my posts is mine. When it’s not, I credit the source in a caption.