The mention of the Caribbean island nation of Cuba conjures up thoughts of cigars, 1950’s vintage cars, the colourful colonial buildings of Havana, and vibrant Latin-American music.
Here are some images that may entice you to visit or at least live vicariously.
Cars
Cuba’s fleet of American cars from the 1940s and 50s make it appear as if time has frozen on the island. The presence of these gorgeous old vehicles is thanks to former dictator Fidel Castro’s ban on imported vehicles after the 1959 Cuban revolution. Cubans had to resort to tinkering and fitting a hodgepodge of parts to keep these old cars going. Many of them are taxis, called máquinas (machines), although Fidel’s brother President Raúl Castro lifted the ban on vehicle imports at the end of 2013 and so the vehicular landscape is set to change over time.
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Cigars
Although smoking is a dangerous occupation, there’s no denying that there’s something charming about seeing Cuban cigars in Cuba. Whether you choose to partake or just watch and photograph those who do light up, they’re worth looking out for.
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Colour
Buildings painted in typical ice-cream coloured hues, bright floral dresses and shiny hand-polished vehicles are just some of what makes this country vibrant and so fantastic to photograph.
Buildings
The De Valle Palace, or Palicio De Valle, is a beautiful building on the coast at Cienfuegos (that translates to ‘one hundred fires’) built by Italian architect Alfredo Colli from 1913-17. It draws its inspiration from various sources including Spanish-Moorish, Romanesque and Baroque architecture. The historic building houses a restaurant and a rooftop bar, which is perfect for having sundowners on.
The interior of the De Valle Palace restaurant.
The old buildings in Havana are a little shabby, but charming nonetheless.
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John Lennon and more…
You may be surprised to discover that there is a statue of John Leonon in Havana. The Beatles’ music was banned in communist Cuba, but Fidel Casto had it erected in 2000 twenty years after John Lennon’s death. He commented, ‘What makes him great in my eyes is his thinking, his ideas,’ he said. ‘I share his dreams completely. I too am a dreamer who has seen his dreams turn into reality.’
The people of Cuba are known for their friendly disposition.
When visitng Cuba, don’t miss out on the beautiful Varadero Beach.
Getting there
It takes between 20 and 30 hours to fly to Cuba from Johannesburg and you can fly there via Europe, the USA or South America. South African passport holders will need a visa for the States and on arrival you’ll need to organise a visa for Cuba. This reportedly can take two to three hours, so plan your connecting flights accordingly. If you are flying via Europe or South America, you can organise your Cuban visa (which they call a tourist card) from South Africa. You could also fly to the USA and then board a Caribbean cruise that visits Cuba, such as those offered by MSC.
For more info on visas contact: Cuban embassy in Pretoria (012-346-2215)
Musicians in Havana, Cuba. Image credit: Ban Yido/Unsplash
