A photo tour of Havana........which turned out not to be what we had intended!!

Miscommunication!  I had wanted to see areas of Havana not visited by the regular tourist.... to have the opportunity to take different photos!  However, our tour guide, the same as the day before, decided to take us on a conventional car tour.......albeit in an open top old american car!!

We first went quite a way out to see the Fuster gallery.  I had actually seen this online and purposely had not requested it.......
However no choice .....we were en route!

The drive out took us by many rather large homes, some now turned into embassies. We learnt that the wealthy people who had chosen to remain in Cuba after the revolution did not have their homes confiscated.....they were just not allowed to sell them.
So there is a huge disparity in the living conditions that we have so far seen in Cuba.

The Fuster site was colourful and perhaps better than expected!

and next door neighbours benefitted too......

It is just opposite the Castro compound, which one can't really see as it is hidden way back behind those trees!

On the return journey we did pass by some iconic sites.....

....before arriving at the National hotel......

.... and we visited the Hall of Fame bar........

We ended our trip at a great paladar Atelier.....
most of the paintings there were for sale, those in the entry way were in the region of $3k up.

 .... the inside dining room was nice and cool........

We definitely did not feel tempted to sit on the rooftop terrace, although it looked very interesting!
It was hot and humid!

 This was definitely the nicest restaurant we visited......

...........and the food was definitely the tastiest........

 ...at very reasonable prices..... 1 CUC = $1

Cafe Madrigal, Havana

We had seen the Cuban movie Madrigal and found it very interesting....if difficult to follow completely. But loved the opening scenes.....
So, on hearing that Cafe Madrigal had been opened by one of the producers of the movie, it was too much of a temptation!  I like going to off beat places. And this was out in Vedado and would allow us to see a residential area.......not on the tourist route!

It met expectations........ and it was even difficult for the driver to find!

It is rather artistically decorated as to be expected......

and as for the food.....it was basically tapas...... but excellent ones......

..and we decided it was daiquiri night.....

............ the bathroom is not to be missed!

Our trusty driver, in closed top old american car, awaited us to return to the hotel.....

Our first day in Havana...........

We were able to see the Plaza San Francisco, with all its bears, in full sunlight on our first morning. And able to appreciate just how many bears there were!

They were all being overlooked and presumably blessed by St Francis!

 ....who was, in turn, being overlooked by the lady with a rose!

We had arranged to explore Havana Vieja with a tour guide in order to familiarise ourselves with the city.
This was quite an eye opener!

The Plaza Vieja looked like a bomb site before UNESCO stepped in!

 Today most of the properties surrounding the square have been renovated,

and it is the P.E. ground for the local children's school, which is in one of the buildings around the square!

One building is still a work in progress....it is to be a 5 star hotel, but looks quite a way off before rooms are available!

We did not see any workers working on it, any time we went by!

The real eye opener was when our guide took us inside some of the very dilapidated buildings just off the square. Some of these buildings may have been affected by Hurricane Ike in 2008....but......lots seemed to be just decay over the years!
One building, where she had been acquainted with the family living there and was very concerned about their safety should it collapse in heavy rain, did indeed collapse.  Fortunately the family had moved out 2 days prior to its actual collapse!

The next was however even more depressing......
The entry showed an alarming array of electrical wires.....

which somewhat prepared us for the interior.....

Around the corner was the main distribution centre for goods coming into the area.....

...but the locals did not seem to be too busy!

We passed the old perfumery where people can still have their personal perfume made!
Recycled perfume bottles are on sale outside!

We also visited Plaza de Armas with its booksellers........

 And the Plaza de Catedral where we had a lunch reservation at Dona Eutemia.....

 ......my next Mojito...frappee this time.. the best!

The food was also good....

 and the place was very interesting......

We were amused by the bread delivery across the way!

On our return to the Plaza San Francisco via bici taxi

........we checked out the fountain.......

 and the bronze sculpture.....by day...

........and later by night........