Today the plan was to spend Exploring Habana (or Havana) City and Revolution museum. Once connected to WiFi we found out that night before there was a tornado in Habana as my family was asking If I was ok. 3 people died and 172 injured. We are all fine, just clothes and shoes were still soaked and no hot water in the shower. Electricity came back in the flat in the early morning too.
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After breakfast in a cafe near by, which cost us 5 CUC each, we went alongside of the coast. The waves were tremendous. Road by the ocean was close as it was constantly battered by the waves.
It took as awhile to get downtown. Locals kept asking where are we from. At some point it got really annoying. The buildings were really old and affected by erosion. If I wouldn’t have seen it before I would say it was a tornado!
On the way, we made a short stop at some corner cafe cost us 15 CUC and we had to pay 1 CUC to use their bathroom.
We passed by the National Capitol of Cuba, which was undergoing renovation process, so the pictures weren’t that nice.
First venture was to buy Wi-Fi cards. We spent at least 1hour queueing just to find out that each person can buy only 3 cards of 1hr Internet. So we bought two each of 5hrs, 1 for each. We figured out how to disconnect so that it doesn’t count time after yous stop using.
After that we enjoyed glorious 30min of Internet! We were getting peckish, so we grabbed gyros at some local place, which was very good! 3 CUC per gyro, which was quite big. They even brought spicy sauce, which is non existent here, so if you like spicy bring your own to Cuba! Their spicy sauce was just a hint of spicy only.
With full stomachs we were strolling the streets of Habana.
What really surprised me that those antique car rides have no safety rules whatsoever. People sitting backwards, sometimes standing or sitting on the edges of the car. No seatbelt required.
Then we saw a bank and we needed to change some of the money. We had to queue again for 30min. I managed to change half of the money that were rejected in airport exchange, but still the ones with writings on them were rejected. I had to tell my rental home address and give my passport as well as in the airport. Exchange rate was higher than airport by 0.04 CUC per pound, which was good.
Museo de la Revolución in Habana
Straight after getting some money exchanged we visited Revolution museum. It costs us 8 CUC (~$8) for entrance per person. They could have invested more into this museums, add some cinematographic material to tell the story, even if it is recreation. I still struggled to grasp the reasons of revolution and why it was so good. Also they charge 1 CUC for using a toilet in the museum. What a rip off!
Housed in the opulent former Presidential Palace, Habana’s Museum of the Revolution isn’t just a collection of artefacts; it’s a deep dive into Cuba’s pivotal transformation. The very building tells a story, bearing the bullet scars from a 1957 student attempt on dictator Fulgencio Batista’s life. Inside, you’ll trace the tumultuous path of the Cuban Revolution, from its guerrilla beginnings to the establishment of the socialist state.
The museum’s exhibits meticulously detail the struggle against Batista and highlight iconic figures like Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. Don’t miss the powerful Granma Memorial behind the main building, where the actual yacht Granma is preserved. This small vessel carried Castro and 81 revolutionaries from Mexico to Cuba in 1956, marking the launch of their decisive guerrilla war
The Cuban Revolution’s (1953-1959) significance stretched far beyond the island’s shores. It successfully toppled Batista’s corrupt regime, ushering in radical reforms like land redistribution and nationalising industries. This fundamentally reshaped Cuban society and aimed to tackle deep-seated inequality. Cuba’s defiance directly confronted long-standing U.S. economic and political dominance in Latin America, inspiring similar anti-imperialist movements throughout the region. The subsequent U.S. embargo, in place since 1960, continues to shape their complex relationship. Cuba’s alignment with the Soviet Union thrust it onto the global stage, most notably during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war. This alliance solidified Cuba’s role as a strategic player in the Cold War’s geopolitical chess match. For many anti-colonial and leftist movements worldwide, Cuba’s success became a powerful symbol and a practical guide for revolutionary change, particularly in developing nations.
Strolling Malécon de La Habana
After walking all day we wanted to take a taxi home, but taxi driver asked 15CUC, we tried to bargain to 5, but he said 10 was final price. We decided to walk by the coast line – El Malecon. People were catching WiFi in some places, taking pictures of waves in other places.
Parque Antonio Maceo after Major General Antonio Maceo Grajales, the “Bronze Titan” of the Cuban wars of independence, the park’s centerpiece is a magnificent equestrian monument to the general. Sculpted in bronze by Italian artist Domenico Boni in 1916, it depicts Maceo in military uniform, machete in hand, a powerful symbol of his unwavering fight for Cuban freedom and his distinguished role in over 500 battles.
After dinner we headed out with a taxi (we bargained from 15 with official taxu to 5CUC with unofficial taxi).
Once we arrived there was some demonstration, road closed and people marching with flags, torches and shouting Cuba Libre revolution. It was a bit scary, which later became a bit violent too.
The guards didn’t let us cross the street to go to that bar. Instead we went to Jazz Bar. It was 10 CUC for entrance and 2 drinks included. We stayed around 1hr until show was finished. It was interesting to see Cuban Jazz and feel the Cuban vibe.
I tried to bargain with taxi to get home, but they asked for 15 CUC and after some bargaining they went down to only 10 CUC, which was still too much given that it was quite close. Since they didn’t know the address and whenever we said the big hotel name, they always asked much higher price. We decided to walk back instead.
Suddenly, we saw a crowd of young people marching and a lot of police. Guys were carrying empty glass bottles. I’ve sensed something bad. The girls were watching at the guys shouting at each other and I encouraged them to keep going, to get away. Soon after those Cubans started fighting, throwing bottles at each other and I could hear the glass breaking. We were a bit further away and managed to stop an old car that took us home safely for 5CUC. When we got home, I remembered I didn’t disconnect my Internet, which meant it will drain the balance, even though I am not using it. So I had to go back walking for 15min to President hotel to disconnect. It was a bit scary at night as streets are not very lit properly, but eventually I got home safe.
Tomorrow we were planning to see the famous Havana Cemetery and the Christ of Havana.