Old Havana
My walk for this Wednesday took place a few weeks ago.
Checking my gallery I realized that I had not shared with you this little foray through some of the streets of the Casco Histórico Habanero.
Havana is a beautiful city. Despite the years and neglect, it retains that mystery that encloses the old cities, full of history.
Places that have witnessed transcendent events. Buildings that have housed important personalities. Millions of people who have walked these cobblestone streets, leaving their footprints in the memory of this Havana of mine, of all of us.
The first thing I find as I pass by is "El Templete", a monument erected on the foundational site...or very close to it, of the Villa de San Cristóbal de La Habana in 1519.
Although it is not documented, it is believed that the first mass and town council was held in the shade of a ceiba tree similar to the one that grows in this place.
For more than 500 years the tradition of celebrating this event has been maintained. On the eve of November 16, thousands of people gather to walk around the ceiba tree three times asking for their most desired wishes.
A religious and cultural ceremony that reflects a tradition inherited for centuries. Here is a great article if you want to know more about this place and its history.
Right next to the Templete is the Hotel Santa Isabel. An old colonial mansion that was the residence of the Count of Santovenia and converted into a hotel by the American Luis Lay in 1867. Remodeled by the Office of the Historian of Havana in 1997 and put back into operation as a luxury hotel, it has hosted important personalities, Jimmy Carter, Jack Nicholson, Sting and Pedro Almodóvar, are some of them, the list goes on.
From one side of the Plaza de Armas extends Obispo Street. In the image below you can see a pink building in the distance, it is the Ambos Mundos Hotel. At the beginning of the 30's of the last century, the writer Ernest Hemingway stayed in a small room on the fifth floor. In this room, now a museum, he wrote the first chapters of his novel "For Whom the Bell Tolls".
I show you other streets of beautiful Old Havana, its architecture, its people...its life.
Finally, this image. You could not miss in the streets of Havana a "polakito". This is not our yellow one, but they are family 🤣.
The images and text are my own. I used DeepL for the translation because Spanish is my native language.
What a beautiful wednesday walk! :)
Thank you very much. The historic center of Havana is very beautiful. It is a pleasure to walk through its streets.
Polakito, for sure has to be there, but in yellow it is nicer ;)
This was a nice walk through this part of Havana, with vibrant colours 🤓
And the Hotel Santa Isabel 👌, a pity I don't see a piano there 😁
Sure yes, our "Amarillo" is prettier.
@mipiano!! Yes there is a piano!!! 😱 After a thorough search I found pictures of the piano at the Hotel Santa Isabel, it's an upright piano...and I don't even know if it's any good 🤣, but there it is!!! In one of the corridors surrounding the central courtyard.
Wow! There IS a piano, indeed!! 😲
Now I know, if I ever visit your city, it's my accommodation :))
{though the piano looks a bit old, I will play old music then hahaha}
It's a good choice
The piano looks quite old, I think it has been preserved with the original furniture of the mansion. The restoration work that was done in 2007 tried to keep the original pieces of the property, so I don't doubt that this piano is.
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Thank you!
Thanks for joining the Wednesday Walk :)
Have a great day :)
Thank you for hosting me ;)
Have a great day too.
@mdrguez Your photos are very beautiful
Thank you so much :)
Amanda, what beautiful photos and the ceiba ceremony at the Templete has always caught my attention.
Another thing that really impressed me when we were given a tour there one day was the glass cube you see in the last photo. It is for water treatment in the city. It's a very interesting story. It is considered one of the seven wonders of Cuban engineering.
I leave this link in case anyone is interested in knowing.
Gracias Amanda!!
I've been only 1 time to the ceremony, I was 7 hours in line!!! But it was very nice.
I've been only 1 time to the ceremony, I was 7 hours in line!!! But it was very nice.
That Crystal Cube deserves a separate post. It displayed an engineering marvel that was hidden in plain sight for 1 century. Thanks for pointing it out and leaving a link for anyone interested in knowing what it is all about.
Very nice your walk, you chose one of the best places and the one with the most history. Your photos have a spectacular light. Friend, I wish you a nice evening.🥰
Hola Mamani!!.
I'm glad you like my walk and my photos. The historical case is still beautiful .
A hug and good night.