If you haven’t had a chance, please check out Part One of my 36 hours in Cuba to see what happened on the first day. Part two of my time in Cuba is a little shorter than part one as we only had a few extra hours in the morning to explore Cuba before our departure on the cruise ship.
As the ship was still docked at the port in Havana when we woke up in the morning the following day, my travel companion (my sister) and I tossed on some clothes, headed back through customs, and onto the streets of Havana for the second time.
As we had not really bought anything the first day and since this was our final day in Cuba, we decided to see what was offered that was locally made to take home. Our first stop was a coffee shop on the corner of the Plaza Vieja (Old Square) called Cafe el Escorial.
You may see from the link that there are mixed reviews on this place but I will say that our experience here was actually very nice. I will advise that if you’re in a hurry or if you have a super high expectation that you will get the same level of service that you would get in your home country then you might want to look around for another place to get coffee. In my opinion, there aren’t many places in Cuba that have bad coffee. Sometimes people travel to foreign countries with an expectation that everything will be just like it is back home but remember you’re in Cuba and some things just move at a slower pace. Remember that you’re on vacation and just chill out!
Anyway, we sat outside with a view of the Plaza Vieja while we waited for our coffee. It was a beautiful warm sunny day with a gentle breeze that really helped set a relaxing mood. As we waited for our coffee to come, we just watched the people, tourists and locals alike walking by going about their business.
A lot of locals were there to get coffee beans which Cafe de Escorial roasts on site. The roasting process obviously takes a while so that’s why it’s nice to have a place to sit and get a coffee or have a drink while waiting.
The coffee, when it came, was dark and hearty. I love a good cup of dark coffee. No sugar or cream was needed, but of course, you can add whatever you like.
I like to really taste the strength of my coffee and there was no doubt that the coffee they have there packs a good punch. As the coffee grinding process was not finished by the time we finished our coffee, we headed down the street to the northeast corner of the Plaza Vieja to the tower that houses the Camera Obscura.
Be sure to pay first in the little mobile ticket booth that is outside the tower before going toward the elevator that takes you up to the tower. It was 2 CUC to enter or about $2 USD.
If you don’t like elevators, they have steps as well. It will make for a steep and arduous journey though, so pick your battles. While waiting for the elevator to come down, we chatted with the elevator security/operator woman who was joined by her trusty companion dog. She spoke in Spanish and although we didn’t understand a word she said, it’s almost as if we knew what she meant. It’s interesting that even though we didn’t speak the same language we were able to make a semblance of what she was saying by her body motions and stresses on certain words in her speaking. We bid her goodbye when the elevator came and then headed to the tour start room.
The tours are given in English and Spanish. We were joined by a few other travels and then headed into a dark room. The door was closed and we all gathered around a concave table where the images would be presented. The images travel from above down through several lenses and a mirror to magnify the images about 30 times to display on the image table in the dark room. The idea first came about in the late 15th century by Leonardo Di Vinci.
The guide focused the image and basically took us on a visual tour around the city of Havana. The view reached into the far distances in Havana and the guide pointed out key places in the history of Havana. So, you not only get to see places that you might not see on any of the other tours you might take while in Cuba but you also learn about the history of Cuba.
It’s actually really amazing to see how clear the image is and it’s even more amazing that such antique apparatus can display the images with the use of no other technology. It also feels a little risque as the viewers become voyeurs into the lives of the people the camera focuses it’s lenses on.
After the presentation, you can head out the rooftop and get your own views of Havana from above.
You’re guaranteed to get a different view every time, so I highly suggest you check the Camera Oscura out.
We then headed back to Cafe de Escorial to see if we could get some roasted coffee and to our surprise, the roasting was complete. My sister also picked up some rum and cigars from the Cafe because I think anybody who’s anybody knows that Cuba is well known for its cigars, rum, and coffee.
We then headed down some of the streets in the Habana Vieja (Old Town/Old Havana) that we had not ventured down the previous day on our walking tour to find some other local wares. One thing we found out is that a lot of shops, especially those that are close to the port, sell a lot of the same items which are marketed to tourists. If you’re looking for something a bit more authentic, you may need to walk a bit further. Keep abreast of the time you have available though just in case your cruise ship or flight is set to depart at a certain time especially if you’re not familiar with how to get around. My sister, who was then tired of walking to find more authentic trinkets, ended up settling on some of the mass marketed items at a shop close to the port. She was able to haggle a little on the price of the items so ultimately she ended up with a good deal and enough items to satisfy her co-workers and friends back home.
I usually don’t buy souvenirs when I travel. Sharing the experience with whomever I’m going with and the photos that I take are enough of a souvenir for me. It’s the memories of the experience that are the true souvenir and I’m glad to be able to share the experience with just a few people even if I’m traveling solo. I’m not really the type of person that likes to rub it in other people’s faces when I get the opportunity to travel. I just like to be able to show other people that there is so much more out there to explore and hopefully inspire other to just take the leap and get out there and travel.
Some tips for travel in Cuba:
- If you don’t feel comfortable exploring on your own, research tours to Cuba or consider Free Walking Tour Havana where you walk with a group or with a guide for free
- Find out how to get a visa for Cuba well prior to getting to Cuba. Review all the information on the US Travel website regarding the 12 categories of authorized travel to Cuba (or the website for your home country) regarding travel to Cuba as the information is subject to change
- If arriving in Cuba on a cruise, when you exit the cruise terminal don’t walk directly across the street. Turn right or left and walk up at least 1 or 2 streets and then cross. You won’t have to deal with the barrage of hagglers offering tours.
- Try a Cuban mojito made in Cuba by a Cuban
- In areas with a military presence, ask before you take pictures
- Wear comfortable shoes as a lot of the streets are cobblestone
- See the post from my 1st day of what the Cuban Convertible Currency looks like. Cuba is primarily cash-based. U.S. debit or credit cards will not work due to financial restrictions.
- Ask for a receipt in the event your home country asks for documentation of where you were. The U.S. restrictions on travel to Cuba are constantly changing so you’re better safe than sorry. If the shop won’t provide a receipt, make sure you take photos or if you’re a video blogger, take a video
Things to see and do:
- All the locations from my 1st post
- Old Square – Plaza Vieja
- El Morro – Lighthouse
- Plaza de la Catedral and Havana Cathedral
- El Malecon
- Monument to Jose Marti, Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Informatics and Communications in the Plaza de la Revolución (very important pieces of Cuban history, don’t just go to take a pic in front of the Ministry of Interior. Be careful as there is military presence near some of the other buildings)
- Ernest Hemingway’s home in Cuba
- Taquechel Pharmacy Museum
- Museum of the Revolution (Museo de la Revolucion)
- Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Fine Arts Museum) You’re not allowed to take photos except in certain rooms
- Bellamar Caves
- Scuba Diving & Snorkeling
- Plaza de Armas which is perfect for people watching, buying books, or watching street performances
- San Francisco de Asis Square
If you have questions, please comment below or contact via any of my social media links.
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