Today is a gorgeous day..
cool breeze and bright sunshine..
a perfect spring day..
But the day captured in
the photos below was warm and steamy..
Cuba was a toasty 80 degrees..
we got started early though..
so we had the cool morning to bask in..
as we started our tour..
My father was stationed in Cuba during WW2
and so I always wanted to visit the island..
He told me it was so beautiful and to go if I ever had the chance..
so go, we did..
and gentle reader...
here are my impressions ...
and the little stories that made the trip so memorable...
This copper canopy sat atop the Palacio..
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| Angelic Canopy once sat on top of the Palacio was removed but fortunately not destroyed.. |
The angels were beautiful and I was so happy to see that it was not destroyed but placed
near the front door to the old mansion..
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| Detail of the Angel |
The massive entrance to the Palacio..
the street out front is paved with wood...
yes,
wood..
and the story goes that the wife complained that the carriages
on cobblestones woke her every evening and so she commanded that the cobblestones be replaced with wood, so she could sleep..
great story right?
There are dogs...
everywhere..
they were friendly, and seemed well fed, but without collars or
owners..
it seemed as though they were residents of the city..
 |
another impression was about the constant restoration and use and mending of the old..
 |
| Street in old Havana with cannon.. as a bulwark |
Though there were many crumbling buildings..
there were also many that had been rebuilt,
and lovingly restored..
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| Door to the church, both Catholicism and Santeria are practiced.. |
This building below was a stunning example of
restoration...
The stone work and statues were incredible,
and the woodwork around the windows was pristine..
 |
| The Palacio de la Familia la Pedroso, is now a small shopping mall.. |
I found the sign to the Palacio above so charming..
with 5 crows..
Below..
one of many tiny parks..
called Pocket Parks..
they turn up when a building is long past saving..
the people tear it down..
and build small parks...
So...
There are parks of course on every street..
and lots of cats..
well fed near the fish mongers...
Havana is a musical city and I had the good fortune to shoot this photo
in Old Havana..
Statues of old dead guys abound..
and I lost track ..
but above..
so you have an idea of the scale of this statue
and the bushes, you can see my husband in the middle of the right side..
the scale was awesome ...
Havana was charming,
clean, friendly and amazing..
art and history, new and old architecture combine..
but the resiliency of the people..
and their kindness and smiles..
that is my favorite impression...
C4N!
