Havana is a city of glorious contradictions: elegant Spanish colonial squares and grand hotels, crumbling balconies and improvised daily life, vintage American cars kept running with replacement engines—and music, rum and conversation around every corner.
In this episode of Unravel Travel, Malcolm takes David back to his 2016 visit to Havana, Cuba. From the bureaucratic chaos of the airport and the challenge of finding a hidden Cuban homestay to touring the capital in a classic 1950s American car, Malcolm recalls a city that looked remarkably like the Havana seen in films—and unlike anywhere else he had visited.
Along the way, Malcolm and David discuss:
Drinking a mojito at La Bodeguita del Medio and a daiquiri at El Floridita, following in the footsteps of Ernest Hemingway
The colonial plazas and restored streets of Old Havana
Crumbling apartment buildings, precarious balconies, chickens and bread delivered by basket
Driving along the Malecón and through Miramar
The faded glamour of the Hotel Nacional de Cuba
Havana’s classic American cars and how Cubans keep them running
Lobster, black beans, plantains, sugar-cane juice and the unexpected appearance of sponge cake at breakfast
Cuban rum, cigars and sunset beside Havana harbour
The Museum of the Revolution, Cuban art and a gallery roof leak that might almost have been an exhibit
Plaza de la Revolución—and the unfortunate timing that meant missing the Rolling Stones in Havana
Reading Graham Greene’s Our Man in Havana and Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea
David asks the questions while Malcolm explains why Havana’s crumbling magnificence, street life and sense of living history made such a lasting impression. There is also the usual diversion into alcohol, communism, fishing and whether Hemingway’s reputation as an expert drinker makes him a reliable judge of cocktails.
This episode is based on Malcolm’s personal experience of visiting Havana in March 2016. Conditions, currencies and entry requirements may have changed, so check current official travel advice before planning a trip.
And this is only Havana. A future episode will follow Malcolm and Petra beyond the capital and into rural Cuba, with mountain scenery, coastal villages, snorkelling and diving.
If you have a story to share or some feedback to give just contact us at contact.unraveltravel@gmail.com
Our theme music is Traveler's Blues by Jerzy Gorecki from Pixabay (with licence)
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