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Cuba, the Caribbean Islands,
and Central America in 2001
Cuba (Havana)
Bec2004-09-17 16:21:17
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dictator Machado in 1929 to be the seat of the Cuban Congress. Now it houses the Academy of Science and the National Library of Science and Technology.
At the right hand edge of this picture can be seen the tower of the famous Hotel Inglaterra where José Martí spoke for Cuban independence in 1879.
Next to the Parque Central are two more tourist hotels that very few Cubans can affordWell shaded Paseo José Marti leads north to the Parque de Los Enamorados on the Malecon closing our circle tour from the Castllo de la Punta.
Tourism is having a major impact on run down Havana as fine buildings like this one on the Malecon are being restored either as hotels or as dwellings for the new rich.
The priority given to health and education meant sacrifices in other sectors such as urban renewal explains why most of old Havana is crumbling from neglect.
In my mind, the restoration of a beautiful old building is a happy event giving a new life to the past whence we came from. I know it can be an act of love as I have restored a 1928 stone farm house.
I should have been happy to see parts of old Havana being so carefully restored but my pleasure was marred by the realisation that the restored buildings were not for Cubans but for tourists whose massive introduction was corrupting the remarkable social realisations of the Cuban people.
The renewal of private vehicles and taxis has also had a low priority rating. Only few new Russian cars were imported. Cuban mechanics have done wonders keeping alive old American cars of late '50's vintage. So many of them seemed to be in good shape that I made a special page of Cuba's antique cars that you can visit by clicking here. If you prefer, you can go directly to Pińar del Rio with the link below.
Copyright Bernard Cloutier
All rights reserved.
Please visit my website
See photographs from:
Cuba Gallery
