World Travel Guide

City Guide  - Havana  - City Overview
City Overview

Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean and the most unique. Its proximity to America has not stopped it remaining one of the few Communist states in the world today, but it does not have the moribund feel normally associated with Communism and its capital, Havana, has a sense of fun which is quite palpable. Situated on the north coast of the island, it is built around a deep harbour and has exquisite Spanish colonial architecture with baking plazas whose only shade is towering palm trees. Hidden doorways lead to cool courtyards and the facades of buildings are graced with wrought iron balconies where whole families sit to observe passers by. Many of the buildings are crumbling and it is decades since they have seen a coat of paint. However, in 1982, the city's importance was recognised and Havana was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and work is now under way to preserve its heritage.

On arrival in the city, the vibrancy of the people is one of the first noticeable things. Also striking is the fact that, day or night, music can always be heard and most evenings, somewhere in the city, people can be found dancing on the streets. The rich history of the island is apparent in the faces of the people. They are the descendants of the Spanish conquistadores, who colonised the island in the sixteenth century and the African slaves brought over to work on the tobacco and sugar plantations.
Cuba gained independence from Spain in 1899 with military aid from the Americans, who played a dominant role in Cuban politics and industry for the next six decades. During this period, Americans were drawn to Havana by its flamboyant lifestyle, especially during prohibition when the city turned into the playground of America with cheap liquor, prostitution and gambling. However, corruption was rife and the population became restless. A group of guerrillas under the leadership of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara finally succeeded in liberating the island in 1959 and the Americans fled, taking much of Cuba's wealth with them.

Paranoid at having such a close Communist neighbour, in 1960, the American Government organised a mercenary force to overthrow Castro, but the invasion was completely routed at the Bay of Pigs, to the embarrassment of the Americans. This was followed by a trade blockade that has been in place ever since and the Cuban people continue to suffer deprivation as a result. Castro still governs and is credited with improving health care and literacy rates. The Cuban economy is tentatively expanding, helped by the Government allowing its citizens to hold US Dollars, once illegal, which has created consumer demand and also a big increase in tourism, Cuba's main industry. The Cubans continue to be upbeat and the infectious smiles of the residents of Havana persist as the music pulsates and the rum flows - Cuba libre!



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