Havana on our own

Linda and I left the tour along with the others but asked our guide for suggestions.  We wanted to find some street photography possibilities- people and places a bit off the beaten path, the road not yet traveled.

He wrote down a name: callejon de Hamel.  He said to find a taxi driver, negotiate a price, and he would take us there. Linda also wanted to get a statue of Santa Barbara for her sister, who collects religious icons. This saint‘s day was December 4 and this saint is very important  to the Afro-Cuban cultural and religious community, so she was hoping to get one. The crafts market was closed today. Could she get one?  Could we do both at the same time?  He thought we could. He said that 40 CUCs was the going rate to do the trip.  

We waited in the street for awhile, then crossed the street, and eventually noticed a blue and white Bel Air convertible.  Was he free? He was. His name was Michel. Did he speak English? Yes, he did. We were off. We careened through the streets of Havana, seeing the blur of buildings and then he stopped.

This is the Hamel, an art and dance community outreach program! Perfect!

This young lady is playing with a small phone, above; below, our driver Michel poses in one of the rooms of the installation, showcasing the work of one of their artists.

The director and his son gave us a tour of the buildings. 


We found the statues in a modest home near the collective.  Linda chose her statue and we saw more street art. 
    We returned back to the ship, but first had a beer at the Plaza de San Francisco de Assis, as we watched the sun set on a glorious day. 

    5 thoughts on “Havana on our own”

    1. I like this format – photos are larger than on first post. VERY colorful! I’m glad the cab driver didn’t kidnap you and Linda …. of course, it would have been two against one :-).

    2. I’m not sure my comment went through – kept jumping around. I said I like the format – bigger pix’s – glad the cab driver didn’t kidnap you …. love the little yellow car!

      1. Havana is a very safe city, we were told. People were welcoming and friendly. Our driver was a lovely man and we even had someone from the neighborhood watching the car. Unfortunately that picture didn’t come through on the WordPress site. Don’t know why some things take and others don’t.

    4. It looks like your day with private cab driver turned into a perfect day. I enjoyed your colorful pictures.
      Mary Ann

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