New Years in Havana
Nuevo Año en La HabanaSaw the New Year in at Hotel Nacional in Havana as there didn’t seem to be much of a public celebration mainly people celebrating at home with family & friends. The had 2 dinners followed by a dance. One was in the garden restaurent & the other in the high end one $45 or $150 CUC but the same dance for each price, no need to ask which one I attended.
The one in the garden was perfect & made a dent in the pig population as 3 were served along with vegetables & of course rice & black beans also a local group sang requests while selling their CD. I checked out the dance which had a fine orchestra but decieded to see the New Year in outside overlooking the Malecon where the fireworks were visable & consider myself priviledged to have been in Havana for the 50th anniversary of the revolution. Even ran into an interesting man from Moroco who now resides in London & spent a couple hours trading stories then saw the sunrise over the malecon on the first day of the New Year.
The Hotel Nacional is an awesome hotel & well worth a visit, if you are feeling flush I am sure the $1,000 CUC Presidental Suite would be really nice. However be prepared to be in the minority if you speak English as it is a truly International hotel with guests from all over the world.
Have now moved to my casa & have a dentist appointment Monday at 10:00 when I will finally meet Jorge. Today will visit Revolution Square which is only a 5 minute walk from the casa, yesterday visited a CUC store & found the shelves pretty bare of some things especially meat. More Havana adventures to come.
Tags: Travel
busman7
Hola Dave,
Happy New Year! 1ooo CUC for a night!?!! My 1 week vacation cost less than that. But no doubt, even in these hard times, there are people with that kind of cash to burn. How much is a poor man’s room? At Ensenachos, I had a lamb dish at the Cuban grill – the waiter said it was a traditional New Year’s meal – I guess the expensive restaurant served that. Glad to hear you made it and are now in your casa. I hope it all works out for you with the dentist.
Happy trails! 🙂
Hola Dave and Happy New Year!!!
Isn’t the Nacional a beautiful hotel? We didn’t stay there but had a drink on the terrace and walked part way through the hall (the floors were being washed, lol) where all the autographed photos of celebrities, mafia, lol etc. who stayed there, were.
We were given a price by someone for a room but found out it can be booked for much cheaper. Unless prices have gone up, the “regular” seemed somewhat affordable; similar to a good hotel in Canada. I imagine the Presidential Suite is outstanding!!! I guess there’s lots of rich people out there who can spend 1000 cuc without blinking an eye. I’m not one of them, haha, but just think how much richer you’ve become by meeting so many fascinating people!!!
There was a small clip on the news about the Anniversary … I was hoping to see you! LOL!!!!!!!!!! You are VERY privileged to have been there … not a lot of people can say that!!!!!!!!!
Dave … if you have photos up, I can’t seem to get any. Where should I be looking? lol!
Well, it’s MINUS 20 here this morning and saw a brass monkey without balls, hahahahaha … Harv did see a real live grey WOLF a couple days ago on his way to work early in the morning. Wow! I’d love to see one in the wild.
Wishing you the very best with the dentist! Don’t be scared, lol!
Jan
Hola Dave!!!!!!
WOW you are da man!!!! who else can say that not only were they at the Hotel Nacional in Kooba on New Years Eve……you were also there during the 50th celebration of the revolucion!!! kudos to you bud…
so how many nights did you spend at the Hotel? the casa must be a welcomed relief to your pocket book! aye…1000CUC per night…better be a presidential bootycall to follow at that price LOL!!
take care!
let me know when you’ll be sending the pix and care package
Danika oxox
Hola Dave:
Isn’t the Nacional patio grand. Could sit there and sip drinks all day just for the peace and tranquility.
How long you in Havana for?
Enjoy a Mojito for me.
Steve
Busman, are you going to have time to visit GOM at the Gran Club Santa Lucia?
:o) Have a good time down there. We are going to the Mayan Riv. on the 24th. for a change of pace.
Hola Dave,
What a lovely experience for you to see in the New Year in Havana,
it is something which you will never forget, look forward to seeing your
photographs, to be there at this time is really brilliant and I know how
much you have looked forward to it for so long, enjoy every minute
Dave and think of all the snow which you are missing, the forum is very
quiet at the moment, but I know that you wont be missing that, I guess
that you will not be looking forward to the Dentist on Monday but I know
that you will be looking forward to meeting jorge.
Bellagio is really looking forward to meeting up with you Dave and he
leaves the U.K. on Friday 9th January, he will no doubt be in touch,
Take Care Dave, All the Best for New Year Janet
Yes Steve the patio at the Nacional is a great place to spend the day people watching & chickie it is a marvelous hotel filled with history & was even a command post during the Cuban missle crisis, it is a must place to visit for any one in Havana.
Prices are all over the place, according to the price list my room was $170 CUC but Jorge got it for me at $111 CUC & I was talking to a Brit couple who got a package for 3 weeks at 1500 GBP so I guess it just depends.
Will get my pics to pina to post as soon as I meet some one from Canada to send them back with or will put the flash drive in the care package & ship via DHL.
Won’t know how lonf in Havana until I see the dentist on Mon but have booked the casa for the month if longer the casa owner will find me another room for a few days but my apartment has a private terrace & is super nice & only 5 min from the university & revolution square & a 3 CUC taxi ride from most every where.
Happy New Year Dave !
Sounds like a great way to see in the New Year, certainly beats a frosty night in Birmingham anyway, and the Hotel Nacional is such a wonderful setting.
Looking forward to hearing more stories from Cuba, but not entirely surprised about the lack of meat on the shelves….you’d just devoured 3 pigs !
Dave:
Have been out of touch these past two days staying at my other son’s house close to London & didn’t take my computer with me.
I’m flying to Cuba this Friday morning, Jan 9th, and will be staying at the PCV for the first week. If you get a chance let me know when you will be reaching Guardalavaca and if you are staying at Luna Mares or not, so we can arrange a meeting if possible.
Ken not really sure what’s going on but have booked my casa here in Havana for the month & am in the process of booking Spanish lessons also & you know how fast things get done on Cuban time. With the distance to Holguin what it is & my plans to be down that way towards the end of Feb I really don’t think will be able to make it at this time but keep in touch as plans have been known to change LOL
OK Dave. I can understand it would be difficult for you to get to Holguin whilst I am there. I’m off tomorrow and will be out of touch with everyone until I return to the UK on Jan 24th.
Hope you have a great time for the remainder of your stay in Cuba and we’ll touch base on my return home.