Our third day in Havana took us across the entrance of the harbour to check out the Parque Histórico Militar Morro-Cabaña (what a mouthful!).
El Morro Lighthouse
After a quick breakfast involving a "Cubano" sandwich (ham, cheese and roast pork!), our first challenge of the day was to find a taxi to take us to the other side of the bay. It is weirdly difficult to find one in some parts of Havana. Like most things in Cuba, there are two types of taxi: government and private. The government taxis can be identified by the sleek modern cars, and the fact that you can never find one, while private taxis can be identified by the fact that parts of the car are often missing (seatbelts or interiors for example). It is interesting to note that government taxi drivers get paid a fixed salary, which means that they never seem that motivated to go looking for customers. This was similar to the situation in government restaurants, where service was generally poorer.
Once we reached the other side of the bay, our first stop was Castillo de los Tres Santos Reyes Magnos del Morro, or, 'El Morro'. Erected between 1589 and 1630 to protect the entrance of the harbour from pirates and invaders, it withstood many attacks from Dutch, French and English privateers before falling to the British in 1762 during the Seven Years War. However, the British only held onto Havana for 11 months before trading it back to the Spanish in exchange for the Spanish colony of Florida. Since then, the fort has been rebuilt and added to, and another, larger fort (that we visited later in the day) was added to ensure that Havana was not taken again. A detailed account of how the British took the fort is on display there, told through a series of paintings.
El Morro's passageways, walls, and a lighthouse were great fun to explore and we had the place pretty much to ourselves. It seems not many tourists make it to the other side of the bay. The views from the top of the lighthouse were spectacular, though we definitely needed a head for heights.
Once we reached the other side of the bay, our first stop was Castillo de los Tres Santos Reyes Magnos del Morro, or, 'El Morro'. Erected between 1589 and 1630 to protect the entrance of the harbour from pirates and invaders, it withstood many attacks from Dutch, French and English privateers before falling to the British in 1762 during the Seven Years War. However, the British only held onto Havana for 11 months before trading it back to the Spanish in exchange for the Spanish colony of Florida. Since then, the fort has been rebuilt and added to, and another, larger fort (that we visited later in the day) was added to ensure that Havana was not taken again. A detailed account of how the British took the fort is on display there, told through a series of paintings.
El Morro's passageways, walls, and a lighthouse were great fun to explore and we had the place pretty much to ourselves. It seems not many tourists make it to the other side of the bay. The views from the top of the lighthouse were spectacular, though we definitely needed a head for heights.
Elizabeth atop the lighthouse.
We then descended down to the shoreline for lunch at La Doce Apostles ('The Twelve Apostles', a reference to the 12 cannons lining the walls above the restaurant). It was a great spot to relax and enjoy some excellent paella while watching the waves crash on the shore.
The view from our lunch table.
After lunch we went to look at Área Expositiva Crisis de Octubre, a small exhibition about the Cuban Missile Crisis. On display were some of the infamous missiles, as well as parts of a US spy place that was shot down over Cuba at the time. A series of panels provided some information about how the situation arose and the outcomes. Alongside the Soviet R-12 nuclear rocket was a miniature Soyuz, and an accompanying panel celebrating Cuban Cosmonaut Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez.
A replica of a Soviet rocket.
The last stop of the day was Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña, or 'La Cabaña'. This fortress had been built after the Spanish regained control of Havana in 1763, and was meant to fill a weakness in the defences of the city that the British had exploited in the attack of 1762. The fort is so formidable, bristling with cannons, that no one ever attacked it. Over the years it has served as a military prison, and after the Revolution it was Che Guevara's headquarters while he oversaw the trial of Batista's military officers.
It is interesting to note that the price of admission for locals and foreigners was the same, except in different currencies! Cuba has two currencies: Pesos, and Cuban Convertible Pesos, or CUCs, with one CUC equal to 24 Pesos and one CUC also equal to one American Dollar. Cubans get paid in combination of the two currencies, with Pesos used at stores which sell basics such as food, while CUCs can be spent in "dollar stores" where you can pick up non-essentials. It's a pretty confusing aspect of the country, and the confusion is used by some to scam tourists. Apparently, this system will be phased out in the next couple of years.
It is interesting to note that the price of admission for locals and foreigners was the same, except in different currencies! Cuba has two currencies: Pesos, and Cuban Convertible Pesos, or CUCs, with one CUC equal to 24 Pesos and one CUC also equal to one American Dollar. Cubans get paid in combination of the two currencies, with Pesos used at stores which sell basics such as food, while CUCs can be spent in "dollar stores" where you can pick up non-essentials. It's a pretty confusing aspect of the country, and the confusion is used by some to scam tourists. Apparently, this system will be phased out in the next couple of years.
The deserted fortress.
The fort was huge and very fun to explore, but even at 4pm the heat was intense so we escaped inside a small bar for a drink (a Mojito really helps you cool down and stay hydrated!). Our initial plan was to stick around the fort and check out the museum on Che Guevara, before watching a ceremony in which cannons are fired across the harbour. However, a minor medical emergency meant we headed back to Old Havana early, which was fortunate because soon after that the heavens opened and torrential rain threatened to flood us out of our room back at the casa.
And so ended our last day in Havana! It was a great city to visit, and we can't wait to go back and see how it changes in years to come.
In case you missed them, here are links to our previous blog posts about this trip:
5 Days in Havana (Part I)
5 Days in Havana (Part II)
Viñales Valley Wednesday
And here are the rest of the posts from our trip:
Varadero Weekend
And here are a few more pictures from our last day in Havana :
And so ended our last day in Havana! It was a great city to visit, and we can't wait to go back and see how it changes in years to come.
In case you missed them, here are links to our previous blog posts about this trip:
5 Days in Havana (Part I)
5 Days in Havana (Part II)
Viñales Valley Wednesday
And here are the rest of the posts from our trip:
Varadero Weekend
And here are a few more pictures from our last day in Havana :
