"The faded beauty of Havana" a Havana Travel Page by Jefie

Dating back to the early 16th century, Havana is the kind of city where history oozes from every street and building, from every church and plaza. A city marked by numerous revolutions, Havana has seen its fair share of heroes rise and fall - from the Spanish governors to the American mafia, from Jose Marti to Che Guevara, and from the Bay of Pigs invasion to the missil crisis, the history of Havana leaves no one indifferent, and neither does its culture - anyone who's ever listened to Buena Vista Social Club dreams of visiting this island where warm voices and rythms are only matched by the sound of the waves crashing on the Malecon.

And so it was that Sylvain and I decided to spend a week in Havana, in January 2006. It was an eventful week, to say the least, including a trip to the hospital and police station (!), but what we'll remember the most is the nice people we have met - thanks to VT, we met with Victor and Lys, two very precious friends whom we hope to see again very soon. I hope the following tips will help people discover the capital of Cuba and perhaps help some of you make the most of your trip to La Habana. Enjoy!