I went to Havana. It was sadder than I expected; it's pretty much a picturesque disaster area, where a block from the Prado (Havana's famous promenade) people live in half-collapsed buildings, and on the day I left, down the street from my AirBNB -- yes, that's right! -- people were excitedly queuing to buy tomatoes. Lifestyles seem to mostly range from grim stagnation to quiet desperation, unsullied by much in the way of aspiration or hope.
(I know, I know: "under capitalism, man exploits man, but under communism, it's the other way around!")
Anyway. Picturesque, like I said:
![](https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5615/30515892484_91da395ea9_c.jpg)
The Grand Theater at night.
![](https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5518/31302414296_de44d59588_c.jpg)
Imperialismo Yankee!
![](https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5531/31302423206_7a6fdc9154_c.jpg)
Not atypical building, Havana Veija Sur.
![](https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5551/30530748113_94f3af04a2_c.jpg)
The revolution is a town?
![](https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5727/30530751573_d818fd05fd_c.jpg)
Desk set.
![](https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5711/31338271555_bceb480594_c.jpg)
A well-documented door.
![](https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5637/31302465946_b3d58d6cef_c.jpg)
Facing the sea.
![](https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5764/30969542710_d2259db6e2_c.jpg)
Continuously defend the revolution!
![](https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5708/31302493656_7dab838b90_c.jpg)
The classic cars are everywhere.
![](https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5560/31247569856_b8039c2861_c.jpg)
Not atypical building, Havana Centro.
![](https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5606/31169137401_1a1873e5c3_c.jpg)
Heroes of the revolution.
![](https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5458/30516033264_3789a7047c_c.jpg)
On the Sunday after Fidel's death, Plaza de la Revolucion was not exactly a hotbed of fervor.
![](https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5698/31338353935_ccc02ae7cb_c.jpg)
Snapped furtively, but they didn't seem to really mean it.
![](https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5584/31338357675_25397263d2_c.jpg)
Wanna bet?
![](https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5765/30530854863_a9d3a44926_c.jpg)
Centro, again.
![](https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5542/30521862534_7c7a590e30_c.jpg)
...Yeah, I got nothin'.
![](https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5523/31156265592_b292877753_c.jpg)
The beaches, as every Canadian knows, are lovely.
![](https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5625/31309997766_1f8f932d69_c.jpg)
Spontaneous memorial.
![](https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5599/30928761720_9359d8aa17_c.jpg)
Ready taxis.
![](https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5565/31346402885_238d6c87b1_c.jpg)
Those were the days...
![](https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5697/31159070792_eaaeb6b5cc_c.jpg)
I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to be here.
![](https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5556/31231720981_59ec6b095a_c.jpg)
Not especially Cuban, except that it's holding up a ruin, but I like this shot a lot.
![](https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5746/30524565754_8d5d11beb7_c.jpg)
It's a very pretty city.
![](https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5464/31202774672_024c5d669d_c.jpg)
This felt a little Dr. Strange.
![](https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5791/31311232766_1ae82d3612_c.jpg)
Centro.
![](https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5611/31232453631_34e510b2e8_c.jpg)
Probably my favorite street art.
![](https://c7.staticflickr.com/6/5727/31266996206_9404b2c87f_c.jpg)
Havana Vieja cobblestones.
![](https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5486/31203672532_49e56b06c3_c.jpg)
The vestigial Chinatown.
![](https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5676/30540402263_1031510bd2_c.jpg)
Bullet holes from a (non-Castro-related) student uprising / attempt to kill Batista in 1957.