Havana - Factory & Frustration


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Central America Caribbean » Cuba » Oeste » La Habana
November 10th 2008
Published: January 18th 2009
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Memorial Jose MartiMemorial Jose MartiMemorial Jose Marti

Plaza de la Revolucion, Havana
Lonely Planet said that the mirador at the top of the Jose Marti monument in Plaza de la Revolution opened at 0930 but we headed out about 0800 and walked to ensure we were the first ones up the tower. The walk was about 2km but it wasn’t too hot and we made short work of it arriving there in plenty of time to take photographs and see a wreath laying by a delegation of African politicians, complete with all the pomp and ceremony deserving of such an occasion. I was surprised at how close we were allowed to be to the event, I was able to snap plenty of photos and at one point one of the guards said “Boca Juniors” in reference to my shirt.

We found that the ticket office opened at 0900 but it was empty. The employee at the booth beside the ticket office explained that the girl was in the toilet and would be back soon. It was only 0910 and she’d only been there 10 minutes! As expected the first girl couldn’t reach to the next desk to get tickets for us. At 0930 the booth was finally (wo)manned and we were informed
Memorial Jose MartiMemorial Jose MartiMemorial Jose Marti

Plaza de la Revolucion, Havana
that the lookout was closed. It was a beautiful day - no wind, no rain - and we weren’t offered a reason. We were disappointed but decided to get the hop-on hop-off bus to the Capitolio so we could do a cigar factory tour.

We missed the bus by a minute and it was 20 minutes before the T2 bus arrived. We made a quick change of plans and decided to go to a different factory - H Upmann - located very close to the cemetery that we visited a few weeks before. We boarded and found out that we were waiting for the next T1 bus anyway. Almost 45 minutes later we finally found ourselves outside the cigar factory and I enquired about the tour. The security guard advised (in Spanish) that tickets for the tour could only be purchased from Habana Libra - a good 15 minutes away by bus and an hours walk - I lost it. In two and a half weeks of touring in Cuba I thought that I’d gotten used to waiting and disorganisation but this was the straw that broke the camels back.

We returned to the T2 bus stop at
GuardsGuardsGuards

Plaza de la Revolucion, Havana
1105 and the 1105 bus arrived to pick us up at 1135. We arrived at Plaza de la Revolution 10 minutes later to see our connecting T1 bus drive away and waited another half hour. It was 1215 and we were located exactly where we had started at 0830 and we hadn’t completed a thing.

The good news was that we arrived at Real Fabrica de Tobacos Partagas, a block back from the Capitolio, at 1230 as they returned from lunch and got on a tour almost straight away. At CUC10 the tour was relatively expensive compared to the other museums and sights that we had visited but it was money well spent. We had a guide that spoke excellent English, was well informed and had all the one-liners down. The factory itself was a sweatshop with rooms full of workers with a daily quota of rolled cigars set for them. The one unexpected bonus - literally - was that after their quota, the workers got paid extra for each additional cigar. Fidel couldn’t help a little bit of capitalism sneaking in where it was beneficial to the greater revolutionary cause. This highly unsocialist bonus didn’t stop some of
LaBodeguita del MedioLaBodeguita del MedioLaBodeguita del Medio

Another of Hemingway's favourites. Habana Vieja
the workers risking their jobs by offering cigars to us during the tour however.

Just prior to the start of the tour we met David - an Irishman - and we got chatting in the factory’s shop soon after the conclusion of the tour. He was surprised at how expensive the cigars were and we told the story about our man in Santa Clara - from whom we’d bought the cigars that were claimed to be Cohibas. Moments later our guide approached us offering basically the same thing. David saw the potential value and took a card.

With all the morning and half the afternoon written off, David’s offer of a drink was simply too good to turn down and we sat at a terrace bar on Parque Central for several hours talking - particularly about the recent history of violence in Ireland. David’s knowledge was excellent and he suggested that we’d love Ireland - a thought I’d agreed with long prior to our Cuban trip but one that rocketed Ireland towards the top of my places to see list. We swapped emails and headed our own ways just before nightfall - a little staggery but otherwise OK.
Memorial Jose MartiMemorial Jose MartiMemorial Jose Marti

Plaza de la Revolucion, Havana


Jo and I caught the hop-on hop-off bus to Habana Veijo and I took a few last pics in the dark before ending up back at El Rapido for dinner and getting back to our casa at 2030. We packed our bags cleverly separating our paintings, cigars and cigarettes - all of which may have caused trouble when clearing customs - and got to sleep at 2130.


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Memorial Jose MartiMemorial Jose Marti
Memorial Jose Marti

Plaza de la Revolucion, Havana
Visiting dignitariesVisiting dignitaries
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Plaza de la Revolucion, Havana
Wreath layingWreath laying
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GuardsGuards
Guards

Ahhhh - Boc Juniors!
Memorial Jose Marti & Ministerio del InteriorMemorial Jose Marti & Ministerio del Interior
Memorial Jose Marti & Ministerio del Interior

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Plaza de la Revolucion, Havana
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Ministerio del InteriorMinisterio del Interior
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The (very) rough guide to the bus system.


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