Saturday morning was our final day in Cuba, and the only day we paid extra for an onshore excursion. Today we were headed to the Ernest Hemingway house. We finished breakfast, met with the tour group onboard, exited the ship, breezed through customs, down the stairs and right into a coach bus. Today our tour guide was Carlos. The Hemingway house did not open until 10am, so we filled the hour and half with a visit to Jesus Cristo de la Havana and the small fishing town which inspired Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea."
Jesus Christ of Havana was designed by a local sculptor, and the statue was commissioned by Batista. It was revealed on Christmas Eve, across the Bay from Havana, near El Morro. It is said that Batista put it there to remind locals He, meaning Batista not Jesus, was always watching. The face of Jesus of Havana has a wider flatter nose and bigger lips than other Anglo Jesus' sees throughout Europe. The Sculptor did this purposely to reflect faces of Latin American and the Caribbean. Also, unlike Jesus of Rio de Jinero whose arms are stretched out wide, Jesus of Havana is holding his hands in forgiveness. The locals however tell a joke that Jesus of Havana is holding a mojito in his left hand and a cigar in his right.
The seaside village which inspired "The Old Man and the Sea" was a poor fishing village. There was not much to see other than a dock, a very tiny fortress, and a dozen villagers who eagerly greeted the tourists with hands open for spare CUCs. The stop only last 10 mins and we were on our way to Hemingway house.
Ernest's Cuban home was shared by he and his third wife Martha Gellhorn, who prompted him the purchase the property as she grew tired of living with him in one bedroom at the Amuse Mondo hotel in Havana. The home is called Finca Vigia, Lookout Farm. The house sits atop a hill, surrounded by 15 acres. Now the city has grown around the homestead, right upto the gates. Which is where we encountered traffic. The gate to his house opened at 10, and the tour busses were lined up prior to 10. After a 30 min wait we were let loose with the other hoards of tourists. It is then that we discovered that the house itself was not accessible to visitors, and we were told would could wander the grounds and peek through the windows. No guides, no tour, no anecdotes. Our disappointment made its way into our reviews....
After peeping through windows and attempting to snap photos of Pillar- Hemingway's boat- we loaded up for lunch. Our destination was supposedly one of Hemingway's favorite haunts, The Floridita. Coincidently our tour guide had pointed the establishment out the previous day as a place to grab a drink but not to eat. We agreed after we saw what was served. The best description for our lunch was salty, mostly inedible. Our disappointing tour and lunch ate away the half day we had in Havana, and it was nearing 1:30, our departure time.
Our final dinner however was lovely. We took time in the afternoon to write a small note of thanks to the crew members who helped shape our trip, and tipped accordingly. We took a few photos at the end of the meal. Then packed our bags. Our ship was sailing full steam ahead to Miami, we would wake up in Florida waters.
Little fishing boat
Bay of Pigs missiles
Our Ship from across the Bay
Jesus Cristo de Habana, Holding a mojito and smoking a cigar
Hemingway tribute
An Old Man in the Sea!!
Line of busses on the way to Hemingway house
Pilar
Local kids playing baseball
HUGE pool
Original driveway
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