Havana: Nostalgia

• Arrive in Havana.
• Transfer to your boutique casa particular Juan de La Habana

• In the morning, meet Dayán, who will take you on a photographic tour of Havana in his convertible Chrysler Windsor 1957. Like that of Dayán’s, there are more than 60 thousand American classic cars still running in Cuba despite the fact that no parts have been shipped into Cuba since 1961. So it has been only through colossal personal efforts and true passion that that piece of Cuban identity has been kept alive. After revving through China Town, past the University of Havana and across the Revolution Square, take a moment at the Malecón, in front of Hotel Nacional, to admire the stunning view and learn about the infamous American Mob that ran rampant in Havana in the forties and fifties.
• From the photogenic corner of Cuba and Chacón in Old Havana, where the photographic tour ends, proceed by foot to the Cathedral Square.
• Lunch at a paladar La Moneda Cubana, just mere steps from one of Hemingway’s watering holes, La Bodeguita del Medio.
• Continue to the Arms Square to take in icons, including the Captains Generals Palace and La Real Fuerza Fort. Visit the open-air market of rare and antiquarian books, where you will find lots of other odd objects, from coins to photographic cameras.
• Passing by Hemingway’s favourites Ambos Mundos Hotel and Floridita Bar & Restaurant, walk down Obispo Street in direction of Central Park. Once there, admire the surrounding iconic buildings, including the Havana Capitol Building, the Grand Theater of Havana Alicia Alonso and the Manzana de Gómez.
• Hop on a bicitaxi for a ride along Prado Promenade back to your accommodation.
• Rest of the afternoon and evening at leisure. You might want to consider paladar Castropol for a dinner overlooking the Malecón and check out later what is going on at Industria 8, a private restaurant and occasional music venue next door to your accommodation.

• Thousands of Cubans studied or worked in the USSR and, equally, thousands of Soviets came to Cuba. Russian was taught at Cuban schools and many people on the island speak the language. From architecture to education to arts, the footprint of that era is still fresh; lots of Cubans reflect back on those times with nostalgia.
• Lada is a veneered Soviet-era car brand in Cuba. They are reputed as strong and, most importantly, repairable. Today you will get into one of them to explore other parts of Havana. Starting at Our lady of Kazan Russian Church, an icon of the Russian presence in Cuba, chug along the seaside Malecón and continue onto the 5^th Avenue in the lovely neighborhood of Miramar. Appreciate the imposing building of the Embassy of Russia, formerly the USSR, whose size and disruptive appearance are in fair proportion to their influence in Cuba throughout the 30 years following the triumph of the Cuban revolution. 
• Visit Yeroviejo, a private project founded by Ricardo Tejera to restore and preserve old watches, Russian Poljots among them. While learning about the characteristics of these incredible time machines, you will be able enjoy the unmistakable music of a vinyl record. There are more than 7000 of them collected, categorized and preserved by Rafael Valdivia, a musician, collector and vinyl enthusiast. Both, Ricardo and Rafael, have put aside their University degrees and rejected lots of professional opportunities to pursue their artistic passions, the common denominator being the preservation of true cultural relics.
• Lunch at paladar El Atelier
• Afternoon at leisure
• Farewell dinner at retro-Soviet restaurant Nazdarovie.

Transfer to the José Martí International Airport.