Cuba March 18th 2023; visit of Havana day 2
After a good night’s sleep, and a wonderful breakfast at Hostal Doña Amalia (there was so much food that I took slices of bread with jam in a plastic bag to make myself a snack for later). I took a little walk around the neighborhood to find out what was around me, and then I got ready for a bike ride. Unfortunately, I realized my front tire was deflated ! After I mistakenly installed a patch next to the tube hole, I glued a second patch on the hole this time. Following the wise advice of my host Adrian, I left for Havana by a path (the Paseo) that took me to the western limit of the Malecón, a long boulevard that reminds me of the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, but less well maintained. The seaside (Florida Strait) does not have a sandy beaches in Havana, but is made up of sharp volcanic rocks with concrete docks allowing people to venture safely into the water. The Old Havana was as expected full of tourist (despite it being the low season).
I went to the old town and came back by a slightly different route (Avenida de Los Presidentes). The avenue is characterized by buildings that bore witness to the wealth of the settlers. Many were destroyed after the revolution and restored. The center of the avenue contains several statues of former Latin American presidents. Multiple graffiti have caught my attention in the center of Havana and the Old City, in addition to the colonial architecture of several buildings. I found the last hour of returning to Boyeros very difficult because of the crushing sun and heat! In total, 45.7 km, which gives me a good training for my outing on Monday towards Las Terrazas. Here is the route I followed on Strava followed by my photos.
