| Old Havana is a place really picturesque and beautiful. | | | | offer the best of the popular art learned a long time |
| Its cobblestoned, narrow streets and corners full of the | | | | ago. |
| purest contrasts between sun and shade are now a | | | | Some 72 musical groups invite us to move our feet, or |
| musical center -as it can be seen today- a real Cuban | | | | simply to listen to them while we have a snack or a |
| party. | | | | supper in company of friends or relatives. |
| Noisy as it is, colonial Havana is better known for its | | | | The origin of such animation can be traced back to |
| more-than-80-year-old musicians than for its museums | | | | December, 31st, 1994, when a supper was organized |
| -as many foreign visitors confess. | | | | at the Cathedral Square -the most emblematic of the |
| Perhaps, the world reign of Francisco Repilado | | | | five squares that exist around that old area- and from |
| (Compay Segundo), an already dead troubadour and | | | | that moment on, music, gastronomy and architecture |
| sonero propitiated that a considerable part of all the | | | | combine in order to offer the visitor a new opportunity. |
| people who pass by this part of the Cuban capital look | | | | The milieu is contagious, but the most recommendable |
| for that musician’s lineage -and find it. | | | | restaurants are El Patio, with its big umbrellas in the |
| Such richness can be found in bars, restaurants and | | | | same Cathedral Square -all very noisy- La Mina, Don |
| hotels of this Cuban area founded in 1519 -a wonderful | | | | Giovanni, the Lobby Bar of the Ambos Mundos Hotel, |
| landscape full of chromatism and the affable | | | | the Café Paris or La Lluvia de Oro –all of them |
| environment that its dwellers grant to this place. | | | | very close to each other. |
| There, tourism is operated by the Cuban company | | | | The Plaza Vieja (Old Square), for instance, has one |
| Habaguanex, an enterprise that was named after the | | | | corner that is quite remarkable for its sounds and |
| last indigenous chief who lived in that area and since | | | | music. It is the Café Taberna Benny Moré, built as |
| 1994 has been in charge of maximizing the historic and | | | | homage to the worldwide famous musician of the |
| cultural recreation in the approximately 4.5 square | | | | same name who is already dead and who was |
| kilometers of this old area of the city. | | | | baptized with the name El Bárbaro del Ritmo. |
| Through narrow streets, shops and truly beautiful | | | | Cuba is a great amalgam, but in the musical field it |
| corners there can be seen lots of people walking and | | | | cultivates more than 25 diverse rhythms, among which |
| mingling with foreigners who are eager to understand | | | | we can clearly find the Son, the Conga, the Rumba, |
| the nature of Cubans, with a very strong base on its | | | | the Mambo and the Cha Cha Chá, now very |
| music and dance. | | | | peculiarly diffused all over the world, especially through |
| Out of the 100 facilities for recreation or stores, 40 | | | | the Salsa. |
| enjoy live animation, be it traditional, instrumental, | | | | It is all about a real Cuban party in all senses, capable |
| Spanish or Latin-American music. | | | | of persuading the most gentle of all parishioners, may |
| There exists a prevalence of young artists, but the | | | | he come from whatever corner of the world, simply |
| most symbolic and appealing are the old ones who | | | | magical. |
| –with the strength of a thousand lions - continue to | | | | |