Havana: a Subtropical Delirium

 

I've always wanted to visit Cuba and particularly Havana. I blame "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights", which I caught on TV the other day and was kind of shocked at how bad it was. I remember it being so much better. At any rate, it made me say "I want to read a book about Havana". And here we are. 

The problem is that I want to visit pre-Revolutionary Havana, the Havana of Batista, not Castro. So unless someone invents a time machine, it won't happen. 

Kurlansky is very much in favor of Castro's Havana. He doesn't have anything good to say about Batista and Cuba before Castro. Of course he never saw Cuba back then, so there's that. He probably didn't watch "Havana Nights", either. 

All in all it was interesting. It really does sound like a fascinating country, full of warm and friendly people. Since I can't visit (well, I can, if I want to jump through all the hoops, which I kind of don't) I'll enjoy reading books and looking at pictures of the beautiful architecture and eating at Cuban restaurants.