Wintering in Cuba

An Independent Traveller in her Nineties Recaptures Her Verve in Cuba

My family was aghast when, being of an advanced age, I made my choice to spend the winter of 2007 in Havana on my own. Upon the advice from a friend who had been there many times and, myself, remembering the fine times my husband and I had fifteen years earlier when we had taken a trip there, I decided on a stay of three months at the Parque Central Hotel situated in Old Havana. A couple of weeks in Varadero would not hurt, I told my travel agent, just for a change of scenery. This trip turned out to be the best decision I had made in a long time.

Frankly, I did not know what to expect. But when I was ensconced in my room, I turned on the TV and there was a message welcoming me by name to the hotel and I thought, yes, things will be all right. Little did I guess just how all right they would turn out to be.

First, let me mention "location, location, and location." The Parque Central is right next to the Prado which is a beautiful promenade of a street forming the boundary between Old Havana and Central Havana. Nearby was the Gran Teatro de la Habana, an elegant building housing the oldest functioning theatre in Latin America. There, I was able to see the National Ballet of Cuba's wonderful interpretations of "Carmen" and a vigorous flamenco danced by the Ballet Espanol de Cuba but the highlight of the winter for me was the National Ballet's passionate version of "Coppelia." I had seen nothing quite so beautiful in ages