A particular Cuban Chinatown

Havana, fortunately, does not believe in ghettos. It has always been a crucible for colors, races and cultures to the point where it is often difficult to establish such boundaries; for example, here ends white and starts black. Chinese people came here almost two centuries ago and settled in some of the busiest areas of the city, creating a district that at one time was the largest Chinatown in Latin America. While maintaining their memories and traditions, with the passing of time the Chinese immigrants in Havana inserted themselves in the pulse of the growing city. The heart of Havana's present Chinatown is the fork in Zanja Street, but the curious can find other traces, such as beautiful ideograms under forgotten layers of paint in central Havana, relics of former stores and societies.

Crossing under the red portico at the entrance to Chinatown changes the color of the city. One minute we are starting at sun-scorched grey buildings and the next we are entering the kingdom of red, considered by Chinamen the color of happiness and prosperity. Red decorations drape from the overhanging red beams: lamps, banderoles, rattles, a whole celebration of paper and fabric in the pedestrian street some hundred meters long.