Havana, Capital city in Havana Province, Cuba
Havana lies along a bay and shows buildings in different states of repair, from restored colonial facades to crumbling balconies with laundry hanging out. Streets alternate between cobblestone alleys and wide palm-lined avenues where 1950s cars drive alongside modern vehicles.
The Spanish established the settlement in 1519 at its current location after trying other sites, and it soon became an important harbor for ships heading back to Europe. Later in the 20th century it transformed into a center for casinos and nightlife before a revolution in 1959 fundamentally changed the country.
Music flows through daily life, with spontaneous rumba groups gathering in plazas and son rhythms drifting from open doorways. Locals play dominoes on street corners and porches in the evening, while children kick soccer balls on the sidewalks.
The main neighborhoods sit close together and can be explored on foot, though cobblestones may be uneven and sidewalks sometimes blocked. Shared taxis and private vintage cars offer rides between districts, with prices negotiated beforehand.
A cannon is fired every evening at 9 pm from a fortress overlooking the harbor, a tradition dating back to the 18th century that once signaled the closing of city gates. The blast echoes through several neighborhoods and many residents set their watches by it.
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