EVENING IN HAVANA
Havana´s nightlife is seductive, with choices for varying tastes, especially in the Vedado, Miramar, and Playa neighborhoods, where most of the Cuban capital´s clubs, theaters and cultural centers are located. A late afternoon could begin with a function at the Chaplin Theater, named after Charlie Chaplin, and an indicator of the theater´s age. Havana´s Cine Chaplin is home to Cuba Cinema, and usually offers varied programming, with independent foreign films, experimental films, and other offerings of the seventh art. Your evening in Havana could continue at the Cine Chaplin, which transforms into an actor´s playhouse on weekends, offering everything from dramatic stage plays to comedies, ballet, and sometimes opera concerts. If what you had in mind for your evening in Havana was to go back in time to the 1950´s when Cuban music was heard all over the world, and enjoy a cabaret show, you could visit either the Parisien Cabaret in the Hotel Nacional, or the emblematic Tropicana in the Havana neighborhood of Mariano. Both offer spectacular shows that highlight Cuba´s musical history through its most representative genres.
After 11pm other nocturnal Havana haunts become an option, like the Bertolt Brecht Theater, and El Sauce, both offering some of Cuba´s best fusion bands. Other options for this hour include La Casa de la Musica, with venues near Old Havana, Vedado, and the suburb of Miramar. All three specialize in presenting popular dance bands every night. For Jazz aficionados there are the Jazz Café Miramar, La Zorra y el Cuervo, and the Corner Café, all offering world class jazz. Lovers of Cuban Rumba can stop at el Palacio de la Rumba, where Cuba´s best Rumba bands play to a dedicated Cuban audience. Most of these shows end around 2am, at which time you can make your way to other Havana bars that stay open until dawn on weekends.
All these clubs offer a great mix of patrons, with the Jazz clubs having a larger percentage of foreigners in attendance, and the salsa and Rumba dance clubs being predominantly Cuban.
There is always another option in Havana, and that´s the malecon. The Havana seawall is accessible to all, and offers endless views of the Florida Straits. It is always open, has no capacity limits, and you will meet Cubans of all ages and lifestyles there. It has become the traditional place for Habaneros to talk, drink, and romance.
You´ll wish your Havana night never ends!
By DARR
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