El Morro copyright 2011 Maria Soto Robbins
I remember very little of Havana, quite frankly, and unfortunately that includes seeing El Morro. We lived about 15 miles away from the city in "La Playa de Santa Fe" (Santa Fe Beach). I was only a child when I left and I've never been back. I've just picked up a beautiful hardcover book though, Havana Forever, by Kenneth Treister, Felipe J. Prestamo, and Raul B. Garcia which profiles the beautiful architecture and gives a historical background on the founding of the Cuban capital. I'm enjoying it's beautiful photographs and learning
Havana Forever
quite a lot about the history of Havana and its Spanish roots. The last 50 years of Castro's dictatorship have left most of the buildings in this city neglected, decayed and in desperate need of repair. However, at the same time, there is something positive about this de-facto preservation. In the course of the years, new modern buildings haven't been built en masse around these older structures (including new McDonalds or Starbucks) to destroy the old colonial charm that does exist.
Check this book out here, if you're interested in Cuban history or hope to visit the city in the future. It would be an invaluable guide.
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