La Habana (Havana) - winter 2007 & 2002

Locally known as "La Punta" (The Point) El Castillo del Morro en La Habana or Morro Castle in Havana is the entry point to Havana Bay. Walking on top of the Malecon wall with my folks holding my hand when I was little or playing hookie when I was older with my buddies, this is my one of my all time favorite scene and my favorite walk around La Habana. When parents weren´t around, I would walk on these sharp rocks in the forefront (below the Malecon wall). Photo Credit Enrique Alfonso.

The 3-4 ft wide wall is El Malecon Havana, Cuba (as opposed to El Maricon which is something else). Here you can get a better perspective on the rocks (arrecifes?) below the wall. In the winter, the waves are big enough to wash over the malecon, all the way across the huge 4-lane Malecon Blvd. The salt spray erodes the stucco cement facades of the buildings across the street in some areas of the boulevard. Photo Credit Enrique Alfonso.

Close up de la Punta or El Morro Castle. Photo Credit Enrique Alfonso.

A little grainy due to the haze, you can see the beginning of the El Paseo Del Prado (simply known as El Prado) which begins by El Malecon (behind the camera) and proceeds perpendicular to it until it ends at El Vedado. Meanwhile back to the picture, the building that dominates the view at the end of El Prado is the famous El Capitolio / Capitol building looming large in the background. The Paseo del Prado or simply El Prado, is an old style marvelous promenade used to be covered by the green canopy formed by old trees, many now in decay. I used to live 8-9 blocks past the Capitol. Photo Credit Enrique Alfonso.

I can still close my eyes and smell the sea. Photo Credit Enrique Alfonso.

Tourists in Havana in the Cuban winter. Photo Credit Enrique Alfonso.

El Vedado neighborhood shot from el Malecon. The buildings across (left of the Malecon wall) are the ones impacted by salt spray. Photo Credit Enrique Alfonso.

The Habana bay is shaped like a horseshoe. Photo Credit Enrique Alfonso.

Photo Credit Enrique Alfonso. A cargo ship navigates the tricky bay on a clear day. The next photo is one of several sent to from Cuba during Wilma - - - Click here to see Wilma Hit Havana in 2005

This is one of the waves created by Hurricane Wilma when it side-swiped Havana in 2005. You can see some incredible waves hitting the malecon by click here to see Wilma Hit Havana in 2005

My Granmother Rosa Acevedo Batista's home in La Habana, Cuba - Known today as Casa de Rosa e Irene Calle Cardenas#103 Photograph in 2002

My Granmother Rosa Acevedo Batista's home in La Habana, Cuba - Known today as Casa de Rosa e Irene Calle Cardenas#103 Photograph in 2002

My Granmother Rosa Acevedo Batista's home in La Habana, Cuba - Known today as Casa de Rosa e Irene Calle Cardenas#103 Photograph in 2002

My Granmother Rosa Acevedo Batista's home in La Habana, Cuba - Known today as Casa de Rosa e Irene Calle Cardenas#103 Photograph in 2002. Young Thalia reaching up.

My Granmother Rosa Acevedo Batista's home in La Habana, Cuba - Known today as Casa de Rosa e Irene Calle Cardenas#103 Photograph in 2002

My Granmother Rosa Acevedo Batista's home in La Habana, Cuba - Known today as Casa de Rosa e Irene Calle Cardenas#103 Photograph in 2002

My Granmother Rosa Acevedo Batista's home in La Habana, Cuba - Known today as Casa de Rosa e Irene Calle Cardenas#103 Photograph in 2002

A friend's 1948 Pontiac. Photograph in 2002

Maximo Gomez

San Francisco Asis, Havana, Cuba.

Hotel Nacional - photo taken in 2002 from the Malecon.

Old church in Camaguey, Cuba.

Newly restored Hotel Hemingway. Havana, Cuba.

St Francisco Asisi, Havana, Cuba - Once a great church, monastery, parish, now a tourist attraction, after Castro's forces invaded, arrested & executed refugee, and arrested the priests.