Today was our final day in beautiful Havana, so we were going to make the best of it. The sun was shining and we hit the road early for an art extravaganza. The first order of business was Fusterlandia. Fusterlandia, you say?? What is this? Well, the long and the short of it is Fusterlandia was created by artist Jose Fuster on the outskirts of Havana. He is the Cuban version of Gaudi or Picasso – take your pick. In any case, he marries Picasso, Gaudi and Watts Towers together with tile and a bit of madness. He is a truly amazing artist, who is known throughout the world. To meet him is to meet an icon. And today is the day for icons – more later.
We rolled up on his home and neighborhood with mouths gaping. He’s literally taken over an entire small neighborhood with his artistry. From the moment you enter Fusterlandia, you realize that there is no place in the world quite like it. We spent time with his assistant, David before being taken to meet the man, himself. A self deprecating fellow with a heart of gold. He has reinvested every dime he makes into his neighborhood and the people he loves. After a few quick purchases from the master, we departed for lunch at Julio, a magnificent paladar owned by a husband and wife, situated on a beautiful stretch of water.
We dined with the doors and windows open and enjoyed the smell of the sea while being spoiled with an array of seafood that cannot be imagined. Course after course of fresh fish, prepared in both traditional and modern ways, was brought to our table. It was indeed more than any of us could eat. We felt terrible that our host and hostess thought we were not enjoying the meal. WE DID, but who could eat 5 courses for lunch on a warm day? Following a dessert of either homemade flan or ice-cream, we went back to the hotel to change for the afternoon’s activities.
We had a 4:00 appointment with a photographer named Roberto Salas. He was one of the unofficial photographers of Fidel’s Revolution and took some of the most iconic photos of Fidel and Che Guevara during that time in history. He welcomed us into his home and into his world. He shared stories, shared his photographs and gave us a little piece of his heart. To sit down and chat with this icon, was truly an experience not to be forgotten.
We were then pulled away by the lure of the new studio and first-of-it’s kind “internet cafe” of K’Cho. This international artist has a Wilfredo Lam exhibit on display and was hosting live performance art. Following a quick tour, we were picked up by a fleet of 1950’s era convertibles and whisked away down the Malecon and to our farewell dinner at Vistamar. It was a dizzying ride of horns honking, jockying for position and lots of smiles. We watched our last sunset together as we drank mojitos while overlooking the ocean at this magnificent restaurant. We were all thinking the same thing: we can’t wait to return to Havana.