Leather bound books in Plaza de Armas, Havana, Cuba
Our first experience of Havana was walking out onto the Plaza de Armas. Our hotel just off the square was old fashioned, but adequate – like much of Cuba there’s not been much modernisation since the trade embargo of the 1950’s.
The Plaza de Armas was, and for many Habaneros still is, the centre of Havana. The town has grown beyond the borders of the UNESCO protected Old Havana area, but as a tourist there’s little to warrant venturing to the newer areas.
Since Old Havana’s UNESCO listing in 1982, 35 million dollars have been spent on restoring and maintaining the character of the Old Town.
Looking along one of the beautiful buildings alongside Plaza de Armas
The square is surrounded by historic buildings, the most ornate being the Palacio de Los Capitanes Generales, or Palace of the Captains General, home to the military authorities. This baroque building lines the entire west side of the Plaza de Armas.
Books sellers set up for the day
From the 16th century onward the Plaza de Armas was used for military events and government ceremonies. Today it’s used for a more peaceful purpose –selling books.
Book sellers line the centre of the square, arranging their wares on permanent shelves.
Setting up the book stalls in Plaza de Armas
Alongside the books are more souvenirs, but nothing too gaudy. Most are old stamps, medal and a wide selection of beer labels.
More souvenirs on sale in Plaza de Armas
Unlike a few other places in Havana there are no restaurant touts here, no-one offering to pose for photos and no pressure to buy the books. The book sellers are happy to just chat and show off their cars, but much more about that in a future post.
The books vary from anti-US tracts, classic Cuban works, and a lot of Hemingway. Being an avid reader I bought a sticker book telling the story of the revolution in cartoon form… It’s a bit above my Spanish level, but helpful for learning a few words, even if they are a bit outdated.
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