No, we’re not talking about me (although we might be). We’re talking about Ernest Hemingway who lived in Cuba for more than twenty years, moving back to the States only when the revolution happened here in 1959. So, no trip to Cuba would be complete without a visit to Hemingway’s residence, located just outside Havana.
It’s a beautiful single storey building set in around 10 acres of lush tropical garden
Visitors to this ‘museum’ are not allowed into the house itself as the place is full of priceless memorabilia and preserved almost exactly as he left it. However, through open windows and doors you can get a pretty good idea of, for example, the living area
and the ground floor study where he did some of his writing.
His preferred place for penning great literary works was, however, at the top a tower adjacent to the main house
where not only could he write in peace but also had a pretty good view of Havana and on a good day, some say, Florida in the far distance
Although there is a separate guest annexe, many of his guests stayed in the twin bedded spare bedroom in the main house itself. The likes of Errol Flynn, Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra have all stayed here (although not at the same time I was informed!). It seems strange that such super stars of the day might sleep in fairly simple accommodation.
Apparently, during his time in Cuba, Hemingway owned 57 cats and 9 dogs! He clearly favoured dogs and gave them decent burials when they passed on
but no such luxury was afforded to the moggies, it would seem.
Hemingway was an avid fisherman and inveterate hunter, witnessed by the numerous trophies on the walls of the house. In fact, arguably his most famous novel, Old Man and the Sea was inspired by the many fishing trips he took in his own boat.
Hemingway was loved not only for his writing but also for his gung ho, adventurous and daredevil lifestyle. But there was a darker side to his character which rarely surfaced. He had a troubled childhood, suffered from bipolar disorder and, at the age of 63, committed suicide. His memory certainly lives on though, especially in this wonderfully well kept memorial to him.
Yet more music on the way out,
and I was not in the least bit tempted to jump into this taxi back to the hotel as I had doubts if it would make it!
Last day here tomorrow.
Richard
thelasthurrahsite 