Havana Manana - A Guide to Cuba and the Cubans

by Consuelo Hermer

Most travel books take you far, but usually not far enough. Too often they include too much historical material, too little about the facts of life. Knowledge of any city, after all, is written in terms of its people, its food, its customs. Take Havana, now. There have been no books about Havana that make its people real to us. If Americans consider the Cubans "touched," they, in their turn, sum us up as Americanos locos. But the Cubans, at least, admire the stuff Americans are made of, even though it defies their analysis. It's time for visitors to return the compliment, to be more open-minded and less jingoistic. The geniality and gracious dignity of life in Havana and the mercurial charm of its inhabitants deserve understanding and appreciation. There have been no books about Havana that guide tourists through the complicated maze of Cuban etiquette. Warm-hearted and easy-going though he may be, your true Cuban resents any transgression of the rules of his social code. The bad impressions left by Americans on a spree cry to heaven for correction. There have been no books about Havana that show tourists how to get more than their money's worth out of shopping, eating, sightseeing and night-clubbing, how to spend intelligently, how to save wisely, how to have fun on even the most limited budget. These pages try to demonstrate that there is much more than rum, rumba and revolution in Cuba; to indicate the pattern of behavior that furthers social success in this unpredictable but always enchanting country; to turn the spotlight on Cuban customs and the Latin way of looking at life. Understanding all this will mean keener appreciation of your experiences there, richer memories and a sympathy for Havana that make the place unforgettably warm and colorful.

289 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2007

Reviews

[Dave C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book fascinated me because it paints a very clear picture of what it would be like to travel to Havana in 1941. I first visited Havana 68 years after this book was published and the city has a way of giving you hints about its past as a playground for the upper echelon of Americans who could afford to travel and gamble in the 1930s and 40s.

But when seeing Havana today, it can be hard to imagine those times. This book is everything your imagination needs.

It talks about how you should be wearing custom tailored suits and the colours men and women should wear depending on the season. There's a great deal written about etiquette, something that today's travellers often lack. It also has some racist sections when it comes to talking about other 'classes' which are an unfortunate reality of those times.

It reviews some institutions that remain, even seven decades later, like the Hotel Nacional, the Sevilla and the Floridita. Having been to all these spots, I found it intriguing what an American tourist so many years ago thought of them.

Havana 18 years before the revolution was so drastically different than the city is today after 60+ years of communist rule. And you really need to read this book to see just how much different, for better or for worse, the city is now.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned about Havana Mañana by Consuelo Hermer and Marjorie May in Havana a book of excerpts compiled by Susannah Clark. The selection I read was called "What to Wear."

The full book is a travel guide for Americans traveling to Havana. This is back in the day before the travel embargo put in place after Castro. It's a fascinating historical document of what life was like in the early 1940s both in the United States and in Cuba.

I'm not sure how much of the specific advice holds water seventy years later. Prices are certainly different; businesses have probably closed up and fashions here and there have probably changed.

That said, there's still some general advice that's useful for travelers. Vacationers should dress for the environment they are traveling too but they should also be mindful of the culture they will be visiting if they wish to fit in. Visitors should do their research: learn the neighborhoods, traditions and whatnot before they arrive.

If I were doing a period piece (either as a film or a novel), Havana Mañana would be an invaluable resource.