Havana By Night
Photo Feature by Ernesto Gonzalez Diaz
HAVANA TIMES – Havana is not a city that is characterized by bright lighting or neon signs advertising products. The energy crisis that the country went through in the 1990s reduced street illumination to a minimum. But gradually the capital has recovered some of the night time beauty, with lighting on the larger avenues and major streets.
Here is a set of images taken in the city, including some of the most well-known sites as the Malecón seawall, the National Hotel, the la Cabaña Fortress from where the sky lights up every night at 9:00 p.m. with the traditional canon fire, Paseo del Prado, Plaza Vieja in Old Havana as well as, Calle Infanta, the steps of the University of Havana and Central Park.
Click on the thumbnails below to view all the photos in this gallery. On your PC or laptop, you can use the directional arrows on the keyboard to move within the gallery. On cell phones use the keys on the screen.
Cuba shares some interesting parallels with their North Korean allies, not least of which is the “darkness” (both actual and metaphorical) both countries must endure. Just released photos of North Korea taken from the ISS, 230 mies above the earth, are quite revealing, and immensely interesting. It’s as if North Korea ceases to exist at Night…..Cubas not far behind
How sad
Even at night the Cuban people light up the atmosphere with their positive attitude to life, long may it continue as their neighbours to the north soak in their frustrated misery over Cuba.
Because the Cuban government and not private industry pays for the electricity needed to light the night and because of the hardships put upon the economy by the U.S. embargo, the money that would be spent on nighttime lighting is instead used for basic necessities.
Once the U.S. ends its trillion+ war on the Cuban revolution , the Cuban economy will be easily able to afford ample and beautiful night lighting and especially given the low cost of LED lighting.
It serves the purposes of the government of the USA and the wealthy who own it to have Cuba appear dismal to the world, hence the need for the continuing embargo.