Walking Along 5th Avenue in Havana
Photo Feature by Irina Pino
HAVANA TIMES – I often walk along 5th Avenue, it’s just a few blocks away from where I live. I have to pass by it if I’m going to catch transportation on 31st Avenue, or if I need to go to the polyclinic on 16th Street.
It’s extremely pleasant in the mornings and at dusk, as the traffic is lighter. Its tree-lined streets transmit freshness and fill us with energy, which is why people choose to take walks through its parks, whether alone, in pairs, or in groups; they also bring their dogs, and once I even saw a man with his cat, which looked very funny with its leash.
This avenue is very long, it begins after we pass the tunnel (which connects Calzada and Miramar), and it extends all the way to the Santa Ana River.
Its previous name was Avenida de las Américas, like the fountain that is still preserved. Then there’s La Casa de las Tejas Verdes.
The Clock Tower stands out, designed by John H. Duncan. Its chimes are reminiscent of the Big Ben in London. Likewise, this artist was the creator of the Fountain of the Americas, with its sensual effigies of women.
As we cross it, we observe the residences of the wealthy from the past, which were later transformed into embassies, almost all of them, also into state institutions.
The architecture of these mansions has influences from Italian and French Renaissance, with plenty of arches and columns. Likewise, many of their owners opted for Roman and medieval styles.
There are several churches, such as Santa Rita, on 5th and 24th; the Sanctuary of San Antonio de Padua, at the intersection of 60th Street; and the Church of Jesus, at 5th and 80th. The latter is one of the most extravagant.
I can’t fathom that in the early decades of the 20th century Miramar was a pasture for cattle. It’s fortunate that it was urbanized for the rich and remained the jewel that it is. It’s a pity that our neighborhood is not taken care of and regenerated, with so many forgotten spaces. Precisely on 5th Avenue, now there’s a lack of benches, some have been destroyed, others stolen.
Two residences catch my interest. The first one is occupied by several poor families, which has been innovated according to the needs of its occupants, turning it into an eyesore. The other one has been abandoned for years, I imagine the level of humidity and dirt inside, although the exterior structure, due to its solid construction, still stands, defying the weather and time.
Between each park, huge iron sculptures have been placed, belonging to the Cuban visual artist Alexis Leiva (Kcho). I confess that I dislike these large-format works, which he named Manifest. They feel out of place, more like they fell from some planet and have nothing in common with the surrounding landscape. Boats and propellers heat up in the sun, hurting our eyes with their crude ugliness.
When I walk along 5th Avenue at night, memories come flooding back from when I first moved to this neighborhood in Playa. There was a young man who would wait for me in the mornings. Day after day, I saw him sitting on a bench, although he didn’t dare approach me. Until one day he did. At night, we would stroll along this beautiful promenade, to talk and kiss.
