This one, built as you can see in 1927, was near the port where we were turned loose to do some handicraft shopping. I took a seat on a little wall, next to a guy who provided a running commentary as I sketched ("We Cubans are friendly people!), beside a boisterous game of soccer. An excellent time.

This one, like the house below, was only a few blocks from the Hotel Nacional in the Vedado neighborhood.

Thie one at the bottom -- two doors down -- captured my interest because it was not only lovely, but obviously was finally getting some rehab. The owner was sitting in a rocking chair on the porch -- a favorite Cuban pastime -- and pretty much stared me down the entire time I sketched from across the street. When I finished I went over, and started to say, "Sorry to bother you, but..."

"No, no, no," he said, "it's no bother," and proceeded to enthusiastically answer all my questions about when it was built (the 40s) and about the rehab (the government was doing the exterior and he was responsible for the interior) and on and on, with his asking questions about where I was from too.

It was one of only a few unchoreographed "People to People" meetings of the trip and much more of a highlight than my sketch :)