Malecon

The Malecon is the walkway along the sea. The sidewalk is flanked by the ocean and the city of Havana. It’s lined with fisherman hoping to hook dinner, couples taking in the view, and groups of young kinds hanging out. The wall from the walkway to the water is about 15 feet high and the coast is often littered with jagged rocks. At high tide as the waves crash in some spray over the wall making it a game of chance if you will reach your destination with dry clothes.

The weather in Cuba right now is considered cold. Yeah right, not to me. After a short 2 mile walk down the Malecon from our house in the Vedado section of Havana you reach the next neighborhood of Mirimar. Here there is a bridge you can jump off with a way, albeit a difficult way, to climb back up. Of course I jumped, dove, and even once took a running start from across the street. According our fellow Cuban swimmers (who all agreed I needed to “tomar el sol”) this is an extremely popular spot in the “warm weather.” Besides being extremely fun I would much rather wait amongst the locals and take a dive in the ocean for free than to pay the $15 to use a pool at a tourist hotel. I’ll definitely be returning to this spot!