Mojitos at La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana
This Cuban holiday could have easily been captioned as ‘cocktail holiday’. Blondine and I have drank our way through Cuba with so many cocktail concoctions. I will of course blog them as I go along =). Cuba is one of those countries that makes superb unpretentious cocktails.
When we arrived in Havana Thursday evening, and after checking-in at Florida Hotel, the first thing we did, which have been in our minds throughout the flight and weeks before the holiday, is to order a mojito.
Mojito originates in Cuba. It is somewhat the national drink and many would argue that the birth place of the mojito is at ‘La Bodeguita del Medio’ bar (located near Plaza de la Catedral). This bar has become famous because of Ernest Hemingway who frequently came here in the past. They say it’s his favourite bar to drink a mojito. There is even a handwritten note from him secured in a glass plaque hanged in the bar.
Because of the bar’s crazy popularity it is always busy here. Tourists visiting Havana come here for the popular mojito drink. They go at CUC$4 each which in fact is double the street price for the usual tourist-priced mojitos. At this steep price in Cuba, you are not paying for the drink really, you are paying for being there. The mojitos here are okay, but not the best though in the country. We found the best mojitos in Santiago de Cuba.
Is this bar worth a visit? Well I’d say it’s worth it for a quick visit—to drink 1 mojito. After all the bar is one of the icons in Havana. At the end of the trip, you would like to be able to say—‘Yes, I have been there!’ They even go as far with the saying, ‘You haven’t been to Havana if you haven’t been to La Bodeguita del Medio.’
The atmosphere in the bar is animated as well and there is live salsa music. The interior is quite funky because the bar is full of names and initials, written everywhere, on the walls, on the bar, the stools, everywhere. It’s like the Romeo & Juliet house in Verona, Italy. Visitors felt they must leave their print.
Well, we did not immortalise ourselves with our signature there. That is very highschool-ish methinks.
More of Havana, Cuba next!
Travel Period: May 2012
Destination: Old Havana (Havana), Cuba
Keep in touch and follow me on Facebook: Travel & Lifestyle Diaries by Dutched Pinay Travels
Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
When we arrived in Havana Thursday evening, and after checking-in at Florida Hotel, the first thing we did, which have been in our minds throughout the flight and weeks before the holiday, is to order a mojito.
Mojito originates in Cuba. It is somewhat the national drink and many would argue that the birth place of the mojito is at ‘La Bodeguita del Medio’ bar (located near Plaza de la Catedral). This bar has become famous because of Ernest Hemingway who frequently came here in the past. They say it’s his favourite bar to drink a mojito. There is even a handwritten note from him secured in a glass plaque hanged in the bar.
Because of the bar’s crazy popularity it is always busy here. Tourists visiting Havana come here for the popular mojito drink. They go at CUC$4 each which in fact is double the street price for the usual tourist-priced mojitos. At this steep price in Cuba, you are not paying for the drink really, you are paying for being there. The mojitos here are okay, but not the best though in the country. We found the best mojitos in Santiago de Cuba.
Is this bar worth a visit? Well I’d say it’s worth it for a quick visit—to drink 1 mojito. After all the bar is one of the icons in Havana. At the end of the trip, you would like to be able to say—‘Yes, I have been there!’ They even go as far with the saying, ‘You haven’t been to Havana if you haven’t been to La Bodeguita del Medio.’
The atmosphere in the bar is animated as well and there is live salsa music. The interior is quite funky because the bar is full of names and initials, written everywhere, on the walls, on the bar, the stools, everywhere. It’s like the Romeo & Juliet house in Verona, Italy. Visitors felt they must leave their print.
Well, we did not immortalise ourselves with our signature there. That is very highschool-ish methinks.
More of Havana, Cuba next!
This bar is always crazily busy with tourists. Some say it is a 'tourist trap' but we do not care because we like the atmosphere anywway =)
Our Mojito drinks!
Tourists from all over the world come here to drink mojito.
Havana Club is the local brand and this is the street just outside the bar. It is located close to the Plaza de la Catedral.
Of course since this is Cuba, a mojito experience is not complete without music.
Writings on the bar table.
And more writings, this time on the walls. People just love to leave their mark here. I got however distracted by the beautiful tilework designs.
Travel Period: May 2012
Destination: Old Havana (Havana), Cuba
Keep in touch and follow me on Facebook: Travel & Lifestyle Diaries by Dutched Pinay Travels
Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
