Page 279 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

SHOPS AND M ARKE T S  277

the street, as they are almost
invariably fakes made by
machine, rather than handmade,
or are badly preserved, bear
signs of faulty workman ship,
or contain banana leaves and
other rubbish. In addition,
street vendors will not be able
to provide you with an official
purchase receipt, needed to
take goods out of the country.
Branches of the ARTex chain
stock a good selection of CDs,
records and cassettes. Another
well-stocked music store is Paintings for sale in the huge Almacenes San José, Havana
Longina, in Calle Obispo,
La Habana Vieja. Note that wood carvings and ceramics because of the political system.
recordings of local music may to embroidery, papier mâché The Havana Biennale – which
not be available objects and musical is now held every three years,
outside Cuba. instruments. In La despite retaining the name
Paintings, sculpture Habana Vieja there ‘biennale’. – is popular with
and prints in the is a daily handi crafts collectors from around the
art galleries and in market in the world. Once a piece of artwork
the tiendas of the Almacenes San José is bought the artist arranges
Fondo de Bienes (see p73). Plaza de the export permit of around
Culturales are Armas is the place CUC$5 per work.
sold with official for the rare Latin
authenticity certifi- Shelves with cigars in a American novels Markets
cates, which are Casa del Habano and second-hand
needed for export. political tomes. There The fruit and vegetable markets
is also a market on La Rampa (mercados agropecuarios) in
La Casa del Habano in Vedado. Cuba are lively and entertaining
Real Fábrica de Tabacos Partagás, The market in Trinidad, near places to stroll around. Stalls sell
Havana. Tel 7866 8060; the central square, is a good fresh fruit and vegetables, pork
Ave 1, esq. 63, Varadero. place to look for embroidered and sausages, sweets, traditional
Tel (45) 667 843. linen and cotton. Crafts are also food and flowers. In Havana, the
Club Havana, Ave 5, e/188 y 192, sold in state-run shops, in the most central food market is in
Playa, Havana. Tel 7204 5700.
Ferias de Artesanía and in the the Barrio Chino (see p94), but
Tienda ARTex Galerías de Arte throughout one of the best is at the corner
Ave. L, esq. 23, Havana. the island. of 19 y A in Vedado.
Tel 7838 3162.
Art A Souvenir in
Handicrafts Front of the
Many artists have private studios
Cuba does not have a long or sell art through state-run Capitolio
tradition of producing handi- galleries which take a 40 per
crafts. Today, however, market cent commission. There is quite
stalls are found everywhere, a lot of interest in Cuban art Photographer
selling all sorts of things from in the international market with his old
Polaroid camera

In front of the Capitolio
(see pp86–7) in Havana, visitors
can have their picture taken
with an original 1930s Polaroid
camera, for one convertible
peso. The photos develop
immediately and the resulting
picture, in black and white,
looks just like a convincingly
old photograph.
Souvenirs at the Trinidad street market

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