still pinching myself i got to experience cuba all over again. the last trip was twelve years ago and this time with victoria. i’ve been loving her recap and can’t wait to see what she’ll be sharing next. one of the top places i visited was ernest hemingway’s house just outside of havana. located ten miles east of the city on a hilltop in the small working-class town of san francisco de paula, finca la vigía (the “lookout house”) was the author’s home from 1939 to 1960.
papa hemingway chose this house to escape from the city to write and live amongst the people he fished with. the property includes a single level main house, a guest house, a tower room, pool, tennis court and his fishing boat, pilar.
it was here he wrote three of his most notable novels: for whom the bell tolls, the old man and the sea and a moveable feast. he first lived here with his third wife, martha gelhorn, and finally with his last wife, mary hemingway, along with many cats.
each room is handsomely decorated with plenty of books and memorabilia from his many travels. above is the living room in the main house. below is his bedroom.
a modest bathroom (with a peculiar jarred specimen).
his study.
the pink room.
and the tower room with a panoramic view of havana faraway. his wife created this space so hemingway would be inspired to write, but he much preferred his study. this became a favorite spot for all his cats.
today the property is a museum and remains as hemingway left it. it is open all week and costs about $5 to visit.
• all photography by leslie santarina.