ROMANTIC HAVANA

Evening Star, Issue 19004, 28 July 1925, Page 8

ROMANTIC HAVANA

ISLAND OF BEAUTIFUL WOnO Havana the Beaulilul. Havana I *ie Gael Under Spamsii rule it was Havana the City of Noises and Smells, hut a general spring-cleaning, which was commenced during the United States military occupation, has been continued by the! Republic, am), with Hie help n't scientific sanitation and twentiethcentury discipline ol every sort, Havana, ‘wiih ns population of over ;i(iU,(HI(I, lias become a thriving, vigororous citv in keeping with its commercial and'industrial importance as the chief centre of trade lor Cuba. In Havana (writes a correspondent of Hie Melbourne ‘ Age.’) arc located t : "”u ollices of all the large commercial • panics —mostly sugar anti tefacco firms and tile head ollices ol i hanks. The city streets swarm with motor cars. Outside Hie city proper are wonderful promenades and driven, extensive public, gardens, and beautiful houses many of the latter being massively built of stone, with large gralcd windows, flat roofs, heavy parapeis, and inner courts. But perhaps the chief charm of the city is its setting tlie purple (.ult ol Mexico sparkling under Who skies or perhaps veiled in ’a faint early morning mist, with over and anon Hashes of white sail and old Morro Castle, faithful sentinel to the bay, looking mystic through the haze. Havana is indeed a beautiful citv, hut little has been done by its people to augment its attractions. The politicians go their own sweet way, spending public money on themselves and their families, apparently leaving public affairs to look after themselves; and the merry, smiling folk of Havana, pay no heed—the city is beautiful and healthy, and the people prosperous, so why should they worry? The beauty and gaiety of Havana find full expression in tho womenfolk--lovely radiant creatures, with fresh, glowing complexions and wonderful clothes. The Cuban wom.en seem to he born with the dress instinct and the gift’ of everlasting beauty ami personal attractiveness, for even Hie young schoolgirls know the full use of “Colorado” and the secret of faultless dressing. These beautiful women have (.■banning personality, and they arc also very clever—Hindi more so than their menfolk. Many of tlie.ui are wonderful public speakers—a fact which was particularly noticeable at a women’s congress held in Havana in recent years.

j'iie young senontas ol Havana enioy a gay, care-irec. existence. Young loiti in t uha are always w lih theU strict contemporaries lucre is no mixing ol ages as willi ns —and Hus state most certainly adds considerably io their pleasure. 4 heir freedom is. " however, f.inailed to sonic degree by Mui presence, ol /guardian, for Uio old custom oi i lie duenna still persists, inough not in as great an extent as. lormerly, lor tne younger generation there, as in other countries, )ia.-> become impatient of surveillance. Wall devoted indulgent, parents, Iho Unban children are inclined to lie very spoiled; hut family affection is very si rung and lannly Me very united—the divorce microbe has not yet found its way across th< ■ Gulf irom America. ’I he Cubans have a very remarkable gill fur pageant of every kind, and Iho magnificent public gardens arc, every now and then, the. scene of gorgeous amateur charity functions which would do credit to any pmli ssuninl company. it. is a strange fact, however, that, though they arc capable of producing these wonderful pageants, ami though the women have such a gift of Recking themselves, the houses arc most unattractive. "The feminine taste seema to he wholly personal. A charming American antique dealer in Havana declares, “Show a Cuban anything with which she can dock her pretty person, ami she is all eagerness; show her something for her house, and her interest lapses.” Many of the house* are beautiful outside, but inside there is a, surprising lack of artistic taste. There arc. of course, exceptions. Some of the living rooms arc delightfullong, low rooms with roofs of clouded glass; ivy climbing over the innel trellis-lined walls; palms, torus, and great marble urns filled with lovely {lowering plants standing all round ibu floor; and numerous cane rockers cash ioned with cretonne (rockers are a necessity of life to the Cubans) com* prising the chief items of furniture; but 'nowhere is there the exquisite taste which is found in so many of the American houses. But, in spite of this want in interior decoration. Havana may still claim Hie title of Beautiful, and quite undoubtedly she js Havana-the Gay 1 ■