A — Z of Havana

A is for ancient American automobiles, atrophied architecture, and absent anchovies.

B is for broken and battered, but beautiful.

C is for cracked, crumbling, cockerels crowing in the city, chess in the shade of the colonnade, Chan Chan, and “Cigar-cigar — Cohiba, very good price no problem.”

D is for Daiquiri, dirt, dust and debris, but immaculately dressed school children.

E is for erosion, effulgence, erstwhile elegance, exhaust efflux, Eddie, Egrem, and (Saint) Ernesto (Che Guevara).

F is for fading façades, fabulous, fun, fast girls and friendly (sometimes a bit too friendly).

G is for gringo-savvy, gyrating gesticulations, and gold teeth.

H is for (Cuban) high heels, Hemingway haunts, “Hello my friend…” and hot hot hot.

I is for incredible, impossible, irresistible and indescribable.

J is for joyful, juicy, jalopy and jaded jalousies.

K is for kool, krazy and kooky.

L is for laughter, love, and life!

M is for make-do-and-mend, music, the Malecon, music on the Malecon, Mojitos, maracas, and MAD AS HELL.

N is for no holes bared.

O is for oblique, open doorways and Oye Como Va.

P is for peeling paintwork, palm trees, potholes in the pavements, and promenading on the Prado.
 

Q is for quixotic, quirky and (Cuban style) queuing (an amusing take on an informal gathering).

R is for Rumba, rum, rice and beans, roadside repairs, and Rumberos De Cuba.

S is for seductive, sexy, Salsa, and sunset on the seafront.

T is for tantalising, taped-up trombones and “Taxi amigo?”

U is for unusual, unique and unabashed.

V is for vultures circling over the city hospital, and hasta la Victoria.

W is for waves washing over the Malecon wall, white marble staircases (behind open doorways), and “Where are you from?”

X is for x-traordinary, and MaXimo.

Y is for Yosvani (there is only one).

Z is for zanily zany, zeal, and zealously zealous.