The Washington times., 1937-04-05
NOW
Havana Life
After Dark
GAY PASTIMES
By HELEN ESSARY

BY HELEN ESSARY
Does anyone ever stay home
at night in Havana?" I asked Ar.
lnando, the big Nubian who has
been our chauffeur since we landed
here three days ago.
Armando's "E-english" though
staccato is expressive.
"Only poor peoples" he an
swered.
I don't believe even poor peo'
pies" stay home in this cheerful
place. Not at night, certainly.
The staying at home is done be-
tween IL and 2 in the afternoon.
Then the population-except the
Americanos-takes it's daily siesta.
Then the shops are closed. The
streets are bare Of traffic. No
children play in the parks. flushed
is the click of castanetS in the
hands of street merchants. Even
the game cocks (almost every fam
lily has a pair) doze off. Their
growing is stilled.
When the tropical sun has long
since set in hazy reds, COLDS and
puppies behind the hills of the
Gulf of Mexico, and the 8 o'clock
gun has been fired from the fort
reSS Of Cabana, the town really
begins to enjoy itself.
In the plaZas-there is one
blooming with flowers and shaded
with palm trees and fountains at
almost every corner-the average
citizen wanders up and down. Be
side the broad marble walks he
finds a seat on one of the dozens
Of comfortable benches. Here he
makes love openly under the glare
of the electric light and the softer
influence of youth and the moon
and the balmy air.
Or he crosses the wide street to
perch on the sea wall along the
Gulf of Mexico. This magnificent
wall-once the neighborhood Of
the city dump-was built by Gen.
Leonard Wood when he ruled
Cuba after the Spanish American
War.
Almost every night a ship passes
along the wall, bound for the open
sea. The ship comes so close to
the shore that the adventurous
feel they could reach out and
shake hands with the waving
passengers.
Too soon the ship has passed.
It's lights and the smoke from its
big stacks are dim in the distance.
The children return to roller skat-
ing.
Ice cream and soft drink hand
carts and automobiles, decorated
with bright lights, resume their
incessant parade up and down the
thoroughfares, ringing bells, call
ing wares.
Along the sidewalks, old men
some Chinese carry over their
shoulders, as organ grinders carry
their organs, small stock OF cold
bottles and glasses.
Open air cafes are now gay with
music and laughter. Near the
prado, the Connecticut Avenue OF
Havana, are perhaps a dozen OF
these places. Their orchestraS are
mounted on high bandstands. Sew
eral have women players in red
and gold uniforms.
Listening to Cuban and Spanish
music, the customers sit at small
tables, slipping pineapple juice or
rum drinks and preparing to spend
the evening and part of the next
morning.
The bathing beaches are open at
night. Dance halls, hotels, restau.
rants, the Casino Il must tell you
more of that later cock fights
are crowded. Jai Alai, q violently
active game, that seems COM
pounded Of tennis, 100-yard dashes,
running broad jumps, wrestling
and general delirium, keeps hun
dreds cheering every night in big
auditorium built like race track.
At Jai Alai betting is not a mere
pastime. It is a business. Some
Cubans make a living gambling
with silly tourists on which wall
the fast-running players will
bounce next the ball.
In Chinatown, where the popula'
ton is segregated as strictly as if
there were bars between it and
the rest of the city, the narrow
streets swarm at night with most
of the population Of $4,000 men
and no women. =
The Cuban knows generally how
to get the most out Of life, (Sotto.
voce-and out Of the tourist) and
how to cope with the heat. The
summer is long-April to NoveHn.
Der.
Even the poorest wear cool white
linen.
The houses are built with great
broad windows and very high cell,
ingS. Every window and door has