Cojimar

East of Havana and by the ocean is the small fishing village of Cojimar. This seaside area was where Ernest Hemingway kept his boat, the Pilar, and was the setting for his novel The Old Man and the Sea. Gregorio Fuentes, who lived in Cojimar, was Hemingway’s trusted guide at sea and is often thought to have been the inspiration for the character of the Old Man in the novel. Today, there are several elderly men who claim to be descendants of other fisherman who joined Hemingway on his boating adventures. These men love to talk with visitors, tell stories, and share photos of themselves as young boys with their fisherman fathers alongside the celebrated author,“Papa Hemingway.” Local fisherman built a memorial with a prominent bust of the writer displayed on a pedestal, surrounded by a circle of white columns and placed next to a small bayside fort built by the Spaniards to keep pirates away. Nearby are several stands selling a variety of souvenirs, such as historic books and posters, in front of private homes, as well as many restaurants and paladares. Ajiaco Café is one of the best.