A look at Central Park

I did not know how to calculate how many people circulate daily through Central Park, but I’ve got something more pleasant: I feel part of a city full of wonders

Written by Ana Margarita Sanchez Soler sanchez@enet.cu

Have you ever thought about the places in our city that are the busiest? I mean the sites crossed daily by the most people of any region of Cuba and even foreigners. Sometimes the thought takes unexpected directions without realizing it and we are filled with questions of all kinds. While wandering some days ago along Prado Street I inevitably bumped into the Central Park of Havana.

Once in the centre of this important architectural space I tried to predict the amount of people it receives each day. I had no answer to the information captured by my senses. Around me the hubbub generated by people and cars, the typical image of a full sunny afternoon and through it all, our Martí as a witness to all that is around him. Since 1905 the statue of the Apostle has been on this esplanade, but the construction of the park dates back to 1877.

To a Creole it is almost impossible to cross Central Park without thinking about all the history that it keeps between its stones. This is probably one of the works in Old Havana carrying the most patriotic confluence of traditions linked to the National Hero of Cuba. The structure of the site manifests it, there are 28 royal palms planted as reference to the day when Marti was born. Besides, the usual March of the Torches that is celebrated every year and marks his birthday, culminates in the park.

The site of which I speak is a type of multi-coloured spectrum of that character of which we Cubans are combined. Just sit a few minutes to watch the passers-by, their habits, ways of speaking, diversity of appearance or the so popular ‘hot’ corner, where baseball is the theme. Just get carried away by the atmosphere that prevails, sharpen the ear and try to feel beyond the usual, transferring the everyday to see and grasp.

Then we will find magical sensations caused by a site that for 138 years has taken in its body so many people walking.

Finally I did not know how to calculate how many people circulate daily through Central Park, but got something more pleasant: I feel part of a city full of wonders. I remembered that I have the privilege to leave my own footprints on a landmark piece of my city.