Havana Before Castro by Peter Moruzzi

Author:Peter Moruzzi
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
ISBN: 9781423603672
Publisher: Gibbs Smith
Published: 2010-06-14T00:00:00+00:00

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

Former Hotel Chic brothel in 2007, now an apartment building. The Hotel Chic's 1950s-era promotional card featured topless gals visible through handy 3D glasses. Hotel Chic: “Discrete, affordable, not one better in its class. Bathrooms in all rooms with abundant cold and hot water. Comfortable furnishings. Always Open.”

Among middle- and upper-class Habaneros, it was considered a rite of passage by some that teenage boys lose their virginity in one of the city’s better brothels. Among such establishments, the Mambo Club was highly regarded. Located on the outskirts of the city along the airport highway, the Mambo Club gave the impression of an upscale Havana nightclub with its orchestra, dance floor surrounded by tables, and bar. However, once you were seated, one or more beautiful women would join you at your table to playfully converse. After several daiquiris and, perhaps, a vulgar dance or two to a rumba beat, you would surrender ten pesos to a door-guarding matron and be led through a maze of corridors to one of many small rooms. Under a mirrored ceiling the long anticipated act would be consummated. And, as was common with the newly initiated, your carnal hostess would be back working the bar within the half-hour.

ABOVE LEFT AND RIGHT:

A late-1940s burlesque show lobby card promising “A woman for all.”

LEFT:

Cabaret Kursaal’s crude business card folded in just such a way for the visual joke to work.

RIGHT:

The Mambo Club in 2007. It once was Havana’s most upscale nightclub/brothel, popular with Habaneros.

BELOW:

Another lobby card.

LOWER RIGHT:

American Betty Howard bumps and grinds at a Havana club in 1956.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.