PHOTO ESSAY: The buildings of Cuba

One of Havana’s iconic lions along the Prado in central Havana. In the left background, you can see the National Assembly building modeled after the U.S. Capitol.

There’s a lot of road and infrastructure going on in central parts of the city, such as outside this recently reopened bar, Sloppy Joe’s, which thrived in pre-Castro Cuba.

But decay has taken its toll — even in the busy parts of the city — as rot and plants take hold in unlikely places.

Along the Malecon, the busy road that stretches along Havana’s north coast, once grand buildings seem to struggle to keep standing. Take a look at how some of the windows look like eyes.

While the decay is prevalent, there’s also a lot of restoration going on, such as this work site along the Malecon.

Popular tourists areas, such as this plaza around a church, don’t have the grime that might be found a few steps away.

A different plaza offers a fresh feel and is popular with visitors.

You’d almost think you were in Charleston or New Orleans with the vibrant colors along this renovated street in old Havana. The giveaway — the bright, red flowers of the flamboyant tree, which doesn’t grow well here.

Unfortunately, you don’t have to look hard around the renovations to find scenes that look like this.

This is a rooftop view from artist Jose Fuster, who has turned his neighborhood outside of the central city into an art display. One of our favorite photos.

A different rooftop view in Fuster’s neighborhood.

This pizza shop was just down the street from Fuster’s complex.

A typical house in western Cuba.

Western Cuba is agricultural, growing a bounty of tobacco, coffee or, as shown here, millet. In the background is a huge barn where tobacco is cured, stores and eventually rolled into cigars.