Cuba...absolutely! They love their history and respect their traditions...admirable island people!

Established about eight years ago, Arte Corte is a hairdressing salon that is also an “interactive museum” where the customer, while comfortably seated in a hundred year-old chair awaiting their turn, may view antique scissors, razors, mirrors, vials, shaving brushes, combs, brushes and advertisements, along with original paintings and drawings by Cuban artists, all focusing on the topic of hairdressing.

If you have the time (and you do need time), there is only one place to get your hair cut in Havana–that is the hair dressing salon of Gilberto Valladares (Papito) in Old Havana. While you’re there, you’ll quickly realize that this place doubles as an interactive museum to the art of hair dressing. Admire his antique scissors, razors, mirrors, vials, shaving brushes, combs, brushes and ads as well as original paintings and drawings by Cuban artists dedicated to the art of hairdressing. Once you sit in a 100-year-old chair and he starts coloring, cutting and curling, you will see just why he is considered Havana’s best hairdresser.

Loquacious like all good barbers, Gilberto Valladares (Papito) speaks at the same speed and enthusiasm as his hands handle the scissors. However, his conversation don’t involve homeruns made by his favourite baseball team or inappropriate comments about the beautiful woman who lives across the street. Neither does he attempt to captivate his clientele by talking of the merits of a new hair dye that will soon hit the market or how many litres of silicone a certain movie star has in her body. Instead, Papito talks of his projects, his most recent find for a future hairdressing museum, or a new addition to his art collection: To the Last Hair. It’s therefore hardly surprising that we should find, seated in Papito’s salon, a popular TV announcer determined to change her look or a renowned Cuban art curator waiting for a traditional haircut.

http://cubaabsolutely.com/content/arte-corte-papitos/

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Would LOVE to get my hair done here!