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Posted on 6/13/16 at 3:02 pm to darnol91
Damn man live a little. Follow the wind one day and I bet you don't croak . Have fun
Posted on 6/13/16 at 3:02 pm to darnol91
Holy Hell....that schedule makes my brain hurt. I could never enjoy a vacation with a schedule, especially a schedule that detailed.
It looks like something Leslie Knope from Parks and Rec would do
It looks like something Leslie Knope from Parks and Rec would do
Posted on 6/14/16 at 11:30 am to Uncle Stu
quote:
We have many folks eager to look through your photo journal. Sometimes it can be cumbersome to post a new intensive-photo thread about your trip. Simply decide what photos you want to share, then use the URL feature to post. I will, among with others, will be on the lookout for your future posts . Thanks again for sharing.
Will do! Thanks!
quote:
Very cool. If you haven't already check out Anthony Bourdain's no reservations in Cuba.
I've seen it, but will definitely have to rewatch it before I leave. Thanks for the reminder!
quote:
So.....you are going to support a deadly communist regime, while thousands will suffer in poverty JMO
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. There is poverty everwhere. Just because there are people going hungry in the US doesn't stop people from going out to an expensive meal every now and then. While I agree, Cuba was, could be argued still is, a deadly communist regime, things have changed greatly in recent years. I'm not doing this support some regime, I'm doing it because it's a good opportunity and to broaden my horizons. As lame as that sounds, it's true. I've never experienced anything like this before, and potentially never will again. Most of my money will be spent on locals. Paladars, casas, etc. While they do pay a tax to the regime on that money, it is also helping to support those citizens who have lived through some terrible situations.
Not bashing your opinion by any means, just trying to explain my thought process, I guess.
quote:
Damn man live a little. Follow the wind one day and I bet you don't croak . Have fun
quote:
Damn man live a little. Follow the wind one day and I bet you don't croak . Have fun
I know the schedule looks a little intense, I just want to make sure I see the things I want to see. It wont be followed to the T by any means. There is a good possibility I can see everything I want in Havana in two days. I'm sure there will be a day or two I fly by the seat of my pants after a drunken night and waking up too hungover to do anything.
Posted on 6/14/16 at 12:45 pm to darnol91
Daily schedule:
Drink rum and smoke cigars all day. That's it. Maybe catch a cock fight or unlicensed boxing match.
Drink rum and smoke cigars all day. That's it. Maybe catch a cock fight or unlicensed boxing match.
Posted on 7/8/16 at 12:52 pm to Winston Cup
UPDATE:
For those of you that are following this, I made it back to the states on Wednesday. I'm going to apologize in advance for this long post. It will include the experience, tips, and some pictures at the end.
Getting to Cuba:
We booked our tickets in April. One leg from Chicago to Cancun, direct for ~$350 each. The next leg from Cancun to Havana using Aeromexico (If you are planning this trip do not use them, although our flight was pleasant they are an awful airline) for ~$400 each. If you plan on booking this trip do so through a Cuban travel agency. They have access to MUCH cheaper flights than you do because of your US Credit Card, flights should be 150-200 round trip. BEFORE checking in to your flight make sure you have your Cuban Visa, this can be purchased in the airport terminal right before you get in line for 375 Mexican Pesos (20 USD), cash only. This is what Cuba stamps as opposed to your passport upon entry, and then they take the "tourist card" upon departure. DO NOT lose this, there is a hefty fine if you do.
Customs:
We read horror stories of customs in Cuba, not that they were strict, but that there are awfully long lines. We were prepared for a long wait. We get off the airplane to a moderate sized airport, maybe ten or so gates, with no AC. You walk to an assortment of lines to get your passport stamped, this took around 20 minutes. The only question we were asked is if we had been to Africa in the past month. There were other passengers being pulled aside to be questioned by Cuban Police, but they didn't seem at all interrogative, and choices of passengers seemed completely random.
After this you go get your checked bags and choose whether you are claiming anything or not. I would HIGHLY advise not bring anything you need to claim. Cuba has a strange economy where it is extremely difficult to get larger electronic appliances, (window units, microwaves, etc) so there is a thriving economy of family members and affluent cubans buying these in Mexico and bringing them into Cuba to resell at inflated prices. There were literally more large, wrapped appliances on the baggage claim than actual baggage. This causes the line for claimed items to be extravagantly large, with each package being open and inspected. If you do not claim anything you literally walk through, have someone look at your stamped visa and exit into the main terminal where each airline gate, information kiosks, money exchange, etc. is located. Buy a map here, they are 4 USD.
Exchanging money:
There are two types of currencies in Cuba, the Cuban converitable, or CUC, and the Cuban Peso, or CUP. The Cuban convertible is pegged at the USD, but exchanging the USD is hit with a ten percent tax, on top of the three percent charge on all currencies, so 1 USD dollar only gets you .87 CUC. Be aware of this and plan accordingly, we exchanged USD for Euros at our local wells Fargo for a decent rate, but we fricked up and did it two days before Brexit, so we basically still used the same amount of money we would have if we brought USD. Had brexit not happened we would have saved a few hundred USD. You can use Canadian dollars or Euros, whichever you have easier access to, just try and get one or the other before you depart.
Exit the terminal and look for lines, be prepared to begin your week long sweat in Havana, although its not much different than the heat in Louisiana right now, I have been away from home for the past year, so I was not prepared. Get in line, have your passport and the amount of money you want to exchange (maybe 50 USD/Euros enough for your taxi and a little extra). Walk up to the cashier when prompted by the police officer. You will receive a receipt with the amount you gave them, the daily rate, and what they gave out in CUC, make sure it all matches.
After arriving to your residence find the nearest Cadeca (Casa De Cambio) or bank and head there with the rest of your money. There are enough of these around that we only exchanged the money we needed at the time (around $500 Euros at first) so we wouldn't be hit with another 3% upon exit. We never had any trouble with banks or Cadeca's. Every hotel in town will exchange money for very terrible rates. 1 to 1 for Euros, and 1 to .70 USD. We used it once in a pinch for a small amount, but other than that stay away.
If you choose to exchange money on the street (I don't advise it, the money saved is very negligible compared to other countries) make absolute certain that you receive CUC and not CUP. 25 CUP = 1USD, so you can really get skrewed if this happens. Also be certain when getting change anywhere that you are receiving CUC and not CUP. CUP should only be used by tourists if you are purchasing from a small restaurant that advertises CUP prices or purchasing fruit, fresh juice, etc from a street vendor. Also, the 3 CUP bill makes a great, cheap souvenir as it has a picture of Che Guevara on it.
Getting to your hotel/Casa
If you are bringing luggage for a long stay, make sure to book your hotel or casa in advance. We used AirBnb with great success. You will need a hard copy of your address, or you can have it on your phone, just make sure you have it. Exit the terminal, exchange just enough money to pay for your taxi ride and a little extra. Someone will approach you to negotiate price, ALWAYS haggle. Our 25 minute trip from the airport to our Casa was 15 CUC. The people that approach you are basically "managers" they speak great English, will negotiate your price, then send you to a taxi driver that speaks little to no English.
If you have never visited a dilapidated country, be prepared for culture shock. The ride into the city is straight out of a movie. You feel like your in the inner city somewhere, but worse. Everything is broken, dismantled, lots of fences with barbed wire, and to this day TONS of advertisements with pictures of Che, Fidel, and Raul. These look as if an American Super Pac bought a bunch of billboards, except it would be comparable to them saying "All Hail Supreme Leader Obama/Trump/Hilary etc., but they are all put up by the Government, no surprise there.
For those of you that are following this, I made it back to the states on Wednesday. I'm going to apologize in advance for this long post. It will include the experience, tips, and some pictures at the end.
Getting to Cuba:
We booked our tickets in April. One leg from Chicago to Cancun, direct for ~$350 each. The next leg from Cancun to Havana using Aeromexico (If you are planning this trip do not use them, although our flight was pleasant they are an awful airline) for ~$400 each. If you plan on booking this trip do so through a Cuban travel agency. They have access to MUCH cheaper flights than you do because of your US Credit Card, flights should be 150-200 round trip. BEFORE checking in to your flight make sure you have your Cuban Visa, this can be purchased in the airport terminal right before you get in line for 375 Mexican Pesos (20 USD), cash only. This is what Cuba stamps as opposed to your passport upon entry, and then they take the "tourist card" upon departure. DO NOT lose this, there is a hefty fine if you do.
Customs:
We read horror stories of customs in Cuba, not that they were strict, but that there are awfully long lines. We were prepared for a long wait. We get off the airplane to a moderate sized airport, maybe ten or so gates, with no AC. You walk to an assortment of lines to get your passport stamped, this took around 20 minutes. The only question we were asked is if we had been to Africa in the past month. There were other passengers being pulled aside to be questioned by Cuban Police, but they didn't seem at all interrogative, and choices of passengers seemed completely random.
After this you go get your checked bags and choose whether you are claiming anything or not. I would HIGHLY advise not bring anything you need to claim. Cuba has a strange economy where it is extremely difficult to get larger electronic appliances, (window units, microwaves, etc) so there is a thriving economy of family members and affluent cubans buying these in Mexico and bringing them into Cuba to resell at inflated prices. There were literally more large, wrapped appliances on the baggage claim than actual baggage. This causes the line for claimed items to be extravagantly large, with each package being open and inspected. If you do not claim anything you literally walk through, have someone look at your stamped visa and exit into the main terminal where each airline gate, information kiosks, money exchange, etc. is located. Buy a map here, they are 4 USD.
Exchanging money:
There are two types of currencies in Cuba, the Cuban converitable, or CUC, and the Cuban Peso, or CUP. The Cuban convertible is pegged at the USD, but exchanging the USD is hit with a ten percent tax, on top of the three percent charge on all currencies, so 1 USD dollar only gets you .87 CUC. Be aware of this and plan accordingly, we exchanged USD for Euros at our local wells Fargo for a decent rate, but we fricked up and did it two days before Brexit, so we basically still used the same amount of money we would have if we brought USD. Had brexit not happened we would have saved a few hundred USD. You can use Canadian dollars or Euros, whichever you have easier access to, just try and get one or the other before you depart.
Exit the terminal and look for lines, be prepared to begin your week long sweat in Havana, although its not much different than the heat in Louisiana right now, I have been away from home for the past year, so I was not prepared. Get in line, have your passport and the amount of money you want to exchange (maybe 50 USD/Euros enough for your taxi and a little extra). Walk up to the cashier when prompted by the police officer. You will receive a receipt with the amount you gave them, the daily rate, and what they gave out in CUC, make sure it all matches.
After arriving to your residence find the nearest Cadeca (Casa De Cambio) or bank and head there with the rest of your money. There are enough of these around that we only exchanged the money we needed at the time (around $500 Euros at first) so we wouldn't be hit with another 3% upon exit. We never had any trouble with banks or Cadeca's. Every hotel in town will exchange money for very terrible rates. 1 to 1 for Euros, and 1 to .70 USD. We used it once in a pinch for a small amount, but other than that stay away.
If you choose to exchange money on the street (I don't advise it, the money saved is very negligible compared to other countries) make absolute certain that you receive CUC and not CUP. 25 CUP = 1USD, so you can really get skrewed if this happens. Also be certain when getting change anywhere that you are receiving CUC and not CUP. CUP should only be used by tourists if you are purchasing from a small restaurant that advertises CUP prices or purchasing fruit, fresh juice, etc from a street vendor. Also, the 3 CUP bill makes a great, cheap souvenir as it has a picture of Che Guevara on it.
Getting to your hotel/Casa
If you are bringing luggage for a long stay, make sure to book your hotel or casa in advance. We used AirBnb with great success. You will need a hard copy of your address, or you can have it on your phone, just make sure you have it. Exit the terminal, exchange just enough money to pay for your taxi ride and a little extra. Someone will approach you to negotiate price, ALWAYS haggle. Our 25 minute trip from the airport to our Casa was 15 CUC. The people that approach you are basically "managers" they speak great English, will negotiate your price, then send you to a taxi driver that speaks little to no English.
If you have never visited a dilapidated country, be prepared for culture shock. The ride into the city is straight out of a movie. You feel like your in the inner city somewhere, but worse. Everything is broken, dismantled, lots of fences with barbed wire, and to this day TONS of advertisements with pictures of Che, Fidel, and Raul. These look as if an American Super Pac bought a bunch of billboards, except it would be comparable to them saying "All Hail Supreme Leader Obama/Trump/Hilary etc., but they are all put up by the Government, no surprise there.
This post was edited on 7/8/16 at 12:59 pm
Posted on 7/8/16 at 12:53 pm to darnol91
The four neighborhoods of Havana:
There are four neighborhoods in Havana. Going from East to West they are Old Havana (Habana Vieja), Ventral Havana (Centro Habana), Vedado, and Miramar. The Malecon is a road that runs in front of the coast, throughout all neighborhoods for 8KM. Whichever neighborhoods you choose to stay at, try and spend a few days in one close to the Malecon. It's amazing. This is also where many Cubans hang out at night to drink and have a good time. Find a restaurant on the upper floor of one of the buildings and have dinner there for sunset, you won’t regret it.
One thing I do want to note, there are some areas in Havana that appear as if they are unsafe. Very inner city looking, broken up roads, dark, but don't let this scare you! I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little uneasy at first, but somehow you quickly realize how safe this city is. The entire time we were there I never felt threatened, even when in the midst of being scammed in a local bar, a story I will get to later.
Habana Vieja is the touristy area, I would almost compare it to the French Quarter. Cobblestone streets, (somewhat) updated buildings, new paint, and people will hassle you everywhere. You will soon learn the difference between people hassling you for a cab, to give you a tour, give you advice with the expectation of a tip, or trying to sell you something and local Cubans legitimately trying to talk to you. This area is lovely, speckled with restaurants, hotels, museums, 4 main squares, and TONS of things to see. You could make a whole vacation out of this, but I would advise against it, as you would really miss out on tons of "real" experiences. If you are in to Architecture this is the place for you! From Baroque and Neoclassical, to Moorish influences, it is truly astounding. This is caused by being repeatedly inhabited by Spain and England over and over again, then finally America, it is truly one of a kind.
There are four main squares in Havana, you can see them all in one day, but to really see everything I would say you need two. They whole neighborhood can easily be walked, but there are taxis, horse drawn carriages, and "Coco Taxis" everywhere for when you need to give your feet a rest.
The first plaza is Plaza de la Catedral, Cathedral Square. Cathedral Square is home to Catedral de le San Cristobal. If you want to attend mass while you are in Havana, this is one of the very few, if not only, place you will be able to do so. I would definitely recommend it for the experience if you are catholic or not, even if you don't speak Spanish. Here you will also find one of the better bookstores in Havana, tucked away in a corner. They will have tons of old books, Cuban memorabilia, post cards, and old magazines. If you want to read anything Che or Fidel, this is the place to find it, they will have both English and Spanish versions. There have been tons of stories of people finding very early edition books in this store for awesome prices, so, if you are a collector, definitely be on the lookout. There are bookstores and sellers on the street ALL over Havana, this was just the nicest one we found.
The next square is Plaza Vieja, or Old Square. This square was once called Plaza Nueva, and was home to the richest citizens in Cuba. It became crumbled, but recently in the renovation of all of Habana Vieja, was completely redone. It is probably the "newest" square in Havana. Here you will find one of two "beer factories" that sell some pretty awesome microbrew. Probably the only place you will find this in Havana. Good prices, and they have light, dark, and black as choices. You can also buy a beer tower (3 Liters) for 12 bucks. They also have amazing burgers, but beware, they are pork. Other than this, actual activities in Plaza Vieja are limited, but there is a cool attraction called "Camera Obscura". It is 2 CUC to enter, and includes an English speaking guide. You walk up three flights of stairs to an air conditioned (thank God) viewing room. From here you can see the entire city. Great photo opportunities. The actual "camera obscura" is a device invented by an Arabic Physicist to basically make the first pinhole camera, but it is now used to show linear perspective in photos. You can take a picture that shows all of old Havana, basically a less modern version of IPhones panoramic feature.
Plaza De San Francisco is located in the southern part of Habana Vieja. It was once used as a slave exchange since it was near the port. The slave exchange was then moved farther north into the city, because they deemed that area to be too out in the open. After this it was used as a stock exchange. Here you will find the Basilica de San Francisco de Asis, a large bell tower that is used to house the remains of influential Havana citizens dating as far back as the 1700s. They also have rotating art exhibits, mainly statues that are donated from famous artists around the world. There really isn’t much to do here, and you probably won’t spend much time. It more of a see it once and you’re done.
My personal favorite square was the Plaza de Armas. Here you will find a large open-air book market. Multiple vendors will set up shop here every morning. However, if you are a collector, beware, they will take early edition books and rebind them by hand, causing them to lose practically all value. With that being said, none of the books are more than 10 cuc or so. The Castillo de le Real Fuerza is also located here, and it is spectacular! It was built by Spain in the late 1500’s to protect the city from French and English pirates. It proved to be in a terrible location too far away from the bay to actually protect the city and eventually fell to England later on. The cannons are still on display, as well as a unique lookout tower. There is also a shipwreck museum located inside the Castle, but it is mainly model ships and jewelry, pretty boring in all honesty.
Apart from these four squares I would also recommend wandering down Obispo Street. It is a central street running from the Malecon to the port. Obispo has tons of art galleries, local shops, restaurants, cafés and lots of local Cubans. Go down to the port and take the ferry to Casablanca, it is the ferry on the left, across the bay to get to Che Guevara’s home, El Morro castle/lighthouse, Fortaleza de San Carlos, and the Hershey train. Get to the Forteleza by 8 for a cannon firing ceremony at 9PM, if you are only going to do one thing across the bay, do this. You will have an awesome view of Havana from the other side at sunset. The actual ceremony takes about an hour. Cuban soldiers dress up in full Spanish Regalia and perform the “closing of the gate” ceremony. The town of Havana was completely enclosed at that point, and opened with a cannon firing at 430 AM, and closed with one at 9. It’s a pretty badass spectacle.
Unfortunately, I did not get to take the Hershey train, but would still highly recommend it to anyone. It is the only electric train in the whole country and was built by Milton Hershey to take his workers from Havana to the Hershey factory. He believed that the cocoa in Cuba was the best in the entire world, but his factory ended up closing post revolution and only the ruins remain alongside a small town.
There are four neighborhoods in Havana. Going from East to West they are Old Havana (Habana Vieja), Ventral Havana (Centro Habana), Vedado, and Miramar. The Malecon is a road that runs in front of the coast, throughout all neighborhoods for 8KM. Whichever neighborhoods you choose to stay at, try and spend a few days in one close to the Malecon. It's amazing. This is also where many Cubans hang out at night to drink and have a good time. Find a restaurant on the upper floor of one of the buildings and have dinner there for sunset, you won’t regret it.
One thing I do want to note, there are some areas in Havana that appear as if they are unsafe. Very inner city looking, broken up roads, dark, but don't let this scare you! I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little uneasy at first, but somehow you quickly realize how safe this city is. The entire time we were there I never felt threatened, even when in the midst of being scammed in a local bar, a story I will get to later.
Habana Vieja is the touristy area, I would almost compare it to the French Quarter. Cobblestone streets, (somewhat) updated buildings, new paint, and people will hassle you everywhere. You will soon learn the difference between people hassling you for a cab, to give you a tour, give you advice with the expectation of a tip, or trying to sell you something and local Cubans legitimately trying to talk to you. This area is lovely, speckled with restaurants, hotels, museums, 4 main squares, and TONS of things to see. You could make a whole vacation out of this, but I would advise against it, as you would really miss out on tons of "real" experiences. If you are in to Architecture this is the place for you! From Baroque and Neoclassical, to Moorish influences, it is truly astounding. This is caused by being repeatedly inhabited by Spain and England over and over again, then finally America, it is truly one of a kind.
There are four main squares in Havana, you can see them all in one day, but to really see everything I would say you need two. They whole neighborhood can easily be walked, but there are taxis, horse drawn carriages, and "Coco Taxis" everywhere for when you need to give your feet a rest.
The first plaza is Plaza de la Catedral, Cathedral Square. Cathedral Square is home to Catedral de le San Cristobal. If you want to attend mass while you are in Havana, this is one of the very few, if not only, place you will be able to do so. I would definitely recommend it for the experience if you are catholic or not, even if you don't speak Spanish. Here you will also find one of the better bookstores in Havana, tucked away in a corner. They will have tons of old books, Cuban memorabilia, post cards, and old magazines. If you want to read anything Che or Fidel, this is the place to find it, they will have both English and Spanish versions. There have been tons of stories of people finding very early edition books in this store for awesome prices, so, if you are a collector, definitely be on the lookout. There are bookstores and sellers on the street ALL over Havana, this was just the nicest one we found.
The next square is Plaza Vieja, or Old Square. This square was once called Plaza Nueva, and was home to the richest citizens in Cuba. It became crumbled, but recently in the renovation of all of Habana Vieja, was completely redone. It is probably the "newest" square in Havana. Here you will find one of two "beer factories" that sell some pretty awesome microbrew. Probably the only place you will find this in Havana. Good prices, and they have light, dark, and black as choices. You can also buy a beer tower (3 Liters) for 12 bucks. They also have amazing burgers, but beware, they are pork. Other than this, actual activities in Plaza Vieja are limited, but there is a cool attraction called "Camera Obscura". It is 2 CUC to enter, and includes an English speaking guide. You walk up three flights of stairs to an air conditioned (thank God) viewing room. From here you can see the entire city. Great photo opportunities. The actual "camera obscura" is a device invented by an Arabic Physicist to basically make the first pinhole camera, but it is now used to show linear perspective in photos. You can take a picture that shows all of old Havana, basically a less modern version of IPhones panoramic feature.
Plaza De San Francisco is located in the southern part of Habana Vieja. It was once used as a slave exchange since it was near the port. The slave exchange was then moved farther north into the city, because they deemed that area to be too out in the open. After this it was used as a stock exchange. Here you will find the Basilica de San Francisco de Asis, a large bell tower that is used to house the remains of influential Havana citizens dating as far back as the 1700s. They also have rotating art exhibits, mainly statues that are donated from famous artists around the world. There really isn’t much to do here, and you probably won’t spend much time. It more of a see it once and you’re done.
My personal favorite square was the Plaza de Armas. Here you will find a large open-air book market. Multiple vendors will set up shop here every morning. However, if you are a collector, beware, they will take early edition books and rebind them by hand, causing them to lose practically all value. With that being said, none of the books are more than 10 cuc or so. The Castillo de le Real Fuerza is also located here, and it is spectacular! It was built by Spain in the late 1500’s to protect the city from French and English pirates. It proved to be in a terrible location too far away from the bay to actually protect the city and eventually fell to England later on. The cannons are still on display, as well as a unique lookout tower. There is also a shipwreck museum located inside the Castle, but it is mainly model ships and jewelry, pretty boring in all honesty.
Apart from these four squares I would also recommend wandering down Obispo Street. It is a central street running from the Malecon to the port. Obispo has tons of art galleries, local shops, restaurants, cafés and lots of local Cubans. Go down to the port and take the ferry to Casablanca, it is the ferry on the left, across the bay to get to Che Guevara’s home, El Morro castle/lighthouse, Fortaleza de San Carlos, and the Hershey train. Get to the Forteleza by 8 for a cannon firing ceremony at 9PM, if you are only going to do one thing across the bay, do this. You will have an awesome view of Havana from the other side at sunset. The actual ceremony takes about an hour. Cuban soldiers dress up in full Spanish Regalia and perform the “closing of the gate” ceremony. The town of Havana was completely enclosed at that point, and opened with a cannon firing at 430 AM, and closed with one at 9. It’s a pretty badass spectacle.
Unfortunately, I did not get to take the Hershey train, but would still highly recommend it to anyone. It is the only electric train in the whole country and was built by Milton Hershey to take his workers from Havana to the Hershey factory. He believed that the cocoa in Cuba was the best in the entire world, but his factory ended up closing post revolution and only the ruins remain alongside a small town.
Posted on 7/8/16 at 12:53 pm to darnol91
Centro Habana is the most ruined of all four neighborhoods. Sewage runs off into the street, roads are torn, buildings are falling apart, but it is still a good experience. This is where most locals live. We stayed here for four nights, and loved it. There really is not much to do here as it is basically a transit area you go through to get to Vedado. Still worth a quick walk around if you have the time.
The neighborhood of Vedado is where most of the money is at in Havana. This is where you will find the Hotel Nacional, where you can pretend to be a guest and sneak up to the rooftop pool. Even though infrastructure is much more developed here, it is still extremely lacking. Visit Revolution Square where you can view parliament, the Capitol, large buildings adorned with huge artwork of Che, and the new US embassy. The Capitol is open at odd hours, but if you catch it open you can go to the very top for 5 CUC. Revolution square is worthless, with the exception of photo opportunities. Go to the FOCSA building for a cheap dinner with amazing views. FOCSA is the tallest building in Havana, and dinner is cheaply priced. You can actually go outside on a railing 35 floors up. The US embassy has added to the little animosity Cubans hold towards the US. We chose to build it in a square that Cuban’s called “Plaza of anti-imperialism”. Basically Obama exerted the daddy dick and said I’m going to put this exactly where you don’t want me to, but it is far and above the newest building in all of Cuba. The Hotel Nacional has a dinner cabaret every night that you can purchase tickets for at any hotel in Vedado. It is outdoors, and tickets are around ~30CUC per person.
The most highly recommended thing to do in Vedado, in my opinion, is the Fabrica de Arte, or Art Factory. You will NEVER expect to find something like this in Cuba. It is a four floor warehouse that has been converted to a bar. A 2 CUC entry fee gets you in and you are issued a card, each drink, food, and artwork you buy is written on the card and you pay at the end when you leave. It is open from 8PM-3AM and taxis are about 10CUC. It is one giant maze housing different exhibits, multiple live bands, and one large room with rotating shows such as fashion shows, interpretive dance, competitive salsa, bands, orchestra, etc. We went for one night and loved it so much we returned for a second time.
This is where ALL of the locals go to party, so it’s a really unique experience. You feel as if Cuba built their own hipster New York City warehouse, or wanted something straight out of step up.
Miramar is a neighborhood only for the richest of rich. This is where the President lives, along with nearly every foreign diplomat. It has an interesting history because all of the ornate homes were owned by wealthy Cubans or Americans pre-revolution. When the revolution was happening most affluent Cubans and Americans fled to the US and left their homes in the hands of their caretakers, with the expectation of coming back after Che and Fidel were stomped out (hah). The only asset they were allowed to take was physical currency, leaving artwork, cars, furniture, etc. behind. Post revolution the houses were taken over by these caretakers, catapulting families from the lowest class to the highest immediately. Only the ones that were left completely vacant were taken by the government, although I’m sure that is not completely true. Here you will also find the first American Hotel built in over fifty years, Four Points by Sheraton. There really isn’t much to actually do in Miramar other than drive around, but it’s worth it. The Russian Embassy there looks like a machine from Transformers.
Other than these areas you can schedule daily tours to Trinidad, Vinales, or the beach in any hotel through CubaTur very affordably, or take solo day trips on your own through the Viazul bus.
We did Vinales, which is the tobacco growing region, and loved it. There are no commercial farms, it is all small, family owned plots growing tobacco for the government and hiding what they can for themselves to sell for some extra money. All locals are extremely friendly and will teach you anything you want to know about the cultivation techniques. This is where the Cohiba tobacco is grown, but you can also purchase bundles of Cigars here for EXTREMELY cheap, think 3 dollars for a bundle of 25. There is also a Cave to tour, which includes a boat ride in an underground river, and a bar inside the cave. I can’t speak on Trinidad or the beaches, as I did neither.
Some tips:
If anyone approaches you and offers ANYTHING, no matter how friendly, or what their story is, turn them down. This ranges from a free entry to see their band perform that night, to information on Cuba. They will take you to a bar supposedly to show you where they are playing, talk to you about how they are about to visit America to perform, and start to write a “free pass” to their show that night. This is what happened to us. In the midst of this they will, unbeknownst to you, order three drinks to “celebrate” and have you pay the bill. They guy tried to get us to pay 24 CUC for 3 drinks. The waiter was already pissed at him and knew what he was doing, and when she learned I spoke Spanish she was even more irate with him. I told her I would give her two cuc, put it on the counter, and left. The bar he took us to was the sketchiest of sketch, when we walked in it was dark, and we were surrounded by only locals, but still seemed at ease. This guy wasn’t trying to mug us, just con us. The waiter was still friendly to us, and we were even given a pat on the back as we walked out and were told “good job” in Spanish. Makes for a good story, I guess.
When you are able to differentiate these people from legitimate curious locals, don’t be afraid to talk to them. They will ask you questions that seem dumb to you, but they have no way of knowing these things because of the Government. How much does it cost to own a car, go to school, own a house, does everyone do these things, what is the most popular major league sport. The first gentlemen that stopped us like this finally asked us “do you know why I’m asking you this?” to which we replied no, and he exclaimed “Well, you see, me asking you this is the only way to find these things out. We have no American news, no internet, I am interested, but I can’t know.” It was hands down the most humbling experience of our entire trip.
If your significant other, or whoever you decide to travel, with is very used to their American luxuries, has anxiety, or can’t handle stressful situations, leave their arse at home. Trust me on this one, bringing someone who already can’t handle stress well will be a nightmare somewhere like Cuba.
The neighborhood of Vedado is where most of the money is at in Havana. This is where you will find the Hotel Nacional, where you can pretend to be a guest and sneak up to the rooftop pool. Even though infrastructure is much more developed here, it is still extremely lacking. Visit Revolution Square where you can view parliament, the Capitol, large buildings adorned with huge artwork of Che, and the new US embassy. The Capitol is open at odd hours, but if you catch it open you can go to the very top for 5 CUC. Revolution square is worthless, with the exception of photo opportunities. Go to the FOCSA building for a cheap dinner with amazing views. FOCSA is the tallest building in Havana, and dinner is cheaply priced. You can actually go outside on a railing 35 floors up. The US embassy has added to the little animosity Cubans hold towards the US. We chose to build it in a square that Cuban’s called “Plaza of anti-imperialism”. Basically Obama exerted the daddy dick and said I’m going to put this exactly where you don’t want me to, but it is far and above the newest building in all of Cuba. The Hotel Nacional has a dinner cabaret every night that you can purchase tickets for at any hotel in Vedado. It is outdoors, and tickets are around ~30CUC per person.
The most highly recommended thing to do in Vedado, in my opinion, is the Fabrica de Arte, or Art Factory. You will NEVER expect to find something like this in Cuba. It is a four floor warehouse that has been converted to a bar. A 2 CUC entry fee gets you in and you are issued a card, each drink, food, and artwork you buy is written on the card and you pay at the end when you leave. It is open from 8PM-3AM and taxis are about 10CUC. It is one giant maze housing different exhibits, multiple live bands, and one large room with rotating shows such as fashion shows, interpretive dance, competitive salsa, bands, orchestra, etc. We went for one night and loved it so much we returned for a second time.
This is where ALL of the locals go to party, so it’s a really unique experience. You feel as if Cuba built their own hipster New York City warehouse, or wanted something straight out of step up.
Miramar is a neighborhood only for the richest of rich. This is where the President lives, along with nearly every foreign diplomat. It has an interesting history because all of the ornate homes were owned by wealthy Cubans or Americans pre-revolution. When the revolution was happening most affluent Cubans and Americans fled to the US and left their homes in the hands of their caretakers, with the expectation of coming back after Che and Fidel were stomped out (hah). The only asset they were allowed to take was physical currency, leaving artwork, cars, furniture, etc. behind. Post revolution the houses were taken over by these caretakers, catapulting families from the lowest class to the highest immediately. Only the ones that were left completely vacant were taken by the government, although I’m sure that is not completely true. Here you will also find the first American Hotel built in over fifty years, Four Points by Sheraton. There really isn’t much to actually do in Miramar other than drive around, but it’s worth it. The Russian Embassy there looks like a machine from Transformers.
Other than these areas you can schedule daily tours to Trinidad, Vinales, or the beach in any hotel through CubaTur very affordably, or take solo day trips on your own through the Viazul bus.
We did Vinales, which is the tobacco growing region, and loved it. There are no commercial farms, it is all small, family owned plots growing tobacco for the government and hiding what they can for themselves to sell for some extra money. All locals are extremely friendly and will teach you anything you want to know about the cultivation techniques. This is where the Cohiba tobacco is grown, but you can also purchase bundles of Cigars here for EXTREMELY cheap, think 3 dollars for a bundle of 25. There is also a Cave to tour, which includes a boat ride in an underground river, and a bar inside the cave. I can’t speak on Trinidad or the beaches, as I did neither.
Some tips:
If anyone approaches you and offers ANYTHING, no matter how friendly, or what their story is, turn them down. This ranges from a free entry to see their band perform that night, to information on Cuba. They will take you to a bar supposedly to show you where they are playing, talk to you about how they are about to visit America to perform, and start to write a “free pass” to their show that night. This is what happened to us. In the midst of this they will, unbeknownst to you, order three drinks to “celebrate” and have you pay the bill. They guy tried to get us to pay 24 CUC for 3 drinks. The waiter was already pissed at him and knew what he was doing, and when she learned I spoke Spanish she was even more irate with him. I told her I would give her two cuc, put it on the counter, and left. The bar he took us to was the sketchiest of sketch, when we walked in it was dark, and we were surrounded by only locals, but still seemed at ease. This guy wasn’t trying to mug us, just con us. The waiter was still friendly to us, and we were even given a pat on the back as we walked out and were told “good job” in Spanish. Makes for a good story, I guess.
When you are able to differentiate these people from legitimate curious locals, don’t be afraid to talk to them. They will ask you questions that seem dumb to you, but they have no way of knowing these things because of the Government. How much does it cost to own a car, go to school, own a house, does everyone do these things, what is the most popular major league sport. The first gentlemen that stopped us like this finally asked us “do you know why I’m asking you this?” to which we replied no, and he exclaimed “Well, you see, me asking you this is the only way to find these things out. We have no American news, no internet, I am interested, but I can’t know.” It was hands down the most humbling experience of our entire trip.
If your significant other, or whoever you decide to travel, with is very used to their American luxuries, has anxiety, or can’t handle stressful situations, leave their arse at home. Trust me on this one, bringing someone who already can’t handle stress well will be a nightmare somewhere like Cuba.
Posted on 7/8/16 at 12:54 pm to darnol91
Getting out
Arrive to the airport three hours before your scheduled flight. Get in line. Wait. The line will move to a different window twice before they actually start to check you in. Check your bags and walk into the terminal. There is no longer an “exit tax” to leave Cuba. They also do not check bags, as most people think. You can bring with you whatever you want, and just hope that things go smoothly (or you get lucky) in American customs. There are announcements all the time of the air conditions in the terminal being “down for maintenance”, but it’s a running joke, there is no AC, they just want to appear to have it.
Arrive to Cancun and stand in line for customs. The passport stamp line will be the longest, they took every single Cuban citizen to the back for further questioning. If you can, don’t get in the line that most of your flight goes to. You can get in 25 cigars to Mexico. If you want, bring more and hope for a green light at customs to not have your bag checked. If you get a red light, they go through each bag, not too thoroughly, but still annoying to deal with.
Catching your flight to America is pretty seamless. Cuba no longer stamps your passport, only your Visitors Card, so unless the Customs agent really inspects and sees you have two entrance stamps to Mexico you will be fine. Even if they do, just be honest with them, they don’t care. After getting our passport checked we simply walked through. No questions were asked, no bags were checked, it was a much easier than expected experience.
I want to apologize for this awfully long post, but if you read it and enjoyed, thanks! I just want to help educate people before they go, as I knew nothing going in. I know my writing style isn’t the most eloquent, so it can be a bore, but I just put down everything I could think of in a short time. If you have any questions at all, about anything, please feel free to ask. I would love to return to Cuba again in the future, and advise anyone that’s interested to just do it! It will be an experience you will forever remember, and after all, isn’t that what life is about?
TL/DR: Cuba is awesome, go there.
Arrive to the airport three hours before your scheduled flight. Get in line. Wait. The line will move to a different window twice before they actually start to check you in. Check your bags and walk into the terminal. There is no longer an “exit tax” to leave Cuba. They also do not check bags, as most people think. You can bring with you whatever you want, and just hope that things go smoothly (or you get lucky) in American customs. There are announcements all the time of the air conditions in the terminal being “down for maintenance”, but it’s a running joke, there is no AC, they just want to appear to have it.
Arrive to Cancun and stand in line for customs. The passport stamp line will be the longest, they took every single Cuban citizen to the back for further questioning. If you can, don’t get in the line that most of your flight goes to. You can get in 25 cigars to Mexico. If you want, bring more and hope for a green light at customs to not have your bag checked. If you get a red light, they go through each bag, not too thoroughly, but still annoying to deal with.
Catching your flight to America is pretty seamless. Cuba no longer stamps your passport, only your Visitors Card, so unless the Customs agent really inspects and sees you have two entrance stamps to Mexico you will be fine. Even if they do, just be honest with them, they don’t care. After getting our passport checked we simply walked through. No questions were asked, no bags were checked, it was a much easier than expected experience.
I want to apologize for this awfully long post, but if you read it and enjoyed, thanks! I just want to help educate people before they go, as I knew nothing going in. I know my writing style isn’t the most eloquent, so it can be a bore, but I just put down everything I could think of in a short time. If you have any questions at all, about anything, please feel free to ask. I would love to return to Cuba again in the future, and advise anyone that’s interested to just do it! It will be an experience you will forever remember, and after all, isn’t that what life is about?
TL/DR: Cuba is awesome, go there.
Posted on 7/8/16 at 2:19 pm to darnol91
Great stuff
Posted on 7/8/16 at 7:24 pm to darnol91
Great write up darnol!
Posted on 7/8/16 at 8:09 pm to darnol91
Great review, someplace that is new for everyone!Posted on 8/15/16 at 8:59 am to DoUrden
Here is the link to my album of all of our pictures from Cuba. If you have any questions, please dont hesitate to ask!
Also, please let me know if anything is wrong with the link/album.
Cuba Vacation Album
Also, please let me know if anything is wrong with the link/album.
Cuba Vacation Album
Posted on 8/16/16 at 8:34 am to darnol91
Here's some more tips on booking your trip that I added to another post:
Hotels are absolutely ridiculously expensive! If you go in winter, which I recommend, because of the brutal heat and less tourists, they should be cheaper. Look into airBNB. I can give you recommendations of where I stayed, if you would like. No matter where you stay, do not expect anything nice. The way I looked at it is it's solely somewhere to sleep. You wont be spending time relaxing in your casa or hotel. Hotels range anywhere from 250-500 a night, and as of now you wouldn't be able to book, unless done through a Cuban travel agency, until you got there.
As far as the "trickiness", it was something I worried about, as well. I promise it is not nearly as tricky as it seems. I think we make that assumption because of the little information out there. Even the way I did it, by going through Cancun, was quite seamless.
They can take your word for it. All of the lobbies of the hotesl are extremely ornate. I especially recommend checking out the hotel Nacional, whether you stay there or not. However, even with the lobbies being ornate, that says nothing about the quality of the rooms. With the exception of luxury suites where celebs and government figures stay, they are shitty. Not like dirty, just run down and dilapidated. It's completely preference, though. If you want the added security that you will be at a hotel, that's all you. Casa particulars, atleast the licensed ones, are also regulated by the Government. They are inspected, and get taxed to hell and back. I prefer the Casa's because atleast some part of the money I'm spending is going to a Cuban citizen/family.
There is no such thing as central AC in Cuba because of the crappy infrastructure, so get used to window/wall units. They also will ask that you turn off AC while out of the room.
Airbnb is absolutely your best option. Quick tip: DO NOT get a "penthouse". They are nice for the view, but they arent a penthouse by American standards. They are very nice, but lugging your luggage up and down stairs (no elevators, except in hotels) is not so fun. Find somewhere in Habana Vieja that has a rooftop, those are always super cool. If you want to stay in Vedado you will have nice accommodations, but still nothing super nice by American standards. If you are bringing a family, or are going with a group, look at getting a whole house in Vedado or Mirimar. They go for 500-600 a night, but will be spectacular.
These are the places I stayed:
Vedado Penthouse
This is the "Penthouse" I stayed in. It was very nice, clean, two bedroom. The master bedroom and living room both had wall unit AC that worked very nicely. Very safe area close to everything in Vedado. Walking distance from bars/major hotels/revolution square. The owner is Johan, he was not in the country when I went, but his brother met us at the apartment. The locks are basically inpenetrable, but I promise you I've never felt more safe in a foreign country than I did when I was in Cuba. Even walking at night on dark streets.
They have a neighbor, that you will undoubtedly meet, named Ms. Vivian. She owns the other penthouse. She will invite you in for food or coffee and treat you like family. We had to wait for Johanns brother, and she invited us in and fed us while calling Johann's brother, Mario, to bitch him out for not being on time. If you decide on this house, please bring Ms. Vivian a small gift! She didnt ask for it, but I brought 5 bulk packs of cheap disposable razors to give as gifts. I still had them when I was loading the taxi for the airport, and decided to give them to her as opposed to leaving them in the apartment for the next guest. She cried and gave me a hug, telling me how they arent able to get things like that there. It was a remarkable experience.
Johann's other house
This is Johann's other house. If this is something you would be interested in. I did not stay here, but can absolutely vouch for the host. I wouldn't stay here personally, just because of the location, but if you dont mind the daily commute, go for it.
Casa in Centro/Old Havana
This casa is actually in Centro Habana, which is where most locals live. It's in a great location 2 blocks from the malecon, and just a little west of Old Habana. We walked the entirety of Old Habana from this location, and only used a cab once to get to our second casa in Vedado. The hosts are awesome! The grandmother lives in a little shack on the roof and will cook for you. They have four or five rooms, each with locks and safes, and all have access to the roof, which is spectacular. I will try and see if I have pictures of the room. The room is quite simple, with nothing more than a bed, two bedside tables, a closet, and private bathroom with hot water. Although it was not even close to how nice our second casa was, I wouldn't have changed staying here for anything. You really get a feel of what it's like to stay in "real" Cuba, but still have the luxury of AC. It's also dirt cheap. If you are bringing more than two guests, get more than one room.
Here are some nicer apartments I found just doing a quick look:
FOCSA apartment
The FOCSA building is the tallest building in Havana. It does have elevators, and will have all the amenities you are looking for. There is also a restaurant on the top floor, but it is overpriced. If you want a rooftop dinner, go to the Iberostar hotel in Old Havana. Cheaply priced food, and a spectacular view, you can even go out on a small wrap-around balcony. We ate there and actually watched two Cuban kids dancing on their rooftop, it was a great experience.
Vedado apartment
I can't tell what building this is actually in from the pictures, but it is two blocks from Hotel Nacional, so i can guarantee it's in a prime location.
quote:
Been researching. It's still a tricky trip to book. Hotels are expensive as well.
Hotels are absolutely ridiculously expensive! If you go in winter, which I recommend, because of the brutal heat and less tourists, they should be cheaper. Look into airBNB. I can give you recommendations of where I stayed, if you would like. No matter where you stay, do not expect anything nice. The way I looked at it is it's solely somewhere to sleep. You wont be spending time relaxing in your casa or hotel. Hotels range anywhere from 250-500 a night, and as of now you wouldn't be able to book, unless done through a Cuban travel agency, until you got there.
As far as the "trickiness", it was something I worried about, as well. I promise it is not nearly as tricky as it seems. I think we make that assumption because of the little information out there. Even the way I did it, by going through Cancun, was quite seamless.
quote:
I've read to do the casa particular because the state run hotels can be gross. But don't take my word for it.
They can take your word for it. All of the lobbies of the hotesl are extremely ornate. I especially recommend checking out the hotel Nacional, whether you stay there or not. However, even with the lobbies being ornate, that says nothing about the quality of the rooms. With the exception of luxury suites where celebs and government figures stay, they are shitty. Not like dirty, just run down and dilapidated. It's completely preference, though. If you want the added security that you will be at a hotel, that's all you. Casa particulars, atleast the licensed ones, are also regulated by the Government. They are inspected, and get taxed to hell and back. I prefer the Casa's because atleast some part of the money I'm spending is going to a Cuban citizen/family.
There is no such thing as central AC in Cuba because of the crappy infrastructure, so get used to window/wall units. They also will ask that you turn off AC while out of the room.
Airbnb is absolutely your best option. Quick tip: DO NOT get a "penthouse". They are nice for the view, but they arent a penthouse by American standards. They are very nice, but lugging your luggage up and down stairs (no elevators, except in hotels) is not so fun. Find somewhere in Habana Vieja that has a rooftop, those are always super cool. If you want to stay in Vedado you will have nice accommodations, but still nothing super nice by American standards. If you are bringing a family, or are going with a group, look at getting a whole house in Vedado or Mirimar. They go for 500-600 a night, but will be spectacular.
These are the places I stayed:
Vedado Penthouse
This is the "Penthouse" I stayed in. It was very nice, clean, two bedroom. The master bedroom and living room both had wall unit AC that worked very nicely. Very safe area close to everything in Vedado. Walking distance from bars/major hotels/revolution square. The owner is Johan, he was not in the country when I went, but his brother met us at the apartment. The locks are basically inpenetrable, but I promise you I've never felt more safe in a foreign country than I did when I was in Cuba. Even walking at night on dark streets.
They have a neighbor, that you will undoubtedly meet, named Ms. Vivian. She owns the other penthouse. She will invite you in for food or coffee and treat you like family. We had to wait for Johanns brother, and she invited us in and fed us while calling Johann's brother, Mario, to bitch him out for not being on time. If you decide on this house, please bring Ms. Vivian a small gift! She didnt ask for it, but I brought 5 bulk packs of cheap disposable razors to give as gifts. I still had them when I was loading the taxi for the airport, and decided to give them to her as opposed to leaving them in the apartment for the next guest. She cried and gave me a hug, telling me how they arent able to get things like that there. It was a remarkable experience.
Johann's other house
This is Johann's other house. If this is something you would be interested in. I did not stay here, but can absolutely vouch for the host. I wouldn't stay here personally, just because of the location, but if you dont mind the daily commute, go for it.
Casa in Centro/Old Havana
This casa is actually in Centro Habana, which is where most locals live. It's in a great location 2 blocks from the malecon, and just a little west of Old Habana. We walked the entirety of Old Habana from this location, and only used a cab once to get to our second casa in Vedado. The hosts are awesome! The grandmother lives in a little shack on the roof and will cook for you. They have four or five rooms, each with locks and safes, and all have access to the roof, which is spectacular. I will try and see if I have pictures of the room. The room is quite simple, with nothing more than a bed, two bedside tables, a closet, and private bathroom with hot water. Although it was not even close to how nice our second casa was, I wouldn't have changed staying here for anything. You really get a feel of what it's like to stay in "real" Cuba, but still have the luxury of AC. It's also dirt cheap. If you are bringing more than two guests, get more than one room.
Here are some nicer apartments I found just doing a quick look:
FOCSA apartment
The FOCSA building is the tallest building in Havana. It does have elevators, and will have all the amenities you are looking for. There is also a restaurant on the top floor, but it is overpriced. If you want a rooftop dinner, go to the Iberostar hotel in Old Havana. Cheaply priced food, and a spectacular view, you can even go out on a small wrap-around balcony. We ate there and actually watched two Cuban kids dancing on their rooftop, it was a great experience.
Vedado apartment
I can't tell what building this is actually in from the pictures, but it is two blocks from Hotel Nacional, so i can guarantee it's in a prime location.
Posted on 8/16/16 at 8:36 am to darnol91
Also, as far as tours go I would recommend Havana Journeys for a guided car/walking tour through all sections of Havana. We were charged 100 CUC for two people and tipped the tour guide 10 CUC and the driver 5 CUC. It was in a perfectly remodeled classic car. This also included a tour of the cigar factory (10 CUC/ per person extra), which would have been 5 CUC if we scheduled this ourself, but it was worth the extra 5 as it is hard to find. They take your bags before you go in, but make sure you have your camera. They tell you no cameras are allowed, but it is not enforced at all. This is also a great place to meet someone to buy black market cigars. They will be in the factory, and outside.
The company also does day trips outside of the city. Vinales is 160 CUC for two people, and Matanzas is 150 CUC for two people. I would recommend scheduling your own trip by bus or shared taxi to one of those cities and spending the night, if you choose to do that. Your host can help you in booking the ride.
I would also highly recommend a horseback tour of the vinales valley. We used "horse riding vinales" facebook . Make sure you ask for a guide in English and request a tour until sunset. Price is 5CUC/hour/person. You can also request sunset dinner reservations at a local Restaurant/Finca for 10 CUC/person, which includes the price of the dinner. You will want 5-6 hours to see the entire valley.
The company also does day trips outside of the city. Vinales is 160 CUC for two people, and Matanzas is 150 CUC for two people. I would recommend scheduling your own trip by bus or shared taxi to one of those cities and spending the night, if you choose to do that. Your host can help you in booking the ride.
I would also highly recommend a horseback tour of the vinales valley. We used "horse riding vinales" facebook . Make sure you ask for a guide in English and request a tour until sunset. Price is 5CUC/hour/person. You can also request sunset dinner reservations at a local Restaurant/Finca for 10 CUC/person, which includes the price of the dinner. You will want 5-6 hours to see the entire valley.
Posted on 8/16/16 at 9:54 am to darnol91
Cuba is strange because it is a communist dictatorship that is also a thriving tourist destination. Numerous Canadians I worked with travel down there routinely.
Posted on 8/16/16 at 11:24 am to supatigah
It is an incredibly idiosyncratic place. There were tons of tourists from everywhere but America. We only met two while we were there, and they were students studying at the University on an exchange.
As different from America as it is, it makes it hard for us to really understand how anyone can be happy in those circumstances, but I've never met a happier population. They understand that they are deprived from some things, but they will follow that statement up with the things they find great about Cuba that you rarely find elsewhere, or in America. They are an incredibly intelligent population, with literacy rates being greater than 98%. Extremely well read in the classics, can speak on different philosophies, etc, and this wasn't what I took way from just one conversation, but everyone I spoke with. They craved intelligent conversation unlike anything I've ever seen. It really is unique.
As different from America as it is, it makes it hard for us to really understand how anyone can be happy in those circumstances, but I've never met a happier population. They understand that they are deprived from some things, but they will follow that statement up with the things they find great about Cuba that you rarely find elsewhere, or in America. They are an incredibly intelligent population, with literacy rates being greater than 98%. Extremely well read in the classics, can speak on different philosophies, etc, and this wasn't what I took way from just one conversation, but everyone I spoke with. They craved intelligent conversation unlike anything I've ever seen. It really is unique.
Posted on 8/16/16 at 11:35 am to darnol91
this is a great thread, thanks for the info and pics
Cuba is definitely on my list of places I hope to go
Cuba is definitely on my list of places I hope to go
Posted on 8/17/16 at 7:22 am to darnol91
Will add to journal sticky. Thanks!
Posted on 1/29/17 at 2:39 pm to darnol91
Just read through your review and wanted to say thanks! Lots of helpful information. Headed to Havana on Friday - can't wait!
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