Cuba in a month today! Any tips?...

[Robusto]

Great reports Robusto, thanks for all the info.
I'm looking forward to my trip more than ever now. Good to hear you had such a good time.
Last questions, is there anything you didn't have you, that you couldn't get there and that you wish you had brought? Small bottle of Tabasco for example? Or anything you wish you had brought for the people you met?

Great questions, Ry.

I don't think we forgot anything. I like a clean shave around my fuzz so made sure we had ample batteries and took plug adaptors and phone chargers. 02 was more Cuba-friendly than Orange for mobiles, but they all routed through Cubacel.

My wife was forward-thinking and took a well-packed family first aid kit, topped up with hospital supplies. I know it would have been expensive to not have some of that had we been ill.

I could not decide on a book and had no time before Gatwick to buy one. I borrowed my wife's copy of The Old Man and The Sea by Ernest Hemingway. I knew Hemingway was a man's man, that he featured large in Cuban and Havana life. This was a simple little tale and very easy to read. Enjoyable. It's set off the Havana coast. I won't spoil it, but the author sure knew how to dispense of a big one that rises up on you.

I will read more Hemingway. I had never read him before. Does anyone know if he was a cigar man? He has many of the traits in his writing.

It would have been foolhardy not to take suntan lotion, btw.

FOR THE PEOPLE WE MET

They were reliant upon tourism for their well-being. Homestay families. They were very, very sweet and I wish we had taken something very appropriate for them. It is only after you have discovered people like that that you know what would be suitable, of course. Our lives and standard of living were very separated so some of the things I might have naturally given would not be appropriate to them. We will keep in contact. Not by email. They don't have it.

Just to finish... I must say how cheap it was to use taxis in the cities. Use the state-owned taxis so you don't get ripped off. We were advised to haggle the prices down and this was successful in all but one case.

Thank you, gentlemen, for your comments through the end of this thread. I had a lot to write - mostly undercover at work LOL - and I seem to have passed through haughtily without personal address. Sorry.

It has been great to chunder away in writing because I'm missing Cuba a lot. We all are here!

I wanted to blurt these refections out on the site whilst the memories remain fresh.

[jdawg]

Thanks for the update, Bryan! I love reading the details of your trip. It sounds like you had an amazing time, aside from the constant harrassment. To smoke cigars freely anywhere while listening to live salsa bands play is a wonderful thing. Keep the updates coming, along with some pics when you get a chance.

[cj121]

Beautiful as ever Bryan, and for you to flourishingly express your experiences about the motherland is a bonus. I'm glad for you and yours

[nicwing]

Absolutely wonderful write up Bry, thanks for taking the time out of your busy days to type this lot up.

I also saw some of the photo's you and David posted on Facebook and it looks as though you had a great time, looking forward to seeing more.

Thanks matey!

[cohibaIV]

Absolutely wonderful write up Bry, thanks for taking the time out of your busy days to type this lot up.

I also saw some of the photo's you and David posted on Facebook and it looks as though you had a great time, looking forward to seeing more.

Thanks matey!

I don't do facebook...

[Robusto]

I've just uploaded 300-odd snaps to Photobucket so will try to select a handful to put here at the weekend.

Meanwhile I'll break a UK law...

[cj121]

You naughty pig in sh..

[ACMCC]

Great write up Bryan, gives me a good feel for what to expect. I love Cuban music and can't wait to visit will certainly be going next year. Thinking of the Habanos festival, but I have a few things that might get in the way around that time...may juggle them around!

Looking forward to the photo's and cigar info - when you get time....Cheers

[Deano]

You naughty pig in sh..

lol exactly what I was going to say!!!

[cbob]

Excellent report Bryan!!

That's a great pic of you in the Parque Central too- if I'm wandering in Habana Vieja and get caught short I always head for the upstairs at PC. Nicest washrooms in the neighborhood!

A couple of comments if I may :

• The Stetson is a "less than good" idea at any time in Cuba. It marks you as a "Yuma" (American) and guarantees a tout convention wherever you go. For your next trip, consider a plain straw fedora.
• Don't feel bad about the "Milk For My baby" scam. It's been going on successfully for much longer than I have been visiting The Island (1996) and "Extraneros" (tourists) are choice targets. The milk that you buy (they will never accept money) is sold back to the store where you bought it and the tout and the merchant split your generosity. The government guarantees milk for every Cuban child up to the age of 7 years and in fact, they are the only ones in Cuba who get whole milk- adults are not allowed to purchase it unless it is for a child (and they have to prove it) so they must use powdered milk they mix with local water. Coffee drinkers beware that if a new friend offers you milk for your coffee in their home, it's made with tap water.
• The "11% surcharge" on your CCs is simply the conversion from CUC to USD. Your card will be chaged in USD and converted to your local currency. If you do the calculation when you get your statements, you will find that you paid the same as if you had converted your money to CUC and paid cash -although that does depend a bit on the value of the GBP against the USD. Two years ago, when our CAD was actually higher than the USD, I made a 2% profit using my VISA!
• The Partagas rollers actually make a very good wage (for Cuba) but a Serie D No.4 is only about 1/2 month's salary. BTW, you should have tried those cigars the "local" put in your pocket The local "tabacos" (cigars) sell for $1 CUP each ( 1/24 of a CUC- no kidding) and some are surprisingly decent. I always smoke a Reloba or two on my visits.
• The Parque Central was not German but was originally one of the Dutch "Tulip" chain run by KLM. I believe it is now managed by one of the Cuban tourist boards.
• Your perception of Havana as "crumbling" is correct but since Old Havana was made a UNESCO Heritage Site some years ago, they are renovating as many of the old buildings as possible rather than tearing them down to build modern replacements. There are some very nice examples scattered around the city and worth hunting up on a future visit. Why don't the Cubans add more "window dressing"? It's very simple: they are dead broke. Nobody likes all the broken pavement, missing manholes and balconies falling in the street but they simply have no way to buy materials and make repairs. Often, buildings that have been condemned and have sat empty for some time will suddenly be descended upon by people from the neighborhood who in a few hours will totally cannibalize the building, carrying away every brick, tile, window and wire to use in renovating their own homes.

I'm looking forward to more of your comments and photos as you get a chance to "decompress".

Cheers,

[Robusto]

I am really pleased you commented on my comments, CPN BOB. I thought your stuff was insightful earlier on and was going to ask you to comment by dropping a PM quite soon.

Just off out... but I did realise quite quickly that the Stetson wasn't right at all when out and about so did go around showing my British hair most of the time.

There were lots of your recommended hats about, but they're really not for me lol. (No offence to anyone. They look very Middle Class. Although I am Middle Class, I'm definitely not that type of MC. I'd rather be a Cowboy any day. Swarms of those hats in the Virgin return queue, btw).

The milk thing is helpful. I was VERY confused by what was going on!

I was brushed up by the Telegrafo staff for "You want to try my cigar collection?" just before leaving and I did almost cave in. I didn't know if I'd get quality or bananas. I should have lobbed a few Pesos because I've enjoyed a mock Cohiba or two before.

Maybe next time.

That won't be soon because I have other playgrounds in mind now.

But there probably will be a next time when we have retired.

[Robusto]

WHY is Cuba so broke?

Would KFC clear the debt?

Will KFC be there soon?

You know what I mean. And I do not mean that facetiously.

External investment would provide cash for manhole covers.

(I did not want to mention that we nearly fell down three).

What is going to happen to Cuba?

Discuss.

[whisky77]

Embargo.

Bryan, there is external investment, especially from China, Venezuela, Holland and Spain.

The trade embargo is the main reason that there is a lack of infrastructure, and until that ends there will be little that can be done to build the economic framework to allow the country to progress.

Although there is an export market for the raw minerals, oil, sugar which Cuba does export, the influence and relationships which America holds on the worlds trading countries means that the US has done everything within its power over the years to ensure the Cuban people are made to suffer.

Both Ronald Regan and George Bush went out of their way to enforce the embargo and tighten the reciprocal trading agreements which Cuba would otherwise enjoy.All ships entering Cuba are barred from entering a US port for something like 90 days.This breaks all international trading laws, but it still happens.

I think that the Cubans do want the embargo to end, without having to endure the influx of KFC, Starbucks etc which outside investment from the US would bring.

[nicwing]

Guys.

I thought that all of this information was far to good to just head off into the archives of the Forum.

A friend of mine is heading out to Cuba in a couple of weeks so I checked with Robusto that he was cool and cut and pasted the good stuff into an email for him.

I have also posted the same stuff into the Cigarwikipedia under the heading 'Going to Cuba'

this is mainly just stream of conciousness stuff (in Robusto's own unique stylee). As and when I get time I will try to pull it into some form of headings - Cigars, money, bars, women etc etc.

However as it's a Wiki entry please don't be backwards in comming forward and get stuck in and do your bit if you feel the need to help.

[Robusto]

Craig.

Thank you.

In my quiet times alone, I was thinking about oil, water supplies, etc, being the investment priorities (and cons). I think it would be great for Cuba to attain that level of investment without the fast-food outlets, too.

Friends came round last night and we couldn't work out how the power system is maintained. Are the Police vicious behind the scenes, for example? The people we saw were not unhappy. My tales of street hassle did not brew up into physical threats or violence towards us other visitors.

I sat in very comfortable tourist state-owned coaches (I think from Korea) and crossed my part of the island. The Cuban public - in Havana - waited for cross-city buses which were RAMMED, and I phone-video'd a normal bus draw up outside the Capitolo (sic?) where an absolute horde of city dwellers were trying to get on their service bus. It seemed third-worldly.

If this situation - the preference to the tourist - were to be mine in Kent, UK, I'd start objecting somehow, and eventually I would start shouting about it. Do folk not object in Cuba because they will be locked up? Or shot? (Only a bit of a joke, that).

I do not know why the tourist vs populace disparity continues. Or how/why the locals tolerate it.

I had my hair cut in town today and the chat at the barber's was all about the blocked drain in the pedestrian precinct. Some chap next to me had written endless letters to the Council and the papers and there was talk of local corruption.

At least people can babble and do something here, however much of a gesture. And I'm sure it will be attended to before any balconies fall to the street, as it were.

PS Nic (et autres). I'm sorry about my babble style on here but I have to be so formal when writing for work. It's a pleasure to dribble amongst BOTL like this, and I haven't got the time to raise my game to a scholarly level for these threads.

Oh. And I do like to drizzle a smut reference which might taint the sensitive reader.
Apologies.