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

[Robusto]

Post me your tips, please.

At the weekend I was advised by our bookers to take toothpaste and shampoo out as holiday home folk can't get hold of these things and treat you favourably or give you a discount for them.

[PoohBore]

avon skin so soft (blue bottle) at night to keep the mossies away.

[Big_T_UK]

Tip? Yes, one, bring me back the mother of all cigars! LOL.

Seriously enjoy and tell us the do's and do nots on your return.

T.

[PoohBore]

A few gifts for children seem to go down well. Colouring books pens etc. Even good 2nd hand kids clothes were well received when i was last there.

[skyhigh]

mate has just come back. he went to one of the bigger shops and said it was heavin with coachloads of people. see if they do the 10 stick bags which he got 2 of for me. think he said they were about 40 cucs each(27 quid approx), don't quote me,and there were 2 ryj tubos no1 and no2, partagas corona senior tubo,hoyo coronation tubo,archie coronas major tubo, and 5 cohiba singles(siglo2 x2,siglo3,siglo4 and a robustos). Ithink that was a craking deal and since they are singles according to this new cuban regulations malarky, added up to the 20 singles with no receipt required.

don't quote me on exact prices , but for 150 quid i got 2 of the 10 stick bags a box of monte no4 and a box of the little ryj puritos with the change..don't think it was too bad.

[skyhigh]

p.s. have a look at marty's price list

http://www.marty.514crew.com/cigarprices.html

my box of monte no4 was exactly as stated on this page(price still on the box)

[Ramon]

Don't mention the Bay of Pigs

[Boss Hog]

Find an internet cafe, keep us posted on your progress.

You could be "Our man in Havana"

[Big_T_UK]

Internet, in CUBA, surely not? That would contain material that constitutes freedom of speech and tales from the FREE world. The spread of the EVIL Western system cannot be aloud to spread to dearest mother Cuba!

Come on, you must be kidding!!!

T.

[Boss Hog]

Internet, in CUBA, surely not? That would contain material that constitutes freedom of speech and tales from the FREE world. The spread of the EVIL Western system cannot be aloud to spread to dearest mother Cuba!

Come on, you must be kidding!!!

T.

Maybe not...

http://www.world66.com/centralamericathecaribbean/thecaribbean/cuba/havana/internetcafes

but for a visiting senior representative of the UKCF surely qualifies him to some exclusions under his "diplomatic status"

[Robusto]

Great tips and ideas, men!
That price list is very useful!

I have decided to wear my Stetson throughout.

I saw somewhere else on the forum something about new cigar purchase restrictions.

I was aiming to buy 200 if I have the float left.

Has this been drastically cut back?

I am not a fan of great heat.

I am looking for...

Good places to sit and chill out
Good live music bars
Swimming pool to loll about in and next to - Hotel Parque is the first stop and it has a great looking pool on the roof
Great comfortable places to stop, loll and smoke fresh and great stogies
To be in the proximity of good looking women without my beloved noticing too much aka reservedperve.com
Numbing alcoholic drinks
Plenty of fresh fruits
Great beach with plenty of shade

That'll do for now.

[cbob]

Internet, in CUBA, surely not?

Most of the hotels have internet and many have wireless. Local Habaneros have been using the hotel connections, sometimes by asking visitors to buy them an access card and the government decided to shut the door on this. After a lot of public protests, (and a "secret" video shot at the Melia Cohiba) the Feds have backed off on the policy but I would not be surprised if they tried again. Many of the local bloggers are not able to log into their blogs from Cuba and must transfer their material to each other via USB sticks and external drives.

In the resorts most places have an internet area and there is at least one i"nternet cafe" in Varadero.

.

[cbob]

I am looking for...

Good places to sit and chill out

Because of the climate, you can sit out everywhere but you'll only be able to really chill in your air-conned hotel.
In Havana: sit out and be cool at the Hotel Nacional. On the teraza. With a Mojito. There is a great Casa del Habano there too.
I like the brew pub in Plaza Vieja too,

If you want to sit "in", I'd find the Bacardi building. One of the nicer little bars in Havana and not in many guidebooks (nudge, nudge, wink, wink)

Good live music bars

The Jazz Cafe and Gato Tuerto in Havana can be good but busy. If you want to experience "local" music and dance, search out the Casa de la Musica in Miramar. It's better than the one downtown.

Swimming pool to loll about in and next to - Hotel Parque is the first stop and it has a great looking pool on the roof

The Parque central does have a great pool and great view. It also has a nice walk-in humidor on the mezzanine. The Nacional also has a nice pool and it's close to the teraza.

Great comfortable places to stop, loll and smoke fresh and great stogies

Everywhere! Do a tour of all the better shops and stop for a smoke/drink in each. Great lounges in Partagas, Melia Cohiba, Melia Havana, C. del Habano 5y16, Conde de Villanueva...

To be in the proximity of good looking women without my beloved noticing too much

You won't have to look for beauties-they will find you, especially if you are wearing a YUMA hat. If one of them smiles at you and scratches at her cheek just below her eye (as if wiping a tear) tell your beloved to belt her one.

Numbing alcoholic drinks

Es Cuba! Your mind can be numbed at amazingly cheap prices but stick to bars that serve tourists. Worst Mojios are at the Bodeguita (famous for its Mojitos) but great ones can be had at Dos Hermanos, Havana Club and Nacional. Buy a bottle of Anejo 7yo for those "nightcaps".

Plenty of fresh fruits

That can be hit or miss. Should be OK now but food supplies in Cuba are still recovering from last fall's hurricanes. get a few "local" pesos (CUP or moneda nacional) and go to an agromercado.

Great beach with plenty of shade

Not near Havana. The Playas del Este are the local beaches and are nice but for great beaches you have to go to Varadero or points east.

.

[Robusto]

Great pointers! Much appreciated, my friend.

How about bus travel, anyone? Reservations.

As a Brit, I like to book things several light years ahead.
I'm going to have to drop that one!

We're heading towards Trinidad for homestays and beaches.

I don't want to be forced into dancing. I'm crap at it.
I'll look like a porker from Frankfurt, you know.

[cj121]

Our only experience of buses were the more touristy coaches that took us from Havana back to Varedero Bryan, about 25 CUC each. From memory they do the rounds to and from hotels around major cities and the resorts. We booked it 'independently' from the Hotel Nationale, Havana.

You might want to check out Viazul (it gives you a hard on, on coaches) Only pulling your doo-dah. Note the site doesn't book tickets though. And yes internet is available in most hotels. We got talking to a young man in Havana (medically trained, but operating a horse and trap for tourists) who used the net to communicate and keep abreast of things. I don't think it's as subversive as portrayed widely, but the cost of such keeps usage for many to a minimum.

BUSES