Havana

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Americans in Cuba

A December 1999 trip to Havana by makmak Best of IgoUgo

The Old Man From the SeaMore Photos

Four Americans travel to Cuba in the midst of the Elian González controversy.

  • 15 reviews
  • 2 stories/tips
  • 9 photos

Hotel PullmanBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

The hotel was small, approximately 15 rooms. One guidebook claimed that there was a tiny pool, but this turned out to be a fountain in the middle of the courtyard. The rooms are sparse and utilitarian. Breakfast is included and is served in a sunny and pleasant alcove. The hotel was located one block away from the beach. At night, there is a bar in the courtyard with loud music, but we never saw any one there the two nights we were here.
  • Member Rating 1 out of 5 by makmak on June 5, 2000

Hotel Pullman
Ave.1ra e/ 49 y 50, Varadero, Matanzas Havana, Cuba
66-7161

Hotel VictoriaBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

The hotel was upscale and had the trip’s best shower. Also, like every hotel we had stayed at, there was CNN and VH1. Very gracious staff and definitely worth the money.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by makmak on June 5, 2000

Hotel Victoria
Calles 19 and M, Vedado Havana, Cuba
537 33-3510

Villa Gaviano SantiagoBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

Very sparse and dark, but has a great pool on the premises. The hotel was more on the outskirts of town, but only a 5 minute cab ride away. Villa Gaviano was set up with little bungalows - each bungalow has about 3-5 bedrooms.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by makmak on June 5, 2000

Villa Gaviano Santiago
Havana, Cuba
(53 226) 41368

Hotel ColonyBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

The hotel was set up as little cabins. Most of the rooms are on the beach. There is also a pool, but the water was green. Meals are included in the diving packages, and the food is served buffet style in the main dining room.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by makmak on June 5, 2000

Hotel Colony
Havana, Cuba

Small Cuban RestaurantBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Name unknown"

If you didn’t know better, you would think you were in the East Village - a small, dark paladar with colored Christmas lights strung throughout. This little joint served us the best meal we had in Cuba - the chicken was seasoned to perfection. All told, it cost us $12, including drinks.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by makmak on June 6, 2000

Small Cuban Restaurant
Havana Havana, Cuba

Various paladares throughout the countryBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Paladar means ‘palate,’ and are private family-run home restaurants. Don’t worry about finding them, they will certainly find you. They are usually very clean and serve delicious food, although the choices are usually limited. We had a huge 3-course lobster meal for $10. The more established ones are listed in some guide books, but for the most part expect to receive many solicitations while on the street.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by makmak on June 6, 2000

Various paladares throughout the country
Havana, Cuba

La MinaBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Right near the Plaza de la Catedral and facing the Plaza de Armas - There's nothing too special about the food, but make it a point to sit outside under the sidewalk canopies. The live Cuban music and the flirty musicians definitely make it worth it. Calle Obispo happens to be one of the busiest streets in Old Havana, so there's plenty to see nearby once you're done with your meal.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by makmak on June 6, 2000

La Mina
Havana, Cuba

NereiBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

A great paladar in an old, airy house - very reminiscent of the great old Southern houses. Unlike other paladars, this one had a full menu (although we didn’t check to see how many of the items were actually available). Again, don't bother going to one of the over-priced hotel cafes. The best food in town comes from the local residents.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by makmak on June 6, 2000

Nerei
Havana, Cuba

Museo de la ImagenBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Not mentioned in all guidebooks but definitely worth the search, this museum was established by Bernaba Muniz and features almost 500 photographic, film and TV cameras ranging from CIA espionage cameras to large TV cameras. The musuem has many candid photos of Fidel, and also houses a library of over 200 feature films, newsreels and documentaries dating back to 1926, although we could not see them when we were there.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by makmak on June 6, 2000

Museo de la Imagen
Corner of Calle 5 and Calle 8 Havana, Cuba

Bodeguita del MedioBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Hemingway’s old hangout, very touristy but definitely worth grabbing a mojito here! It is a tiny bar and people are crowded in together. Very rowdy and fun. You can carve your name on the wall like everyone else before you. There is a restaurant in the back. By the way, for those who don't know-- the mojito was a favorite of Ernest Hemingway, who helped launch the drink to world fame. It consists of rum, with sugar, lime juice, soda, a dash of Angostura bitters and a sprig of mint, served on the rocks. This is THE place for them. In fact, the mojitos we had in other places in Cuba did not compare to the ones we had at la Bodeguita.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by makmak on June 6, 2000

Bodeguita del Medio
C. Empedrado entre Cuba y San Ignacio Havana, Cuba
62-4498

FloriditaBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "El Floridita"

Supposedly the birthplace of the daiquiri, it was by far the best daiquiri I have ever encountered (and I have had a lot!). El Floridita was another of Hemingway's haunts on the island. The décor is very ostentatious and had a Czarist-Russian feel. Much more mellow. There is a restaurant in the back.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by makmak on June 6, 2000

Floridita
Obispo 557, esq. Monserrate Havana, Cuba 10100
7/867-1301

Excursión a VaraderoBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Varadero"

Very similar to Miami Beach as far as the temperature, sand, sky and water - but without the glitz and flash of South Beach. The place is filled with Canadians and Europeans, but despite that, it is still relatively underdeveloped and quiet. Go for one of the areas in front of the older hotels--they tend to be better than the beaches by the new ones.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by makmak on June 6, 2000

Excursión a Varadero
Avenida 5ta y 68 La Habana, Cuba 11300
+53 7 332047

Bay of Sigueanea AdventureBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Fly to Nueva Gerona, it is approximately 45 minute drive to the Hotel Colony, and the Marina El Colony is about 5 minutes away. The dive sites are approximately 40 minutes away by boat. If you are diving for a few days, only buy the first few days as part of the package. Once you get to know the dive staff, you can arrange to go "snorkeling" with the hotel and the dive staff will be able to sneak equipment on the boat for you at a much cheaper rate. Apparently the dive staff does not like the dive coordinator at the hotel and does not want to see any money going into his pocket. We had a hard time with him as well, since he claimed we did not pay for certain dives that we had paid for. Included in the hotel package, extra dives are $60 per day for 2 dives + $20 equipment or you can pay the divemasters under the table - rent snorkelling equipment for $8 and then pay them $45 for 2 dives. As far as the scuba diving, it was good: lots of stingrays and interesting caves to dive through. The visibility was good during January, which is when we went. Contrary to the stories you may hear, the dive staff that I encountered at the Hotel Colony in la Isla de la Juventud was all trained and very knowledgeable, and the equipment was safe.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by makmak on June 6, 2000

Bay of Sigueanea Adventure
Bay of Sigueanea, Isla de la Juventud Havana, Cuba

Maqueta de la ciudad de La HabanaBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Market near the Plaza de la Catedral"

Locals
Outdoor stalls selling arts and crafts - the best buys are Cuban paintings. You can get large oil paintings for $30-50. Also there are many other galleries in the area - art is one area that the Cuban government has allowed to flourish. Wander the area...explore the Plaza de la Catedral and the Plaza de Armas as well.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by makmak on June 6, 2000

Maqueta de la ciudad de La Habana
Calle 28 Nº 113 entre 1ra y 3era La Habana, Cuba 11300
+53 7 332661

Museo Ernest HemingwayBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Hemingway Museum"

The Old Man From the Sea
Hemingway’s former home is preserved as it was on the day he died. Notice what is written on his bathroom walls and the stamp on his desk. Not far is Cojimar, where there is a memorial to Hemingway. If you are lucky, you can visit with Gregorio Fuentes, who is the Old Man in Old Man and the Sea (he is 102 years old!).
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by makmak on June 6, 2000

Museo Ernest Hemingway
Finca Vigía San Francisco de Paula La Habana, Cuba 11700
+53 7 910809

extras, travel tipsBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Cuban Beat
The one great thing about Cuban Communism, as opposed to Chinese Communism (Cultural Revolution), is that the government has never supressed the arts. Cuban art and music is very colorful, and very pervasive in Cuban society. People are constantly dancing in the streets, in public squares and in restaurants and clubs. The combination of Spanish and African influences have created rich blends of music like rumba, son and mambo. We went to a great CD shop on Obispo Street where the owner spent a long time with us, opening CDs and playing them for us. Now that the Buena Vista Social Club has revitalized Cuban music, 'Chan Chan' and other songs can be heard over and over again. We travelled to Cuba via Toronto, which I would definitely advise against (especially if it is during the winter, since you will have to come up with a good story as to why you are tan)! Apparently there has been a lot of collaboration between the US and Canadian governments as of late (the guy driving over the border with explosives over New Year''s and Y2K issues, just to name two examples), and so they have been getting stricter about cooperating with US citizens going to Cuba. The only benefit for going through Canada is that it is easier to work with the tour operators, and they can also book you hotels if you need them. The downside is that they are fairly rigid and they only can book expensive 5-start hotels. Chartered flights are definitely cheaper, but unless you are actually on the package tour for which the flight is chartered for, it''s not worth the hassle and the uncertainty - they can change the flights at any time and you have no recourse. If you are planning on going to Cuba illegally, it is better to go through Central or South America. Cubans are so used to having US citizens and are so eager for their cash that they will not stamp your passport. In addition, the Center for Constitutional Rights, a non-profit organization in New York, has a staff that is dedicated to assisting US citizens who have trouble traveling to Cuba, which they classify as 'Government Misconduct.' They have a publication outlining travel tips before you go to Cuba, and they also provide post-trip assistance if you are caught at customs on your way back. Unfortunately, they do not have a Web site yet.

More photosBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Cuba Chinatown
Here are a few more photos from my trip that I wanted to share. They show the diversity of the people and streets.

About the Writer

makmak
makmak
new york, New York

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