Amazing Cuba

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Overview

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This journal is appropriately titled because getting to Cuba as an American is a big goal in itself. The Cubans we met were very warm and they were very curious about what we thought about the embargo. Winning a domino match in Trinidad against a Cuban family was a big highlight. Traveling all over the east coast of the country, we read so many revolutionary signs that gave away pieces of Cuba's history. Quick Tips: As an American, forbidden to travel to Cuba, I flew to Burlington and drove to Montreal. From Dorval airport, I took a Cubana Air to Havana. Netssa will help you purchase your tickets to Cuba without any questions. Your bill will not have any reference to Cuba.Your tickets should ...Read More

This journal is appropriately titled because getting to Cuba as an American is a big goal in itself. The Cubans we met were very warm and they were very curious about what we thought about the embargo. Winning a domino match in Trinidad against a Cuban family was a big highlight. Traveling all over the east coast of the country, we read so many revolutionary signs that gave away pieces of Cuba's history.

Quick Tips:

As an American, forbidden to travel to Cuba, I flew to Burlington and drove to Montreal. From Dorval airport, I took a Cubana Air to Havana. Netssa will help you purchase your tickets to Cuba without any questions. Your bill will not have any reference to Cuba.Your tickets should come with tourist cards. These are stamped by customs in Cuba when you enter and are collected when you exit. Your blue passport will be stamp-free.Stay in casa particulares when you’re in Cuba. Please view each casa particular entry in this journal. I also have a short write-up about the casa particular system.A good command of Spanish is extremely important.Tipping is recommended but will do in small restaurants or paladares. You will meet Cubans who will tell you that they only make a month—it might be true but try not to feel too bad because this is their spiel to get more dollars from you.We never had to change our dollars to Cuban pesos. Cubans refused our pesos and always charged us in dollars, yet they never flinched when they gave us pesos in change.

Best Way To Get Around:

Arrange for your casa particular to have a cab waiting for you when you arrive in Havana. We paid from the airport.From town to town, we took the Viazul bus (preferred bus by tourists over Astro) and asked for the people in our casa particular to help us with purchasing or reserving tickets. You will not be the only tourist taking the bus so it's recommended that you plan your trip and buy your tickets ahead of time. Bus ticket prices depend on distance of your travel and range from to or higher, if you're going from one end of the country to the other. They are almost always on schedule. To the developed beaches, only licensed cabs are allowed past checkpoints. Your casa particular family will help arrange a private cab or rent a moped for you. They cost us from to for round trips. Don't try to take your Cuban friends with you to the private beaches. The checkpoint guards will not bend the rules for you and will gladly escort your friend out of your car before you go past the checkpoint. Read Less

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Cuba Accommodations: Casa Particulares

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In 1997, the government finally allowed Cubans to rent out rooms in their houses to tourists. Proprietors are taxed and are subject to health and sanitary regulations imposed by inspectors who visit almost every day. A legal and licensed casa must have a sticker on their door with two blue chevrons against a white background.When you check-in, you have to give your passports to the owner of the casa so they can write your information and passport numbers down in their log book, which are also thoroughly inspected by government workers. Cubans who have casa particulares are in much better shape than most people, but they also turn over a significant portion of their earnings to the government in taxes ...Read More

In 1997, the government finally allowed Cubans to rent out rooms in their houses to tourists. Proprietors are taxed and are subject to health and sanitary regulations imposed by inspectors who visit almost every day. A legal and licensed casa must have a sticker on their door with two blue chevrons against a white background.When you check-in, you have to give your passports to the owner of the casa so they can write your information and passport numbers down in their log book, which are also thoroughly inspected by government workers. Cubans who have casa particulares are in much better shape than most people, but they also turn over a significant portion of their earnings to the government in taxes and fees.Reservations are important especially during the busy season (we traveled during the December holidays). But don't fret if your reservations are not honored. Sometimes casa owners have to take in the first guest who tries to check-in just in case a reservation doesn't show up. Casa owners communicate with each other. It was not unusual for each owner to have a book full of business cards of other casas. We were always picked up by another family or driven to the next house if we weren't early enough to check-in at our first choice of lodging. Prices run from $20 to $25 and pesos are not accepted. Most casa owners will cook you breakfast and dinner. They usually ask what you feel like eating hours before it's time to eat. Señora Virginia's sister-in-law made us lunch in plastic containers when we asked for a packed meal to take with us to the beach. Except for Señora Noris' casa, we were able to buy bottled water and beers from their kitchens.Accommodations are very basic: bed with clean sheets, usually lumpy but clean pillows, and clean towels. Soap was provided only at Señor Eladio's, so it is a very good idea to bring your own toiletries. With the embargo, you will never find your favorite soap, toothpaste or shampoo. (It is a hoot, however, to visit the grocery stores and read Champu on shampoo bottles.)They are all very helpful if you need transportation anywhere. They will make phone calls for you if you have any questions they can't answer, but they almost always know what's up in their own towns.With the exception of Señora Virginia's, we kept the keys to our own rooms. We also had our laundry done at Señora Virginia's for $5. We were able to buy groceries in some towns and cook our own meals at Señora Aleida's and Señora Noris'.Please view each accommodation entry in this journal for more information. Read Less

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Salsa in the Street

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There was definitely something in the air. Perhaps it was the impending New Year’s celebrations, but this was our first visit to Trinidad and it was difficult to judge. We had arrived in the dark, the night before, and gone directly to our guesthouse, so it was with a tingle of expectation that we woke the next morning and set out to explore.The first thing that struck me was the frenetic movement in the narrow streets. Donkey and cart seemed to be the main mode of transport, driven at a wild pace by men thrashing at them with long whips. They didn’t look in the best of shape and we read (with some horror) that they are worked until they literally die on the job. This however is no place for sentiment...Read More

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