Some Advice if you are Planning to Travel to Cuba

PastyStoole

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I just got back from Cuba earlier this month. It was a pretty amazing trip. If you're planning on a trip there, here are my ten pieces of advice for you:

1) Make sure you bring lots of cash – after you've paid for lodging, I'd say $250/day per couple. Our guidebook said that credit cards were accepted, they are definitely NOT accepted from American banks. Americans can't get money through Western Union or by any other means. You'll want to have extra cash so you don't get stuck there and you can bring back plenty of gifts. You’ll also want to be generous with these beautiful people, most of whom are very, very, poor.

2) If you’ll be spending the majority of your time in Havana, stay in El Centro or Old Havana. Most of the things you want to do are in those areas. It will help you to avoid taking taxis, most of which are old Soviet-era Tadas that reek of leaking fuel lines and exhaust.

3) The music is amazing and beautiful and soulful and sad. Drink in as much of it as time will allow, talk to the musicians, and dance all you can. It is by far my favorite memory.

4) No matter where you go to hear music, make sure you ask the band to play “Chan Chan.” The song has taken on a life of its own over the years, and has become an anthem for Cuban jazz aficionados. Some of the bands play lengthy, ornately structured versions of this tune, with creative interludes and movements.

5) Go to the bar “La Floridita” when you're ready to take a break from struggling with your Spanish and just want to hang out with some fun-loving tourists. It's a party and it's lots of fun, and it’s the iconic haunt of Ernest Hemingway. Down the street from there are some great bars that have wonderful Cuban music playing all day long. Hotel Inglaterra has some great music on the patio, it's a fantastic place to hang out and have a drink.

6) Every bar has a signature drink. Order that one.

7) If you don't speak Spanish, try to learn some before you get there or go on a guided tour with an operator so you don't have to worry about communication. They speak some English, as it's required in schools believe it or not, but much like Miami Cubans they don't pronounce consonants when they speak their native tongue, which makes the dialect very hard to understand.

8) Museo de la Revolution and The Santeria Museum. See them.

9) When you first get there, ask a guy in one of those beautiful old convertible Caddys or Bel Aires driving around to take you on a tour of the city. Make sure it's a convertible, it's in pristine condition, and that you bring a selfie-stick to take some good shots as you drive trough Havana in one of these amazing old time-machines. (This is literally the only acceptable use of a selfie-stick I have ever come across).

10) Take notice of the guitars. Cubans often play a guitar called a "tres" that, as far as I can tell and have been told by Cuban musicians, is completely unique to their little Galapagos-Island of a country. The nut and bridge grooves are grouped for three pairs of strings, each string in the pair is set close together like a 12-string guitar. The tuning is unusual, and the effect is a one-finger chording that also allows for some really beautiful solos.

 

Swamp Queen

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No pictures?

Sounds like you had a great trip...would love to get down there for a visit.
 

NVGator

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Pics or it didn't happen.

Did you take Snappy with you for companionship?
 

Captain Sasquatch

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We've been thinking about taking a trip down there ever since Southwest starting offering dirt cheap fares to Havana from Tampa, so we'll be revisiting this thread in case we go. Glad you had a good time!
 

GatorJ

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I just spoke with a friend that went there. My wife was thinking about going there on a trip with some friends. They said to Airbnb it and to get a driver while you're there. You can get a driver for about $150 for the week.

We're not sure we're going to do it because she is concerned about the restrictions on going there. Particularly one of the 12 restrictions imposed by our government. She's not sure how to get around that.
 

Captain Sasquatch

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I just spoke with a friend that went there. My wife was thinking about going there on a trip with some friends. They said to Airbnb it and to get a driver while you're there. You can get a driver for about $150 for the week.

We're not sure we're going to do it because she is concerned about the restrictions on going there. Particularly one of the 12 restrictions imposed by our government. She's not sure how to get around that.
Apparently it's super easy to get permission to travel there, or so I've heard. Basically just say you're going for educational or business purposes. Here's a good link explaining everything.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/18/travel/is-it-easy-to-visit-cuba-travel-experts-weigh-in.html
 

Swamp Donkey

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I could totally see SAS going to Cuba and seeking asylum.
 

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