Visiting Cuba Before it Changes

• Forums > EVENTS > Visiting Cuba Before it Changes
• New Topic    Reply

Mark Edmonton Age: 35 Posts: 1807	I have one of those dreams - I would like to visit Cuba before it changes. While it is the same Cuba it has been for the past 50 years - safest country in the world, with people who are happier than you would find anywhere else on the planet. I want to experience the stress free lifestyle everyone who spent some time in Cuba outside of the resort talks about. Fidel Castro kept Cuba on the leash, kept it away from madness and uncompromising, dog eat dog lifestyle we experience on day to day basis. It had some positives and some negatives. The negatives are widely known - lack of personal freedoms, inability to leave the country as one pleases, inability to own latest technological gadgets, inability to keep up with latest doings in the world. What is less known are the positives - no organized crime, no drugs, no small business owners getting run down to the ground by large conglomerations, equal education for everyone, equal medical care for everyone, equal job opportunities for everyone, no homeless people, no jobless people, no hungry children, no foreclosures, no bankruptcies, no banks breathing down your neck with lawyers looking to suck out every last bit of breath you have. This is all going to change. Cuba is going to change. Fidel Castro has already resigned as president of Cuba - what his brother Raul Castro will be like is difficult to predict, but he's already allowed for people to own cell phones and internet. Add to it upcoming US elections which bears the possibility of world's leading superpower getting rid of the embargo against Cuba and turning once enemies into friends. As a result, Cubans borders will open and free trade takes this calm, peaceful country over. Cuba will be flooded with McDonald's and crime will go berserk throughout the island. This is going to happen - sooner or later anyway, and it is not necessarily a bad thing. I would just really like to visit Cuba before it changes and becomes the same as everything else. I would like to visit it while it is a country that hasn't changed in 50 years. I want to visit it, take lots of pictures, film videos, meet locals and smoke cigars hand rolled on the thighs of Cuban virgins. I want to do that before Cuba changes. And I'm not sure how much more time there is left. I'm thinking of hitting Cuba in November. November is actually a pretty good month to travel. The weather in Edmonton will already be miserable so a little get away to Caribbean would be a positive change of not only weather, but also the mood, PLUS - it seems as though November is the least popular month for vacations. Nobody ever takes vacation in November, which would mean not only beaches that are not as overcrowded, but also much better prices than you can get any other time of year. The temperatures in Cuba are constant all year long. It doesn't matter whether you’re going there in summer or in winter; there always is Summer in Cuba. So one wouldn't be sacrificing anything in this regard. You'd get exactly the same as you would get in August or December, except that it would be half price. Would anyone else be interested in going to Cuba with me in November? Maybe if we can find several of us, we could negotiate a better price per person. We could also do things together and take pictures together and maybe someone even speaks Spanish for easier communication when we're down there. I'm just kind of touching basis, seeing if there would be general interest. I have yet to do some logistics, but where there's interest, the logistics are an easy part. What do you think? Who wants to visit Cuba before it changes?
	Aug 6, 2008 at 8:11 pm
M4rk Edmonton Age: 25 Posts: 1160	i think i'd be scared to go to cuba. have you ever seen the movie, 'Brokedown Palace'?
	Aug 6, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Scooter MI Age: 44 Posts: 1155	Jenna wrote: i think i'd be scared to go to cuba. have you ever seen the movie, 'Brokedown Palace'? We US Citizens can't visit Cuba legally anyway. We're safe, Jenna! OTOH, I wanna say something like 20,000 US Citizens do illegally visit Cuba in a given year and don't get arrested or fined. But if the gov't wanted to press charges they certainly could. I think I'll go to Nicaragua instead. Ortega's not half the tinpot dictator he used to be.
	Aug 6, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Melicious Los Angeles Age: 37 Posts: 1719	scootzer wrote: Jenna wrote: i think i'd be scared to go to cuba. have you ever seen the movie, 'Brokedown Palace'? We US Citizens can't visit Cuba legally anyway. We're safe, Jenna! OTOH, I wanna say something like 20,000 US Citizens do illegally visit Cuba in a given year and don't get arrested or fined. But if the gov't wanted to press charges they certainly could. I think I'll go to Nicaragua instead. Ortega's not half the tinpot dictator he used to be. This is the problem with America. We've been fed a bunch of bullshit propaganda about Cuba. It ISN'T all that bad folks. Do the research and you'll find that America sometimes treats it's people with less rights and definitely less healthcare than Cuba does theirs.....
	Aug 6, 2008 at 8:55 pm
M4rk Edmonton Age: 25 Posts: 1160	scootzer wrote: We US Citizens can't visit Cuba legally anyway. We're safe, Jenna! i thought they changed it recently for us as well? ohhh gosh. i know nothing.
	Aug 6, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Lila Edmonton Age: 26 Posts: 1184	As for me, I've never been anywhere. I'd go to Cuba or to anywhere else, just so I can go. Sucks to be me
	Aug 6, 2008 at 9:00 pm
M4rk Edmonton Age: 25 Posts: 1160	Lila wrote: As for me, I've never been anywhere. I'd go to Cuba or to anywhere else, just so I can go. Sucks to be me i was just telling mark that too!!! never been on a vacation =( let's go somewhere!
	Aug 6, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Tender Edmonton Age: 27 Posts: 736	I'd love to go to Cuba. Anywhere in the Caribbean. We're all bitching at hot weather we're being hit with at the moment, but come November, we'll be freezing cold and that cold will be here for next 8 months. Enjoy hot weather while it lasts. It never lasts long in Edmonton. And let's all go to Cuba. It would be a marvelous trip.
	Aug 7, 2008 at 12:37 am
flora_tink southern US Age: 22 Posts: 2261	i would love to go ANYWHERE! lol i'm sure cuba will be great, mark maybe while you're down there, u can take a little trip to panama
	Aug 7, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Babie Fort McMurray Age: 21 Posts: 73	Visiting Cuba would totally rock. Count me in, perhaps I can scrape some cash and go.
	Aug 7, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Pluvius Pennsylvania, USA Age: 21 Posts: 100	How are drugs bad?
	Aug 8, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Mark Edmonton Age: 35 Posts: 1807	If anyone would be interested in going, I'm thinking beginning of November. I have done some research and came with plan B that seems much more fun than plan A. First of all, I wanted to experience it all while visiting Cuba: - night life - beach and sun - culture and history - have a Cuban cigar that's hand rolled on a thigh of a virgin - and take lots and lots of pictures Somehow throwing myself on a beach of an all inclusive resort didn't seem like the best way to spend holidays for me. I really want to take crap loads of pictures and visit interesting sights. I'm too hyperactive an individual to do f%$k all whole day but to lay on the beach look at hot asses of random chicks from Europe. On my quest for turning my vacation into an adventure, I was referred to o a very rare individual who has helped me put together what seem like the type of adventure I'm looking for. His name is Jorge and he's one of a couple of travel ambassadors from Cuba who are allowed by Cuban government to use internet and set up trips form within Cuba. He was recommended and vouched for by a friend of mine who is an experienced traveler and had him take care of his (several) visits to Cuba. I've been in touch with Jorge for a while and he's definitely the right guy for this type of thing. Based on my requirements, he absolutely recommended Havana. Other popular destination in Cuba, such as Varadero, Cayo Coco, Holguin, etc. are primarily tourist resorts and they look like… well, resorts. They are very touristy and while they have the finest beaches in the world, one would not experience the real Cuba by staying at an all inclusive resort. It would be no different than going to any other tropical country. You’d have the hotel just minutes form the beach, you’d have some water sports available to you, some evening entertainment, all food and drink you can consume, maybe throw a trip to the city, but still – it would be the same as you’d get in the Dominican Republic or Mexico or wherever else. To experience real Cuba and see more of their culture and history – aka what make Cuba… Cuba, it’s best to not take an all inclusive vacation. The trick is – an all inclusive vacation in November (which is when the season in Cuba begins) costs about $1200. Depending on where you’d be staying. Varadero is the most popular destination with most planes flying there, so it is cheaper to fly there, however because it’s the most popular destination, the hotels are also more expensive than say in Cayo Coco. $1200 is just about the cheapest you can get for November. I know several hard core travelers who stayed in a number of hotels so I’ve got a pretty good idea of which hotel offers what and what condition it’s in. Iberostar Varadero seems to be the best option, but is also the most expensive. Most Cuban hotels do not match up with hotels form more developed countries. Cuba is a poorer country and their four star hotel would be equivalent to a three star hotel elsewhere. That includes quality of food too. BTW – the $1200 quote is the one that would include everything. Travel agents would tell you that the cost for that trip is $749, but that’s not what you end up paying. I’m talking about the total price including their stupid taxes and surcharges and extras. The downside of all inclusive trips is that if you want to go out to visit some other place, you have to pay for it yourself. Cuba is not Mexico. You can wander the streets at night and no one will mug you (this is not to say you should not be careful – you have to remain careful and alert at all times when abroad) but in order to go somewhere, you’d have to either take a taxi or a bus. Some taxis are air conditioned, buses are not. Hence traveling by bus would be a major pain. Taxi would cost a lot so your spenditures would bump up. That’s where I got my friend Jorge involved and he’s put together a suggested itinerary for me. First he did one that involves only Havana (cause that offers most of what I’m after – it’s the real Cuba). Havana Adventure My Havana adventure would include the following: 3 nights stay at a stage room of a private house in Old Havana. Includes breakfast Following 3 nights in a stage room of a private house Trinidad with breakfast last night would be in Hotel Nacional in Havana and will also include breakfasts Airport pick up service and transfer to house in Old Havana in an a/c taxi Havana - Trinidad coach transfer in an a/c coach Hotel Nacional-Havana Airport drop off service in an a/c taxi 5 hour guided walking tour in Old Havana & Centro by a native Cuban 5 hours of entire Havana City guided car tour with a guide Dinner in La Guarida restaurant and La Fontana private restaurant Jorge charges 652 CUC for this service and it includes pre-trip arrangements, administration fees and taxes What I found out later, was that flights to Havana are much more expensive that to Varadero, so I asked him to suggest a different itinerary that would also include Varadero. This is what he came up with Varadero/Havana Adventure 3 nights all inclusive stay in Varadero's Hotel Blau 3 nights stay in Havana's Hostal Beltran Santa Cruz (located in Old Havana, will include breakfast) Last night in Hotel Nacional, Havana with breakfast Airport pick up service and in an a/c taxi Varadero-Havana a/c coach transfer Havana - Varadero a/c coach transfer Hotel - Airport drop off service in an a/c taxi 5 hour guided walking tour in Old Havana & Centro by a native Cuban 5 hours of entire Havana City guided car tour with a guide Dinner in La Guarida restaurant and La Fontana private restaurant This adventure would cost 833 CUC and includes pre-trip arrangements, administration fees and taxes I've checked all Havana hotels and all they offer is European plan (that means accommodation only, no food). There are no all inclusive resorts in Havana, those are just in resort towns. Havana is for those who want to experience real Cuba, obviously. One Cuban convertible Peso is worth $1.13 Canadian. That means that 652 CUC trip would cost approximately $739 Canadian (at time of this post). That includes a lot within Cuba, but doesn't include the flight from and to Cuba. I've checked with several providers and it looks like return flight ticket to Varadero from Edmonton at the beginning of November would cost around $347 plus fees, which is about $554 with fees. That would make total trip cost at about $1293. Considering that it offers you far more to see and experience than staying at one spot for 7 nights, this is far better deal. An average stay in an all inclusive resort would cost $1400. You can go for $1200 but you would stay in a two and a half star resort which in Cuban means would be just a little better than an emergency couch surfing at your friends house after a night out. I've done my homework and I think I already know which way I will want to go when visiting Cuba. I really want to end up with crap loads of pictures so I have something to show for my stay. I will also want to put together an on line journal from the trip and have both stills and video available so I will definitely want to visit more than just one resort. So now that I bored you so well - if there is anyone among you who would like to join me and travel Cuba along with my fat ass, let me know. It's always more fun then going by ones self. Plus I'll have my camera gear so you'll get lots of pictures and what not. But of course there is a financial cost involved so it would only be open to those who can scrape enough money. Unless you’re me, who's as broke as they get but I don't care. I want to go and live life before it passes me by. I'll deal with the debt later. Anyway, anyone eager to join me on my "Where the fuck am I" adventure in Cuba, let me know. It's gonna kick Cuban virgin ass BTW - I've also looked at what it would cost to have a cross city adventure purchased directly from a travel agency. It costs upwards of $5k PS - after Cuba, the next destination in Iceland
	Sep 22, 2008 at 12:05 am
allredDded Brantford Ont. Age: 41 Posts: 187	mark i'm pretty sure they are not rolled on the thighs of virgins but contact me with a mailing address and i will send you a couple of the best cuban cigars you have ever smoked . from what im told they are only for the cubans and tourists are not supposed to get them. but i have a friend that gets them from a friend of his who's brother works in the factory where they are made allredDded
	Sep 22, 2008 at 3:30 am
pornask Edmonton Age: 27 Posts: 1207	Dude, I'd totally love to go to Cuba with you... if only you were a hot chick
	Sep 22, 2008 at 8:44 am
flora_tink southern US Age: 22 Posts: 2261	i'd love to go mark
	Sep 22, 2008 at 11:23 am
Mark Edmonton Age: 35 Posts: 1807	Tink, let's go do Cuba. Most probable scenario is: arrive in Varadero on November 24 depart also from Varadero on December 01 The reason for Varadero arrival and departure is simple - it's the cheapest to fly there, because it's the busiest port of call for tourists and most outlets fly there often. I'm looking for plan C that would be different from both plan A and plan B. It would mostly involve staying in Casa Particular - Cuban version of what we know as Bed and Breakfast. They are regulated by Cuban government, are much friendlier than hotels and way cheaper (way, way better bang for the buck). They're also more comfortable and offer more human touch, rather than cold corporate atmosphere. Cubans are very friendly people and this way the money would actually go towards some family's income, rather than towards profit of some foreign company. Hospitality and friendliness of Cubans can be experiences first hand by staying with them. Some of my friends stayed few days in hotels and then tried Casa particular and never wanted to go back to a hotel. They played dominos with the family, had supper together, talked with them, were recommended and advised places to visit and things to do. Also, food is home made, not mass made, hence better. And is significantly cheaper than in restaurants. I was also thinking of renting a car instead of paying for taxis and coaches, but all rental places seem to be rather expensive (I'd never pay this type of money for car rental in Canada). But having ones own transport would be beneficial on countless levels. But also more costly. Not sure how much yet. I'm looking at it and I can imagine doing Varadero, then moving down to Zapata and Trinidad which is also very rich in history and culture. There are several smaller towns on the way that are worth short stop (Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, Villa Clara, etc.). This circle would allow us for seeing quite a bit of Cuba in 7 days. I'm still talking with a few locals to try to get a deal on car rental. Plan C looks pretty good so far
	Sep 22, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Jacky Red Deer Age: 39 Posts: 11	Hi Mark Been to Cuba probably 20 times for a month each time cause i worked in oil there. November can be cooler and windy but can have some nice days i was there last oct nov and had a ton of rain and wind Cars are great to rent but the traffic is crazy! I now hire a driver befriend a cabby and he can help you out a lot Havana Rocks! get in to the old Havana and go Dress down and you dont stick out so bad Disco s Shows !! WOmen everywhere Varadaro is fun but commercialized At resort tip your bar tender I give the head bartender 20 CUC when i get there and tell him to keep my friends in drinks for the next few days he can help you with drivers tours entertainment! beaches etc The resorts are no indication of life in Cuba get out and meet people they will love to take you to there homes maybe for a meal i bring meat and beer as rum is cheap and beer expensive and cola sometimes it is very fun Every one knows someone that can help you out with whatever. Have fun
	Sep 23, 2008 at 11:28 am
Mark Edmonton Age: 35 Posts: 1807	Thank you, Jacky. Great info. Do you know where the best car rental places are? Or do you think a guy is better off taking a taxi or a couch? I'm guessing parking situation isn't the greatest and for non local that could be a little bit challenging. But then agian - probably easier to pick up local chicks with a car I'm already booked and will be taking off on November 24. Back on December 1. There are still some spots available on the plane I'm taking form Edmonton. I will be meeting with a number of people there who will be going from other parts of the world. Arrival and departures ar ein varadero, because it's cheapest to fly there, but I won't spend much time in that area. I'll spend 4 nights in Havana exploring the area and 3 nights in Trinidad exploring it there. Varadero will only serve as point of entry and exit. I'm totally looking forward to this
	Sep 23, 2008 at 12:25 pm
allredDded Brantford Ont. Age: 41 Posts: 187	hi mark jacky is right on the mark it's best to find someone local with a car to drive it should not cost you much and it is way easier with less hassel because of the us embargo cars are hard to find also try to stay away from the moped rentals. had a friend who went down about a few years ago he got hit by a car while riding a moped and died it cost his family $15 000 to get his body released and shipped back to canada
	Sep 23, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Mark Edmonton Age: 35 Posts: 1807	Thanks for heads up. I'm gonna hit you up with the address, would love to try some of your cigars I actually can't even ride mopeds. That would be a suicide one way or another. Many Cubans are poor and can't afford a car so either don't have any or drive those old wrecks form the 50's still. Rental places have wide selection of quality European or Japanese cars. Makes like Peugeot or Skoda are very popular in Europe (used to drive them) and they're widely available for rent in Cuba. Rentals are just so expensive it's obscene. That's the only downside. Folk who were in Cuba are telling me that while taxi rides between towns are expensive, there is always plenty of travelers around and never too difficult to fit three people in a cab and share the fee. Viazul buses are very good, air conditioned, comfortable and reasonably priced, but they only ride once or twice a day and don't offer much flexibility as to the stoppage. You wouldn't see much of the cool stuff, like horse carriages, national parks, desolate beaches and the such by riding in a bus. Renting a car - even though obscenely expensive, seems to be the smartest option. Plus so many Cubans hitch hike, I may even get lucky They have Audi cabriolets too, but that's ridiculously priced. All rentals have A/C though.
	Sep 23, 2008 at 1:29 pm
allredDded Brantford Ont. Age: 41 Posts: 187	you won't believe these cigars i have tried all kinds from a lot of different places and these things are the smoothest mildest ones i have ever found it almost makes me think the cohiba - montecristo and others they sell to tourists are just some kind of a joke to get back at americans lol i gave a few to a guy who owns a cigar shop in niagara on the lake and he told me if i could get them in bulk we could both be rich also when you are in cuba try taking in a base ball game and try the ones they sell at the ball park they are pretty good to by the way have you thought much about what youare planning to take with you when you go
	Sep 23, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Mark Edmonton Age: 35 Posts: 1807	Cuban cigars are overall a little heavier than let's say Dominican cigars. But that's the signature thing of Cubans. I myself prefer milder cigars too. I'm a non smoker, haven't had a cigarette for 5 years. But I enjoy nice cigar with my buddy Dave at least once a week. We've pretty much tried everything that's available in Edmonton. Looking forward to trying something new. Cuban law allows for tourists to take off with up to 50 cigars. I have yet to find out how many cigars Canadian laws allow to import. I'm definitely returning with some nice stuff home
	Sep 23, 2008 at 2:56 pm
allredDded Brantford Ont. Age: 41 Posts: 187	just checking but have you ever had a hep vaccination you really should if your going to cuba
	Sep 23, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Mark Edmonton Age: 35 Posts: 1807	I may have had the vaccination when I was a kid. Don't remember. Definitely haven't had one in last few years. Guess I should call the medicenter and talk to them or something. I phoned Capital Health, they gave me a number to Traveler’s Health services department. They have a specialty clinic dedicated to travelers and have all vaccinations necessary for any region - that's pretty cool. Except that Alberta Health Care doesn't cover the cost I’m gonna get Hep B shot, though.
	Sep 23, 2008 at 3:50 pm
allredDded Brantford Ont. Age: 41 Posts: 187	i would check into it soon i think it takes something like 3 to6 months to be vaccinated for hep b & c but you can get it done in a shorter period of time if you are going soon so check as soon as you can justto be safe on another point don't forget to take bug repelent tou will be glad you did gotta go i will talk to you more on the subject (cuba) later
	Sep 23, 2008 at 4:10 pm
M4rk Edmonton Age: 25 Posts: 1160	hi mark
	Sep 23, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Mark Edmonton Age: 35 Posts: 1807	You're going with me to Iceland, Jenna. Still enough time to get everything ready. It's gonna be great. Do you have valid passport?
	Sep 23, 2008 at 5:25 pm
flora_tink southern US Age: 22 Posts: 2261	Mark wrote: Tink, let's go do Cuba. Most probable scenario is: arrive in Varadero on November 24 depart also from Varadero on December 01 The reason for Varadero arrival and departure is simple - it's the cheapest to fly there, because it's the busiest port of call for tourists and most outlets fly there often. I'm looking for plan C that would be different from both plan A and plan B. It would mostly involve staying in Casa Particular - Cuban version of what we know as Bed and Breakfast. They are regulated by Cuban government, are much friendlier than hotels and way cheaper (way, way better bang for the buck). They're also more comfortable and offer more human touch, rather than cold corporate atmosphere. Cubans are very friendly people and this way the money would actually go towards some family's income, rather than towards profit of some foreign company. Hospitality and friendliness of Cubans can be experiences first hand by staying with them. Some of my friends stayed few days in hotels and then tried Casa particular and never wanted to go back to a hotel. They played dominos with the family, had supper together, talked with them, were recommended and advised places to visit and things to do. Also, food is home made, not mass made, hence better. And is significantly cheaper than in restaurants. I was also thinking of renting a car instead of paying for taxis and coaches, but all rental places seem to be rather expensive (I'd never pay this type of money for car rental in Canada). But having ones own transport would be beneficial on countless levels. But also more costly. Not sure how much yet. I'm looking at it and I can imagine doing Varadero, then moving down to Zapata and Trinidad which is also very rich in history and culture. There are several smaller towns on the way that are worth short stop (Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, Villa Clara, etc.). This circle would allow us for seeing quite a bit of Cuba in 7 days. I'm still talking with a few locals to try to get a deal on car rental. Plan C looks pretty good so far sounds like a plan just hit me up and u'll give me the money LOL
	Sep 23, 2008 at 6:58 pm
Jacky Red Deer Age: 39 Posts: 11	Mark wrote: Thank you, Jacky. Great info. Do you know where the best car rental places are? Or do you think a guy is better off taking a taxi or a couch? I'm guessing parking situation isn't the greatest and for non local that could be a little bit challenging. But then agian - probably easier to pick up local chicks with a car I'm already booked and will be taking off on November 24. Back on December 1. There are still some spots available on the plane I'm taking form Edmonton. I will be meeting with a number of people there who will be going from other parts of the world. Arrival and departures ar ein varadero, because it's cheapest to fly there, but I won't spend much time in that area. I'll spend 4 nights in Havana exploring the area and 3 nights in Trinidad exploring it there. Varadero will only serve as point of entry and exit. I'm totally looking forward to this There is a tourist bus to havana from Varadero couple a day fairly cheap Looking for ladies befriending a younger driver who will act as your entertainment coordinator. They get you to the hot spots get you in, line up some ladies, you have to pay there way but its cheap they gladly do it because hanging out with us is cool carry a pack of " Holywoods" green ( menthol) and a lite. Buy a few drinks and you will have a crowd of hot women at your table all night. Just a few more tips.
	Sep 25, 2008 at 9:09 am
Mark Edmonton Age: 35 Posts: 1807	I have to stop thinking about Cuba cause I'm too excited to go and it's still two months away. Can't wait I technically could have gone sooner (would have been yet cheaper) but decided to wait till hurricane season is officially over and since they had two hurricanes plow through their land in 8 days, I wanted to wait till they had enough time to clean up the mess. Even though my friends from Cuba are reporting back that it's all sorted out already, areas that lost electricity are powered up again and everything is back to normal. Now it's all about waiting and I just want to go My plan has changed too. I will basically move to Havana right after landing in Varadero (sadly, I will miss the Viazul bus because of the time I get there hence I will have to take a taxi, which will be 80 CUC), will stay in Havana for 2 nights giving me enough time to explore the capital city and take lots of pictures and on my third day in Havana, I'll pick up a rental car (the most expensive venture) and will go for a ride away from tourist areas, to meet real Cubans, real culture, real fun on the beach and all that good stuff. I'm planning to eat in people's restaurants, where food costs 1 CUP, not 7 CUC (1CUC is 24 CUP). I have rough idea of which areas I'd like to visit. Hope to spend at least a couple days in Trinidad too. Since I will spend most of my time away from tourist areas, I won't be exposed to jineteros and jineteras much. Those are the ones who spend their whole days trying to make the most out of tourists and they're not liked by real Cubans as much as they're a nuisance for foreigners. Real Cubans are very friendly and will never try to make money off of you. On the contrary, they will invite you everywhere and will pay for you. Hence I'm gonna stay out of the beaten tourist path. What exactly are "Holywoods" green ( menthol)? Are these chewing gums?
	Sep 25, 2008 at 9:43 am
anamaria Calgary Age: 22 Posts: 538	Mark wrote: I have to stop thinking about Cuba cause I'm too excited to go and it's still two months away. Well, here's a bump to remind you of Cuba cause I don't get to go. LOL, hope you have a blast
	Sep 25, 2008 at 4:27 pm
euphoria18 Lloydminster Age: 32 Posts: 4	sounds like it would be fun, but, i checked flights and i am getting over $1000 for the airfare alone. Sounds like a fun time.
	Sep 26, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Mark Edmonton Age: 35 Posts: 1807	I know, that's what I was getting too at first. November is already high season and all major flight operators charge $489 one way. You take return add to it $206 taxes and all of a sudden you're looking at over $1k for just the flight alone. I was able to get a return ticket to Varadero for $345 plus $206 taxes, but I put ll my Cuban connections in use. Which worked out just a little bit over $500. There will be additional spendings of about $500 (car rental will be 65% of it) but overall for a total of $1000 this will add up being a nice trip for a good price. When I bought by plane ticket, they still had 11 places available. Yesterday I phoned them again to see if maybe I can prolong my stay but moving my departure or return would incur extra high cost so I decided against it. At the time they still had 4 spots available in the same plane.
	Sep 26, 2008 at 11:48 pm
fido_alive Minneapolis, MN Age: 36 Posts: 1877	My old neighbor is from Cuba. Him and his family came here in 96. According to him, it isn't as safe as you make it sound. There is a high rate of kidnapping and extortion (especially if a family member is sending you US dollars). He went back to visit a year ago last July. His mom and most of his family is still there. They are struggling to survive and have very little not supplied to them by his monthly money. He's from Camaguey which was hit by the recent hurricane. His family's home was high enough to not be damaged baddly. The river is 8 blocks from his home and flooded to within 2 blocks of his home. There aren't many (any) trees in his city, but there was still a ton of debris all over. They don't have a government interested in helping with any cleanup, so the place is still largely a disaster area. I'd like to visit to meet his family, but I'll take Minnesota any day to live in.
	Sep 28, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Angie Calgary Age: 23 Posts: 4736	Well, Cuba has lowest child mortality rate in the world, one of the highest life expectancies in the world, one of the lowest crime rates in the world, virtually no organized crime, no drug related crime, one of the lowest murder rates in the world, and so on. This to me is a safe country. Chances of being victim of crime in Cuba are way lower than anywhere else in the world. And even if you're one of the rare breed who do happen to have bad luck, it would have been a stolen car or something like that. There's definitely no other country in the world where this level of personal safety can be had.
	Sep 28, 2008 at 4:37 pm
fido_alive Minneapolis, MN Age: 36 Posts: 1877	Interesting statistics, any idea where they came from? yours is a prettier picture than he draws of the country. Maybe that's why he left. I'd still rather stay in Minnesota..
	Sep 28, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Scooter MI Age: 44 Posts: 1155	Anyone who trades liberty for security deserves neither liberty nor security. Ben Franklin
	Sep 28, 2008 at 4:43 pm
fido_alive Minneapolis, MN Age: 36 Posts: 1877	"4:20" -Fido
	Sep 28, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Mark Edmonton Age: 35 Posts: 1807	Cuba's far from perfect, but I don't think any society we know is. If there was a perfect society, everyone would know which way to go to achieve that. And yes, there is plenty of wrong with Cuba, but I would not say that the quality of a country is best measured based on how many people left to live elsewhere. I'm sure there are far more Canadians who leave Canada to trade it for life in another country per capita, then there are Cubans in Cuba. You will always get two sides to every story. It's not difficult to find Canadians who moved to the US and bash Canadian health care system saying that they could not get proper medical care, blah blah... whatever their story may be, while at the same time there are Canadians who don't understand what they're talking about as everyone they know have never had any issues getting proper medical care. You can't make everyone happy, I guess. There are some great things about the way Cuba is run but there are downsides to it as well. By keeping the country so closed, Cuba has very low (understand "non existent" occurrence of AIDS, there is no organized crime and no drug trafficking, which makes it a very safe country. But that goes for the price of liberty. Ignorance is bliss and that's what Cuban government gives its people. Which is not a good thing, because they are cut off from the rest of the world, not knowing what they're missing. But at the same time, by not knowing what they're missing, they don't get bothered by it. You don't see people committing suicides in Cuba, you don't see half of their nation being in credit card debt. We have problems here they haven't heard of. That's the bliss of the ignorance that's given to them. On the other hand, we in the rest of the world can travel, we are able to visit any website we desire and choose what we take for the truth, but being this open we have kids outside our door dealing and/or taking drugs, we have dysfunctional families often due to inability to make ends meet which causes lots of second hand problems and tension, we have stabbings, drive by shootings, unexplainable mass murdering at schools where the killer then kills himself, and other similar perks that they don't have in Cuba. I think if it was possible to have a country that's both as open as Canada or the US and as safe as Cuba, everyone would want to live there. Somehow it's not possible. You get either safe, but not open, or open but not safe. Once again, there's plenty wrong with Cuba. I do not agree with taking basic human liberties away from people. Not all Cubans have internet access and those who do, are behind firewalls that censors which sites are accessible and which are not. That to me is not good. But at the same time, this type of censorship makes it impossible to engage in any form of international organized crime. Most Cubans would not even know there is such thing as international drug cartels and gang wars. Fidel Castro was running Cuba for 50 years and he made it a safe but restricted country. It is possible Cuba will start changing sooner or later. My sole objective right now is to experience that old Cuba. Cause once it changes, there will be no difference between going to Cuba and going to Mexico.
	Sep 28, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Scooter MI Age: 44 Posts: 1155	Very well stated, Mark. I think we're all in agreement that Cuba -today- would be a great place to visit, but we wouldn't necessarily want to live there. I have many friends from my Air Force days who departed the US and retired in the Philippines, Korea, Singapore, Japan, etc. Each one of them has given up some freedom to choose to live there. And that's the best thing about being free - we can choose to give up personal liberty if we want. It's sort of like the old Rush song goes "If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice". (Mel, are you reading? lol) It's those who don't have that choice, like Cubans and North Koreans that I feel real bad for.
	Sep 28, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Mark Edmonton Age: 35 Posts: 1807	Got my shots today. Hepatitis A in one of my shoulders and Tetanus in another. Now my both shoulders hurt like a mofo. All those travel vaccinations you have to pay for, they’re not covered by Alberta Health care so I didn't go for Hepatitis B, which transfers via sexual contact. I will either have to abstain or use rubber and no oral sex. Hepatitis A on the other hand can be contracted by food or water. Cuba is considered safe and chances of getting disease are low, according to their tables, but it's always safer to have protection against Hepatitis. There is no Malaria, Yellow Fever or any of those really deadly diseases in Cuba, only general ones that can be contracted anywhere. Tetanus shots are free in Alberta, so I got it just because of that. Apparently they work for 10 years and protect if you get a cut with a dirty object or what not. The only other shot nurse said i could consider for my own peace of mind would have been rabies, but that you have to take three times within 6 months and costs $87 each. Which is pretty stupid, cause they charge you arm and leg to get vaccinated (aka prevention) but if you get infected with rabies, then treatment is free. WTF? Alberta logic sucks. So I decided against it. And aside from celibacy, I will also abstain from sleeping with animals
	Sep 30, 2008 at 11:40 pm
Mark Edmonton Age: 35 Posts: 1807	My body seems to be having issues dealing with Tetanus vaccine. I was told that Tetanus shots are accompanied by several days of local pain (in the area of injection) and up to 50% of people experience other side effects with flu like symptoms. Well, obviously I fall within the up to 50% category. Hepatitis A shot I got in my right arm, because I'm right handed and that one is reportedly well accepted with virtually no side effects. I got the Tetanus one in my left arm so I can continue using my right and while right shoulder is no longer sore, left one still hurts like a motherfucker and I feel sick. Tetanus shot was free, so I went for it, but damn... didn't expect it'd make me feel like shit
	Oct 1, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Death Edmonton Age: 25 Posts: 44	That's a shitty deal. Reaction should go away within a few days by itself though. You'll just need to relax and take it easy so your body gets a chance to deal with it.
	Oct 1, 2008 at 11:30 pm
FergusMaximus Rock the Rebel, Metal the Devil Age: 25 Posts: 1514	I got my tetanus shot at the end of May, after my bike accident, with no ill effects at all. Makes me wonder if there was anything in that needle... According to Wikipedia, this is what tetanus patient looks like:
	Oct 1, 2008 at 11:31 pm
fido_alive Minneapolis, MN Age: 36 Posts: 1877	FergusMaximus wrote: I got my tetanus shot at the end of May, after my bike accident, with no ill effects at all. Makes me wonder if there was anything in that needle... According to Wikipedia, this is what tetanus patient looks like: After this picture, I'm getting my shot too.
	Oct 2, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Scooter MI Age: 44 Posts: 1155	Hey Mark, have you seen the recent food crisis in Cuba? I saw this the other day. http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D93NQBO00&show_article=1 Might wanna stock up on some rations before you leave!
	Oct 12, 2008 at 8:51 am
Mark Edmonton Age: 35 Posts: 1807	None of my connections in Cuba, whether Cubans themselves or people from other countries staying in Cuba said it was true. Gas went up 70% two weeks ago, this is a killer for everyone, but no issues with food anyone would know of. I'll be only staying for a week. Maybe it'll fix my weight
	Oct 12, 2008 at 3:11 pm
flora_tink southern US Age: 22 Posts: 2261	Mark wrote: None of my connections in Cuba, whether Cubans themselves or people from other countries staying in Cuba said it was true. Gas went up 70% two weeks ago, this is a killer for everyone, but no issues with food anyone would know of. I'll be only staying for a week. Maybe it'll fix my weight but.. your weight is fine..
	Oct 12, 2008 at 5:07 pm
anamaria Calgary Age: 22 Posts: 538	Cuba's problems with food have been on going for a long period of time. Food is one of Cuba's biggest imports. I guess agriculture is not a favorite business activity in Cuba, which is weird. If i were a Cuban, I'd agriculture. Everyone seems to grow tobacco. That's all fine and dandy, it's a lucrative export, but also big competition. They don't have enough food. Get into business that produces food and you're bound to do well. It's not like they don't have land. Get some cattle, start farming, grow crop - it's not too hard. Why pay crap loads of money buying food from abroad? Food is an easy part. It's not like gasoline - if your country doesn't have any oil reserves, then you have to import. But food?
	Oct 27, 2008 at 12:42 pm
fido_alive Minneapolis, MN Age: 36 Posts: 1877	anamaria wrote: Cuba's problems with food have been on going for a long period of time. Food is one of Cuba's biggest imports. I guess agriculture is not a favorite business activity in Cuba, which is weird. If i were a Cuban, I'd agriculture. Everyone seems to grow tobacco. That's all fine and dandy, it's a lucrative export, but also big competition. They don't have enough food. Get into business that produces food and you're bound to do well. It's not like they don't have land. Get some cattle, start farming, grow crop - it's not too hard. Why pay crap loads of money buying food from abroad? Food is an easy part. It's not like gasoline - if your country doesn't have any oil reserves, then you have to import. But food? Let me try one more time. You can't buy land and start farming in Cuba. If you are a farmer, you raise what the government tells you to raise, not what you think would do well or make the most profit. Because of government inadequacy, and maybe the ideal of the government wanting to export a commodity rather than feed its people, they don't always get to raise feed that people need to eat. Lastly, you can't purchase the seed and fertilizer you need to raise bumper crops, you get what the government gives you and you plant it. So, there is land being under utilized and some, not utilized at all. They are also a land-locked island with a pretty big population, so it isn't abnormal to expect food imports.
	Oct 27, 2008 at 7:20 pm

• Forums > EVENTS > Visiting Cuba Before it Changes
  Previous | 1 | 2 | Next
• New Topic    Reply