Credit Card-Carrying US Independent Travelers Go to Cuba
Jan 14th, 2017, 09:36 AM
#21
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SambaChula, There are many travelers who crave adventure and encounters with different cultures, yet don't want to give up creature comforts. (As an aging former backpacker, I totally get it!) The typical high end organized tour to Cuba is $5000+ for a week or $8000+ for two weeks. Spending more doesn't mean you won't have a great experience or miss the authentic Cuba. Here are examples of sold-out, hugely popular tours that were recommended by people we know (not all Americans):
http://www.geoex.com/trips/cuba-conn...y/dates-prices
https://www.backroads.com/trips/WCUQ/cuba-walking-tour
We also have friends who went on a privately arranged tour by the cool boutique British agency blacktomato.com - It was pricey, but they say one of their best trips ever...and they have been all over the world. I would say the main difference between their trip and ours was the hand holding. We are Spanish speakers and I'm okay with setting up and confirming rides and restaurants, but you can't fault someone who is very busy at work, about to enter uncharted territory and wants to put the minutia in the hands of an expert.
http://www.geoex.com/trips/cuba-conn...y/dates-prices
https://www.backroads.com/trips/WCUQ/cuba-walking-tour
We also have friends who went on a privately arranged tour by the cool boutique British agency blacktomato.com - It was pricey, but they say one of their best trips ever...and they have been all over the world. I would say the main difference between their trip and ours was the hand holding. We are Spanish speakers and I'm okay with setting up and confirming rides and restaurants, but you can't fault someone who is very busy at work, about to enter uncharted territory and wants to put the minutia in the hands of an expert.
Jan 14th, 2017, 09:39 AM
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annhig, I still want to hear about your first casa, the terrible one! Because our hotel was sub par (except the views), I was initially sorry we didn't stay in a casa in Viñales, but when I actually peeked into them, some were pretty funky. It is crazy that the whole town is basically a sprawling development of brightly-colored airbnbs.
Jan 15th, 2017, 02:28 AM
#23
crosscheck - just to be clear, it wasn't our very first casa [which was in Vedado, in Havana and was pretty good] it was the first one in Viñales which ironically had been booked for us by our casa owner in Havana. When she was booking accommodation for us and for the aussie family who were staying there at the same time [with whom we are still in contact, which was an unlooked for bonus of our trip] she found that lots of her "go to" places were full so she had to resort to friends of friends, which turned out to be a bit hit or miss. Absolutely not her fault - rather it was ours for thinking that we'd easily be able to find places as we went round which turned out not to be the case as so many people had inconsiderately decided to go to Cuba at the same time as us!
Anyway, she booked this place in Viñales for us, and when our taxi driver [who had driven up from Viñales through appalling weather to collect us, as the Viator bus from Havana to Viñales was reportedly full] started to ask us if we were sure about staying there, we put it down to his having a friend who had a casa that he was hoping to take us to instead. As he had already tried to get us to hire him as a driver for our entire trip we took this as par for the course and it didn't ring any warning bells. They started to sound however when instead of stopping on the main street, or even one of the streets off the main street, he drove up a not very salubrious street, parked the car, and asking again if we were sure about this, set off with one of our cases into what looked like a building site. What we should have done at that point was to stop him and ask him to take us somewhere else, but being brits who don't like to complain [and having had enough experiences where first impressions turned out to be wrong] we followed like sheep up the uneven pathway, under the ladder, across the half-finished extension, and up to a typical cuban house with a couple of chairs outside it.
Going inside, we were shown a very pink bedroom with a ensuite bathroom [the best thing about it] and an attached conservatory where there was a dining table. not luxurious but we weren't looking for that. What we did not realise at that point was that that was it - there was no real outside space at all apart from the two chairs facing a concrete wall - and that once it got dark [at about 6pm] we would effectively be marooned in a pitch-black building site.
Once the driver left, our not particularly friendly hostess very effectively relieved us of quite a lot of money [3 nights BnB, 3 lots of breakfast, and what seemed like a very expensive walking tour of the national park the following day] and then left us to our own devices. Going out into Viñales we quickly realised that there were a lot of very much nicer looking casas with roof terraces and gardens and lots of them had vacancies, but even then the penny did not entirely drop and after a meal and wander round [and booking our Transtur bus to take us to Cienfuegos at the end of our stay in Viñales] we went back to the casa, which was when we realised that that was it. After dark we were stuck. No-one to talk to, nothing to see, no-where to go. Ok, we had torches and we could have tried to negotiate the building site but it didn't present a very safe or enticing proposition. So we stayed in and watched a film or two on DH's i-pad and waited for the morning which was heralded by the local cockerel at about 5am. [not a problem - we keep hens so that at least didn't worry us]
The next morning after a so-so breakfast we went on a very pleasant but confusingly expensive guided walk but on returning to the casa depression set in at the thought of being stuck there for another 2 nights so I decided that enough was enough and we had to find somewhere else. Apart from anything else, I could not see how we would be able to get our luggage down that path in the dark when we had to catch the bus at 7am on the morning we were due to leave. DH was remarkably receptive to this idea, even though it meant losing the cost of two nights' accommodation, so we set out to find a better place. Unfortunately most of the nicest places we'd seen the day before had taken down their vacancy signs, but in the end we found a very pleasant casa, just off the main street with a veranda, and two roof terraces and very friendly owners and fellow guests all of which had been lacking at Casa no 1. And it was cheaper than the first one. So then we dashed back to the original casa, packed, and decamped, leaving them a note on the table, in our very bad spanish, to say that we had not been happy and had gone somewhere else. They of course could not complain as they had not lost any money, and in the overall scheme of things it wasn't a big deal for us.
Our instincts about the 2nd place were right - we had a lovely time sitting out on the roof terrace watching the sunset and eating dinner with the other guests, exploring Viñales at night [including visiting the great piña colada truck] - and it was ideally placed for catching the bus on the morning we left.
So there you have it crosscheck. I'm sure that we could have stuck it out for 3 nights but I'm very glad we didn't. We did the same in Sri Lanka when DH decided that he couldn't stand the thought of another night in a gorgeous but remote location, and though that cost us quite a lot more, we were very happy with our decision.
Anyway, she booked this place in Viñales for us, and when our taxi driver [who had driven up from Viñales through appalling weather to collect us, as the Viator bus from Havana to Viñales was reportedly full] started to ask us if we were sure about staying there, we put it down to his having a friend who had a casa that he was hoping to take us to instead. As he had already tried to get us to hire him as a driver for our entire trip we took this as par for the course and it didn't ring any warning bells. They started to sound however when instead of stopping on the main street, or even one of the streets off the main street, he drove up a not very salubrious street, parked the car, and asking again if we were sure about this, set off with one of our cases into what looked like a building site. What we should have done at that point was to stop him and ask him to take us somewhere else, but being brits who don't like to complain [and having had enough experiences where first impressions turned out to be wrong] we followed like sheep up the uneven pathway, under the ladder, across the half-finished extension, and up to a typical cuban house with a couple of chairs outside it.
Going inside, we were shown a very pink bedroom with a ensuite bathroom [the best thing about it] and an attached conservatory where there was a dining table. not luxurious but we weren't looking for that. What we did not realise at that point was that that was it - there was no real outside space at all apart from the two chairs facing a concrete wall - and that once it got dark [at about 6pm] we would effectively be marooned in a pitch-black building site.
Once the driver left, our not particularly friendly hostess very effectively relieved us of quite a lot of money [3 nights BnB, 3 lots of breakfast, and what seemed like a very expensive walking tour of the national park the following day] and then left us to our own devices. Going out into Viñales we quickly realised that there were a lot of very much nicer looking casas with roof terraces and gardens and lots of them had vacancies, but even then the penny did not entirely drop and after a meal and wander round [and booking our Transtur bus to take us to Cienfuegos at the end of our stay in Viñales] we went back to the casa, which was when we realised that that was it. After dark we were stuck. No-one to talk to, nothing to see, no-where to go. Ok, we had torches and we could have tried to negotiate the building site but it didn't present a very safe or enticing proposition. So we stayed in and watched a film or two on DH's i-pad and waited for the morning which was heralded by the local cockerel at about 5am. [not a problem - we keep hens so that at least didn't worry us]
The next morning after a so-so breakfast we went on a very pleasant but confusingly expensive guided walk but on returning to the casa depression set in at the thought of being stuck there for another 2 nights so I decided that enough was enough and we had to find somewhere else. Apart from anything else, I could not see how we would be able to get our luggage down that path in the dark when we had to catch the bus at 7am on the morning we were due to leave. DH was remarkably receptive to this idea, even though it meant losing the cost of two nights' accommodation, so we set out to find a better place. Unfortunately most of the nicest places we'd seen the day before had taken down their vacancy signs, but in the end we found a very pleasant casa, just off the main street with a veranda, and two roof terraces and very friendly owners and fellow guests all of which had been lacking at Casa no 1. And it was cheaper than the first one. So then we dashed back to the original casa, packed, and decamped, leaving them a note on the table, in our very bad spanish, to say that we had not been happy and had gone somewhere else. They of course could not complain as they had not lost any money, and in the overall scheme of things it wasn't a big deal for us.
Our instincts about the 2nd place were right - we had a lovely time sitting out on the roof terrace watching the sunset and eating dinner with the other guests, exploring Viñales at night [including visiting the great piña colada truck] - and it was ideally placed for catching the bus on the morning we left.
So there you have it crosscheck. I'm sure that we could have stuck it out for 3 nights but I'm very glad we didn't. We did the same in Sri Lanka when DH decided that he couldn't stand the thought of another night in a gorgeous but remote location, and though that cost us quite a lot more, we were very happy with our decision.
Jan 16th, 2017, 01:54 PM
#24
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annhig, You get an A+ for storytelling and I will waive points off for tardiness. This is truly a cautionary tale about booking a casa sight unseen. Something similar happened to us with a guest house in Belize that was rated #1 for 'alternative lodging' on Tripadvisor. Had to walk away from our deposit. In our case the place was surrounded by mounds of beach trash and there was no AC as advertised (or fan).
The frequent posters on TA are anti-airbnb in Cuba because they believe the service fees should go to local casa agencies. But with the agencies, as in your case through word of mouth, you don't really know what you're getting.
I wonder about etiquette for choosing a place on the spot, as you did with Casa #2 after your bout of casa depression. I would feel terrible rejecting casas after touring them with the owners ("your house is too dark, we'll take the one down the road"). But on the other hand, vacation days for us are rare/priceless and we do care about location and the quality of our lodging.
The frequent posters on TA are anti-airbnb in Cuba because they believe the service fees should go to local casa agencies. But with the agencies, as in your case through word of mouth, you don't really know what you're getting.
I wonder about etiquette for choosing a place on the spot, as you did with Casa #2 after your bout of casa depression. I would feel terrible rejecting casas after touring them with the owners ("your house is too dark, we'll take the one down the road"). But on the other hand, vacation days for us are rare/priceless and we do care about location and the quality of our lodging.
Jan 16th, 2017, 06:27 PM
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"The frequent posters on TA are anti-airbnb in Cuba because they believe the service fees should go to local casa agencies. But with the agencies, as in your case through word of mouth, you don't really know what you're getting. "
I booked through CubaJunky. My choices were made from photos and reviews of the houses where I stayed (just like AirBnB), and worked out just as represented. I booked directly with the owners using their personal email (i.e. CubaJunky had no idea if I booked and stayed or not.). I paid on arrival in cash for the first night. What "service fees"? (Perhaps the owners pay a small monthly fee to CubaJunky for advertising on the site? Certainly less than AirBnB takes in fees, charging the tourist him/herself more than the same casa listed on CJ or another local site.)
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One casa owner had no vacancy when I wanted to stay one more night and recommended a relative's house. I agreed, but it was not of an equal standard ( things like water pressure, and a broken toilet valve, which I wouldn't have thought to check before committing) and I was not comfortable. He did not seem to understand that difference in level of lodging. Not sure I'm flexible enough in my old age for this "word of mouth" idea.
I booked through CubaJunky. My choices were made from photos and reviews of the houses where I stayed (just like AirBnB), and worked out just as represented. I booked directly with the owners using their personal email (i.e. CubaJunky had no idea if I booked and stayed or not.). I paid on arrival in cash for the first night. What "service fees"? (Perhaps the owners pay a small monthly fee to CubaJunky for advertising on the site? Certainly less than AirBnB takes in fees, charging the tourist him/herself more than the same casa listed on CJ or another local site.)
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One casa owner had no vacancy when I wanted to stay one more night and recommended a relative's house. I agreed, but it was not of an equal standard ( things like water pressure, and a broken toilet valve, which I wouldn't have thought to check before committing) and I was not comfortable. He did not seem to understand that difference in level of lodging. Not sure I'm flexible enough in my old age for this "word of mouth" idea.
Jan 17th, 2017, 03:10 AM
#26
crosscheck - thanks for your kind words. I do wish that I'd finished my TR on Cuba and I will post this entry on that thread - perhaps that will give me a bit of a push to do the rest.
<<I wonder about etiquette for choosing a place on the spot, as you did with Casa #2 after your bout of casa depression. I would feel terrible rejecting casas after touring them with the owners ("your house is too dark, we'll take the one down the road").>>
We did reject a few before we found the one we picked. One turned out to be the house of the local major who was rather suspicious that we didn't have any cases with us, but we said that the stairs were too steep for our heavy luggage and then lost our ability to speak spanish. [that happened a few times when we wanted to get out of tight spaces!] We were also worried about getting our cases down the stairs in the dark at the place we chose but they assured us that they would help and they did! lovely people, and a real taste of Cuba.
<<He did not seem to understand that difference in level of lodging. Not sure I'm flexible enough in my old age for this "word of mouth" idea.>>
SambaChula - I think that you have identified a real problem with casas in Cuba which is the lack of official inspection and grading, which given the high level of official interference in the lives of Cubans otherwise seems a little strange. The quality of the places that our first casa owner booked for us varied greatly; the ones where she personally knew the owner [in Cienfuegos and Remedios] were of a far higher standard than the ones where she didn't [in Vinales and Trinidad]. Cost per night seemed to have little to do with it, as the nicer places were if any thing cheaper than the others. I understand that Casa owners have to pay a tax per room per night whether they let it out or not, so that is an incentive to set prices low to attract people I suppose. A grading system would be a great boon to travellers and would push up the quality of accommodation.
<<I wonder about etiquette for choosing a place on the spot, as you did with Casa #2 after your bout of casa depression. I would feel terrible rejecting casas after touring them with the owners ("your house is too dark, we'll take the one down the road").>>
We did reject a few before we found the one we picked. One turned out to be the house of the local major who was rather suspicious that we didn't have any cases with us, but we said that the stairs were too steep for our heavy luggage and then lost our ability to speak spanish. [that happened a few times when we wanted to get out of tight spaces!] We were also worried about getting our cases down the stairs in the dark at the place we chose but they assured us that they would help and they did! lovely people, and a real taste of Cuba.
<<He did not seem to understand that difference in level of lodging. Not sure I'm flexible enough in my old age for this "word of mouth" idea.>>
SambaChula - I think that you have identified a real problem with casas in Cuba which is the lack of official inspection and grading, which given the high level of official interference in the lives of Cubans otherwise seems a little strange. The quality of the places that our first casa owner booked for us varied greatly; the ones where she personally knew the owner [in Cienfuegos and Remedios] were of a far higher standard than the ones where she didn't [in Vinales and Trinidad]. Cost per night seemed to have little to do with it, as the nicer places were if any thing cheaper than the others. I understand that Casa owners have to pay a tax per room per night whether they let it out or not, so that is an incentive to set prices low to attract people I suppose. A grading system would be a great boon to travellers and would push up the quality of accommodation.
Jan 17th, 2017, 04:45 AM
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"'Cost per night seemed to have little to do with it, as the nicer places were if any thing cheaper than the others. I understand that Casa owners have to pay a tax per room per night whether they let it out or not, so that is an incentive to set prices low to attract people I suppose. A grading system would be a great boon to travellers and would push up the quality of accommodation."
Yes, I have "identified a real problem with casas in Cuba" which is the US embargo on goods which makes it impossible for the ordinary people running these fledgling small businesses to find materials (even with money available to purchase) to make their rooms/homes more comfortable.
Under the circumstances imposed by the US, a "grading system" would be a joke.
If you can talk/think as posted above, you have clearly visited another Cuba, another reality, one of your own pre conceits, staying in fancy foreign run hotels, than the one I experienced.
If you are concerned about quality of cases, and/or lowering of prices for the few hotels when cases can compete more equally, lobby to get the (unsuccessful) embargo lifted as soon as possible.
Yes, I have "identified a real problem with casas in Cuba" which is the US embargo on goods which makes it impossible for the ordinary people running these fledgling small businesses to find materials (even with money available to purchase) to make their rooms/homes more comfortable.
Under the circumstances imposed by the US, a "grading system" would be a joke.
If you can talk/think as posted above, you have clearly visited another Cuba, another reality, one of your own pre conceits, staying in fancy foreign run hotels, than the one I experienced.
If you are concerned about quality of cases, and/or lowering of prices for the few hotels when cases can compete more equally, lobby to get the (unsuccessful) embargo lifted as soon as possible.
Jan 18th, 2017, 04:53 AM
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just returned and frankly I was told by many cubans that they will take usd...for example went to a vintage poster store...made some purchases close to end of our stay....preferred to just pay in usd and got one to one exchange...did the same in a number of places. Many hotels also change money at the same rate as waiting at the airport. we just got in our taxi...stopped in town at a hotel and were out with our cash for the week in less than 3 minutes. it does not have to be so difficult. As for Air BNB...most people on our plane coming back stayed at them and not a single bad story...it is a good option and service fee is worth it to have some reviews. Yes their are other ways of researching but please it gets so old to listen to the regular anti air bnb stuff. As for luxury...there are options other than the major hotels who as of now just are not delivering the service...new places opening in old mansions....some are on the Malecon...a couple La Reserva or Paseo 206...give star luxury and Cuban charm for a fraction of european prices. Having a successful trip to Cuba requires some serious research which I did and was not "slumming it" as SambaChula (a/k/a juan) above posts.
Jan 18th, 2017, 07:22 AM
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Samba, the embargo lift was very much in the works - I wouldn't hold my breath now.
ann, I assumed the rates charged (govt. regulated) were a kind of rating system. Why are some places $25 and others $50?
Lois2 - Thanks for the feedback, especially about USDs. Our son bought some of those vintage posters. Agree you need to research - it was a bit daunting to be among the first to go without a tour group. (Although when I spent a month there during the Soviet era when there was zero communication with the outside world other than telex, and I don't remember researching that trip at all!)
We too exchanged most of our cash (albeit Euros) in hotels for the same rate as at the airport and the Cadecas.
Agree about the anti-airbnb attitude. Don't agree that upscale travelers miss out on the 'real' place - people who like good mattresses can still have authentic experiences.
Samba, are you really Juan?
ann, I assumed the rates charged (govt. regulated) were a kind of rating system. Why are some places $25 and others $50?
Lois2 - Thanks for the feedback, especially about USDs. Our son bought some of those vintage posters. Agree you need to research - it was a bit daunting to be among the first to go without a tour group. (Although when I spent a month there during the Soviet era when there was zero communication with the outside world other than telex, and I don't remember researching that trip at all!)
We too exchanged most of our cash (albeit Euros) in hotels for the same rate as at the airport and the Cadecas.
Agree about the anti-airbnb attitude. Don't agree that upscale travelers miss out on the 'real' place - people who like good mattresses can still have authentic experiences.
Samba, are you really Juan?
Jan 18th, 2017, 08:46 AM
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Samba may or may not be "Juan"but completely same type of posting...just want people to know there are options for all types of travelers to explore Cuba and we encountered backpackers as well as luxury travelers all enjoying themselves. Honestly the only thing I really found objectionable is the pollution and air quality..felt lucky to have a pretty strong wind that helped but the air quality is awful...just no other way to explain it. Out in the countryside in Vinales was so much better but the town of course too had issues. Apart from that...loved the place.
Jan 18th, 2017, 09:22 AM
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Here's the rest of my trip report, then we can go back to philosophy.
GUIDES/TOURS/SIGHTSEEING – We prearranged tours with HAVANA MEMORIES and DISCOVER VIÑALES - both highly recommended, both offer ‘people-to-people’ experiences:
HAVANA – On Christmas day (very low-key there) our impressive guide Jorge from Havana Memories shared cultural/historical insights, took us for rum tasting (perfect 10am activity!), cigar buying, to the photogenic community project Afro-Cuban Callejon de Hamel for rumba before it got crowded, plus Havana’s greatest hits. The following day on our own we visited Finca Vijia (Hemingway’s house) and the mosaic wonder Fusterlandia, a must see – negotiated with a cab driver in advance and had him wait. On our final day we went to the Museo de la Revolucion, galleries, bought prints at Taller Grafico, had lunch at the Nacional (hotel is VERY touristy, but worth a visit for history aficionados - don't miss the underground missile crisis exhibit) and walked the Paseo and Malecon. At about 4pm that day I went on my own to Bellas Artes museum's Cuban exhibit (empty and fantastic - and 20 seconds away from our hotel), then strolled the Paseo for a primo photo excursion at golden time, also checked out the Capitol, Parque Central and several other hotels we had considered, none as authentic or music-filled as ours. As I returned to our hotel, I felt sad that we were leaving. In four days we had barely scratched the surface of Havana - I could easily stay for a week.
An evening highlight was the cutting edge performance space/gallery Fabrica del Arte - could be the defining creative vibe of the new Cuba, full of more locals than foreigners (although featured by Anthony Bordain). We lucked out and arrived in time to see - and participate in - experimental theater. If you eat at El Cocinero before, ask for help getting to the front of the line, which was around the block by the time we left at midnight. Another night we were were incredibly lucky to hear El Chappotin, Cuba's legendary son band at a dive salsa club, where we were the only foreigners present (set up in advance through friends).
VIÑALES - DISCOVER VIÑALES promises a journey off the beaten track…and delivers. Lucked out with Elier, a young musician, as our stellar guide for 1.5 days. The first afternoon we had the best lunch of the trip on an organic farm and visited a cigar ‘pre-factory,’ a sculptor in his open-air studio in a national park (an epic experience, but we should have deeted up) and an amazing sunset spot.
The next morning we walked for 3-4 hours with Elier through the technicolor tobacco fields meeting farmers and their families, rolled cigars, and learned about coffee making, not another soul in sight. (This was billed as a hike, but was more of a walk, fine with us because of the heat.) Later toured an eccentric jungly ‘botanic gardens’ in someone’s backyard (w/ a fun botanist) - You would never realize the town was teeming with backpackers and tourists. Skipped the cave and horse tour because of lines.
PALADARES (private restaurants) – We were committed to getting reservations at these places recommended on the food blogs and by friends. Space is limited so well worth planning in advance (by email, phone and through hotels) during holiday season. Don’t expect true foodie experiences, but all offer decent - good food, often farm-to-table in cool settings.
Havana: Café el Ajiaco (great lunch on a side street in Cojimar, next time we want to do their cooking class); Esto no es un Café – excellent fresh ingredients, inventive menu, fab courtyard; El Cocinero – swanky roof top next to Fabrica del Arte, great drinks; La Guarida – the primo paladar in Havana...lives up to the hype designwise and foodwise; Ivan Justo – farm to table, hip décor, we regret that we didn’t order the famous paella in advance
Viñales: Finca Agroecologica El Paraiso – family-style feast on a gorgeous organic farm w/ yummy de-stress welcome drinks; La Carreta – our guide’s choice - best fish of the trip – whole snapper; Balcon de Valle – good soup, magnificent view
WEATHER: Humid enough to slow you down during the day, blissfully warm at night for strolling in Havana, chilly evenings in Viñales. One rainy/windy day, of course the one we planned at the beach – we were punished by the OFAC gods!
TAXI SHORTAGE– Booked 4 transfers in mini-vans through govt. run Taxi Viñales, quick response, efficient, took US credit card for the deposit. Unfortunately only Ride #1 (Varadero airport-Havana) worked out. Canceled Ride #2 before the trip because of a time change and arranged our own ride to Viñales through our tour company (which turned out to be a classic car, with a charming driver but w/ fumes, poor suspension and no seatbelts.) Later, when I called TV to confirm Rides 3&4, the agent said they were overwhelmed with holiday bookings and could no longer provide minivans (but would stay up all night to find us something). He was thrilled when we arranged rides through our hotels, and not so jokingly offered me a job as a dispatcher, and arranged a refund. I would give them a second chance, especially during less busy dates.
CLASSIC CARS - Curiously these seem to have multiplied since I was there in the Soviet era…My family loved them but as a fan of safety and clean air, I’d rather photograph them than use them for long-distance transportation.
WIFI was adequate/good at the Sevilla (4CUC an hour) but barely functional or not available everywhere else. The boys stayed offline all week (reading!), and by Day 3, I, too, was blissfully unplugged. VERIZON now works for calls and texts, but they provided us with an erroneous dialing code. On Day 6 we finally figured out how to make (pricey) calls to get in touch with drivers.
RUM CONFISCATION FIASCO – Arrived at Varadero airport 2.5 hours before our flight, giving us plenty of time to carefully select two bottles of rum, sealed in plastic bags for our connecting flights (We rarely check bags.) Sadly, one bottle broke when someone knocked into me leaving customs in MIA. Moments later the other bottle was confiscated by a TSA agent at security because I had no receipt. HINT: Ask for that receipt! Fortunately we have our photos, cigars, art and memories. But now, clearly, we need to go back.
US CUSTOMS: We all have Global Entry, but one of our sons was flagged to talk to a customs agent. His only Q: “Did you have a good time?” Hoping this will still be the attitude after January 20th.
GUIDES/TOURS/SIGHTSEEING – We prearranged tours with HAVANA MEMORIES and DISCOVER VIÑALES - both highly recommended, both offer ‘people-to-people’ experiences:
HAVANA – On Christmas day (very low-key there) our impressive guide Jorge from Havana Memories shared cultural/historical insights, took us for rum tasting (perfect 10am activity!), cigar buying, to the photogenic community project Afro-Cuban Callejon de Hamel for rumba before it got crowded, plus Havana’s greatest hits. The following day on our own we visited Finca Vijia (Hemingway’s house) and the mosaic wonder Fusterlandia, a must see – negotiated with a cab driver in advance and had him wait. On our final day we went to the Museo de la Revolucion, galleries, bought prints at Taller Grafico, had lunch at the Nacional (hotel is VERY touristy, but worth a visit for history aficionados - don't miss the underground missile crisis exhibit) and walked the Paseo and Malecon. At about 4pm that day I went on my own to Bellas Artes museum's Cuban exhibit (empty and fantastic - and 20 seconds away from our hotel), then strolled the Paseo for a primo photo excursion at golden time, also checked out the Capitol, Parque Central and several other hotels we had considered, none as authentic or music-filled as ours. As I returned to our hotel, I felt sad that we were leaving. In four days we had barely scratched the surface of Havana - I could easily stay for a week.
An evening highlight was the cutting edge performance space/gallery Fabrica del Arte - could be the defining creative vibe of the new Cuba, full of more locals than foreigners (although featured by Anthony Bordain). We lucked out and arrived in time to see - and participate in - experimental theater. If you eat at El Cocinero before, ask for help getting to the front of the line, which was around the block by the time we left at midnight. Another night we were were incredibly lucky to hear El Chappotin, Cuba's legendary son band at a dive salsa club, where we were the only foreigners present (set up in advance through friends).
VIÑALES - DISCOVER VIÑALES promises a journey off the beaten track…and delivers. Lucked out with Elier, a young musician, as our stellar guide for 1.5 days. The first afternoon we had the best lunch of the trip on an organic farm and visited a cigar ‘pre-factory,’ a sculptor in his open-air studio in a national park (an epic experience, but we should have deeted up) and an amazing sunset spot.
The next morning we walked for 3-4 hours with Elier through the technicolor tobacco fields meeting farmers and their families, rolled cigars, and learned about coffee making, not another soul in sight. (This was billed as a hike, but was more of a walk, fine with us because of the heat.) Later toured an eccentric jungly ‘botanic gardens’ in someone’s backyard (w/ a fun botanist) - You would never realize the town was teeming with backpackers and tourists. Skipped the cave and horse tour because of lines.
PALADARES (private restaurants) – We were committed to getting reservations at these places recommended on the food blogs and by friends. Space is limited so well worth planning in advance (by email, phone and through hotels) during holiday season. Don’t expect true foodie experiences, but all offer decent - good food, often farm-to-table in cool settings.
Havana: Café el Ajiaco (great lunch on a side street in Cojimar, next time we want to do their cooking class); Esto no es un Café – excellent fresh ingredients, inventive menu, fab courtyard; El Cocinero – swanky roof top next to Fabrica del Arte, great drinks; La Guarida – the primo paladar in Havana...lives up to the hype designwise and foodwise; Ivan Justo – farm to table, hip décor, we regret that we didn’t order the famous paella in advance
Viñales: Finca Agroecologica El Paraiso – family-style feast on a gorgeous organic farm w/ yummy de-stress welcome drinks; La Carreta – our guide’s choice - best fish of the trip – whole snapper; Balcon de Valle – good soup, magnificent view
WEATHER: Humid enough to slow you down during the day, blissfully warm at night for strolling in Havana, chilly evenings in Viñales. One rainy/windy day, of course the one we planned at the beach – we were punished by the OFAC gods!
TAXI SHORTAGE– Booked 4 transfers in mini-vans through govt. run Taxi Viñales, quick response, efficient, took US credit card for the deposit. Unfortunately only Ride #1 (Varadero airport-Havana) worked out. Canceled Ride #2 before the trip because of a time change and arranged our own ride to Viñales through our tour company (which turned out to be a classic car, with a charming driver but w/ fumes, poor suspension and no seatbelts.) Later, when I called TV to confirm Rides 3&4, the agent said they were overwhelmed with holiday bookings and could no longer provide minivans (but would stay up all night to find us something). He was thrilled when we arranged rides through our hotels, and not so jokingly offered me a job as a dispatcher, and arranged a refund. I would give them a second chance, especially during less busy dates.
CLASSIC CARS - Curiously these seem to have multiplied since I was there in the Soviet era…My family loved them but as a fan of safety and clean air, I’d rather photograph them than use them for long-distance transportation.
WIFI was adequate/good at the Sevilla (4CUC an hour) but barely functional or not available everywhere else. The boys stayed offline all week (reading!), and by Day 3, I, too, was blissfully unplugged. VERIZON now works for calls and texts, but they provided us with an erroneous dialing code. On Day 6 we finally figured out how to make (pricey) calls to get in touch with drivers.
RUM CONFISCATION FIASCO – Arrived at Varadero airport 2.5 hours before our flight, giving us plenty of time to carefully select two bottles of rum, sealed in plastic bags for our connecting flights (We rarely check bags.) Sadly, one bottle broke when someone knocked into me leaving customs in MIA. Moments later the other bottle was confiscated by a TSA agent at security because I had no receipt. HINT: Ask for that receipt! Fortunately we have our photos, cigars, art and memories. But now, clearly, we need to go back.
US CUSTOMS: We all have Global Entry, but one of our sons was flagged to talk to a customs agent. His only Q: “Did you have a good time?” Hoping this will still be the attitude after January 20th.
Jan 18th, 2017, 09:25 AM
#33
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Lois2, Agree about the general elation of fellow travelers - Other than air quality, one of the great destinations. Ran into a friend last night who just got back and she said she literally cried when she had to leave.
Jan 18th, 2017, 01:07 PM
#34
Yes, I have "identified a real problem with casas in Cuba" which is the US embargo on goods which makes it impossible for the ordinary people running these fledgling small businesses to find materials (even with money available to purchase) to make their rooms/homes more comfortable.
Under the circumstances imposed by the US, a "grading system" would be a joke.
If you can talk/think as posted above, you have clearly visited another Cuba, another reality, one of your own pre conceits, staying in fancy foreign run hotels, than the one I experienced.
If you are concerned about quality of cases, and/or lowering of prices for the few hotels when cases can compete more equally, lobby to get the (unsuccessful) embargo lifted as soon as possible.>>
Samba - had you read what I have posted correctly them you'd see that we stayed almost exclusively in casas; we just stayed in one hotel in Santu Spiritu. They varied in quality - do you expect me to lie about that? of course I recognise that things are pretty difficult for the vast majority of Cubans [though given I'm a Brit I can't see that the US Gov is going to take a lot of notice of what I think about the embargo - which you yourself say is unsuccessful - you need to make your mind up! ] but IME casa owners are towards the top of the pile when it comes to access to cash as the electrical items that many had in their homes demonstrated.
You seem to think that your way of seeing Cuba is the only way, and your views the only valid views.
Under the circumstances imposed by the US, a "grading system" would be a joke.
If you can talk/think as posted above, you have clearly visited another Cuba, another reality, one of your own pre conceits, staying in fancy foreign run hotels, than the one I experienced.
If you are concerned about quality of cases, and/or lowering of prices for the few hotels when cases can compete more equally, lobby to get the (unsuccessful) embargo lifted as soon as possible.>>
Samba - had you read what I have posted correctly them you'd see that we stayed almost exclusively in casas; we just stayed in one hotel in Santu Spiritu. They varied in quality - do you expect me to lie about that? of course I recognise that things are pretty difficult for the vast majority of Cubans [though given I'm a Brit I can't see that the US Gov is going to take a lot of notice of what I think about the embargo - which you yourself say is unsuccessful - you need to make your mind up! ] but IME casa owners are towards the top of the pile when it comes to access to cash as the electrical items that many had in their homes demonstrated.
You seem to think that your way of seeing Cuba is the only way, and your views the only valid views.
Jan 18th, 2017, 01:12 PM
#35
Crosscheck - thanks for finishing your report so swiftly. Kudos! Great job too.
Just one point, so far as I'm aware casa owners can charge what they like; and as I said we were unable to discern what the difference was between a place charging 30CUC a night as against 25CUC especially when the cheaper place was better. The best explanation was that casa owners charging the lower prices were aiming at higher occupancy to ensure that they could cover the tax per room which was charged whether it was occupied or not.
Just one point, so far as I'm aware casa owners can charge what they like; and as I said we were unable to discern what the difference was between a place charging 30CUC a night as against 25CUC especially when the cheaper place was better. The best explanation was that casa owners charging the lower prices were aiming at higher occupancy to ensure that they could cover the tax per room which was charged whether it was occupied or not.
Jan 19th, 2017, 12:23 PM
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"You seem to think that your way of seeing Cuba is the only way, and your views the only valid views."
No, but to claim that an "authentic experience" defines how Cubans surviving on 30 CUC a month (or even those in tourism who are a bit better off) relate to you, who pay 200 dollars per night simply to sleep (in "star luxury and Cuban charm for a fraction of european prices"), defines the concept in a very interesting way.
No, but to claim that an "authentic experience" defines how Cubans surviving on 30 CUC a month (or even those in tourism who are a bit better off) relate to you, who pay 200 dollars per night simply to sleep (in "star luxury and Cuban charm for a fraction of european prices"), defines the concept in a very interesting way.
Jan 20th, 2017, 02:45 AM
#37
<<No, but to claim that an "authentic experience" defines how Cubans surviving on 30 CUC a month (or even those in tourism who are a bit better off) relate to you, who pay 200 dollars per night simply to sleep (in "star luxury and Cuban charm for a fraction of european prices"), defines the concept in a very interesting way.>>
please show me where I made any such claim, SC - I think that again, you are confusing me with someone else.
please show me where I made any such claim, SC - I think that again, you are confusing me with someone else.
Jan 20th, 2017, 11:02 AM
#38
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I'm at the women's march in DC, so this "you must travel in a certain way" discussion seems so trivial. I do think that Samba is confusing you with someone else, possibly me. You, annhig, did take a very adventurous authentic trip!
Jan 20th, 2017, 12:07 PM
#39
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SO supporting struggling Cubans by spending your money to rent their rooms and give them an income to better their lives, rather than patronizing foreign investors who provide plushier lodging, is less important than supposedly supporting struggling Americans by just standing around in D.C.?
Jan 20th, 2017, 12:58 PM
#40
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I said that the discussion seemed trivial and it still does. We were in Cuba for vacation, not a humanitarian mission. But although we stayed in hotels, we took meds to a clinic, pens to a school and bass strings to a music conservatory (strings and reeds are not available in Cuba at all). Plus we hired local guides, used local drivers, bought art from artists in their studios and ate only in paladares. Sorry if our trip was too bourgeois for you, but it was a travel highlight for us.
