My November Cuba Trip

[Pirateskigirl]

Cuba-November 2016

 

My friend and I did a quick trip to Havana, Cuba in November 2016 before U.S. Airlines started flying to Cuba and Fidel Castro died.

 

We did not take a cruise. We booked our travel with Gate 1 Travel. We took a charter flight from Miami to Havana, Cuba on charter operated by Cuban Air Travel on a plane provided by American Airlines. It’s only a 45 minute flight. Landed at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana. You go through customs then you are screened with a metal detector and your bags are scanned. You have to turn in a medical form on entry that says you are not sick. All the screeners seem to be women dressed like Brownies with some form of fishnet hose and high heels. It took 45 minutes to get the luggage. They have the luggage belts but items seem to be brought out 1 bag at a time.

 

All the tour buses are Chinese. All the cars are either old soviet bloc country cars or 1950s American classic cars. The diplomats drive the nice Mercedes cars. Most folks walk or ride bikes or take the bus to get around.

 

Cuba is strictly a cash operation. US citizens can’t use U.S. credit cards or debit cards. You can only get Cuban money from a bank or at a hotel bank. Tourists use a different currency than the regular Cubans. Tourists use Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) and regular Cubans get paid in Cuban Pesos. The rate is basically 1 to 1, however we Americans get hit with a 10% tax when we convert money. The Cubans plan to go to one currency the question is when and which one?

 

U.S. cell phones don’t work or don’t wok well. You have to find an internet hot spot to get on line and you need a prepaid internet card to access it.

 

 

Our first tour was of Old Havana and Revolution Square, We went to Revolution Square first and saw the sight of many of Fidel Castro’s speeches, the Jose Marti Memorial and many government buildings two of which are adored with tributes to Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos. We drove along the famous Malecon towards Old Havana. We stopped for lunch at a paladar (private restaurant) El Centro. The food was delicious. Chicken and Lobster and a fantastic salad bar with everything.

 

We visited the many Plazas of Old Havana beginning with the Plaza de Armas, the oldest plaza in Havana where the Spanish fort Costillo de la Fuerza is on one side and the Palace of the Guards and the former Presidential Palace and the famous wooden street. We walked to the Plaza de Cathedral where the oldest church in Havana is located and the famous Habana Cigar Lady sets up for photos. From their we walked to the Plaza Vieja which is Old Havana’s most architurelly interesting square. Everything there has been completely restored and reflects the vibrant colors of Cuba. We strolled towards the Plaza de San Francisco, we past the Hotel Ambos Mundos where Hemingway wrote the “Old Man and the Sea.” and we past the famous Cuban chocolate store. There is a lot of Cuban artwork everywhere you walk. The Plaza de San Francisco is across from the Cruise ship Terminal (Fathom Cruise line was in port) which is next to a huge shopping area. The Plaza has a church, a sculpture of Chopin and a Foundation called the Fountain of the Lions. There are always vendors and colorfully dressed ladies who will take pictures with you for a price.

 

We stayed at a hotel in West Havana-the Memories Miramar. Beautiful lobby with a WiFi hotspot but only in the lobby area. It has a nice pool (a little chilly) with a pool bar, fitness center and spa. Breakfast was included with our stay and the buffet was nice with an omelet station and with free champagne & vodka to begin your day.

 

Day 2 we had a tour of all of Havana in classic cars. They were all convertibles and we had a choice of Buicks, Fords or Chevys. The Cubans who have these classic cars take a lot of pride in them. They can’t be sold, so they are pass down from father to son usually. Most of these cars work has taxis in and around Cuba. That tour was one of the highlights of my trip. The have emissions checks in Cuba but their emissions standards a quite different than ours.

 

We did drive by the compound were Fidel Castro lived. Lots of security. It is in the same neighborhood that the artist Jose Fuster lives and works. Fuster is heavily influenced by the work of Pisacco and Gaudi. Fuster has decorated over 80 houses in his neighborhood of Jaimanitas with tiles. His mosaics are quite amazing. We had a tour of his studio and they encourage folks to walk around the neighborhood and his house/studio. Amazing.

 

Since we were on an educational tour of Cuba, we learned to Mojitos and had a Salsa dancing lesson. My kind of education. We went to El Morro Fortress for the views of Havana and to but cigars & rum. They had many varieties of Cuban Cigars, Havana Cuba Rum, very expensive Cuban Cognac and some beautiful humidors and cigar boxes.

 

The next day, we ventured out to a pre school in one of the poorer suburbs of Havana. The school was run out of a Catholic church run by Nuns. We brought goodies for the kids and they sang us some songs and we san the “Wheels on the Bus” for them. It was a very nice experience.

 

We travelled to Finca Vigia Ernest Hemingway’s home in San Francisco de Paula, Cuba that he lived in from 1936 to 1960 mostly with his third wife Martha Gelhorn. Hemingway wrote most of “For Whom The Bell Tolls” at this house. This is the house where Hemingway started to keep and breed cats. You can walk the whole property and you see the tower that Hemingway’s fourth wife Mary built for him to write in. You can walk around the house and see all the furnishings and artifacts left exactly like it was when Hemingway died. Hemingway’s boat the Pilar is on the spot where the tennis courts used to be by the pool and the graves of his beloved dogs. There are many dogs on the property. Of course, they are happy to sell you a Hemingway cocktail while you shop at the outdoor stands. They plan to revote the wooden garage and return the 3 cars that Hemingway owned to add to the tourism.

 

 

We visited another artist who is in West Havana Lorzeno Lopez. He provided a look at some of his work and a discussion of his vision for the future. An artist who works with recycled materials and whose vision is to repurpose hundreds of reclaimed industrial parts, Lopez’ work is all about turning trash into treasure. From Ugandan quills (his father is a doctor in the African nation) to bullet casings and broken coke bottles, nothing is off limits for his artistic creations. An artistic visionary, he is one of Cuba’s most inspiring artists du jour.

 

Things are slowly changing in Cuba mostly out of economic necessity. Going to Cuba is a chance to go back in time and ride around in1950’s classic cars while enjoying a slower place of life.

 

If you have any questions, I will try to answer them.

[VidaNaPraia]

Thanks for the TR. Sounds like you had a good time.

 

A few details though:

“in November 2016 before U.S. Airlines started flying to Cuba “

 

Direct commercial flights on US airlines to a number of Cuban cities started in September 2016.

Direct commercial flights on US airlines to Havana started in November 2016

________

“You have to turn in a medical form on entry that says you are not sick.

 

Not in my recent experience (a medical form on entry that says you are not sick).

You do have to have medical insurance, as the Cubam government requires. On the new commercial flights, the boarding pass supposedly serves as proof of insurance. There is also a letter found online that informs a Cuban clinic of the fact that the boarding pass does serve, since this is not common knowledge.

_________

“Cuba is strictly a cash operation. US citizens can’t use U.S. credit cards or debit cards.”

 

Stonegate Bank issues credit cards to US citizens that are able to be used in Cuba.

However, not many establishments take credit cards of any kind or country issue.

---------

“You can only get Cuban money from a bank or at a hotel bank. “

 

You can exchange money at a “cadeca” (in the airport or on the street), a bank, or a hotel front desk. You need to show your passport.

----------

“Tourists use a different currency than the regular Cubans. Tourists use Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) and regular Cubans get paid in Cuban Pesos.”(CUP)

 

Both Cubans and tourists can use either currency or both. It may be more economical to buy certain things in CUP.

---------------

“You have to find an internet hot spot to get on line and you need a prepaid internet card to access it. “

 

There is an access card sold at any ETECSA office. Most hotel lobbies have WIFI that anyone can sit and use.

-----

“a hotel in West Havana”

 

No such thing (bad translation by your guide?) Maybe the western part of Havana city, but the neighborhood name is Miramar afaik It is west of the tunnel under the Río Almendares.

Edited December 28, 2016 by VidaNaPraia

[SingBill]

Thank you so much for your detailed review. It was very helpful as we will visit Havana in April 2017.

[Alada2]

Cuba-November 2016

 

My friend and I did a quick trip to Havana, Cuba in November 2016 before U.S. Airlines started flying to Cuba and Fidel Castro died.

 

We did not take a cruise. We booked our travel with Gate 1 Travel. We took a charter flight from Miami to Havana, Cuba on charter operated by Cuban Air Travel on a plane provided by American Airlines. It’s only a 45 minute flight. Landed at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana. You go through customs then you are screened with a metal detector and your bags are scanned. You have to turn in a medical form on entry that says you are not sick. All the screeners seem to be women dressed like Brownies with some form of fishnet hose and high heels. It took 45 minutes to get the luggage. They have the luggage belts but items seem to be brought out 1 bag at a time.

 

All the tour buses are Chinese. All the cars are either old soviet bloc country cars or 1950s American classic cars. The diplomats drive the nice Mercedes cars. Most folks walk or ride bikes or take the bus to get around.

 

Cuba is strictly a cash operation. US citizens can’t use U.S. credit cards or debit cards. You can only get Cuban money from a bank or at a hotel bank. Tourists use a different currency than the regular Cubans. Tourists use Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) and regular Cubans get paid in Cuban Pesos. The rate is basically 1 to 1, however we Americans get hit with a 10% tax when we convert money. The Cubans plan to go to one currency the question is when and which one?

 

U.S. cell phones don’t work or don’t wok well. You have to find an internet hot spot to get on line and you need a prepaid internet card to access it.

 

 

Our first tour was of Old Havana and Revolution Square, We went to Revolution Square first and saw the sight of many of Fidel Castro’s speeches, the Jose Marti Memorial and many government buildings two of which are adored with tributes to Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos. We drove along the famous Malecon towards Old Havana. We stopped for lunch at a paladar (private restaurant) El Centro. The food was delicious. Chicken and Lobster and a fantastic salad bar with everything.

 

We visited the many Plazas of Old Havana beginning with the Plaza de Armas, the oldest plaza in Havana where the Spanish fort Costillo de la Fuerza is on one side and the Palace of the Guards and the former Presidential Palace and the famous wooden street. We walked to the Plaza de Cathedral where the oldest church in Havana is located and the famous Habana Cigar Lady sets up for photos. From their we walked to the Plaza Vieja which is Old Havana’s most architurelly interesting square. Everything there has been completely restored and reflects the vibrant colors of Cuba. We strolled towards the Plaza de San Francisco, we past the Hotel Ambos Mundos where Hemingway wrote the “Old Man and the Sea.” and we past the famous Cuban chocolate store. There is a lot of Cuban artwork everywhere you walk. The Plaza de San Francisco is across from the Cruise ship Terminal (Fathom Cruise line was in port) which is next to a huge shopping area. The Plaza has a church, a sculpture of Chopin and a Foundation called the Fountain of the Lions. There are always vendors and colorfully dressed ladies who will take pictures with you for a price.

 

We stayed at a hotel in West Havana-the Memories Miramar. Beautiful lobby with a WiFi hotspot but only in the lobby area. It has a nice pool (a little chilly) with a pool bar, fitness center and spa. Breakfast was included with our stay and the buffet was nice with an omelet station and with free champagne & vodka to begin your day.

 

Day 2 we had a tour of all of Havana in classic cars. They were all convertibles and we had a choice of Buicks, Fords or Chevys. The Cubans who have these classic cars take a lot of pride in them. They can’t be sold, so they are pass down from father to son usually. Most of these cars work has taxis in and around Cuba. That tour was one of the highlights of my trip. The have emissions checks in Cuba but their emissions standards a quite different than ours.

 

We did drive by the compound were Fidel Castro lived. Lots of security. It is in the same neighborhood that the artist Jose Fuster lives and works. Fuster is heavily influenced by the work of Pisacco and Gaudi. Fuster has decorated over 80 houses in his neighborhood of Jaimanitas with tiles. His mosaics are quite amazing. We had a tour of his studio and they encourage folks to walk around the neighborhood and his house/studio. Amazing.

 

Since we were on an educational tour of Cuba, we learned to Mojitos and had a Salsa dancing lesson. My kind of education. We went to El Morro Fortress for the views of Havana and to but cigars & rum. They had many varieties of Cuban Cigars, Havana Cuba Rum, very expensive Cuban Cognac and some beautiful humidors and cigar boxes.

 

The next day, we ventured out to a pre school in one of the poorer suburbs of Havana. The school was run out of a Catholic church run by Nuns. We brought goodies for the kids and they sang us some songs and we san the “Wheels on the Bus” for them. It was a very nice experience.

 

We travelled to Finca Vigia Ernest Hemingway’s home in San Francisco de Paula, Cuba that he lived in from 1936 to 1960 mostly with his third wife Martha Gelhorn. Hemingway wrote most of “For Whom The Bell Tolls” at this house. This is the house where Hemingway started to keep and breed cats. You can walk the whole property and you see the tower that Hemingway’s fourth wife Mary built for him to write in. You can walk around the house and see all the furnishings and artifacts left exactly like it was when Hemingway died. Hemingway’s boat the Pilar is on the spot where the tennis courts used to be by the pool and the graves of his beloved dogs. There are many dogs on the property. Of course, they are happy to sell you a Hemingway cocktail while you shop at the outdoor stands. They plan to revote the wooden garage and return the 3 cars that Hemingway owned to add to the tourism.

 

 

We visited another artist who is in West Havana Lorzeno Lopez. He provided a look at some of his work and a discussion of his vision for the future. An artist who works with recycled materials and whose vision is to repurpose hundreds of reclaimed industrial parts, Lopez’ work is all about turning trash into treasure. From Ugandan quills (his father is a doctor in the African nation) to bullet casings and broken coke bottles, nothing is off limits for his artistic creations. An artistic visionary, he is one of Cuba’s most inspiring artists du jour.

 

Things are slowly changing in Cuba mostly out of economic necessity. Going to Cuba is a chance to go back in time and ride around in1950’s classic cars while enjoying a slower place of life.

 

If you have any questions, I will try to answer them.

 

How did you find a classic car taxi for a city tour? Are they all priced about the same or do you have to negotiate? Do the drivers speak English? We will be arriving by cruise ship on May 2nd and wonder if they will be waiting near the port. Thanks

[chiapet]

How did you find a classic car taxi for a city tour? Are they all priced about the same or do you have to negotiate? Do the drivers speak English? We will be arriving by cruise ship on May 2nd and wonder if they will be waiting near the port. Thanks

 

 

Saw some companies offering a 2 hour Havana city tour in a classic car ... but picking up a classic car taxi at the pier may be simpler (if possible).

 

Any information would be greatly appreciated ... Thanks!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[VidaNaPraia]

Do read this article about the cars:

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/08/03/antique-cuban-cars-why-auto-collectors-are-holding-off.html

 

There's a square in the center of Havana where some of the best kept ones park, waiting for tourists. 60 CUC per hour seems average.

 

There's a 10 CUC hop on/off bus that also makes a circuit of the city.

[Pirateskigirl]

Our tour guide setup the classic car tour. It was part of the cost of the trip. We just picked the one we wanted in front of the hotel and off we went.

 

There are many classic car taxis near the Cruise Ship terminal which is across from the Plaza de San Francisco. You should be able to pick one and negotiate a fare for a tour.

 

Our driver spoke fairly good English, some things got lost in translation. Definitely a highlight of the trip.