Anyone have plans to go ? This apperaed in my emails; https://www.fathom.org/travel-to-cuba/?utm_source=Weekly%20Update%20Email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Weekly%20Update%20Email I'll wait until prices settle down.
Id wait as the restrictions are still on for Americans. You need to do it on an educational tour and you are restricted on how much you can spend. You still need a license from the state department to go. Believe congress needs to lift the travel restrictions. You can still sneak it via Canada on your own. They rarely prosecute people doing this route. Prices are a lot more reasonable. My brother has done air only from Toronto for around $280CDN. Booking packages is also cheap out of Toronto. So Id do it on my own and fly out of Toronto if I was an American. Having said that. I've been several times. Its like Mexico, but 1,000 times safer. Actually its better then Mexico. My brother starting going back in 1997. He ended up living there for 2 years on a student visa. He studied Spanish at the university in Cienfuegos. He goes at least two times per year. He has a large number of Cuban friends.
Right now air only to Varadero from Toronto is $373. Package deals all inclusive air fare, hotel and even food is as low as $900CDN. Vacation Packages to Cuba from Vancouver | Flight Centre
I've been wanting to go ever since meeting some fine ladies at a club in Tampa, way back when. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRk1Xo1KtKs[/ame] Of course, nowadays I'd go for the sights, sounds and cuisine.
The sights are interesting. Building architecture around town. Some of the old hotels that are restored. You see a mixture of cars. They can buy European and Japanese cars, so you do see them. You can even rent new Audis. But you do see a ton of American 50's cars and some are in fairly good shape. One item hard to get there even for the government is car batteries. You see lots of Cubans, even the police bump starting cars. They all prefer manuals there because of this. Food is not bad, its mostly pork and chicken, red meats even in the hotels can be limited. For restaurants you got to find the ones in Cubans homes VS the government owned places. If you are single. Its probably the best place to go. I got propositioned at least 10 times per day, by women that could be models. The most interesting sight. About once a week an armored truck with a full police car escort will go to every business and collect the cash. It almost looks like the government is robbing the places.
Although I wasn't living at this time, I sure would have loved to visit prior to the Castro regime. I understand this is a good book representative of that: Havana Before Castro: When Cuba Was a Tropical Playground: Peter Moruzzi: 9781423603672: Amazon.com: Books
::RESTAURANTE - BAR FLORIDITA, LA HABANA, CUBA:: https://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/Attraction_Review-g147271-d148919-Reviews-Museo_Hemingway_Finca_Vigia-Havana_Cuba.html Good stuff
We're signed up for the Fathom trip in January. Comparing it to land based tours it is about half the price, so while we won't get much time in-county we determined lying around on the ship wouldn't kill us. I am sure that prices will come down, so I guess we're paying for novelty. Hard to say if it will really change much with the opening to Americans, since everyone else has been going there for years. The "exchange" program doesn't seem too onerous, you only have to complete a few of the options and some of them are lectures on the boat that you can probably have a drink and a nap in. I always wanted to go since growing up we'd sometime see movies my dad took there during a family vacation in the mid 1950's. I will try to remember to report back in late January.
Staying on the ship is probably a good thing considering the limited number of hotel rooms available that would be acceptable to most travelers.
I just got back from a week long trip in Varadero, Havana and Vinales for my birthday. I highly recommend Vinales for its breathtaking views, great food and back country roads. Some of it is captured here: https://medium.com/@chanilevines/5-days-in-cuba-77e7857c4989#.hi1k89gni I too saw the LED lights, and a surprising number of Pioneer audio decals.
Just when some of us are getting interested in visiting Cuba, the rest of us are losing interest. American Airlines is cutting back on flights. The Bloomberg article below says that original seat capacity was based on speculation. I still feel that a cruise ship offers the best of all worlds. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-17/now-that-cuba-is-open-americans-aren-t-going
Just got back. It is a very interesting Country that time has forgotten. It stopped in the late fifties and has deteriorated since then. In the country they use horse and wagon and I saw someone plowing with oxen. The Architecture from the thirties and forties is fabulous, but crumbling. They still have food rationing. They get six eggs every fifteen days. The State owns everything and underpays everyone. A lot of skimming goes on in plain sight. Worth seeing. I suggest including other places in addition to Havana. Joe
Canadians have been going there for 40 years. Pierre Trudeau was a pal of Castro. Recently food has deteriorated but people are as friendly as ever. Experience the communist utopia yourself! Drive classic cars,eat rice,see a resort function with no power. Discuss the benefits of socialism with the natives!
Just got back from a week in Havana, great place to visit for sure, people are wonderful and Havana is/feels extremely safe. Get there before Starbuck does.
I've been 5X. My wife is Cuban. It's not difficult for anyone to go. It's very safe to go without a tour group or on a cruise. If a Cuban even looks crosseyed at a tourist they will be disappeared and their family will lose their home. It is changing rapidly, if you want to see it before it's ruined go very soon. 3 years ago the only cabs were 50s cars or pedicabs and now there are lines of yellow cabs and you can rent a Mercedes. Castro is trying to jam the Americans by charging outrageous prices in the hotels -$600/night for something like a Holiday Inn - all of the money goes to the govt. You can stay in a lovely Cubans home for $25-50/night including breakfast and wonderful hospitality. Knowing some Spanish helps. If anyone has any questions feel free to pm me or in public is fine too.
Im sure you're being sarcastic because I def would NOT recommend discussing politics with anyone while there. Go and observe and enjoy but leave your political beliefs at home or you may not get home.
