Thanks for the great pics and info.

Much appreciated.

Exactly. My wife snapped it from the car in the northern suburbs of Holguin.

Joe

Trinidads 'on sale' for 12.25 CUC. Montecristo # 2 for around 6 CUC. Punch Punch & Bolivar Belicosos Finos (yum, yum) for about the same. All real from a gov't approved shop with a walkin humidor.

Ian

I would like to hear more of your first hand experiences with Cuba beyond the tourist gates. How do they afford good education and medical treatment? And it's not just old cars, there are many steam engines from the first half of the last century from all over, shipped to Cuba to work the cane plantations.

Two years ago we went to Cuba (Varadero) for a week to an all inclusive (drinks included too).
Everything was ok except the food... in 3 days and we were pretty much tired of it.
In Cuba they don't get the same spices so the food tastes not so good.. then the drinks.. while enjoying a drink at the bar with my wife we realized all those bottles looked funny.. so we looked closely: Snirnoff, Asboult, Liquor 34, beleiys, etc.. (see the subtle difference?) - What were we drinking!! From that point on I just had beer (and that is so-so). Then the bartender told me they refill the bottles.. yikes!

We went to Habana in a tour and it was fine unfortunately we walked along a street with ocean on one side and a park on the other.. and what a hassle!! All those people calling us in different langagues looking for our attention, really uncomfortable and while waiting for the bus this guy approached us and started asking for money, we declined (you're advised to never give them money) so he started asking for my sunglasses, hat, even my shorts! Then he got upset because "I could buy anything anytime and he couldn't" so he started pulling my sunglasses off my head so we struggled for a little bit...

My wife was really shocked of what was going on. I thought the brat was going to rip off the camera and run away but when I asked him for his name so I'd talked to the cops the guy stopped and kindly let go my camera strap and sunglasses... he walked away cursing.. F*kin idtiot! he ruined the trip to Habana.

Basically in Habana everyone will ask you for something... Cubans are almost the most dishonest people I've ever met.

The service in all different places we went was really poor, the Cubans have no idea what Customer Service means.. they couldn't care less cause they know you'll tip them.

Would we go back to Cuba??

No. Not because of that sour experience but because it is really depressing to see so much poverty and people so desperate.
Turism infrastructure is just starting.. beaches are not good because they're too far north from the Caribean.
Rent a car and you better buy all kind of insurance because your spare tire and jack will dissapear!! even the people at the rental place tell you that :-(

Nothing like Cancun. (my personal opinion)

We were there 5 years ago, rented a car and drove over the island for two weeks, and spent some days at varadero in an all inclusive before going back. It is a beautiful island with very nice people, especialy in the countryside. It is sad to see the decay of the infrastructure and houses, but the people seem to be happy (not that they would not wish to improve their economic situation). Sure, havana is a bit of a problem with people looking to make money, and trying all kinds of angles to make a buck, but this is probably not much different from any other major city where beggars and pickpockets are commonplace. It feels a bit surreal driving around in an airconditioned audi with an empty backseat and seeing the people standing at the (dirtroad) exits of the main highway (on which you also come across horse-carts, bicycles etc) waiting for some kind of transport, sometimes buses, but also truck or cars. We started taking passengers after a few days, sometimes nurses heading for work in the next town or women on their way visiting relatives. Although the language barrier prevented us from having any meaningful conversation, it did make clear that they were proud of their country and were happy that we came to see it. Overall it resulted in a lasting impression of a very nice people, struggling to get by and making the best of it. I never felt threathened in any way, not even in Havana, a night and day difference with Jamaica where it was very clear that foreigners were not wanted. I would love to go back before the whole thing collapses and money takes over. People just going for a beach holiday and expecting club med service are probably better served with going to cancun. I know what I prefer..

http://www.therealcuba.com/children%20in%20pool.jpg


http://www.therealcuba.com/

My god, I hope you weren't expecting it to be.

:eek:

Interesting info in there. Thanks for sharing.

I have a very good friend that is Cuban and was just there last week visiting family.

I am going to ask him about life there, etc.. and see what he has to say.

imcarthur, my wife liked your pictures very much. She went to Cuba about four years ago as a student on a education exemption (Bush eliminated this). She did not have a chance to see that other side of the island before, she thanks you.:)

I was just talkin gto my friend, he just got back from visiting his family that did not leave Cuba in 1980. He was lucky to get out.

He was telling me how he almost died crossing to Key West from Havana as their boat began to sink and it took everyone on board to bail it out and keep it floating.

He has not been back since he left. He was 12 when he left and did not remember how bad it was there.

I showed him this thread and his anger welled up in him. He is a kind well mannered man who owns a business here in town and does well for himself. His anger was like I have never seen it.

The names he called Castro would be edited here. His older brother, who stayed behind in '80 and regrets it to this day lives in a shack. They live off the land. They are not allowed to barter nor are they allowed to start a business of any kind. Own a boat? Good fisherman? Want to catch lots of fish and sell them? No good, against the law. Police and military are watching to make sure no one is in business. It is against the law.

My friend went into Havanah and bought his sis-in-law a washer/dryer combo. They were washing clothes by hands up to this point. What he paid for the washer/dryer would take a year for his brother to buy.

Hospitals only cater to the wealthy or at the least those with money. The poor (most of the country) get clinic aid and its piss poor at best. No one has cars. If you own one of those 55 Chevy's you are rich. My friend rented a little toyota of some sort and his family all wanted rides in it. They were so excited to go somewhere in a car. To own a bicycle is a luxury.

The house was tiny and had no screens the mosquitos were overwhelming at night.

The pretty young girls will head to the resort areas because prostitution is about the only way they can earn money for their families.

The quality of life in Castro's Cuba is hell. My friend was sick to his stomach seeing the hell his family lives in. He came with a suitcase of his clothes and toiletries and left it all there leaving only with the clothes on his back.

He is already planning another trip to bring more clothes. He wants to try to screen in the house too. He was so sad to leave his family and it is killing him knowing they are suffering down there. Its very frustrating to see this and come home to the US where we have it so good.