Havana

[Best Mate]

Right that report is a bit discouraging.

Correct me if I am wrong, but shouldn't the current situation mean that there are more girls available?

Poverty breeds necessity, but what you desribed is a ghost town.

[LoneRangers]

I feel bad for the Cuban people. If anyone has a doubt about the destructiveness of socialism, a week in Cuba will remove that doubt.

In defense of Cuba their government was a banana republic before the Castros, that's why they were initially so popular (they drained the swamp). Suffocating embargoes, sanctions and the collapse of their main ally ensured no government would succeed in Cuba.

[ThePenetrator]

This is an update based upon a 5 day visit to Havana in late April. I have visited there 10-15 times. I speak enough Spanish to get by, but am not fluent. I'm well into my sixth decade, but am in very good shape with a sense of adventure and modest game. I stay in a casa in Vedado and treat every Cuban with respect. I've delayed this report because there isn't too much good to say about the current situation.

The Cuban economy is a disaster. Much worse than in the past. People line up at gas stations that are closed, just waiting for a delivery of gas to the station. The wait often extends into days. Half the restaurants are still closed. The ones that are open may have limited menus. (The only sure thing I knew for a good meal in Vedado was El Biky. But keep in mind that it is owned by the Castro family.) In the past there was a broad sense of happiness amongst the people. No more. There is no joy in streets. Very sad.

The unofficial exchange rate is around 170 pesos per dollar (although you could get a little more if you worked harder at it than I did). The problem is that there is nothing to buy. Unless you have a MIC card (which roughly equates to dollar values). You can't get a MIC card without having a Cuban bank account.

I payed $30 per night for my independent casa in a Cuban apartment building. It was basic and clean.

The Ectesa telephone cards still work. Kind of. They are removing the hot spots from the parks. So, you need to search for a location or go through a hotel to access reliable internet (at a higher cost). Or arrange for a Cuban sim card so you can access the separate system (called "Data" or something like that) for locals.

There are a few girls. But not a lot. Mostly black girls in the Vieja or Centro areas. LaRampa (Calle 23) used to be where I easily found attractive and interesting young women. Now it is dead. Nothing going on. Same problem with the Malecon. If it were not for my existing contacts, the trip would have been a monger disaster.

I feel bad for the Cuban people. If anyone has a doubt about the destructiveness of socialism, a week in Cuba will remove that doubt.

Correct me if I am wrong, but shouldn't the current situation mean that there are more girls available?

Poverty breeds necessity, but what you desribed is a ghost town.

[AmericanPi]

A wise man once said "if you want to stop enjoying sex, get married".

Truth is I actually do enjoy sex with my wife. It's just that we are both in our forties and, if I'm being honest, I'm not really ready to stop having sex with 22 year old girls. I could, but I don't want to. I find it thrilling. And frankly I have the opportunity because I travel a bit for work, and I'm wealthy enough that burying a few thousand dollars here and there is very easy for me to do. And so I do it.

[Artvand1]

Since on the topic the place I will be staying at on my future trip is $55/ night on Airbnb but I'll be paying $30/ night just through direct booking. I'm sure I could negotiate lower since that is just the base quoted rate. But it's in a good location and I'm only there for 5 nights so I don't care that much haggle over a few dollars a night. Maybe give a bit of a reference.

Hey, thanks for the info. Can you share how you found the owner's info, please? Was it through Facebook?

[HiFive1234]

Since on the topic the place I will be staying at on my future trip is $55/ night on Airbnb but I'll be paying $30/ night just through direct booking. I'm sure I could negotiate lower since that is just the base quoted rate. But it's in a good location and I'm only there for 5 nights so I don't care that much haggle over a few dollars a night. Maybe give a bit of a reference.

[Artvand1]

I know Cuba salary for most Cubans is very low, nonetheless, you can't expect to pay what locals pay no matter where you go unless you have some family who can get "the Cuban rate".

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, that makes sense. Can't expect to pay what locals pay. Just asked out of curiosity and me trying to save a few bucks being a cheapskate LOL.

[Mondo707]

Geez, $10 US / month? Thanks again for your input. Much appreciated. At the risk of sounding like a cheap stake, $40 US is pretty expensive, right? I am sure we can get it for $40 a month, LOL? I wonder how much are these apartments if we rent it on our own.

I rent an independent apartment a couple of blocks from the hotel Nacional right on the Malecon for $40 USD daily. I've noticed that when you go thru a 3rd party (either Airbnb or some other way) they hit the renter with $5 USD markup daily.

The thing is for $50 or less daily, in my book is a bargain. I remember once on a business trip to San Francisco I asked the front desk to get a room with a view (Golden Gate bridge) and the up charge was $60 USD on top the $190 daily rate. I know Cuba salary for most Cubans is very low, nonetheless, you can't expect to pay what locals pay no matter where you go unless you have some family who can get "the Cuban rate".

[Artvand1]

I think there's been a pay raise since I was there in early May, but the average government salary is definitely less than $10 US / month. I stayed in two different AirBnB's when I was in La Habana, both had limited cooking facilities, good fridges, excellent bathrooms, air conditioning, privacy and were about $40 US / night.

Geez, $10 US / month? Thanks again for your input. Much appreciated. At the risk of sounding like a cheap stake, $40 US is pretty expensive, right? I am sure we can get it for $40 a month, LOL? I wonder how much are these apartments if we rent it on our own.

[Eclectic]

This is an update based upon a 5 day visit to Havana in late April. I have visited there 10-15 times. I speak enough Spanish to get by, but am not fluent. I'm well into my sixth decade, but am in very good shape with a sense of adventure and modest game. I stay in a casa in Vedado and treat every Cuban with respect. I've delayed this report because there isn't too much good to say about the current situation.

The Cuban economy is a disaster. Much worse than in the past. People line up at gas stations that are closed, just waiting for a delivery of gas to the station. The wait often extends into days. Half the restaurants are still closed. The ones that are open may have limited menus. (The only sure thing I knew for a good meal in Vedado was El Biky. But keep in mind that it is owned by the Castro family.) In the past there was a broad sense of happiness amongst the people. No more. There is no joy in streets. Very sad.

The unofficial exchange rate is around 170 pesos per dollar (although you could get a little more if you worked harder at it than I did). The problem is that there is nothing to buy. Unless you have a MIC card (which roughly equates to dollar values). You can't get a MIC card without having a Cuban bank account.

I payed $30 per night for my independent casa in a Cuban apartment building. It was basic and clean.

The Ectesa telephone cards still work. Kind of. They are removing the hot spots from the parks. So, you need to search for a location or go through a hotel to access reliable internet (at a higher cost). Or arrange for a Cuban sim card so you can access the separate system (called "Data" or something like that) for locals.

There are a few girls. But not a lot. Mostly black girls in the Vieja or Centro areas. LaRampa (Calle 23) used to be where I easily found attractive and interesting young women. Now it is dead. Nothing going on. Same problem with the Malecon. If it were not for my existing contacts, the trip would have been a monger disaster.

I feel bad for the Cuban people. If anyone has a doubt about the destructiveness of socialism, a week in Cuba will remove that doubt.

[John Clayton]

Hey guys, I am happy to be corrected, but don't you guys think the apartment prices in Airbnb are atrocious for a country like Cuba where the average monthly salary is around $150 USD. I found some real estate agents in Facebook and they agreed that if I come to Cuba they'd be able to find me a place. What do you guys think of this? I was hoping to go there for a month or two learn Spanish and monger. Am I really underestimating how bad things are? Or is this doable. I'd save a lot of money as well especially in Winter.

I think there's been a pay raise since I was there in early May, but the average government salary is definitely less than $10 US / month. I stayed in two different AirBnB's when I was in La Habana, both had limited cooking facilities, good fridges, excellent bathrooms, air conditioning, privacy and were about $40 US / night.

[Artvand1]

Hey guys, I am happy to be corrected, but don't you guys think the apartment prices in Airbnb are atrocious for a country like Cuba where the average monthly salary is around $150 USD. I found some real estate agents in Facebook and they agreed that if I come to Cuba they'd be able to find me a place. What do you guys think of this? I was hoping to go there for a month or two learn Spanish and monger. Am I really underestimating how bad things are? Or is this doable. I'd save a lot of money as well especially in Winter.

[EMode]

A wise man once said "if you want to stop enjoying sex, get married".

That is a horrible horrible lie. I'm married, and I can say unequivocally, that being married means that I enjoy sex that much more. When I'm on a boys vaca to Cuba.

[Sammytheman]

Let me explain. I'm married.

A wise man once said "if you want to stop enjoying sex, get married".

[John Clayton]

Are people hanging out on the Malecon these days? If enough locals show up, the girls will also show up and blend in. Last two visits -- last year -- the Malecon had very few people on it and long stretches of no one. If you are in Havana or been recently, please let me know if the "party" is back on the Malecon.

A second option is in the streets around the Hotel Nacional. Anyone had luck finding a girl in the shadows?

Seemed kinda dead when I was there in May. I didn't see any obvous action, or that many people for that matter. Maybe I was therre too early in the evenings.