Havana

[Rock Harders]

Mongers-

I can confirm from my trusted sources on the ground in Havana that Salon Rojo has indeed reopened and was only closed for repairs.

Suerte,

Rock Harders

[Combo]

Yes, Cubana is fine. As far as casas and other information is concerned, you will have to go beyond this site to other travel sites issues.

Yes, there are a few other options for cash. Duales. Com is another place you can use to transfer cash to a prepaid card you can use ONLY in Cuba. These services are all in located in Canada. For someone who lives in the US, it is better safe than sorry so take more than you need, as Cuba is not a good place to run out of cash. You will basically send them a cashier's check or a USPS money order weeks in advance, and you will then pick up your card either at the airport or at a local office in Havana. Bring your passport when you go for the pick up.

Also, make sure you do not arrive in Cuba with US currency, as they give a horrible exchange rate. You should be able to get Canadian $$, and don't wait until you get to Cancun, do it in Chicago. Good luck!

Thanks Velasco.

I'm going to check into Duales. I have a scary vision of losing my money and other documents (and God forbid my passport). It's worth the peace of mind to know you have a backup.

[Combo]

Combo, it might be a good time to invest in a membership because you can't get PMs. Discretion is the word on this forum.

I've sent and rec'd many PMs on this board. Maybe I'm not up to date.

[Velasco]

First is Cubana airlines OK to take? Chicago to Cancun and then Cancun-Havana on Cubana airlines seems to be the simplest and least expensive option for me to arrive in Havana. I'm just a bit leery of Cubana. I can take Copa Air (great airline) from Panama City, but it would total $400-500 more.

Also, can anyone recommend guest-friendly high quality Casas (good A / C, safe box, hot water)?

Also, wondering if anyone knows a way for a US monger to get money there? I plan to bring cash, but I'd like to have a reserve option in case of emergency. I've heard there are cards one can prepay and withdraw from in Cuba if necessary."Transcard" I think is one of them. I think it might be run by Canadians. Maybe Paypal to someone in Cuba? Maybe get a CC from a Canadian bank?

Combo

Yes, Cubana is fine. As far as casas and other information is concerned, you will have to go beyond this site to other travel sites issues.

Yes, there are a few other options for cash. Duales. Com is another place you can use to transfer cash to a prepaid card you can use ONLY in Cuba. These services are all in located in Canada. For someone who lives in the US, it is better safe than sorry so take more than you need, as Cuba is not a good place to run out of cash. You will basically send them a cashier's check or a USPS money order weeks in advance, and you will then pick up your card either at the airport or at a local office in Havana. Bring your passport when you go for the pick up.

Also, make sure you do not arrive in Cuba with US currency, as they give a horrible exchange rate. You should be able to get Canadian $$, and don't wait until you get to Cancun, do it in Chicago. Good luck!

[Mr Gogo]

Hi fellow hobbyists.

This is my first time posting on the Cuba board, though I'm often on the Colombia, DR, and Brasil boards. I haven't been to Cuba since 2001 and despite reading over the last several pages of the Havana and other Cuba threads, I still have a few questions I can't find answered. So I'm hoping someone can advise me.

First is Cubana airlines OK to take? Chicago to Cancun and then Cancun-Havana on Cubana airlines seems to be the simplest and least expensive option for me to arrive in Havana. I'm just a bit leery of Cubana. I can take Copa Air (great airline) from Panama City, but it would total $400-500 more.

Also, can anyone recommend guest-friendly high quality Casas (good A / C, safe box, hot water)? The only name I've come across on this site is Casa Alejandra...

Combo, it might be a good time to invest in a membership because you can't get PMs. Discretion is the word on this forum.

[Combo]

Hi fellow hobbyists.

This is my first time posting on the Cuba board, though I'm often on the Colombia, DR, and Brasil boards. I haven't been to Cuba since 2001 and despite reading over the last several pages of the Havana and other Cuba threads, I still have a few questions I can't find answered. So I'm hoping someone can advise me.

First is Cubana airlines OK to take? Chicago to Cancun and then Cancun-Havana on Cubana airlines seems to be the simplest and least expensive option for me to arrive in Havana. I'm just a bit leery of Cubana. I can take Copa Air (great airline) from Panama City, but it would total $400-500 more.

Also, can anyone recommend guest-friendly high quality Casas (good A / C, safe box, hot water)? The only name I've come across on this site is Casa Alejandra. I'd probably prefer to be in Vedado.

Also, wondering if anyone knows a way for a US monger to get money there? I plan to bring cash, but I'd like to have a reserve option in case of emergency. I've heard there are cards one can prepay and withdraw from in Cuba if necessary."Transcard" I think is one of them. I think it might be run by Canadians. Maybe Paypal to someone in Cuba? Maybe get a CC from a Canadian bank?

Also, do any mongers out there go out and dance in Havana? I'm very into Afro-Latin dance and music. I'd love to be able to go to a club and dance for an hour or two before pulling the trigger. Is this realistic or will the chicas tell me to fuck off?

Thanks to all. BTW I plan on going the first 10-12 days of the New Year.

Combo

[Robnbg1981]

I am not going to post Randy and Duniesky informations here but whoever need them just pm me and I will be more than happy to hook you up as long as you stay away from my chicks hahah.

Hi Giotto Texan,

I loved your report and am very jealous of your great holiday. I am planning to travel to Cuba for about 4 weeks in October / November this year. I would be grateful if you would reach out and PM me. I would love to ask you some more questions.

Have a great weekend,

Robert

[Chotu]

you're last paragraph summed it up for me. I've been to the DR over 30 times, Thailand, and 30 other countries. The pros have always been for me with an occasional non-pro who doesn't take up to much time and work. Cuba fit the bill perfectly for me. My first couple girls were pros, one from "Casa de musica" and one from 23 calle. The sex was great but once I figured out that I could wait and take a shot at something special, that became my game. It became as simple as just stopping them and asking if they would like to meet for a beer later.

It was strange because the pros seemed terrified of the police but the two non-pros went on dates with me and walked around holding hands without a worry. The non-pros said the police never bothered them. I'm thinking that once a girl gets the prostituta label from the police then she is harrassed. In fact I later found out that one of the guys with the girl I met at beach was a cop.

Cuba is just the opposite of the DR. Cuba is clean the DR is dirty. Police in Cuba watch everything, DR police might be sleep under a tree. Cuba has tourists listed as untouchable, DR has scams against tourists. Driving is respectful in Cuba with no traffic, DR is crazy with rude drivers. Most people in Cuba smoke, few people in the DR smoke.

I hope Cuba stays as it is now, few Americans and mongers. Innocent and beautiful. Ancient and safe. Also I rate the Cubanas the best latin fuckers as a group. Passionate and conciderate. Every girl went for a second pop after a little break. Sweet sounds with kissing and tongues in ears. They seem to really appreciate sex. And I also appreciate their safety concerns regarding sex. Half did condom blowjobs unless I repeated. Once they became comfortable with me condoms were only for intercourse.

But even if you take sex out of the equation, Cuba is still a great place. From the ancient buildings to the ancient cars. From the little China town they have. From the live music at every outdoor terrace. From the people who make the best out of a bad situation. Just walking around in the barios solo at 3am among 100 year old buildings and a pretty girl leaning on one of the buildings pillars. Then she invites you in to the ground floor of this ancient building and its a normal home. Family pictures on the table, older tv, religious figures in paintings on the wall, couch with a throwover. Then she invites you to her room and talk leads to sex. She never asks for money but I know the game. An hour later I kiss my new friend adios as my pocket is 40cuc lighter. I now continue my leisurely stroll to my casa marveling at the old historical buildings that I pass.

Surprise to read your post on Havana board, I have always read you post on SOSUA board. As always you have point out correctly the difference between DR and Cuba.

[BeersTerry]

Like BR's report.

Feel the same about the country. There is lots wrong with it and it can be difficult but something about it gets under your skin.

You need to do a little more homework as far as restaurants. It would seem that you are working on old info. I think there is current info on a Cuban magazine out of England.

[Mr Gogo]

Thanks for the compliment. What I really like about Cuba (moreso back in the day) , was that you did NOT have to make the first move. Ever. On my first trip, I could just sit and say "I'm waiting for my amiga" about 10 times before the right girl approached me. I could let them try their pickup lines like "I think I'm the friend you're waiting for." I find that endearing. If they're really clever, it makes them more attractive.

See, a lot of guys like the thrill of the hunt. For me, it's just work. I hate the game. I have no game, and I hate it. In Cuba, for the first time in my life, I could go to a club and get hit on all the time. I mean, wow! How cool is that? The money I don't care about. One way or another the guy still pays. Whether she tells you upfront, asks for a "gift" later, or just milks you for lunch and dinner for her whole family, it's all the same...

you're last paragraph summed it up for me. I've been to the DR over 30 times, Thailand, and 30 other countries. The pros have always been for me with an occasional non-pro who doesn't take up to much time and work. Cuba fit the bill perfectly for me. My first couple girls were pros, one from "Casa de musica" and one from 23 calle. The sex was great but once I figured out that I could wait and take a shot at something special, that became my game. It became as simple as just stopping them and asking if they would like to meet for a beer later.

It was strange because the pros seemed terrified of the police but the two non-pros went on dates with me and walked around holding hands without a worry. The non-pros said the police never bothered them. I'm thinking that once a girl gets the prostituta label from the police then she is harrassed. In fact I later found out that one of the guys with the girl I met at beach was a cop.

Cuba is just the opposite of the DR. Cuba is clean the DR is dirty. Police in Cuba watch everything, DR police might be sleep under a tree. Cuba has tourists listed as untouchable, DR has scams against tourists. Driving is respectful in Cuba with no traffic, DR is crazy with rude drivers. Most people in Cuba smoke, few people in the DR smoke.

I hope Cuba stays as it is now, few Americans and mongers. Innocent and beautiful. Ancient and safe. Also I rate the Cubanas the best latin fuckers as a group. Passionate and conciderate. Every girl went for a second pop after a little break. Sweet sounds with kissing and tongues in ears. They seem to really appreciate sex. And I also appreciate their safety concerns regarding sex. Half did condom blowjobs unless I repeated. Once they became comfortable with me condoms were only for intercourse.

But even if you take sex out of the equation, Cuba is still a great place. From the ancient buildings to the ancient cars. From the little China town they have. From the live music at every outdoor terrace. From the people who make the best out of a bad situation. Just walking around in the barios solo at 3am among 100 year old buildings and a pretty girl leaning on one of the buildings pillars. Then she invites you in to the ground floor of this ancient building and its a normal home. Family pictures on the table, older tv, religious figures in paintings on the wall, couch with a throwover. Then she invites you to her room and talk leads to sex. She never asks for money but I know the game. An hour later I kiss my new friend adios as my pocket is 40cuc lighter. I now continue my leisurely stroll to my casa marveling at the old historical buildings that I pass.

[BRCitizen]

Great reporting bro. I was just there and have already booked my return. I found a jazz club"La Zorra why el cuervo" that had great music up on 23 calle. Sofies is a great place to hang out and watch the show." La casa de musica" was nice also. I only had two hookers and we had to dodge the police as you did. But I noticed that it was many non pros also. Cubans have more time than money so they just hangout. Most times a chica can be with a guy and its nothing romantic. Just say hello, introduce yourself and ask if they would like to go have a beer. I met a girl at Santa Maria beach that way. It was four girls and three guys two chairs over and they were just friends. When the girl walked by I inquired about where I could buy myself a beer. She pointed to a guy working the beach for the Tropico hotel. I said thanks and asked if she would like a beer, she said yes. I asked about the dudes with her because I didn't want to step on any toes. She said they were just friends. As we chatted I explained that my hotel wouldn't allow guests and I hated that. She said her friend has a casa particulares and we were off 30 minutes after meeting her. She said she would have never made the first move because Cuban women like the guys to be first. Again great report.

Thanks for the compliment. What I really like about Cuba (moreso back in the day) , was that you did NOT have to make the first move. Ever. On my first trip, I could just sit and say "I'm waiting for my amiga" about 10 times before the right girl approached me. I could let them try their pickup lines like "I think I'm the friend you're waiting for." I find that endearing. If they're really clever, it makes them more attractive.

See, a lot of guys like the thrill of the hunt. For me, it's just work. I hate the game. I have no game, and I hate it. In Cuba, for the first time in my life, I could go to a club and get hit on all the time. I mean, wow! How cool is that? The money I don't care about. One way or another the guy still pays. Whether she tells you upfront, asks for a "gift" later, or just milks you for lunch and dinner for her whole family, it's all the same. Upfront often winds up costing less, actually. But when the work is done for you, now that's something.

Now, Cuba is more work. Don't get me wrong, I still had a blast. And I still got hit on. But not as much, and the most attractive girls often required being approached. The difference is that anywhere else, I'd probably get rejected. In Cuba, I can approach a 9 or 10 and it would work. Complicating matters is that my standards go way up. I don't want an average chica. I want her to be gorgeous, And I want her to make the first move. That's tough. Still possible, in certain situations. But, not as much as before. But perhaps more than anywhere else.

[Mr Gogo]

Great reporting bro. I was just there and have already booked my return. I found a jazz club"La Zorra why el cuervo" that had great music up on 23 calle. Sofies is a great place to hang out and watch the show." La casa de musica" was nice also. I only had two hookers and we had to dodge the police as you did. But I noticed that it was many non pros also. Cubans have more time than money so they just hangout. Most times a chica can be with a guy and its nothing romantic. Just say hello, introduce yourself and ask if they would like to go have a beer. I met a girl at Santa Maria beach that way. It was four girls and three guys two chairs over and they were just friends. When the girl walked by I inquired about where I could buy myself a beer. She pointed to a guy working the beach for the Tropico hotel. I said thanks and asked if she would like a beer, she said yes. I asked about the dudes with her because I didn't want to step on any toes. She said they were just friends. As we chatted I explained that my hotel wouldn't allow guests and I hated that. She said her friend has a casa particulares and we were off 30 minutes after meeting her. She said she would have never made the first move because Cuban women like the guys to be first.

Again great report.

[Blk Big Bootyluv]

Nice report. I enjoyed reading it. My buddy just returned from Havana and I am so jealous that I'm planning something myself.

Peace,

BBL

Long strange night.

Friday I finally decided to check out La Cecelia, which had it not been for this forum, would not have even been on my radar. La Cecelia wasn't hoppin'. Oh no, that would be an understatement. La Cecelia was out. Of control. I got there shortly before midnight and it was total chaos. The line was stretching around the block, there was another shorter line on the other side of the entrance, and some people seemed to just be getting in through the front, where once in a while they would let in a car or two. The bouncers were struggling to keep everyone back, people were screaming and yelling and pleading to get in. WTF? And here I am with my somewhat limited espanol trying to make sense of it all! I decided early on that I wasn't standing in the humongous line which would probably take hours to clear, but clearly I was not a VIP, so some initial efforts to worm my way in failed. Finally I managed to get in with a group of people when the bouncer turned the other way for a moment. I thought I heard someone call after me, but I ignored it and figured better to ask for forgiveness than permission. Especially when one is a tourist in Cuba...

[Questner]

Next time share a taxi with a girl. There is no 'propensity' to stop taxis, it's a fact. Same applies to your room. However a patrol car may wait patiently outside the doors to the building, so take a closer look before letting the girl out.

[BRCitizen]

long strange night.

friday i finally decided to check out la cecelia, which had it not been for this forum, would not have even been on my radar. la cecelia wasn't hoppin'. oh no, that would be an understatement. la cecelia was out. of control. i got there shortly before midnight and it was total chaos. the line was stretching around the block, there was another shorter line on the other side of the entrance, and some people seemed to just be getting in through the front, where once in a while they would let in a car or two. the bouncers were struggling to keep everyone back, people were screaming and yelling and pleading to get in. wtf? and here i am with my somewhat limited espanol trying to make sense of it all! i decided early on that i wasn't standing in the humongous line which would probably take hours to clear, but clearly i was not a vip, so some initial efforts to worm my way in failed. finally i managed to get in with a group of people when the bouncer turned the other way for a moment. i thought i heard someone call after me, but i ignored it and figured better to ask for forgiveness than permission. especially when one is a tourist in cuba.

inside wasn't any different. the place was packed to the gills. there was talent all right. o. m. g. what talent! but there were also lots of ordinary cubans and their girlfriends, groups of girls together, etc. almost no tourists to speak of. who was who was virtually impossible to tell, and i had no clue how i could find anyone, when merely navigating through the tables was near impossible. frankly it was a little intimidating! well all my worries were for naught, because soon enough the right chicas were finding me. or the wrong chicas depending on your perspective. determined to find a light-skinned hottie, i fought off the temptation of settling for the first or second girl who latched on to me, even though navigating the place was near impossible. then i saw her. my blond stunner (i'm very stingy with 10's, but she was definitely a 9). yeah, i could be smart and bide my time, but ya know. at some point maybe you have to recognize a good thing when you see it. we got the business of the night out of the way. she wanted 100, we settled for 80. i know it's 20 too much, but i really didn't feel like having protracted negotiations over 20 cuc, or checking out the other talent and perhaps not running into her again. her name was taimi and she was 24. btw, is everyone in cuba a ballerina, or is "bailarina" just a generic word for dancer? either way, this girl could move!

just a couple small problems. how to get rid of her not-so-attractive mulatta friend? easy enough, i just made it clear from the start i only wanted one girl for the night. taimi told me it's not usually so packed, but tonight there were a lot of famous groups playing, plus students could get in for next to nothing in moneda nacional tonight. that explained a lot. taimi for her part genuinely enjoyed the music and dancing. maybe a bit too much? i like the fact that it wasn't all business and she was having a blast. but by half past 2am, i kinda hinted that i really didn't want to stay till 4am and close the place down.

of course nothing is simple in cuba. we had to look for her friend, because she had her friend's purse, and her friend's boyfriend was supposedly a "taxi driver". when we found her, the word from the street was there were tons of police, so we'd have to take different cars. i was wary about this whole arrangement. i'd paid 8 cuc to get there from vedado and i made it clear that i'm paying 10 and no more. i also made it clear that i only have 20's left, and i'd need some change. taimi said no problem. you're always on the lookout for a scam in cuba, but she said it's just impossible to take the same cab because the streets were just crawling with cops, and seemed genuinely distraught about the whole situation. so off i went with the mulatta's friend / boyfriend / whatever, and left the girls to get other transportation arrangements. i gave her the card of my casa and told her i'd wait for her outside the entrance. the driver tried scam me. of course. when i told him i'd need change for a 20, he said,"it is 20." i raised some hell, pulled out my last emergency 10 that i had just for this situation, and we left it at that.

so then. 3:15 comes and goes. then 3:45, and still no taimi. somehow i had a feeling something like this was going to happen, but all the while i'm wondering wtf? is this all a big scam? well if so, then what exactly did they scam me for? all my cash was still on me. yes, i used "their" driver, but i would have likely paid the same 10cuc to get home no matter what. they got absolutely nothing from me except for 10cuc i spent on drinks. i read here that if a girl scams you for even 10cucs, that's a enough score to make it worth it for some. but no, somehow that didn't make sense to me, because she was all over me the whole night, and after all she's missing out on 80cucs. is this a country that can't even pull a scam right? i finally figured that i'll never know the answer. chalk it up to another mystery of cuba, be happy that you got to dance and make out with an incredibly hot girl for 3 hours, and go to bed.

morning.

i groggily crawled out of bed around 10am, still scratching my head over last night, went to the fridge, when i saw a note from the owners slipped under my door, telling me that a chica has been knocking on your apartment door for the last 2 hours. i hadn't heard because this is one spacious apartment and my room was at the other end. she finally knocked on theirs, insisted that i had told her to wake me up (i most definitely had not) , but they told her i was sleeping and they couldn't wake me. they later told me that i'm paying them to protect my interests and my privacy, so they weren't going to take the word of some random chica. absolutely correct! these guys are the best. i would later apologize profusely for putting them in a situation where they were disturbed from their own sleep. 8am i would have still wanted some rest. 10am, on the other hand, would be just perfect! better than 3 in the morning as a matter of fact. just then i heard another knock. and who do i see at the door?

taimi apparently spent the night in decidely less comfortable digs than mine inside of a police station."didn't you see them putting the handcuffs on me?" apparently, an undercover cop had seen her with me in the club, and as soon as i left they immediately stopped her and hauled her in. complicating matters is the fact that you need a residence permit for havana, and she's a camagueyana. so they stamped her carnet with a charge of "propensity toward prostitution" and only let her go at 6:30 am."propensity." only in cuba. so she went home, showered, changed, and showed up at my door. i offered to take her to lunch, but she said she couldn't be seen on the street with me. so for the next two hours she just stayed and made love, cuddled, made love again. where else but in cuba will a hot chica show up at your door tired, hungry, but ready to go nonetheless? and then leave you her cell for later? yeah, sure, call her a pro. but if she's a pro, then that there is some serious dedication to the job!

the rest of saturday was anticlimactic by comparison. i thought about just calling taimi again, but then decided i'd see what was on offer at la cecelia again. i figured i'd get there earlier and it shouldn't be as crazy as last night. it wasn't. los desiguales were playing, but no student mob, and i decided to be a good boy and stand in the line for 45 minutes. the talent was still amazing, and this time you could figure out who's who. some of these girls are crazy hot. anywhere from 7's to a few actual 10's (even by my stingy standards). few tourists. ah, low season! i went with an 8. 5 brunette named dayana, because she could speak english seemed smarter than average, so could hold a decent conversation. and because she graduated school for physical therapy and promised a great massage on top of everything else. (irene is what she told me, but dayana is what it said on the carnet). she also promised no drama. none of this two car thing. she and her driver had the police avoidance strategy down pat. we walked out separately, i walked around the corner, and in a couple minutes a lada pulls up and the door opens. i get in and we speed off past police stopping other cars. at breakneck speeds, no less. whatever the policia are for in cuba, they're not for the enforcement of traffic laws. ah, cuba! this cloak and dagger stuff can be kind of fun sometimes."where else but in cuba?" i say. our driver just smiles and says,"cuba es facil!" (cuba's easy)

alas, dayana / irene somewhat over-promised and under-delivered. it was ok, but i kinda wished i'd checked the scene more, or just called taimi again. but i wanted variety. 4 chicas in 4 nights. and 5 or 6 would have been entirely possible if i'd worked it a bit more. in cuba, you're limited only by your spanish, your stamina, and your standards. i can see how you can develop the connections for a non-stop love-fest after just a few visits.

sunday i had a flight out. i can only fall off the grid for so long. my flight was delayed. something tells me the smoke from the engine on that first day had something to do with it. i called ahead so i knew i'd be in for a wait. my casa owners had no objection to me staying a little while longer. i could have picked up the phone and probably had taimi over for some going away fun, but i'd had enough cuban drama for a while. so i just chose to have a peaceful lunch and try another one of cuba's famed paladars. perhaps the most famed of all in fact. la guarida. in a word, unimpressed.

ok, i know this ain't no food blog, but being a foodie, i have to chime in with my 0.02cuc on the subject. i vehemently disagree with those who say that paladars are better than state-run restaurants. perhaps this is true when comparing the average paladar with the average restaurant, because by definition all paladars are geared toward higher end clientele, while state run restaurants run the gamut. but i don't eat at average places. life's too short to for average food, average chicas, or average vacations. so comparing the best paladars with the best state run restaurants, the best state run restaurants run rings around the best paladars. i actually had some really nice meals in places like cafe del oriente and el templete. thinking that cuba has really undergone some culinary evolution, while even the most highly rated paladars like dona eutima and le chansonnier left me underwhelmed.

in general, i think the tendency to pooh-pooh state run establishments is part of a tendency to dump on the whole cuban system. which is a mistake, imo. to those who say don't go just for the chicas, i would offer a very qualified agreement, only inasmuch as one shouldn't go anywhere "just for the chicas." cuba offers a tremendous amount of things to see and do, and though i spent most of my report on the girls (as appropriate for this forum) , most of my time was actually spent just enjoying everything else havana has to offer. that said, cuba may still be the very best place in the world for chicas. i can't claim to have seen everything, but my three dozen nation experience does offer a little bit in the way of comparison. and i say this because cuba offers a combination unmatched anywhere else:

1. safety, both in terms of violent crime, and in terms of having the lowest rate of aids just about anywhere. at least anywhere fun. i always use protection, but there places (like the former soviet union) , where the aids epidemic makes one wary even with protection.

2. the chicas. not only are they hot, but the culture is such that i've never seen another place where girls have so few hang-ups about sex. the level of sheer enthusiasm is a turn-on in and of itself. who cares if they want some money for it now. it's not that they have to do it because they're starving and exploited. it feels more like,"hell, i'd be doing this anyway, so why not milk it?"

3. the cost. yes, the cost. both chicas and non-chica incidentals. to those who say cuba isn't cheap, i say show me a place that is. yeah, i know you can eat for under a buck in cambodia and crash for the night for $5 in peru. but what i find is that if you want to eat well, and sleep in a place that has hot water, nice beds, and a / c, you'll pay about half of western prices no matter where you are. and that goes for cuba too.

so don't knock cuba. maybe it was better way back when, but it's still great. people like to complain both about how the government oppresses its own people, and makes things crazy for the tourist with its eccentricities. but you know what? if cuba wasn't cuba, the people would have had more access to big macs and car parts, but they wouldn't have an average life span of 80, and large numbers of them would be sleeping in the streets like they do in honduras or the dominican republic and lots of banana republic capitalist paradises the world over. and for you tourists, i can assure you that the chicas would be more desperate because it actually might be a matter of need and not just greed, have more guilt about it due to the teachings of religion, more risk from aids and crime, and paradoxically cost even more, because they'd be spoiled rotten by hordes of american spring breakers.

so take it for what it is. do your research, be prepared to make changes of plans, and go with the flow. above all, have fun!