Havana

[El Grande]

Can anyone tell me more about the two Italians being murdered. On news sites about Cuba all I found was a story about an Isralei tourist being stabbed to death ot far from his hotel and vague references to increasing violence towards tourists.

Such incidents are not as seldom as it seems. The problem is that the cuban press doesn't mention it in their newspapers. I was in cuba several times but i never read about a crime against a tourist in "el rebelde" or "granma" but i often (bout once a week) heard about cubans or tourists being killed on "radio bemba" (thats the cuban mouth to mouth news service). Most crimes took place during the darkness and around centro and old havana. Especially the area east of el prado is dangerous (drugs) during the night.

But who wonders? Havana is a 680.700 people city!!!

[Manzano7]

Can anyone tell me more about the two Italians being murdered. On news sites about Cuba all I found was a story about an Isralei tourist being stabbed to death ot far from his hotel and vague references to increasing violence towards tourists.

[Manzano7]

Can someone tell me more about the two Italians that were mentioned here as being murdered. I also heard a story about an Israeli tourist being stabbed to death during a robbery not too far from his hotel. All I can find on news sites about Cuba are vague references about increasing violence towards tourists.

[Viper10]

Only a fine of $7000 if you get caught. To date, no one has actually been required to pay the fine. I have heard people getting letters in the mail, but then that is the end of it. Just don't be stupid in your planning and you'll be fine. Spend a day in Mexico City and buy a ticket there from Mexico to Havana. All will be well.

Viper

Spoke to an official about travelling to CUBA. It is also impossible as an American.
U would have to so so so much to make it happen. How you guys do it legally I don't know but I have spoken with to officials and I do not have the patience to make it happens.

Outside of legally doing it, illegally is too risky for me.

[Cubalserito]

Havana report November 2005

Well folks, as a frecuent flyer to Cuba let me post my first report on this forum. I hope that you find interesting and usefull for your next vacation to the island.

Going to Cuba as a Mexican is easy, just buy a ticket in the airport and prepare to fly. MEXICANA: the best mexican airline with the newest planes all over the world. Expensive ticket but better service, I fyou buy your tickets in mexicana you get the visa to cuba at the moment. You can buy tickets online also.

CUBANA: better price, nice service, cons: flights are too early. I´m not a morning person.

My first vacatios tu cuba was with Mexicana, but the rates are way better, so I wll keep flying in Cubana.

I spend 380 dlls for a round trip last week. Versus 580 from Mexicana. (both direct round trips tourist class)

So my advice is to choose a travel agency and ask for the lowest fare to la havana with Cubana de aviacion.

They will take care, visa included. . Choose trave agencies that manage conferencies groups or students groups to find a very low rate.

Please divide your belongins in two bags, as a normal trip because in josé martí airport sometimes steal thing from your bags from the airplane to the bagage reception. So please put you important and electronic equipment in a handbag and allways carry next to you.

Arriving at the josé martí airport I nottice some changes: inmigration ask me if I know cuban people? duh! its my 9th trip. Of course! (I know is part of their work)

Cadeca has two huge lines since is handy to change your money right in the airport more security officer inside the airport, more lines to the exit, more peple is asking to open their belogins, new merchandise must pay taxes, if you are going to make gifts like clothes put them without tags inside your bag with your clothes.

Very high taxi cab rate to go to havana city (25 dlls) by the way: keep in mynd this rates

Red taxi cabs (more expensive) white taxi cabs (expensive) yellow taxi cabs (normal)

Yellow one usually chat with you to fix a good rate, if you are new in havana, use always the taxi-metter.

My place to stay was really good (see my last post) and don't forget, if you are loking for a casa particular, you must find for your confort this things: individual front door, isolated from the owner, ac, hot watter, freezer, close to the action like vedado.

My place was a two blocks from Copelia, Cuba's famous ice cream parlor which is my favorite place to make new girlfriends, in the line for cubanos start making conversation and share an ice cream with your new friend. Then ask for her number and prepara to go out in the night, if you are horny as hell the house proximity is handy.

Knowing her phone numbers (the friends from the net) is easy to manage dates in the days I stayed in habana, just make some nice gift like a sample parfume (just buy a 45 dlls sample box from Dior and you have 5 nice gifts). (I add a personal touch I parfume and one bottle of tequila, both will opened in the same night! ) be kind and gentle with cubanas and you will never pay money for girls, just take it to a romantic dinner to a nice place.

Now, if you don't want to do this work, choosing a pro is easy like 1-2-3

Now the rampa (23 street) scenario: in the day you will find a lot of beauties (pros and non-pros) walking arround, you can start talking nicely, but beware of the police because they can fu*k your progress with the girl keepin away from you. Act cool and keep your aspect (clothes) low profile. I'm blessed in this aspect because I look like a white Cuban. So I barely have trouble when I am with a girlfriend, in the night the police pressure is more. Right now all the action in rampa and arround are inside bars and restaurants because you can chat more freely with chicas and set price and conditions of the encounter.

In open bars like bulerías or a small one in 23 almost in front of the Cubana airlines office. Girls (8 and 7 mostly) beg to me to take her to my house for 30 cucs, I think the crackdown (created by police) for the murder of two italians have make effect.

Don't overpay like italians: 60cuc is for a real beauty, so-so girls go with you paying 40 cuc

I know that right now if you go to EL ALJIBE you can find top models with rich old people asking for 100 an hour, but I preffer to meet a real cuban (same beauty) and make a real friend that treats me well when I am in Cuba.

Note: all my chica pictures are not related or are my real cuban girlfriends, all was from my first trips when I did not have enough experience to contact real friends.

So I hope that this info can be helpfull on your next trip.

Cubalserito

A friend from Mexico who love cuban culture and people.

[Liucio]

Spoke to an official about travelling to CUBA. It is also impossible as an American.
U would have to so so so much to make it happen. How you guys do it legally I don't know but I have spoken with to officials and I do not have the patience to make it happens.

Outside of legally doing it, illegally is too risky for me.

[Cubalserito]

Hello guys.
Can somebody recommend me a Casa/Apartment independant (no sharing with Cuban Family)
Please PM with phone and contact.
Muchas Gracias.
Latinbull

Hello Latinbull,

I recommend to you a casa particular that I enjoyed in my last trip last week.
is a big house but have two front doors, one for the owner and one for you, independant from the owner, tv/vcr, freezer, hot watter, fan, (no phone )

The house is in vedado, look for "casa de Michell" ask for Rafael. Is in K street between 17 and 19.

I cannot post phone numbers and e-mails due to forum regulations, but there is a nice place to stay, a lot of privacy and chica-friendly, no matter how many girls you invite.

[Cubalserito]

Hello mongers and friends,

As an avid cuban tourist, (this was my 9 trip since 2002) I like to share my experiences in Havana last week.

If you want a true GFE, you must speak spanish, chicas likes to be treated like "novias", not like "p*tas, so bring a gift and be kind, to avoid pros use website for contact like amigos.com, mejoramor.com and match.com, ask for her phone number (home or your neigbor, if she have a mobile phone number avoid her, she could be a pro) start a friendship and you will see results in Havana.

Just be yourself, open mind and girls will love you, just like in every other country.

A taxi driver told me that police is being hard on girls lately due to the murder of two Italians by two pros, so to avoid trouble with your friend you must stay low profile on your clothes, behaviour and don't go to touristic areas with your friend.

23 or "la Rampa" is a nice place to get semi and pros, better go to the line or "fila" of the copelia icecream and start talking to someone you like, and if you are nice you will score.

Bring Canadian dollars or Euros instead of USD. You will receive more CUCs in the CADECAS.

Can't wait to next year (january) to go again to visit my friends.

Be cool!

A cubanitas fan from México.

BTW, fly with CUBANA, you get the cheapest tkts and fly on Airbus planes.

[LatinBull]

Hello guys.
Can somebody recommend me a Casa/Apartment independant (no sharing with Cuban Family)
Please PM with phone and contact.
Muchas Gracias.
Latinbull

[Doc Bill]

My favorite pool in all of Havana is the one at the Hotel Nacional. There is a side entrance so you can avoid the lobby and they permit non-guests and Cubans in for a fee, I think it's about $15 per person, good all day. Service and atmosphere are great.

[Wet Nose]

hey KW kids,

>Also, what is the best hotel pool in Vedado to take dates too i.e.: best price, atmosphere, amenities, etc.. I used to go to a hotel pool in Kohly, but it's out in the boonies;

Try Cafe Almendares. The last time I went there (Nov 04) I hardly saw any tourist-cuban couples so give that a spin. It's not that far from Vedado.


>Any suggestions for discos/clubs for non-pro girls; basically where you would be one of a few tourists if not the only one.

Those change all the type and are very fluid. The best one I went to was Casa Blanca where I didn't see any non-Cubans but that was shut down. Best thing to do is to ask around, esp since you speak Spanish fluently.


>Does anyone know of a good place on the Univ. of Habana campus for mongering? I know the campus a little but I have never picked up a girl directly from campus. Is there a cafeteria for example?

You could try but it's tough. I've heard stories of guys taking spanish classes having a hard time with the girls...reason being, the university is a small community and girls hanging out with tourists aren't looked on very favorably by the rest, since they represent the flower of Cuban youth and etc etc etc.

[Wet Nose]

Germanboy, since you already have plans to go to Cuba, I suggest heading to Cienfuegoes for 1 or 2 days, Trinidad for 1 or 2 days, then Camaguey for 1 or 2 days. End up in Santiago for 2 days, it's quite picturesque. Try to make to Baracoa. If you like beaches, then go to Varadero or Guanabo. All of the info you need is here. Have fun and post a report when you come back.

[Routard]

Ivon, Rebel Monger,

I agree, listening to Chan Chan or Guantanamera while drinking a mojito in the Bodeguita del Medio is for tourists only. I was also surprised when I discovered popular local Rap. In fact, the youngers listen to the same music than in the rest of Latin America including pop, techno, rap, rock. Still when it comes to dancing , like in the rest of Latin America, youngers tend to prefer music allowing couple dancing: merengue, reggaeton, bachata and of course salsa. Anyone disagreeing about how popular salsa can be among the youngers has never seen an open air life salsa music event on the Malecon.

What is important for us mongerers, is how to use these informations:
-Following Ivon suggestion, bring foreign CD music for gifts, as it is hard to find in Cuba, unlike Cuban salsa.
-learn to dance latin couple dancing and especially Salsa. This is the easiest way to hook up chicas. It's not only due to the physical contact that allows dancing. Salsa dancing skills prove genuine interest in Cuban culture. Any Cubana appreciates this.

[GermanBoy 2]

Hi everybody,

I will be in Havana at November 23 for some days, afterwards heading to i do not know where. so maybe somebody of you is there at the same time and wants to kon for a beer - would be great to have a cristal with you together by watching all the ladies walk on by. Hope to hear from you.

Germanboy

[Rebel Monger]

No te confundes amigo, el son es el alma de Cuba.

I don't understand what you mean by "el son es el alma de Cuba". I'm 50 years old, and when I lived there (until the late 70s), el son was music for and from the countryside people (guajiros). Salsa was for the uneducated masses (ghetto), and Guaguanco for the bullies (guapos), which also happened to be uneducated. The young ones (students type) preferred foreign music and Cuban pop music with foreign influence. According to what I see from Cubans coming to USA today, nothing has changed!
Just my dos centavos!