Havana

[Ty Down]

Hello folks. No intention to start a debate here with anyone. Just to clear up on few things mentioned regarding Cuba. FYI, I have been living here in Cuba for 2 and a half years now. I have my family and kids here too with me. My family and I are all happy here. Probably the stories of struggles are from the point of view of the locals. As a foreigner here in havana, our quality of life is wonderful. No way can I have 2 helpers at home and a driver for my wife, back in my own country. Yes its true that sometimes you have difficulties finding eggs and other stuff. Did we die in hunger? No we didn't. Why is that? Because with money, you can find almost all the basic things you need from the "left" as how the say it here.

My hat is off to you DiavellLoco. Four or five years ago I even considered buying or leasing a house in Guanabo beach area. I thought it would be a perfect winter time getaway from the winters here in the States. But after looking into the legal aspects of doing that, it was off the table.

Back in the day (15 years ago), I worked for the University of Ghana in a joint research project with an American University. After about a year in West Africa, I came to love the life there. I had a pocket full of money, a University provided Toyota 4 x4 Land Cruiser, a place to stay in Accra. Life was good. By this time, I had become completely immersed in the local culture. Friends and family back home thought I had lost my everlasting mind! Ghana is almost the complete opposite of Cuba. In Ghana, the food is plentiful and fantastic! Best food I've ever had. But the living conditions in West Africa is harsh. Contrast this with Cuba, Cuba has beautiful architecture but the food is horrendous, (to me, maybe not others). And the weather is great. (in the winter) I ended up spending 8 years in Ghana, some of the best memories of my life. I still miss the food.

My experience in Cuba, 5 years ago it was a great place to visit, and then around 2018 things started to go downhill. FAST. I was there back in March of this year, and most of the stores in Havana were either closed, or had limited hours of operation, and if they did open, very limited supply of basically anything, a stark contrast to the good days of 2015 - 2016.

Thanks DiavelLoco for sharing your experiences with us.

[Zeos1]

Hello folks. No intention to start a debate here with anyone. Just to clear up on few things mentioned regarding Cuba. FYI, I have been living here in Cuba for 2 and a half years now. I have my family and kids here too with me. My family and I are all happy here. Probably the stories of struggles are from the point of view of the locals. As a foreigner here in havana, our quality of life is wonderful. No way can I have 2 helpers at home and a driver for my wife, back in my own country. Yes its true that sometimes you have difficulties finding eggs and other stuff. Did we die in hunger? No we didn't. Why is that? Because with money, you can find almost all the basic things you need from the "left" as how the say it here. Do I make lines to go to the shops? Never, because I have my helpers and driver to do it for me.

BTW we had a party at home last weekend for 30 adults and 18 kids. There were champagne, nice wines, gin tonics, rums, beers, great meat from Argentina for bbq and abundance of other food for everyone. Just like anywhere else in the world. We even hired 3 waiters and a bartender so that hosting will be easier for me and my family. What I'm tryin to say here is don't believe all the info that you gather from all your sources. Yes, this country has its own problems and never-ending issues. But not having gas for the car and no food at all is just nonsense.

I have also another example to share. Probably 2 months ago, I bumped into ana de armas and ben afleck somewhere in miramar. This was during havana's toque de queda. These 2 celebrities rather spend months of quarantine here in Cuba than any other places in the world. Sounds crazy? I don't think so, because they have money and they know the right people to have a pleasant time here despite all the madness happening in the world.

OK. I stand corrected. My experience is a couple of years back, and yes, there were paladars where you could use CUC and sometimes get good meals, but I didn't see much on the shelves in any of the stores where you could buy stuff. Groceries, etc.

As for use of dollars and what you can buy. I'll take your word for it as a resident. My experience as a lone "tourist" staying in casas particulares was not that of someone with connections. But I was not a typical tourist staying in resorts and I found it very difficult to find anything much. Of course the stores where they sell the rationed food supplies are off limits, and the few cash stores I went in did not have any real selection. And this was in good times.

[DiavelLoco]

Hello folks. No intention to start a debate here with anyone. Just to clear up on few things mentioned regarding Cuba. FYI, I have been living here in Cuba for 2 and a half years now. I have my family and kids here too with me. My family and I are all happy here. Probably the stories of struggles are from the point of view of the locals. As a foreigner here in havana, our quality of life is wonderful. No way can I have 2 helpers at home and a driver for my wife, back in my own country. Yes its true that sometimes you have difficulties finding eggs and other stuff. Did we die in hunger? No we didn't. Why is that? Because with money, you can find almost all the basic things you need from the "left" as how the say it here. Do I make lines to go to the shops? Never, because I have my helpers and driver to do it for me.

BTW we had a party at home last weekend for 30 adults and 18 kids. There were champagne, nice wines, gin tonics, rums, beers, great meat from Argentina for bbq and abundance of other food for everyone. Just like anywhere else in the world. We even hired 3 waiters and a bartender so that hosting will be easier for me and my family. What I'm tryin to say here is don't believe all the info that you gather from all your sources. Yes, this country has its own problems and never-ending issues. But not having gas for the car and no food at all is just nonsense.

I have also another example to share. Probably 2 months ago, I bumped into ana de armas and ben afleck somewhere in miramar. This was during havana's toque de queda. These 2 celebrities rather spend months of quarantine here in Cuba than any other places in the world. Sounds crazy? I don't think so, because they have money and they know the right people to have a pleasant time here despite all the madness happening in the world.

[HarryDubois]

This video is pretty close the state of affairs in Cuba. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RjRqS5vl-Q.

However I thought that there were restaurants which accepted CUC and had good food; at least before COVID.

[Ty Down]

So you're saying that outside of the all inclusive resorts, the shops and restaurants may be empty, regardless of whether you have CUC, dollars, euros or gold bars?

Cuba and bring dollars, either in cash or an Israeli credit card.).

It doesn't matter what kind of Passport you have, Cuba will let anybody in who has any dineros. Whatever you watched on TV, is a lie.

The hard cold truth about Cuba is, there is NOTHING there, except pigs, chickens and sugar cane. Maybe a patch of Tobacco here and there.

This video is pretty close the state of affairs in Cuba. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RjRqS5vl-Q.

[HarryDubois]

Over 50% was from Canadian tourists staying at all inclusives and other resorts. It has been over 1 million per year tourists from Canada. But the vast majority of these visitors are in the 10 or so resort areas and most never see any real Cuba. But they are the major source of foreign exchange for Cuba. And Covid has thrown a wrench into that in a big way.

So you're saying that outside of the all inclusive resorts, the shops and restaurants may be empty, regardless of whether you have CUC, dollars, euros or gold bars?

In August the news media was reporting on the opening of dollar only stores:

To make up for the shortfall in dollars, the government took a step it would probably have avoided under normal circumstances and turned 72 of the nearly 5,000 state-run shops in Cuba into "dollar stores".

When he emerged from one of them, Benito Morejóand struggled to push his cart, weighed down with meat, cheese, cleaning products and personal hygiene items. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-53580376.

So I had the impression that if I land with a wallet full of dollars I should be doing well. Especially now that Western Union has shut down, there would seem to be no way for dollars to reach Cuba except in the wallets of foreign tourists, making the government even more desperate to stock stores with things which tourists will buy. (I have dual US / Israeli citizenship and I would travel on an Israeli passport. I think that will make it easier for me to visit Cuba and bring dollars, either in cash or an Israeli credit card.).

[Zeos1]

I was actually planning on going to the "source" so to speak and staying in Holguin. I have read that the lightest skinned Cubans, which is my preference, are in that city and it is poor, in the east, therefore it may not take too much to impress the ladies there.

However even with dollars, and going to special dollars stores, you cannot buy anything? I'm very surprised. I know that Cuban government is desperate for dollars. I would think that they would be able to pull together whatever food is remaining and put it in the dollar stores.

And Western Union just closed in Cuba; the only source of dollars could be tourists if any are coming.

Been to Cuba a few times. Not sure where the special dollars stores exist. But in any case even at the best of times in recent years no amount of dollars or anything else can make something appear when it isn't there. And as for food. Don't even go there. If you think the government is going to put "what food is remaining" in special stores for tourists, well. I don't know what to say.

And as for source of dollars. Over 50% was from Canadian tourists staying at all inclusives and other resorts. It has been over 1 million per year tourists from Canada. But the vast majority of these visitors are in the 10 or so resort areas and most never see any real Cuba. But they are the major source of foreign exchange for Cuba. And Covid has thrown a wrench into that in a big way.

[HarryDubois]

Yes, USD is accepted just about everywhere in Cuba now. The problem is, Cuba is having shortages of just about everything, food, beer, gasoline, diesel, soap, you name it. I was in Cuba March of this year, just before the lockdowns, and it was hard to find descent food and drink even then. Cuba relies heavily on Venezuela for their imports, and of course Venezuela is being blockaded by the US. My favorite chica keeps me posted on the situation, and she's saying it's still bad in Cuba, extreme shortages out in the provinces.

Havana was basically dead because there was a very limited supply of fuel. Many of the chicas had went back home out in the provinces. To be honest, I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there last time I was in Cuba. Every other time I've been to Cuba, I wanted to stay longer, but not the last trip.

Hope this helps.

I was actually planning on going to the "source" so to speak and staying in Holguin. I have read that the lightest skinned Cubans, which is my preference, are in that city and it is poor, in the east, therefore it may not take too much to impress the ladies there.

However even with dollars, and going to special dollars stores, you cannot buy anything? I'm very surprised. I know that Cuban government is desperate for dollars. I would think that they would be able to pull together whatever food is remaining and put it in the dollar stores.

And Western Union just closed in Cuba; the only source of dollars could be tourists if any are coming.

[Ty Down]

Bringing some food might be easy, but how in the hell can I bring gasolina?

Asking for a friend.

Hahaha, 3 oz. Travel bottles in a zip lock baggie.

[TomJackin]

Be sure to bring some food, and gasolina.

Bringing some food might be easy, but how in the hell can I bring gasolina?

Asking for a friend.

[Ty Down]

However I thought that if you are bringing dollars you could buy anything.

Yes, USD is accepted just about everywhere in Cuba now. The problem is, Cuba is having shortages of just about everything, food, beer, gasoline, diesel, soap, you name it. I was in Cuba March of this year, just before the lockdowns, and it was hard to find descent food and drink even then. Cuba relies heavily on Venezuela for their imports, and of course Venezuela is being blockaded by the US. My favorite chica keeps me posted on the situation, and she's saying it's still bad in Cuba, extreme shortages out in the provinces.

Havana was basically dead because there was a very limited supply of fuel. Many of the chicas had went back home out in the provinces. To be honest, I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there last time I was in Cuba. Every other time I've been to Cuba, I wanted to stay longer, but not the last trip.

Hope this helps.

[HarryDubois]

I would be very careful about entering Cuba. Be sure to bring some food, and gasolina. As much as I would love to be there right now, the wind is blowing in the wrong direction. Western Union is no longer a life line. I hope the Cuban people can wake up.

However I thought that if you are bringing dollars you could buy anything.

[Ty Down]

According to this website.

https://www.traveloffpath.com/cuba-c...-need-to-know/

As of November 15 Cuba is totally back to normal except:

Take a free COVID test upon arrival.

Pay $30 for health insurance.

Quarantine in your hotel or casa particular for approximately 24 hours for test results.

Wear a mask in public.

So what is actually happening in Havana? Are loads of tourists swarming back in? Is no one arriving as yet? What about bars, clubs, nightlife?

Also, what about currency? Have US dollars replaced the CUC? Should I bring in dollars in cash and shop with that? Or are only US dollar credit cards accepted?

WHAT ABOUT GIRLS! Due to the financial crisis, are the police going to allow unlimited prostitution like in the Special Period of the late 1990's or is it still discouraged as was the case a year ago?

I would be very careful about entering Cuba. Be sure to bring some food, and gasolina. As much as I would love to be there right now, the wind is blowing in the wrong direction. Western Union is no longer a life line. I hope the Cuban people can wake up.

[HarryDubois]

According to this website.

https://www.traveloffpath.com/cuba-c...-need-to-know/

As of November 15 Cuba is totally back to normal except:

Take a free COVID test upon arrival.

Pay $30 for health insurance.

Quarantine in your hotel or casa particular for approximately 24 hours for test results.

Wear a mask in public.

So what is actually happening in Havana? Are loads of tourists swarming back in? Is no one arriving as yet? What about bars, clubs, nightlife?

Also, what about currency? Have US dollars replaced the CUC? Should I bring in dollars in cash and shop with that? Or are only US dollar credit cards accepted?

WHAT ABOUT GIRLS! Due to the financial crisis, are the police going to allow unlimited prostitution like in the Special Period of the late 1990's or is it still discouraged as was the case a year ago?

[Capichon2010]

Is it true that travellers will have to isolated in their hotels or rental houses for 5 days until a second PCR test is done? And is it true that a doctor comes to your place to check on you every day?