Havana

You need to walk around the block a few times while maintaining a low profile.

Observe and be respectful but don't be too generous. Its no longer point and click pussy that scene ended almost 15 years ago.

Kindness and generosity are usually interpreted by Cubans as weakness.

I've had Cuban friends whom I've know for over 13 years rip me off.

You need to lay the law down with Cubans otherwise they will shit all over you.

Once you realize that 90 % of all Cubans are con artists the place starts to make sense.

I still can't figure Cuba out.

You need to walk around the block a few times while maintaining a low profile in Havana.

Observe and be respectful but don't be generous. Its no longer point and click pussy that scene ended almost 15 years ago.

Kindness and generosity are usually interpreted by Cubans as weakness.

I've had Cuban friends whom I've know for over 13 years rip me off.

You need to lay the law down with Cubans otherwise they will shit all over you.

Once you realize that 90 % of all Cubans are con artists the place starts to make sense.

I still can't figure Cuba out.

[QUOTE=CubaTourist;2118269]Mondo, Thanks for your reply. When I went there years ago there were students from one of the technological universitit's that were using [URL]amigos.com[/URL]. [/QUOTE]Forget about [URL]amigos.com[/URL]. No one is subscribed there anymore.

But latinamericancupid has several hundreds.

[QUOTE=Chrchr;2118491]I was in La Habana last week. Low level of tourists, and less chicas. Still, some on the Malecon, some in the old town, some in the middle of nowhere. Three meetings three times bad service. Just interested in quick cash to feed themselves / their kids / their family.

I remember the old Havana with passionate playful girls- a different world less than five years ago.[/QUOTE]Of course most everyone's reason for going to work is to get quick cash to feed themselves and their family. That being said, I did have a couple of passionate sessions the few days that I was there in August. And maybe I was expecting it to be like the old DR and Brazil and how Philippines still is where you have to kick the girl out when you are tired of her. But my experience in Havana was that as soon as you are finished the girls are out of there as quick as they can. Because of that and internet / phone issues, it is really not a place that I need to return to.

Preparing my cuban newbie trip. I RTFF, but don't find this simple info:

The malecon is very long. What part of it is the playground? All of it?

Please be specific (betwwen avenida / calle X and Z).

Thanks in advance.

[QUOTE=NamasteParis;2120375]Preparing my cuban newbie trip. I RTFF, but don't find this simple info:

The malecon is very long. What part of it is the playground? All of it?

Please be specific (betwwen avenida / calle X and Z).

Thanks in advance.[/QUOTE]Based on what I've seen, the action seems to be concentrated closer to the area by the Deauville Hotel (the big blue colored building) which is on Galiano St (Avenida de Italia) in Centro Havana. Another landmark is that big black statue of a lady's head across from that hotel at the corner (trust me, you will see when you go, LOL). Every time I've gone this year, they were mostly just west of that area, which was only about a couple of blocks long. You should concentrate your efforts in the area I mentioned and then east towards the Prado heading towards the fort in Old Havana (Habana Vieja). Outside of that you might catch some stragglers here and there. The ones that are available will give you a hint if you look their way. I also notice they tend to be out mostly after 6 pm, at least that's how it was during the summer because of the heat. I'm sure the real vets on here might have better info, but these were my observations during recent trips the last few months.

Good Luck.

[QUOTE=Adinga;2120095]Kindness and generosity are usually interpreted by Cubans as weakness.

You need to lay the law down with Cubans otherwise they will shit all over you.

Once you realize that 90 % of all Cubans are con artists the place starts to make sense.

I still can't figure Cuba out.[/QUOTE]Your last sentence is the only one that make sense to me! Honestly you should stay away from that miserable country and let the rest of the world enjoy it as I do myself!

There are no quick answers. Walk the entire Malecon from the the tunnel in Miramar to the Morro castle in Havana.

It probably a 3 mile walk but you will learn a lot about Cuba. Observe.

Cuba changes daily and nothing is set in stone.

[QUOTE=NamasteParis;2120375]Preparing my cuban newbie trip. I RTFF, but don't find this simple info:

The malecon is very long. What part of it is the playground? All of it?

Please be specific (betwwen avenida / calle X and Z).

Thanks in advance.[/QUOTE]Paseo de Marti - Galiano - Calle 23 or La Rampa - Avenida Paseo. See at google maps. Playground is an exaggeration, however you can always spot girls at those intersection with Malecon. La Rampa that is 23 and Malecon is a hanging spot for young people. You can walk up La Rampa at you left side to Hotel Havana Libre, see the clubs, hotel St Johns and maybe find you date.

[QUOTE=Questner;2120453]Paseo de Marti - Galiano - Calle 23 or La Rampa - Avenida Paseo. See at google maps. Playground is an exaggeration, however you can always spot girls at those intersection with Malecon. La Rampa that is 23 and Malecon is a hanging spot for young people. You can walk up La Rampa at you left side to Hotel Havana Libre, see the clubs, hotel St Johns and maybe find you date.[/QUOTE]I have to agree with Questner on his assessment of the action for the info requested.

One thing that I'd add for those of you not familiar with la Habana and its surroundings is to download to your smartphone "Maps of Cuba" before getting to the island since if you do this over there it's a bit harder cause of the slow internet and costs.

If you also want real time navigation then you need to download an app (nav app) to do that. I was shown this last time I was there in October and it works fine just like a GPS but on your phone.

All of the above is done without an internet connection and for free!

Mondo.

[URL]https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.mapapps.mapyourtown.cuba&hl=en[/URL]

[QUOTE=CocoDesIles;2119422]Honestly I believe that who is five years older and less passionate is not Havana, but yourself![/QUOTE]I completely agree with this post.

[QUOTE=CocoDesIles;2120433]Your last sentence is the only one that make sense to me! Honestly you should stay away from that miserable country and let the rest of the world enjoy it as I do myself![/QUOTE]LOL, another great post!

Thanks a lot Mondo, Questner and EE for your precise answers! They will save me time. And thanks also for the Cuba map app, working offline. This also will save me time and stress!

Will report in March 2018.

As I stated in a previous post on this board I did not plan to monger on my trip to Cuba; my trip was just to 'feel out' the country so if you are interested in a thrust by thrust mongering report you will do well to skip this one.

I stayed at a hotel within walking distance of the Malecon. I arrived on a late Wednesday afternoon and after settling into my hotel room headed for the Malecon. I walked about two miles up and back and frankly must admit I saw not more than ten women who looked like hookers to me. Basically you make eye contact and the rest is obvious, some will call you towards them or the more brazen ones will walk alongside you with their sales pitch. This was basically the quantity I saw each time I went there. This was disappointing as I expected to see more even though it was a non-mongering expedition. However, throughout various parts of the city one will encounter others many of whom are quite discreet so you need to make eye contact.

With respect to quality one or two on the Malecon were doable but generally I was also disappointed by the hotness level on the Malecon. However, there is not reason to despair of mongering in Havana. One can come across some very alluring prospects by doing some footwork through the city. On occasions when I was by myself I was "asked the time" by some reasonably hot senoritas and I knew that a follow up proposal by me would be acceptable. However, due to an unforeseen circumstance I did not partake of those 'other' babes and did not hit the clubs.

The unforeseen circumstance occurred on my second full day when I was heading for lunch and this chica greeted me and started talking to me and in our opening lines she asked if I wanted her company (compania). On the spur of the moment in my improving Spanglish I asked her to join me for lunch. In short I spent the remaining eight days of my trip with her. She was the only chica I sessioned with in Havana and frankly if other providers in Havana are like her then Havana is a gold mine. We ended up liking the same food and drinks and with the aid of a translation app I improved my Spanish immensely. We met every day and not once was she unpunctual. She was never demanding and accepted whatever little I gave her in addition to the meals I had with her. Of course I gave her a windfall the day before I left Cuba.

I have spent considerable time with dating site girls in other countries but never so long with a working girl and frankly I will not criticize those punters who happen to occasionally fall for the latter. I hate to think of some foul monger maltreating this lovely young thing. I believe you treat them good and it will be reciprocated, it does not always happen but it does more often than not. She was not the best looker and a couple inches shorter than I like them but she was definitely an unspoilt babe and I would want to see her again if ever I return to Cuba.

I almost forgot to mention this. An elderly foreigner walking with a young Cuban senorita (20's in my case) will draw attention but not as much as one may expect. I actually saw more foreign women walking with Cuban men. I noticed she was circumspect about entering certain restaurants and was fidgeting with her ID card but there was never a problem. The police were ubiquitous but did not ever pay attention to us.

[QUOTE=Turgid;2120748]I stayed at a hotel within walking distance of the Malecon.[/QUOTE]And you say also that you spent one week with your novia. I thought local guests were NOT accepted in hotels, and mongers should always sleep in casas. How did you manage this? Did the hotel say anything where you brought your novia in your room? If this hotel is GF, then please tell us which hotel it was.