Havana Trip Report April 2007

Viajemucho: One of the best, most thorough, and detailed trip reports ever posted on this branch. Thanks very much!

You have more than helpful - I have been to Havana three times now and am visiting again this September - I was just curious as to whether you could recommend any particular bar, like you I did nothing much more than spend most late evenings at a terrace bar when I was there, mostly the roof garden at Hotel Inglaterra apart from last year when for some reason it was closed. Anyway thanks again for a very interesting post.

Yup, thanks for taking the time to write something that extensive.

Excellent and thorough travel report, by someone who obviously noted discrepancies between 'what you read on TT Cuba' and 'what you find in Cuba.' <blockquote>Quote
<hr> After researching Havana for several weeks before my trip, I was unsure what to expect. The experiences people have had have been so varied (and, perhaps, their agendas for posting have also been as varied).<hr></blockquote> Its a sad reality, but some of those posting negative opinions here do have agendas, as you understand. The Miami mafia uses the internet as its battleground against Cuba (its economy, and tourist business), and their propaganda appears here ; a good number of the anticuban trolls have never even been to Cuba. Lots of their Cuba-negative friends will also seize on & exaggerate any bit of nonsense to damn Cuba, and that could be dissuasive to travelers. I do suppose that is the intent.

Glad to hear you had a great trip!

# 6

Did you notice that he used the cadeca on the 2nd floor/departure level, and not the one at the arrival which had been reported about previously?

#14, yes I did notice that, it's good to know you can also get up to departures if the lines are too long and they might often be.

11. Thanks. Our favorite bar was the Terrace Bar at the Hotel Nacional. It just had that perfect feel to it and the mojitos were the best of those we tasted in the city. The one bar that stood out in Old Havana was La Mina Terraza because it was not as touristy as El Floridita or La Bodequita del Medio. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful.

14. Yes, I wanted to definitely make the distinction between the CADECA at the arrivals level and the one on the departures level at the airport as I obviously can't comment on the one at the arrivals level.

One thing I want to underscore, however, is that while I do not dispute the experience of other travellers regarding apparent "intentional mistakes" while exchanging money, I can only say that I did not personally experience it on the two occasions I did visit a CADECA.

As someone who travels extensively worldwide for both business and pleasure, I did not feel, after exchanging money on two occasions, that I had to be any more cautious in Havana than I would have been anywhere else. In fact, my major pet peeve in currency exchange around the world has always been the wide variety of rates and "service charges" which can be found in virtually every city I have visited worldwide and the lack of clarity on these rates. Some claim "no service charge" but then include a hefty mark-up in the exchange rate (ie. up to 10% above the bank rate), others charge a hefty service charge, etc. This has been so irritating that I no longer exchange currency at exchange counters in most places I visit (except China) but rather use my ATM card where I am also guaranteed a predictable rate (normally no more than 1.5% above the bank rate). In the case of Cuba, since I did not want to use my Visa card, I simply used cash and felt quite good about doing so since the exchange rate is relatively fixed and uniform throughout the city.

Vieje, just a few side notes to your post. Los Nardos across the Capitolio (by the way did you tour the Capitolio?) is also one of our favor restaurants in Old Havana because they have Texas sizes steaks on the menu. Just want to point out the bottle water they serve with the menu is $1 so if you are drinking beer you can send it back and when it’s time for the bill there is a 10% service charge added to the total. We usually tip the piano player and the singer on the way out.

Perhaps I am mistaken but I thought you needed an official receipt from the cigar store if you are exporting more than 23 cigars. In Cienfuegos they hand out the regulations as you exit immigration to pick up your luggage but I never pick one up.

I was there last month and one of my amiga works in the bank as a teller and I mentioned some returning tourists are complaining they were short charged when exchanging money and she said it’s possible but not probable. The money is calculated in the computer first and counted by hand and recounted in a money machine and set aside in 1s 3s 5s 10s etc and the customer signs the form and the money is again counted in his presence according to the number of each bills on the receipt at which time the customer can speak up and the manager will come over and recount the money again. Once the costomer leaves the counter they only have his word he is short one bill. One complaint and they can lose their job without notice and it’s a good job to work in an a/c building with good hours. She said if it does happen it’s not in her bank and some tourists needs to be more responsible because she has to remind them to pick up their passport or purse or hat, etc. My banking experience mirrors yours without any mistakes and what is on the receipt is what I get.

If you traveled in China, Cuba is a breeze.

Rickie

Thanks -- we didn't enter the Capitolio as it was closed for some reason. It is one for the next trip. Agree regarding the bottled water but CUC1 is pretty par for the course. On the 10% service charge, we added another 10% for the waiter as we weren't sure whether the service charge was distributed to all the staff or was kept by the restaurant. In the end, the food quality and the service earned the additional tip.

Correction -- 23 cigars not 50

Yes, you are correct, an official receipt must be produced when exporting more than 23 cigars. I mistakenly typed 50 cigars as that is what I exported by the receipt would be required for any export over 23 cigars. Thanks for pointing that out.

Agree with the observation from your friend at the bank. I really don't see how a bank teller or CADECA agent can risk their job by making an "intentional mistake" -- furthermore, who wouldn't count their cash after receiving it? It only makes common sense and if a mistake is made, counting it in front of the teller/agent at the counter allows you to rectify the error. I automatically do that when I withdraw cash from my home bank and certainly do that whenever I exchange currency while travelling -- whether in Cuba or elsewhere.

Thanks for pointing out my error.