If you are coming to Cuba...

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caney2
caney2

(an extract of a reply Conner Gorry wrote on his last blog post):

If you’re coming to Cuba... donations should be targeted, thoughtful and relevant. Your casa owner does not need gifts, nor should you hand out treats on the streets (the woman tossing bags of gummy bears to little children of color during last week’s antihomophobia conga needs to learn this lesson). Partonize minority owned businesses. Avoid Air B&B (incl their experiences) – these are the country’s 1% and you’re making the well off better off, plus Air B&B has some seriously questionable business practices. Get into the provinces, where fewer tourist venture (do Cienfuegos and Trinidad count? No. I think not. Im talking Guantánamo, Las Tunas, Holguín, Granma...) Read up and become informed about contemporary class issues in Cuba.

https://hereishavana.com/2018/05/16/patrulla-122-protecting-serving-discriminating/#comment-173191

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bobmichaels
bobmichaels

Note: Conner is very much a she, not a he.

When I am in Havana, I always try to stop by Cuba Libro in Vedado to say hello. I encourage others to do the same. You will not be disappointed.

Independently verify anything important that a stranger tells you on the internet, even this advice.
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caney2
caney2

Oops!! sorry... my bad. I know Conner is very much a she...

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CubanWaters
CubanWaters

I thought that that community had friends in high places

Raul Castro's daughter to push for gay marriage in Cuba

For the record, I have never used Airb&b and would never do so in Cuba!


"They trailed in with tumbleweed following them, as if tumbleweed was their pet."
-KR
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greslogo
greslogo

I have problem with much, not all, of the gay community in Cuba....at least in Habana. Many are jineteros looking for sex for pay from foreigners. No shortage of transvestites hustling tourists that are into that thing.

Then again, no shortage of straight Cubans doing the same.

Why smoke good cigars when there are great cigars.
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johnabbotsford
johnabbotsford

Thanks Caney for posting this.

The shortest flight takes half a day door to door
Cuban resorts are God's Waiting Rooms
Any trip of less than a month is not worth getting out of bed for
Anybody relying on a single source of funds whilst travelling is an idiot
*Millions of Americans have visited Cuba already, but everyone arriving this week is under the illusion that he or she is the first one to discover Cuba and the last one to see it before it is no longer an independent country*
Don Tomas
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caney2
caney2

My pleasure John. In my opinion, a must for a first timer. Brief, clear and to the point.

Edited by caney2
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bobmichaels
bobmichaels

I question the internet aversion to Airbnb as the Cuban casa owners I know prefer it because of the lower commissions compared to a Cuban referral plus the fact they have never had an Airbnb "no show".

Personally I have never used Airbnb but that is because I simply do not make casa reservations other than the day before arrival.

Independently verify anything important that a stranger tells you on the internet, even this advice.
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p0gue
p0gue

Ditto. I forget what Conner's beef with Airbnb is about, but I recently got to know 2 casa owners well who I met through Airbnb. Both were very enthusiastic about the service and use it almost exclusively to find new renters. Commission paid by the casa owner is 3%, which is considerably lower than the $5 a taxi driver or jinetero wants. And no one is banging on your door in the middle of the night asking about rooms. Payment is taken care of online in advance, money deposited in your bank acct. If you have a nice place and you build up some positive reviews you can generate a steady stream of bookings with little extra effort or expense. And I got the impression that Airbnb clients are generally easier to deal with than folks who just show up at your door with a taxi driver.

As a renter it works out pretty well also. Large selection of rooms all over the island, with descriptions and pics. Reviews from previous renters. Rates are surprisingly reasonable. If you stay extra nights you can cut Airbnb out of the equation and save a few bucks. The only negative is that it is difficult to impossible to use the site to book casas once in Cuba. You have to use a web proxy you can trust with your financial details to fool the online payment gateway and evade the embargo. But if you can swing that, Airbnb is even better. You have a directory of casas anywhere on the island with set prices, pics and reviews that you know are available, bookable the same day with a credit card.

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beardouk
beardouk

I don't know if Conner has explained her aversion to Airbnb - but I assume there is something behind it, not just an unreasoning phobia.

Fidel Castro :
"Christ chose the fishermen, because he was a communist,"
"When we fulfill our promise of good government I will cut my beard."
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