Here is Havana – A blog written by the gringa next door, conspires to give you a dose of what life is really like across the Straits.
Partly out of boredom (that blue meanie for all sorts of odd motivations here), and partly because I’m fed up with all the self-serving, politically-motivated, misinformed, or just plain stupid mierda being written about Cuba, I’ve decided to start a blog. It’s a reluctant undertaking for so many reasons…
Here is Havana is navel-gazing, cathartic venting at its best and worst. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to kiss on the Malecón, go to the doctor for free, smoke tasty 5 cent cigars, or forgo toilet paper, welcome to Havana.
Other passions and perturbations of life here you’ll read about include baseball, my fledgling garden, machismo, the Cuban kitchen, my favorite little old ladies (who have more spunk than your average 22-year old from Omaha), rock ‘n roll withdrawal, the “wireless network found” icon that harasses me as I’m connected via 50k dial up, and other ironies.
On a slow day, you might even read about those old cars that make visitors wet and dewy-eyed, but for us are simply a way to get from point A to point B.
What you read here is 100% my opinion and experience after 9 years (and counting) working as an American journalist in Havana. I have no agenda. I aim to sway no one. In Cuban, this translates as ella no está en na’. A high compliment, rarely paid.
For all you rabid extremists out there who will slam what I say, no matter what or how I say it, repeat after me: ella no está en na’. And please, take a chill pill or three while you’re at it.
Here is Havana – like you never dreamed.
If you’d like to join the conversation, please feel free to comment on whatever strikes your fancy. If you’re looking to hire an experienced and passionate writer with more on-the-ground, current Cuba info than most anyone, contact me. If you want your own personal tour guide, I’m not your chica, but my snazzy Havana Good Time iapp is the next best thing.
PS – For the meaning behind the title of this blog, plus more musings, see my work in progress, Here is Havana.
PPS – All text, photos, graphics, artwork and other material on Here is Havana are copyrighted and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Ok when are you going to discuss the racism, violation of human rights and the fact that my country will swept up in the storm of capitalism, drug dealing, grift, graft and the almighty snatch and grab (like africa) the resources.
My man, you must be blind or perpetrating a fraud and unless you were born in Cuba,(7 yrs) you do not know a thing.
Now, when your ready..i will give u facts
Ah Matancera mía – that’s why the world has people like you and Yoany.
You’ve obviously come to the wrong blog.
!ciao pescao!
hello Milagros; Is it possible that you leave me some contact? I am working on a book, I would gladly get in contact with you. Anja
Conner…….
Met you at the MLK Center in Havana numbers of years ago. I have been to the Island many times….taking WFP groups, P4P, and solo.
Somehow, I just discovered your blog and devoured the pieces. LOVE IT!
Thanks!
Hi Ellen! I remember you well (still fighting the good fight I assume?!) thanks for reading and spread the word! Im shooting to crack 12 readers this year! Paz y abrazos
Conner–we also met through a Witness for Peace delegation outside Cienfuegos, I think; then again on another trip, back at the CMLK. I loved your attitude even then, and now that we’ve had several MORE years of absurd politics (perhaps on both sides of the straits), your no-mierda style of writing and analysis is even more refreshing, and needed. Like Ellen above (a close friend), I’ve been there often and remain a rational advocate for la isla–so much to be learned by keeping one’s eyes open and one’s mind free. I look forward to lots more noticias on your blog–the first I’ve EVER participated in. Thanks——–Beth
Hola Beth,
Thanks for your kind, thoughful words. Yes, crazy stupid politics – even the WfP delegations stopped coming for a few years. Hurts everyone all around I figure. The rest of this year looks rough (we’re all praying we’re spared any hurricanes) – and we’re going to need all the good vibes/energy/fight everyone has to give….
Blogging is not my cup of writing tea, but I love having readers like you! Please pass along the link to anyone you think may be interested.
Take care
Conner
So glad I stumbled on this blog. I’ve been going for research trips for the past five years or so, but never something like this. Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Hola Anne and thanks for reading. For those of you in the US who aren’t familiar with “research trips” these are one of the few remaining ways US residents and citizens can “legally” visit Cuba. For more you can check out http://www.marazul.com
What are you researching Anne, if you don’t mind me asking?
Now how did I miss this blog? Nice to have first-person accounts from someone who’s first instinct is not to portray every little thing that doesn’t work in Cuba as a personal failure of Fidel or Raúl. My compliments, and my regards….
Hi Mark! Thanks for reading and more to the point – thanks for getting it! Cuba is complex and much, (oh so much) more than simply the Castro family and Yoani. It’s complex, and nuanced, and besieged from without – anyone who leaves this out of the analysis is missing the point. Which is why I always tell people to come check it out for themselves.
Please, pass on the blog to others – Im shooting for a million hits a month (though don’t have the translating team to get Here is Havana out there in 16 languages like Ms Sanches!)
Sounds like we have a bit in common, starting with Cuba and Guatemala. I’ll be at the Nacional for a week beginning Dec. 29, please get in touch if you have time.
Saludos,
Stephen Kinzer
Just happened upon your wonderful blog. So glad so see a bs – free perspective lived, considered, and beautifully written. Did you know my friend Jane McManus (speaking of lively older women)? I visited her there in ’03 I think it was.
Hola Art – glad you landed here and thanks for your support! Life is hard, interesting, instructive and confusing no matter where you are or how you live it and I think one of our duties as humans is to consider that life and how we can make it more just, equitable, peaceful, and maybe, just maybe, better understood. That’s what Id like to do anyway and I think that’s part of the magic of travel and learning about other cultures. The writing part is where it gets tough and sometimes frustrating. One great shortcoming is the English language – there’s a cast of thousands in my life who can’t read what I write due to the language barrier. It makes me morose sometimes and makes me wish I was a musician or painter always – I envy folks who can communicate their ideas without words.
Jane’s name rings a bell, but I didn’t know her.
So pleased to find your blog after reading a travel writers comments on it. I never wanted to visit Cuba only because everyone I knew in Canada experienced the all-inclusive Cuba…never venturing off site because Cuba was too dangerous. I hate all-inclusivity and decided to make my trip more widespread.
I spent 3 weeks travelling from Baracoa to Maria La Gorda and staying in Casa Particulars. Probably the best experience of my life – and I cannot say enough about Cuba and its people, however no one at home believes me….
oh and your reference to the TP crisis made me hoot! Thanks and I look forward to reading the rest.
Hola Andrea
Welcome to our world! Thanks so much for writing in – your experience is exactly why I always (gently) advise people to come to Cuba to see it, feel it, smell it, talk to folks and draw their own conclusions. And your comment about your friends not leaving the AIs because Cuba is “too dangerous” made ME hoot! Could ANYTHING be farther from the truth?
Isn’t Maria la Gorda marvelous? The hubby and I (plus 10 of my family members!) spent our honeymoon there.
So when will you be back?!
not soon enough! I thought Senor Esrock did a great job writing about it, didn’t you.
I could live in Havana…easy. but I have too many places on my bucket list to visit yet. however I can’t resist planning a quicky Cuba trip inbetween. I have amigos/and a madre that would love to join me should I. And of course meeting wonderful people like yourself beckons me back. I WILL RETURN.
su amiga Andrea aka cabochick
Just stopped over here from Matador (you responded to my backpack recommendation question – thanks!). I’m definitely hooked. Women like you are (and always will be) my inspiration. I’m just now getting up the nerve to start doing what I really want with my life, and while my writing and travel experiences are still juvenile in comparison, I hope one day to be as “at home” with not being at home as you.
Hi there Katie! Thanks for stopping over and mucha suerte with your 2 month odyssey to Costa Rica.
READERS: this woman is Funny! She can also write (how refreshing!). Check out her blog Domestiphobia
So I got a couple of hits on my blog today from this page, and I never saw your response to my comment (over 2 years later!) until just now. That is just… the nicest EVER.
By the way, I just quit my job (again). Going to try to make the writing thing really happen this time. Also, I want to go to Cuba. I’ll let you know when/if I ever make it happen.
Make it happen! Make it all happen!
For future reference: I think there’s a “check this box for follow-up comments” or some such which allows you to see who comments on your comments. Id be more specific but this connection is maddening eg 15 minutes 40 seconds to post this response!
Make it happen! Make it all happen!
For future reference: I think there’s a “check this box for follow-up comments” or some such which allows you to see who comments on your comments. Id be more specific but this connection is maddening eg 15 minutes 40 seconds to post this response!
Hi there Ole. I invite you to take another look at the regulations for US citizens to travel to Cuba. How, exactly, do I qualify? Under what designation? believe me, Ive taken a microscope to the things!! If it were that easy, wouldnt US folks be marrying cuban folks left and right to get a “free pass”
I have never had a problem with Cuban immigration or Customs. zero. nil. zilch.
Have fun at the 15era!
Hahaha! I love that story – especially the rhinestone belt. Niiiiiiiice!
I just wanted to say, like most who post comments on this website, that I really love your writing and am inspired by your life. I visited Cuba in 2002 and it is, and always will be, one of the highlights of my life. I know that it is a complicated place and that many people have many opinions about it, but I have learned so much by traveling there and so much more because of traveling there in the years since I returned.
Thanks!
Hi Michelle and mil gracias for your kind words.
What you write strikes a chord: “Cuba..is and always will be one of the highlights of my life.” Im sure many readers of Here is Havana share this sentiment, including me, your humble scribe. It has also been for me personally, one of the greatest learning experiences of my life. I believe all travel is a learning experience, but the complicated, joyful, funny, sexy and smart place that is Cuba is just that much more….instructive.
That’s why I can’t stay away! happy travels
Hi Conner! Found your blog from a comment on Johnny Vagabond’s post. I have always been so fascinated by Cuba, it’s politics, and how there are so many diverse and yet very intense reactions/opinions about the country. My partner and I are currently traveling around the U.S. in an RV and just got to Miami. In just a few days we have become completely smitten with Little Havana, although with our limited Spanish we’ve had difficulties engaging with folks as much as we’d like.
I’m really excited that I found your blog and I can’t wait to read a ton more about your experiences!
Hiya. I tried commenting on your Little Havana post but WordPress thought I was Spam. harumph!!
Your post about wanting to get people talking and then not being able to shut them up is hilarious – and spot on. Seems there’s a lot that Little and Original Havana have in common!!
Happy travels!
Stooopid WordPress spam plug-ins! I had no idea the plug-in was spamming all comments, so I appreciate you letting me know!
Hi Conner! I’ve been reading your blog and it’s great. I just wanted to say thanks for sharing your life and experiences with us. I’m heading to Cuba with a friend of mine in February and I appreciate all the information that you’ve provided for people like myself that are interested in Cuba and travel in general. I always buy Lonely Planet guides for the destinations that I’m travelling to… you are so lucky to get to write for them. You have my dream
job! If I could get paid to travel and write, I would be in heaven!
Take care
Donna
muchas gracias Donna! Right now, with two huge deadlines looming, my job feels more like a nightmare than a dream!
Have a great trip!
Hi, just came across your blog while trying to find a reference for my frriend explaining what a jamaliche means in Cuba. Loved your http://hereishavana.wordpress.com/2009/07/24/la-yuma-jamaliche/ and am going through your other articles. I lived in Cuba myself between 1987 – 1994.
Hola and thanks for stopping by. Jamaliche soy yo and what’s funny is my 7 month old niece (whoa is that a hunka, hunka cuban love right there!!) is also showing signs of being one – can she put away that malanga!!. even at such a young age
1987-94: very interesting times to be living here. saw the best and the not so. I have SO any friends who get dewey eyed about the late 80s before the fall, when the peso had value.
Here’s an app to help you, or any other gringa journalist (lol) in Havana.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cuban-dichos/id408068833?mt=8
Enjoy,
-g
OOOH! Thanks for this. Of course I can’t download here in Havana (iTunes is blocked thanks to the bloqueo), but I’ll definitely check this out! Dichos have fascinated me these past 9 years.
PS – Im sure you’ve seen my post about “el camarón que se duerme & quimbobó que rebala”
Nice to find some balance. Most of the blogs I read are negative and somehow connected to Yoani Sanchez or Claudia Cadelo, so it is nice to read some things more positive, even when they are negative. I had a wonderful visit to Santa Lucia in Holguin province last week and saw much to be positive about, the gardens, the optimism, I wished I could’ve stayed. Back next month with the kids, my son and daughter’s first time in Cuba, and they are so excited! What a culture shock that’s going to be with no MacDonald’s or WIFI for their iPods!
“I wish I could have stayed” – I think you’ve put into words what many many visitors to cuba feel.
And yes – no McDs or Wifi. It can be challenging for teens especially. They’re used to quite a different reality. Have a wonderful trip.
PS – I know I sound like a broken record but I always rec’d first time Cuba travelers write down what they expect to find here before arriving and then write during or after their trip what they experienced. It’s wild to compare the two….
Absolutely amazing blog, written from neutral perspective. I am a member of a political group in Spain (where I live) where we got a subgroup trying to support Cuba. If it’s allright with you I can pass the URL of your blog to them, some of them have been there many times and some are preparing for a first visit to La Isla. I’m sure all of them would be very interest in your writings.
How did you manage to emigrate to Cuba? From what I was told you need a working permit supplied by a local employer, but I would take it with a grain of salt given the many contradicting info spread about Cuba…
Hey G. Absolutely!! Let them know about Here is Havana. Ive said it before, but it bears repeating: first time visitors, try this: write down all you expect to experience and see in Cuba before you come. While here, write down your impressions. Compare the versions. You may be surprised!
I know idevice use isn’t huge in Spain, but if any of your companeros/as have an iphone/touch/pad, please let them know about my iapp Havana Good Time, available here: http://sutromedia.com/apps/Havana_Good_Time
About emigrating here: there’s no set formula. Ask a dozen people how they made life possible in Cuba and you’ll get a dozen different answers. Securing work via a work permit from a local employer IS possible but it’s the real long shot for most people since you need specialized skills, Spanish fluency (usually) and contacts. Things, however, are changing on this front and more opportunities will likely be had in the future if we can keep our head above water.
PS Glad you like the blog. it’s a labor o’ love
Regarding the emigration issue (as I don’t want to distract too much at your blog), do you mind sending me a little email? I rather don’t publish my email address publically (those evil spambots are everywhere) but you probably can see it as you’re the administrator of the blog.
I will tell the people in my political movement about your blog next time we get together, I’m sure several of them will be very interested. I also posted a link to your blog on a Dutch-language (that’s my mothertongue) discussion board on Cuba. Keep up the good work!
Hola Gerrit. Thanks for writing in. I’ve met many great Dutch folks in my travels over the years, so it’s nice to have you here! (on a complete side note: they’ve been showing a Toto concert filmed in Amsterdam here for the past two weeks on Cuban TV. Probably no one in the band realizes that ‘toto’ in Cuban is slang for vagina!)
Please note readers: I can’t really advise on emigration issues. It is very hard (and getting harder) to reside in Cuban as a foreigner. Bureaucraticallly speaking….
Love the blog and looking forward to discovering much, much more about Cuba from the inside!
Thanks Margaret! Anyone itching to learn about Chile should head straightaway to this long time expat’s blog
Been reading your blog about the coffee situation. Great stuff. I have been drinking FRENCH MARKET Coffee all my life, the chicory blend is the New Orleans favorite. Shall I send you a can? I have posted your blog’s URL on the Miami Herald.com. Expect the Good, the Bad and the Ugly! lol. Have you ever eaten at Carmelo’s? My fav funky place. Keep On Blogging.
Ciao, Skulldaddy
Hola SD! Skip the coffee and offer me cargo/passenger space on the South Florida-Havana ferry you’re getting off the ground! (good luck BTW – w/b a great option for getting across the Straits)
Don’t know Carmelo’s. Send me details: love learning about new places.
Happy travels!
I never read blogs, but this is one that I will definitely keep coming back to.. I’ve been plotting my getaway to Cuba since I was 12. Your insights are great and from what I can tell, having spent only 48 hours in Havana, really on point. (Right now, I’m thinking back to that entry you posted, ‘Proyecto Runway,’ which had me cracking up). Anyway, I just finished my senior thesis on la ELAM and read somewhere (probably on the matador website) that you write for MEDICC… I’m wondering if you could post a link to some of your articles or let me know where I can find them? Thanks again for the great reading!
Hola Anna. Wow, it always plucks at my writerly heart strings when someone tells me ‘I never read blogs, but…..’ Mil gracias for that and please do keep coming back!
Did I tell you about the fashion? I was just at a quicenera and well, it was just incredible to see these 13 year old gnomes wearing the giant spinning playboy bunny belt buckles and the 14 year old chulas in their spiked heels and clinging minis.
MEDICC Review, for which I write, is available at http://www.medicc.org/mediccreview. I’ve also put a link on my blog roll so you can get there from my homepage of the blog as well. Once there, you’ll find many articles on ELAM, written by me and others. Search on my name, search on ELAM, and you’ll get the goods. Much luck on your thesis (and realizing your dream getaway. !si, se puede!
Found your blog when I was goggling how to translate “estas acabando” to English. I’m 20 and I left Havana when I was 13 but I adore my country and I go visit every year. I’m in the process of reading all of your posts, they are hilarious and make me go ” yeahh that’s so true and so funny” every five seconds. I normally don’t appreciate foreign people talking about Cuba, but I’m completely jealous of the talent you have to depict the reality of the island. Gracias y espero seguir leyendo mucho mas!
Milión de gracias Elizabeth! I am in need of positive reinforcement just now: in the past two days I was called “tia” for the first time (por dios. this is the kiss of death for any 40-something already nostalgic for youth!) and had a 70-year old piropeandome. Is this my future in Cuba?! Están acabando conmigo los cubanos!!
By the way – Im very interested in the reverse experience (ie Cubans in the yuma and how they adjust, cope, see things, etc). Feel free to comment or email me on the topic if you feel so inclined!
Hola! I love your blog!! I’m devouring it…. fabulously well written and so funny…I just came back from my 4th trip to Cuba…Santiago de Cuba and had to chuckle at the nickname section…I’ve been given mine lol.
Hope to visit Havana one day.. Thanks again for the wonderful read!
Thanks for stopping by and writing in D. So what is your cuban ‘apodo’? Happy travels!
I love your writing style, I’ve shared your blog with a few of my closest Cuba junky pals who are hooked just as I am
my apodo is nothing fancy…he just cut my name in 1/2 Dani or tries to say Sweetie…sounds more like sweaty. Mi prima’s nickname is much more inventive: Tatika. So, sorta makes me feel like chopped liver jajaja! we’ll have to get him to reassign a more suiting nickname, and not Mimi jaja
Thanks again for an amazing read!
D
Thanks for sharing Dani. I’ve often thought about writing about funky Cuban pronunciation – if some day I do, I’ll definitely include sweaty!!
Hi Conner,
My name is Glynn and I live in Melbourne Australia.
In April next year I am bringing a group of about 12 amateur photographers to Cuba to enjoy a couple of weeks of photography.
I’d love to chat to you privately about how to improve our visit by getting a bit deeper into the lifestyle than may be otherwise possible for us.
Great Glynn. You can contact me on: http://connergorry.com/contact.html
Also, you can suggest Havana Good Time for your participants with iPods/Pads. Great for getting geared up/excited for the trip!
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Hi Conner
I’ve just discovered your blog and am loving it. The kisses along the Malecon, the rationing of toilet paper…it reminds me of the time I spent there, falling desperately in love with a Cuban man and staying much longer than anticipated. First date at Coppelia, followed by a walk along the Malecon.
I’ve now fallen in love with a Frenchman, so I’m living la vie francaise in Champagne, but still often think, wistfully, of Cuba and I have a great many memories there. If you’re interested, my blog on life in France is here: http://shannon-laviefrancaise.blogspot.com/
Hola Shannon! Thanks for feeling/sharing the love! Coppelia + Malecon is a brilliant first (or five hundreth) date. Hope my husband takes me both places soon. Dreamy! Good luck in Champagne!
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Shannon, do you have anything written on your experience living in Cuba and being in Love?
Your blog was recommended to me by a friend – expat – who lives in Havana. As we are planning a trip in January I am interested in learning as much as I can about Cuba. Thanks for writing.
Hiya Patty. Great strategy: reading up before you land. I wrote this article for Lonely Planet about “only in Cuba” which you may enjoy and if you have an ipad/phone, I highly recommend Havana Good Time, written by me. There are lots of resources on the web, too. Have a great trip.
Hola Conner! I pretty much only read blogs on Honduras. Now I can add Cuba to the short list! I just found your blog by chance thru Amazon and I truly wish I’d read it in June, before I went to Cuba for 10 days. I was finishing a masters and working and once completed, I left three days later…so not much time for surfing for Cuba info. I’m so glad to have found it now. Ten days was barely enough to scratch the surface of such a complicated and interesting place. I used to stand on the point in Key West and squint across the straights wondering, “what actually goes on over there?” To stand on the Malecón looking the other direction was a dream come true. I’ve traveled alone alot, but always knew somehow that traveling to Cuba alone would be a whole different story, and wow! I was so right. I had so many crazy and wonderful and awful experiences there, I have been thinking of writing about it myself! What a great place to go for life lessons too.
I was completely enchanted by the hospitality. As an American and first time traveler to Cuba, I was always short on cash. So I spent alot of time just talking to people. I told friends it would be perfectly safe for me to travel there alone…but that I didn’t think biking across Cuba alone would be a good idea. Now I think, biking alone would probably be ok too, except I would never get to Baracoa because I would be stopped hundreds of times and invited onto hundreds of porches for mango juice!
Even though I returned home with a UTI, most likely parasites from a food poisoning incident, and adrenal issues that have me taking an unheard of siesta everyday….I will return to Cuba and the new family I have there!
Hiya Stephanie. Thanks for stopping by! Honduras holds a dear place in my heart (esp. the garifuna, the maya and frente nacional de resistencia), so I know Im in good company. You should definitely hit the road with two wheels and take every vaso de jugo de mango offered! The hospitality here is amazing, as you point out. One of the misconceptions I find many folks who have never been to Cuba hold is that the people are oppressed and dour, trudging along under the yoke of ‘the man,’ with crazy policies a la sanctioned hair cuts in N Korea. Then they get here and everyone is cracking jokes, dancing, drinking and generally enjoying life a pesar de….
Life lessons indeed!
Hey – I think I have found a blog I will love!! I am just another baby boomer Canuck who travelled several times from ’91 on to my favourite isla.
I stayed at all inclusives – mainly Varadero – where the grass is greener than the rest of Cuba 
so say mis amigos cubanos – and el cheap – renting a moped, or a jeep to get out and around Cardenas, matanzas, Jovellanos, Cienfuegos and some crocodillo swamp! And of course Havana. Once I hopped a La Habana bound tour bus in from of my hotel and gave him a few bucks to drop me down the road at a friends. No political statemtns from me but my gosh you have to admire these people in spite of their government.
I once heard when things ‘change’:( (I seriously hope not too much just a better quality life for them) you will hear a giant sucking aound across the Caribbean as others discover Cuba and see what a beautiful country, gorgeous beaches and amazing people are really like! But please God – no McD’s, Denny’s or Starbucks on the Malecon
I love the island and miss it. I best remember the smells, sounds and music as I drove the roads or walked their neighbourhoods, visiting friends for lunch, dinner or coffee. (OMG one sip of cuban coffee for this tea granny and I could swim home to Canada!)
I will be back.
Thanks
Hey Deb!! thanks for dropping by. Im so glad I was able to conjure this wonderful place for you. Have a poke around some of the old posts for more of those “smells, sounds and music” and some of the more recent posts for what changes are afoot….cheers!
What a great read..I’ve traveled several times Cuba especially the past 3 years and I have been fortunate to meet several families in the small town of Boca de Jaruco as well as Havanna. There is a song by Chantal Kreviazuk titled ” Feels Like Home” for some reason It makes me feel connected with the many friends I have made in cuba.I have no way of contacting my friends between visits.I now have another way to feel connected to this country that has become so special to me.. Thanks for sharing.
Welcome Cheby! Thanks so much for your comment. I feel like Im making a difference!
Did anyone else cover that song? Sounds familiar but the artist doesn’t ring a bell. Im thinking Duncan Sheik, maybe?
She is a Canadian songwriter I google’d and didn’t see where Duncan Sheik covered her songs…the chorus goes like this..
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I’m all the way the back where I come from
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I’m all the way back where I belong
It feels like I’m all the way back where I belong
..any way.. yes you are making a difference..and as per your words not by swaying anyone..I for one appreciate that….I have gone full circle on my thoughts on why something is the way it is in Cuba many times..you make a difference by adding some color around real situations that either reinforce a feeling I may have or make me question it. In the end Cuba is a living breathing result of its history. and it is up to me to come to my decisions. One thing for sure Cuban people are proud people, as well they should be.
Thanks again for sharing.
.PS I have never responded to a blog before (I guess that’s proof you made a difference.. ha ha).
Hey, thanks Cheb. You know, you’re not the first one at HIH to say “I’ve never responded to a blog before,” so I am touching some nerves, I guess. In a good way. mostly, which is, as we say here, barbaro! (I don’t know why I can’t do accents in wordpress). but really, this the whole point of Here is Havana: to celebrate all that is unique and wacky, inspiring and thought-provoking about Cuba. If these elements are sometimes in contradiction, confusing and well, just damn frustrating, such is life everywhere, anywhere. The point is to embrace the good and help spread the word.
A big shout out to reader Lee M. from BC for taking the time to put her thoughts about Here is Havana down on a nice (squirrels! I miss squirrels!) card and send it to my PO box here. Nothing like something in the old mailbox to brighten my day! Cheers Lee!
OK, Conner — I’ve got your app, been reading your blog, and am ready to bolt NYC for three days in Havana later this month. One thing you said on your app intrigued me, so I’ll ask: what IS the best Cuban cigar (Montecristo?)? And what is the best rum?
Thanks for all the great stuff!
Hola Steve-O. Asking what’s the best cigar is like asking who’s the best 007 or who’s sexier Page or Plant? Everyone has their preference (for the record: Connery, Page). Personally, I prefer Romeo y Julieta Churchills over all others (not that I can afford them mind you), followed closely by Montecristo 2. Cohiba is the most famous, but I find them a little ‘picante’ although a certain someone once gifted me a box of Esplendidos and well! Divine all of them. Go check out the huge selection at 5ta y 16, grab a rum on the rocks and sit back and smoke in the lounge/bar.
Re rum I can only tell you what the word on the street is, since I don’t drink. Again, like Cohibas, the flagship brand is Havana Club. I assume you’re asking to drink straight not in cocktails (the best is not mixed, obviously) and if you stick w Havana Club 7 years or older, you’re good. However, tipplers have been complaining about the overall quality of HC lately (mind you these are Cubans who have been drinking the stuff for years and have it in their veins – Im sure everyone else would find it excellent) and are leaning towards Santiago rum. How about doing a taste test and reporting back?
And please comment/rate/review the iapp. Feedback is very helpful/appreciated. have a great trip!
Conner,
I have a blog on craft beer, whiskey and travel. My wife and I are visiting Havana in one week and I am curious if you know anything about Taberna de la Muralla? I’ve read the brew pub offers the closest thing to craft beer in the country but I am curious to get an opinion from someone on the ground there. I realize you don’t drink but perhaps you can give me the word on the street or you know someone I could contact about the pub.
Cheers,
Ryan
Hola Ryan
I know it well – you can read an in-depth description and see photos on my iapp Havana Good Time
They have beer crafted on site, but for someone of your knowledge and palate, I wouldn’t call it “craft beer.” Still, it’s a completely novel place for Havana and a fun day/night out. Great people watching in one of Old Havana’s most atmospheric plazas. Have a great trip.
Dear Conner
I generally can’t stand blogs but this is lovely. I look forward to reading more when I get the chance. It is so exciting to find good writing about Cuba which is non-lame. I just wanted to say well done. It would be lovely to meet you some time when next in town. Sadly I’ve just returned.
Lydia
Hey, thanks Lydia! Ive always secretly considered myself “non-lame!” Come back often, participate in the dialogue, subscribe to here is havana so you won’t miss a post and keep on reading. Happy 2012
Hey Conner
I am not reading too many blogs, but found yours quite special and decided to subscribe. I have visited Cuba twice for long trips across the island and got my good and bad memories – thanks to your blogging I can refresh both.
all the best
mandy
Thanks so much Mandy! I really appreciate this – especially since it has been one of “those” days and Im feelin’ pretty damn low. For you and other subscribers: I only post 2x a month, so don’t expect to be bombarded. Cheers!
Hi Conner
today I had a recollection of my third and last stay in Cuba back in 2005, I remember my mixed feelings about it, its perfect nature, ocean, beaches, sunshine but on the other side poor people, not much eating possibilities (unless you are close to the ocean – then you can have a lobster and ships all day long), Havana’s poverty and misery. I am from post-communict country and witnessed the collapse of this system – visiting one of the last such places on Earth I hoped it will not last too long and have to say, I am surprised it still lasts. On the other hand can not imagine the alternative, as I think the probable transformation will cause a lot of pain and trouble to Cubans…
Keep on writing, btw have you read Waiting for snow in Havana by Carlos Eire?
greetings from cold Poland
pc
Hi PC. Mixed feelings are very common where Cuba is concerned – I often have them myself, which you know if you’ve poked around the blog some. Things have changed a lot since 2005 (also evident in many of my posts) – there are A LOT of places to eat now. It is the single most popular private business endeavor since the relaxation of regulations regarding private enterprise.
I don’t think the Cuban system is likely to collapse any time soon, but there are some troubling signs (in Havana, let me stress, which is not Cuba IMO) like erosion of values, greater income inequality and the like. Many people are surprised that the Revolution has lasted as long as it has, but usually those folks don’t know Cubans – this is a tough, dedicated bunch. On a side note: all transformation (political, personal, financial) is painful, no? But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth it in the end.
Thanks for writing in!
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Hey…I found your app and downloaded it. I then found this blog and think it’s wonderful. Am heading back to Cuba next month and can’t wait to get into Havana and see things beyond the good but limited tours!
Cool. Thanks Rob.
And hey! Anyone who wants to lend a virtual hand, please consider reviewing Havana Good Time on iTunes (competition by those w more resources/fewer scruples is heating up!)
I am so happy to have discovered your blog! My husband is Cuban and we spent the past few years living in Havana while finishing our university degrees there. We are now back in Canada but I wish that I had had the chance to meet you while we were there. I can really relate to so many of your comments. Countless comments you made actually made me roar laughing. I spent half the time loving life and all the amazing things that Cuba has to offer and the other half of the time complaining about how much I hated it. It’s such a magical, beautiful, and frustrating country! It’s funny, now that we are back in Canada, I’ve forgotten the things that annoyed me (understatement) and just remember how great it was to be surrounded by family and friends in the hot weather with no worries other than how the heck we were going to find a maquina to get home from wherever we were. I miss the malecon and the unlimited options to underground music, the fruit, and being a chismosa to whatever relationship argument was going on in the public eye. Enjoy your time there and please keep writing so that I can live it vicariously through you.
We will be back to visit soon so maybe we could even meet up for a cafe.
Thanks again!
Roaring with laughter? love it! Glad you found Here is Havana and that it helps keep you connected to this crazy, complex island. Other ways you can stay in touch are via my Facebook Page, by subscribing to the blog or picking up my iapp Havana Good Time (where I focus heavily on music and culture).
Interesting your “rose colored” glasses looking back: I think that happens to all of us, whether it’s an adventure, an ex, or an adventure with an ex. Maybe I’ll explore this nostalgia theme (which MANY Cubans in the Diaspora “suffer” from) in a future post.
Trying to enjoy, thanks!
Peter March 11th.
Have just learned of your blog from a friend in Boston. Living in this crazy place stretches ones imagination and builds a will to win that would have gone long ago if I’d remained retired up in the Niagara Peninsular.
Here I am in Havana foraging for potatoes and riding my bike in mid-winter.
Question; Where can I find the bicycle polo guys? I’d like to write a story
Well, you’ll be looking awhile since the “guys” are actually gals (the woman who brought bike polo to cuba is a canadian who lives here and her daughter-in-law schooled the Cubans on the cancha: none of them wanted the girl on their team until she scored all five goals!) with some cuban machos for flavor!!
What kind of article are you looking to write? You know that’s my turf right?!
I actually just pitched this story and am waiting to hear back….
Why should I know that? Keep your secrets I will find them.
Peter – of course you’ll find them. There are no secrets in Havana!! But please bring bikes: yesterday’s match had to be cancelled for lack of…but be aware: there are sometimes injuries to both bike and player.
I happened upon your blog after returning teary-eyed to Canada from Cuba and craving as much information and reminders of the culture as I can get. Thank you so much, I can’t stop reading!!! You have a new fan!
Robin
Thanks for stopping in Robin. Glad to share the Cuba love!
Dear Miss Conner: After I posted some coments about the pretence construction of golf courses in Cuba, I read more from your site. I must confess that I like it, you are a good writer and it seems to me that you have in some way captured the Cuban ‘charms’ perhas I must congratulate your husband because is evident that you are loving not just him but also his country. After I read you more here and there, I am a little afraid that for some odd reason far from the truth you could put me under the category of those rabid extremists. I know that is what the Cuban communist goverment has said about me in its newspapers and local TV channels. Nevertheless, I trust you will give me a fair chance with your kindred spiritid and your unbiass mind because I will love keep a dialogo with you, and what is even the most important motive and my core intentions I will love to have your impartial eyes on the latest news and developments about those golf courses. You see Miss Conner we have something in common. We both love Cuba, and we both are concern about its future. I shared many kisses in the malecon, but the most memorable of all was the one I gave to my wife there 24 years ago. I have cried many, many, many times with the Zafiros’ song Habana, and everytime that I see a Cuban movies with images of the Malecon or Havana. I cried because been born there I had stoically endure my exile for the last 12 years. The doors of my birth country are still closed to me but I am craving the kiss of the palms trees, and the faces of my dear ones. I was born there 47 years ago. My mother is there, my uncles, my cousins, my best friend in the whole world. I am also a proud American citizen, and I love America deeply because it has give me a second chance in life…but as you are about to know I am all about love. Keep writing you do it so well.. and let me know if you are still interested in reading the legal demand of the Cuban Enviromental group NATURPAZ against the construction of the International Airport in Cayo Coco.
Best regards Leonel Morejon Almagro
Ah Leonel – I feel your pain in being so far from your loved ones. We share that in common.
However, you were disingeneous in your comment on the golf courses leading readers to believe that you and NATURPAZ were here on the island. I don’t take kindly to that, especially from someone throwing around terms like “fair chance,” “unbiased mind,” and
“impartial eyes” – your omission in the aforementioned post belies all that. As Marti said: “la mejor manera de decir es hacer.”
Hi Conner- I am grateful for you quick answer to my post. Naturpaz IS THERE, inside Cuba… and I wish I could be there too. Sorry for the misspelling of “unbised mind” and perhaps one or another word..I wrote you from my guts, and did not went back to correct what I wrote a bad habit inheredit from my passion on certain issues. Moreover, English is my second language, but this time just for the sake of a better understanding I reached my synonym finder book (J.I Rodale author) because I perceived a little hostility in your answer when after the openning “Ah” of the first lines you begins the second paragrah accusing me of being “disingeneous” a word that my friend Rodale put in the vecinity of and cited: “insincere, uncandid,unfrank,mealymouthed;deceitful,dishonest,underhanded,crooked,tricky,double-tongued;false,false-hearted;double dealing,two-faced;mendacious,lying,untruthful,artful,insidious,guileful,scheming,plotting,calculating,contriving,designing,cunning,crafty,sly,wily,foxy,shifty,slippery,smooth,slick. ” Ah-Conner I wrote it all because you being a journalist and all surely love words.
I was sincere, and I was ingeneous in my post I was not trying to misslead anyone. I was in Cuba when I wrote the demand againts the goverment’s authorities. I went to jail for doing that, my family was awfully threaded, and more. You are a beautiful leady and this a piropo, be nice now. Naturpaz members are right now inside Cuba of course, and they are still working under a lot of pressure, and they are still considered counter-revolutionaries elements, or CIA agents, as I was deceitfully accused by the Union de Jovenes Comunistas y el Partido back in 1986 when I was a comunist myself when the Party told me that only Fidel was authorized to talk about peace or ecology. I was kicked out of Cuba in October 1999. Now, if you want to speak with any member of Naturpaz inside Cuba, please let me know to contact them rightaway, and please give me your whereabouts to send them to you. I told you that the main reason of my dialogue with you Miss Conner beside of the enjoyment of your writtings is to follow up on the golf courses’ news specially on those planned on or near the Guanahacavives biosfere reserve, and Cayo Coco, because Im thinking in reopenning the legal case that I introduced before the Cuban Supreme Court back in 1999. Have a wonderful day and kiss La Habana for me please. Leonel
Sigh. You have me all wrong Lionel – not uncommon with all this Internet business.
No, I don’t want to talk to anyone at Naturpaz. No. I won’t kiss La lindissima, fidelissima Habana for you (I have enough of my own kissing to do). I hate it when people tell me what to do, especially when it’s to “be nice” (don’t all NYers hate that? I think it’s genetic). I don’t entirely believe everything you say but have no time or inclination to parse – I have to make a living.
Of course you do by Leonel.
Hi Conner,
Just RTd your wonderful Irish Times article on the Cuban health system, published a few days ago (I’m on holidays and struggling with a dodgy internet hook-up).
I have called it the best article ever published on the subject!
Find the link to it here http://www.twitter.com/cubasupport.
Keep up the good work.
- S
Gracias!! Twitter has been a little wonky lately, but I’ll give it a try.
The article is getting some traction. Im anxious to see it in print – old fashioned gal I am, the screen just doesn’t cut it for me!
Hi There, buenos Noches.
I am very grateful to have found
you yesterday on L.P. Thorntree
while reading info on Cuba!! I did
a lot of reading on your HiH Sunday,
and then tonight, i found this blog:-)
and have enjoyed all of It.
I can tell there is much more to read
And learn. I can’t wait! And I’m a newby
To blogging… Is that a word?
I wanted to tell You I am happy, thank you!
I want to bring you rock and roll music,
And magazines:-) lol.
I shall read more and write again…
But I just felt compelled to write you. I got
Taken up by the whole subject! I so love
Cuba, and it is very difficult to articulate, and
Express my feelings and experience. I have
Only been twice for short visits, and always
Dream of the next time.
I’m also challenged by my minimal computer/ typing skills. Thank you again! Mary~*~
I’m coming for a short time late OCT.
Welcome Mary. Glad you found me. And yes, blogging is very much a word. Cheers.
Hey Conner, how you doin you little communist chica. Would love to see you write an article on state of Internet in Cuba. Whats the deal with the Alba 1 submarine cable to Venezuela, last I heard it’s functioning but isolated from the web. What about dial-up / highspeed, how much is it, who can have it.. If I drive around Havana war dialing will I find any Wifi hotspots, if so are they use WEP or WPA2 encryption. Also curious about cell phone internet and sms for tourists, is it restricted in any way? Cuba is high on my list of places to move to from Canada in the next few years. BUT only when a solid reliable internet connection is available. Will also consider smuggling/paying off customs to bring in a modem and Direcway sat dish if I have to. Oh and what about real-estate. I heard there condos near Playa del este and in Veradero sold to Canadians? Thats it for now.. Keep up the great work!
Hola Jim
An article about the Internet would be very short indeed: too slow, too limited, too many fire walls.
Cable is a great mystery. Word on the street (never to be trusted) is that’s it’s connected but??? There are some “high(er) speed” connections which cost a fortune so I don’t really know much about them. Wifi hot spots?! Hahahaha!!!!
We’re on 46.6k dial up; as we say down here: algo es algo and although I complain episodically about this, I am very grateful to have at least this. Given your criteria for moving here I think you should look elsewhere for a relocation plan.
Also, about smuggling in that stuff: you HAVE heard of Alan Gross haven’t you?? Nothing to joke about.
Real estate for sale to foreigners? Nope, not yet except for those who are learning how to get around the law.
PS Not a communist just to clarify, but I do like to share!
Conner, if your up on this, could you give your take on this whole Toronto Blue Jays / Escobar, homophobic slur on the eye-black thing?
Hiya.
Yup, Im up on it. What to say? Cuba is full of homophobes. Ive met my share. I also work very closely with the Cuban LGBT community, publish about queer issues here, participate monthly in the Cine Club Diferente debates (tonight, by the way!) and am continually surprised about how such an educated, cultured population can be so ignorant.
Im doing my piece to help educate against this ignorance, pero no es facil. By the way, its not just Cubans!
Just came across your blog as part of having just moved to Merida, Mexico. I had never been to the Yucatan until September 8 and I’ve never been to Havana but something may be going on here that the Tao hasn’t told me.about. You see I’ve written this novel (still unpublished but hope springs eternal) “Songs of Icarus” that ends with the hero being rescued from the Straits by Santiago – Hemingway’s boat captain. It feels as though I’m being drawn here as part of a life imitates art plot. Don’t know whether I’m a hero or a victim. But kudos anyway on giving so much of yourself and the city to those of us who need it.
Hola Guillermo! Yes indeed – there’s something in the air. Ive spent many a wonderful time in Merida and am plotting to return sometime soon. Many great people and things to do in the White City. There are direct flights Merida-Havana which are a dream: under 2 hours to reach la isla mas bonita!
Good luck publishing Songs of Icarus – I feel you on hope springing eternal in that realm.
Yo Conner! Whether it’s you here or me there let’s be sure to meet. Check out the blog InOtherWordsMerida. One of my stories will appear there in November. Cher who I haven’t met is the editor. There’s an Open Mic at Hennessy’s Irish Pub on Tuesday and we plan to meet up there. Kudos on being included in the Women’s Travel Writing anthology. The Elvis piece is now on my must-read list. Nice hat by the way. The Irish know how to pick hats.
Im not much of a hat girl, truth be told. Thanks for all the info/kudos. I have 2 stories in The Best Travel Writing 2012 – due out next week. On e is about my time covering Cuban docs in post-quake Haiti, the other about falling in one of Havana’s many holes….Cheers!
So just got back from Havana about a week ago. I’ve always had this huge obsession with the country, history, especially the revolution.. not to mention the music is my favorite! Anyways, I fell in love with the country and the people. I am working as a Reservations Manager in a boutique hotel in Mexico though I am from San Francisco, CA. I am 22 years old and want to move to Cuba. I am dead serious. My friends and family think its a bit odd because why would I want to live a country with a dictator like the Castro’s? Good question. I am just that type of adventurous child and want to try something new. Do you know any place where I can possibly work in Havana? Tourism industry? Can you direct me towards some people you may know? Please let me know how to go about this?
I would greatly appreciate it.
I will be done working here in Mexico in May or June and would like to come out this summer to start living. Money is really not option, I just want the experience.
Please let me know
Besossss!
Hi Odil
I hate to be the one to burst your bubble but what you propose is not practical on many different levels. Bureaucratically, you wouldn’t be able to procure residency to work here; Cubans themselves are desperate to get into tourism jobs; and the economy here is en el piso.
Since you say money is no option (I assume you mean object?), your best bet is to come here for the maximum allowed US folks – 2 months. This is long enough to cure many people (yes, even wild children!) of their love of the place. If you still feel the pull after 2 months, you’ll have to leave the country and re-enter to receive another 2 month visa.
Good luck!
PS – If you want to start on your road to being here for longer periods of time, the first step is to not call the govt a dictatorship…
Dear Gringa next door,
Great reading! I enjoy the perspective of your writtings about life in Havana.
Thank you for sharing them with all of us.
I am a bolivian working for a norwegian company bringing students to spend their 3 month university “semester” to Havana. I have shared your blogg address with our students.
I wanted to share http://www.elponcho.org with you. It is the place I designed and built in Bolivia and it has been rated as the 2nd strongest vortex of energy in the Americas. The 1st one which is inhabited. I see that a center like this one in Cuba, would bring inspiration to both cubans and visitors on how to deal with environmental deterioration. I see Cuba as fertile ground for it since there are 2 important social aspects i see are well developed in Cuba: Solidarity and community.
The reason why i am contacting you is that the next International Permaculture Conference will take place in Havana around Nov. 2013. Permaculture was specially supported by the government during the special period and it would probably be great for people to know more about this environmental designing tool for selfsustainability. Food security for the people in a time of blokade, a re evolution of the revolution, so cubans will understand what they have really achieved…
I will be working in Havana again from January 25th, 2013.
There is more to this message than I can say, but I would really like to meet you to show you other projects you may find very interesting. Take a look at: http://www.pachamamaboat.com
I want to build a boat like this again with a crew of many nations to sail for the lifting of the blokade…
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Enrique
Hola Enrique! thanks for writing in with some fascinating links. I was in Cochabamaba many moons ago updating the Lonely Planet – Id wish Id known about your project; looks super interesting.
There is definitely an energy vortex in Cuba – but not all good, as many friends have pointed out over the years. Have you been here before? I hope you’re pleasantly surprised. For permaculture, the go-to place is the Fundacion de la Naturaleza y el Hombre Nunez Jimenez, but you probably already know that.
Three months is a good amount of time to get a feel for this wild and wooly place, I hope you and your students have an amazing, eye-opening stay. If you haven’t already, you might check out my Havana Good Time app (Im assuming the semester is spent in Havana?) for Android or iOS: http://sutromedia.com/apps/Havana_Good_Time
A couple of places off the top of my head that will likely interest you/the students is the Casa del ALBA and the Casa de las Americas. Have a great trip!
Hi again,
Yes the semester is spent in Havana. I have trouble getting into the app for android. I get directly into itunes with the link you sent.
Hmmm, maybe try this one specifically for Android: http://sutromedia.com/android/Havana_Good_Time
Also, I announce handpicked happenings on my Havana Good Time Facebook page - this helps people plan nighttime and cultural activities and stay plugged in while they’re here.
Thank you for your reply amiga,
I have already lived in Havana and i am a temporary resident because of my work. We will be bringing the second group of students at the beginning of February and Cuba has been in my hearth since 1992 when i went for the first time.
I have already been in touch with La fundaciòn Nuñez Jimenez and visited some of their urban gardens at Nuevo Vedado with my good friend Albert Bates, one of the founders of The Farm ecovillage in Tennesse who visited me in Havana last October.
I have been in touch with your apps also, thank you for all the links, they have prooved to be very helpful.
Keep up the good work and let me know if you would be interested in seeing a little of the great work CEM is doing with youth from different U.S. universities. Also if you would be interested in a little writing job about the work we are doing in Havana, i would be very greatful you letting me know
Thanks again and good night from Norway.
Sincerely,
Enrique Hidalgo
Hola Enrique. So your visit includes more than just shepharding the students through their 3-month rite of passage here? I would be interested in the work you’re doing here and am always casting about for new writing gigs. Please drop me a line and let me know what you have in mind.
OMG I am so excited to have found your blog! I am planning my first trip to Cuba later this year – hopefully in July. I’ll be visiting family and seeing the places where my family comes from. Maybe it sounds strange (or maybe not) but I’ve longed to see Havana practically my whole life. I feel as if being there will help me to connect to a part of myself that I’ve been missing. Finding a blog like yours that has such an honest and open perspective is a dream come true. I feel like I’ll be better prepared when I arrive. Thank you so much!
With Joy and Laughter !
Tori
Hi Tori
Thanks so much for your encouragement: Im glad you found me too. It doesn’t sound strange at all, your lifelong dream: Cuba is in your blood! And Havana is the king (and queen!) of cities. I predict you’re going to absolutely love it.
As for planning and making the most of your trip: have you checked out my Havana Good Time app (I see you’ve already Liked on FB; thanks!)? People seem to love it and regularly tell me it enhances their trip immeasurably. Young Cuban Americans can benefit especially from the app, I think, since it plugs them into the city instantly and gives them options about where to go to disconnect if/when the visitas and familia get to be too much.
Have a fantastic trip
Hi Conner,
Love your site. My family and I spent two weeks in Cuba over the Christmas 2011 Holidays and I have to say that Cuba was everything I imagined it would be. Sure we were based out of Veradero but I snuck away to Habana for what was sadly only 4 days with my son to explore and photograph the city.
The people were warm, friendly and of course engaging. Some of my best street photography of people was shot there. Pretty much everyone I took photos of was wiling to work with me to create a lasting image. Of course since being back home I still entertain this crazy fantasy of some day doing the Hemingway and live in Cuba so your blog does offer some viceral connection to a place I am very fond of. If you want to see the photos of Cuba just go to my Facebook page and you’ll see a colletion of 40 or so there.
Take care Conner and keep posting.
Thanks…Dwight
Hi Dwight. Sounds like you caught the bug! If you provide a link to your Facebook page, it will be easier for other readers to check out your photos too.
Ive had a lot of pressing deadlines recently (plus started dance classes, am finishing the interviews for the upcoming Cuban Harley Davidson book, and am improving my bike polo game week by week) so the blog has sadly, been neglected. But I WILL keep writing (thanks for the encouragement) and will post new content soon.
Cheers!
Hi Conner. Hopefully this link will work if kicked in externally to Facebook. If that fails just look for me (Dwight Magee) on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150622620591354.446100.703606353&type=3
Hey Dwight
Yup, that works, but I could only see about 1/3 of the photos before my connection said: enough! Thanks for posting
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Having just secured a job starting in August, I have recently discovered this blog and absolutely love it. Very informative and entertaining.
What really has just made my day is the fact that there are going to be so many women waiting for me as I step off the plane!!
I am in my early 60′s and prefer the company of mature women and from what you say in the piece above, they are being totally neglected. Maybe I will need to pack a years supply of Viagra! Not that I need it under normal circumstances of course………
Thanks Mike and congrats on the new “pincha”. We have generic viagra here by the way, administered in particularly Cuban doses. As the joke goes: How does a Cuban take viagra? Licks it, looks down to see if it’s working. Licks it again, looks again, repeat until desired effect is achieved when he saves the tablet for later.
May I also suggest you pack my Havana Good Time app for iOS/Android?
I’m so pleased I stumbled upon this!! Like many of your readers / repliers, I’m really not much for blogs, but yours is very engaging and not-annoying. I’ll be sure to check out the app as well. I’m going to be in Havana for a few days with my parents, husband, and kids (ages 8 and 6) at the end of April, flying from Toronto. I was in Havana for a few days in 1998, (teaching in Medellin, Colombia, en route home to Canada for Christmas break,) so my feeling is that things may have changed slightly… (hard to get irony across in typing. There should be a special font.) So is there anything I can bring you that you’re longing for from the States? I’m also keen to get some info on how to most effectively give stuff away — assuming we stick with our current vague plan of bringing a suitcase of drugstore-type-supplies with us to disperse. Seems potentially awkward, but hopefully helpful. Any quick thoughts (or links) on this topic you could share?
cheers –
Karen
Hi there. I think being called “not annoying” might be my favorite all-time accolade leveled at Here is Havana. So thanks for that!
I get a lot of requests like yours about how/what to donate and I always welcome the chance to share knowledge on this. One criteria to remember when donating is who is the most vulnerable? ie: Who will most benefit from these donations? Casa particular owners, for instance, do not rank high on the need meter. But casas de abuelos, family doctors’ offices, churches (who always have older congregations), schools, families living in solares, generally do. Ive written a bit about the donation question in the past, including this short piece which contains a list of donations generally in need here:
http://insightcuba.com/blog/2012/11/21/live-from-cuba-tips-for-first-timers-by-conner-gorry
Have a wonderful trip!
Thanks — your list of items is helpful and specific.
I wrote to the Canadian embassy in Havana, figuring I might be able to simply land on their doorstep with STUFF and that they would know who and where the best recipients would be. As you can imagine, it’s all very well to arrive with things to give away, but then what?
Anyway, this is what the embassy had to say to me:
———
“Please note that donations of any type, whether by individuals, organizations, or businesses, must be coordinated, before travelling, through one of the missions of Cuba in Canada to avoid difficulties with Cuban Customs. As this is a matter under the jurisdiction of Cuban authorities, we strongly recommend that you direct your request to one of the Cuban missions in Canada at: …. _______” etc etc, many addresses given.
——–
Do you reckon I’ll have difficulties with Cuban Customs if I arrive with items to donate? Argh. And do you have a straightforward suggestion… you know, on a par with your helpful & specfic info re WHAT to bring, as to WHERE to bring it?
Sorry — I’m sure your life is busy enough without random tourists requesting donation-hand-holding. Just tryin’ to do the right thing here…
cheers,
Karen
Hi Karen
I have some places I arrange donations to. It depends exactly what you’ll be bringing, when, etc. Issues with Customs are also dependent on what you’re bringing. Please contact me using the link on the righthand side of the blog to facilitate coordination. By the way – donations are always welcome from random tourists!
Cheers