[Leica] Traveling in Cuba

[tmanley at gmail.com (Tina Manley)]

Thanks, Ken!  Great advice. I've already stocked up on the core-less travel
rolls of toilet paper.  I'll buy lots of gum and pens, too.

We are really looking forward to the trip.  We found a guy in Havana who
would plan the whole trip and make all of the reservations for us.  He
charges a very small fee plus a small percentage of fees.  We plan to stay
in casas particulares and will spend 5 days in Havana and then rent a car
to travel around the rest of the island for a month.  Our guide has advised
that we change our US dollars for Euros before we go.

I think the regulations for North Americans are being relaxed very
dramatically.  I applied for and received a license as a free-lance
photojournalist.  American Express says they expect their US issued cards
to be recognized soon.  Lots of changes coming!  I'm sure it will be good
for the Cuban people, but we did want to go before McDonalds and Starbucks
get there!

Do you have a link to your photos of Cuba?  I would love to see them.

Thanks!

Tina

On Thu, Jan 8, 2015 at 12:05 PM, <kenlass at gate.net> wrote:

> Tina:
>
> I have two suggestions for traveling in Cuba based upon my own experience.
>
> 1.  Take toilet paper. Almost every place I was, except for at our hotel,
> there was no paper.  Take paper with you in your camera kit so it is always
> with you.  There are plenty of public rest rooms but no paper.
>
> 2.  This is a hint from my dental hygienist who was born in Cuba:  Take
> chewing gum or Bubble gum to hand out as favors for making photos.  Gum is
> available in Cuba but it is so expensive, no Cuban would waste their meager
> income to buy it.  But they love it!  When I gave a photo subject a pack of
> chewing gum, they would run down the street holding it high shouting
> ?Chico!  Chico!?  Another good handout is decent ball pens.  You can buy 40
> packs of gum at COSTCO and pens at Office deport that are perfect and easy
> to carry and hand out. The only problem with handing out gum is if you give
> some to a kid, you will be quickly surrounded by a pack of demanding kids!
> Even old men loved chewing gum!  One old man charged 5 pesos for a photo
> but was very cooperative when I promised chewing gum instead.
>
> I spent a week traveling on a photo tour for photo teachers organized by
> Authentic Cuba Travel in Toronto.  I flew to Havana from the Bahamas on Air
> Cubana.  You need only a calendar to follow their schedule. They did not
> arrive in Nassau until 2 hours after were supposed to have landed in 
> Havana!
>
> I plan to go back this year also. You can take charter flights directly
> from Miami 4 days a week and directly from Fort Lauderdale 2 days a week.
> The price is $500 RT for the 200-mile trip!
>
> You will enjoy Cuba and find the Cuban people warm and friendly.  They are
> honest but they will beg for handouts. I have known only one person who was
> ever mugged in Havana:  a lady whose passport was picked from her purse. So
> I recommend you carry photocopies and keep your passports in the hotel safe
> while in cities.
>
> I found Canadian cash was exchangeable everywhere.  US credit and debit
> cards do not work and there is a premium charged to exchange US $
>
> Call me if you would like to talk.
>
>
> Ken Lassiter
> Boynton Beach, FL
>
>
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-- 
Tina Manley
www.tinamanley.com
tina-manley.artistwebsites.com
http://www.alamy.com/stock-photography/3B49552F-90A0-4D0A-A11D-2175C937AA91/Tina+Manley.html