[Leica] Traveling in Cuba

[kenlass at gate.net (kenlass at gate.net)]

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