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Cuba first time travelers - guides and health

: Hi Jon: I just took a wonderful vicarious trip to Cuba thanks to your web-site. As an American I have always been sad that we share so much history with Cuba but I really know so little about it other than what I read years ago about the revolutionaries i the Sierra before the fall of Batista. I have traveled in Africa and Asia, but, sadly, not in Latin America. I am 63 years old, still fairly strong, and would enjoy a non-scheduled trip such as yours, although if it were all by foot, bicycle and horse, that might be preferable to the one-and -only train. Jon: I am wondering if one could engage the services of an expediter of some sort who could teach some Spanish, travel simply and set the officials at ease along the way? Thanks Peter

HI peter
There shouldn't be any age problems traveling in Cuba, if just your health situation is normal and you bring your own medicine etc. The doctors in Cuba are excellent, but the have very little medicine etc. In both Havana and in Santiago de Cuba there are clinics especially for foreigners.

As to the guide/ expediter problem it is a little bit difficult to solve. You can of course go to the state travel agencies and will probably be able to have some sort of an arrangement. but it will be in the places they want to show you and very costly. And you have for longer trips to make arrangement on beforehand.
There will be a lot of Cubans who would like to be your guide. but the problem is that it isn't legal for a Cuban to act as a guide like that. That doesn't mean it isn't possible, because in Cuba rules are meant to be adjusted to the situation for the normal people all the time.

My proposal for you will be: start out in Cuba by going to Havana or Santiago de Cuba. Take a hotel one of the first days, and then start talking not to Cubans but other foreign travelers about the subject. They will probably be able to tell you about local people who are reliable and who are speaking English and will be able to give you addresses or phone numbers.

when you then are getting in contact with some Cuban don't start by telling him/her that you are seeking a guide for the whole trip.

just tell him that you will like him to follow you to a place in the surroundings for a one day trip. get a fixed price and then try out if you find the person reliable.

from there you can go on to get him for the whole trip or skip him and find another one. the best way if you are traveling all over Cuba is to find a guide in the different regions as it is difficult for Cubans to travel all over Cuba. there are lot of police checks where they have to explain why they are traveling outside their region. You won't get in trouble as a foreigner but your Cuban friend could get in trouble. The reason for being so cautious is that it is technically illegal, and that there are a lot of hustlers who just are interested in your money.

another proposal is to find a Spanish speaking person in the USA to make company with you on the trip.

the third way is to learn some Spanish and go by yourself.

Hope you can use my advice. cheers jon

Trains in Cuba

Hi Jon

I am interested in traveling by train (sounds like traveling insouthern Italy(bureaucrats everywhere)

What is the cost of traveling by train? How extensive are the railways.

Hi Eric

To answer your questions about trains in Cuba.

Cuba is the only Caribbean state with a proper network of train connections.
the main line is the one that I tell about on my homepage number one from Havana to Santiago. It is called number 2 the other way. It is the only line that you can be sure will run every day.
but there are a lot of other connections. from Havana to most of the big cities and between the big cities. but these trains are very irregular.
As far as I know there are no timetables to get. you have to go to the trains station and ask when the next train for a given destination leaves. that means you have to do some preparations in the city before you leave.
If it then leaves every weekday, you have to be prepared for big delays or cancellations, due to bad material. the departure times are also odd, sometimes in the middle of the night or early in the morning, I don't know why.
but you can be lucky that it leaves as scheduled.

bring a lot of patience, and don't have a too tight schedule.
then you are in for a big experience. going by the local trains you meet the reel Cuban people, warm hearted, curious and friendly in every way. they share food with you, and are very interested in telling what they are doing and asking what you do.

remember also to bring some pesos, because you couldn't pay in dollars for food etc. on the train. tickets are in dollars and you see the country in a totally diiferent way than traveling by car.

as for prices. the line no1 a one way ticket is 37 $ and that is cheap for nearly 1000 km. the local routes will be for 200 km 10 $.

an alternative is going by bus, and in my experience it was more stable, but not so exciting.

hope you can use the information. don't bother about the bureaucrats, and you will have an experience for your lifetime.

but to get an optimal experience you have to learn some basic Spanish, because nearly no one outside the cities speak Spanish.

Hi Jon,

I am interested to get some tips about the train travel ? I have been 3 times in Cuba (I work on an educational project there), and I will come back soon (April or may), I would like to reach Santiago by train (or coming back from there). Is there a special fare for tourist like long distance buses ? You seem to say it's quite easy to get a ticket at the railway station, right ?The journey is by night or daylight ? I could imagine how amazing it is in the coaches, knowing the Cuban mentality and happy.

Thanks,

Jean-Marc

HI Jean-marc

To get a ticket for the train number one as a foreigner is no problem except that you have to be there in good time as told in my report.

price is 35 $ one way. it was a bit more difficult to get a return ticket from Santiago . you couldn't bye one in advance but have to be there 3-4 hours before the train leaves about 17 o clock.

both train leaves in the evening and arrives in the morning. that means you will just be able to see something the last hours of the ride, depending on the delays. have some warm clothing for the train numero uno, because they start an air condition that brings the temperature to about 5- 10 degrees. Odd enough they turn it off when the sun rises in the morning and it gets hot in the cabins.

to really experience train travel and get in contact with the locals I can recommend you to take a local train . the one I took was from Santiago de Cuba to Manzarillo. You have to bring even more patience than I have described in my report, as heavy delays are common, and you have to be prepared that the train is canceled. here you find another ticket system. you are not able to bye a ticket in advance. just find out when the train is leaving. this one 5.00 in the morning. go in the train and find a seat and After several hours some one will sell you a ticket . price 5-10 $ for the trip one way, special price for tourists.

bring pesos on the local trains and on the trains numero one if you want to bye something from the locals who are entering the trains at every stop.

watch your luggage in the same way you would do in Europe.

you will as I were probably be the only foreigner on the local train, and everyone will be very interested getting in contact with you, but not the hustlers way.

It is hot and not very comfortable, but a tremendous experience.

Have a nice trip and tell me of your experiences when you return.

cheers

jon

Comments:

Dear Jon: I have been to 2 medical conferences in Cuba ( mainly to improve my poor Spanish). They have been very interesting, but especially useful for meeting Cuban doctors and nurses. Your train story is very interesting. A doctor that I met at the first conference was from Camaguey, and she told me about the second conference. She and a group of other anesthetists had come up to Havana during the night on the train, complete with their poster presentations and all. When we found each other at about 10 in the morning at the conference, I could not believe how clean and well turned out they were after spending all night on the train. Now, after your story, I am even more amazed. I agree, now is the time to go, before the hordes of tourists come.

Nancy , Canada

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Going by Bicycles and train

I liked your story. it's difficult to find many up to date travelogues of Cuba. I'm planning on going with two friends at the end of may. we want to tour the island by bicycle going from Havana to Santiago then taking a train back or getting a ride in a truck or something to Havana. we're Americans who disagree with our country's dated policies on Cuba. our knowledge of Spanish is severely limited. i think i can get around, but i couldn't hold a conversation. do you think this is possible? will we be able to ride across the country at will without an escort? going from town to town staying at hotels or even camping out. any information would be appreciated. thanks,

mike

Hi Mike

You will be able to ride the country without an escort. but bring all sort og repair materials yourself. you can't get a thing if it isn't Chinese bicycles you are riding. ( and it probably isn't)

It will probably get complicated to get your bicycles with you on the train. if you manage the bureaucracy to get them on the train, they will probably be disappearing on the travel, as your bicycles will represent a fortune for the Cubans. so try the truck model instead where you can follow them all the time.

you will probably have to change trucks a lot of times, so plan to have a lot of extra time.

another model will be to go by air from Santiago to Havana. But you have to reserve your tickets many days before you plan to go.

cheers

jon

Comments:

Glad you succeeded in seeing my web-site. As you can see it is in no way a complete report from my travel in the Oriente Province. As to the train from Havana to Santiago. If you are not traveling by air ( Air Cubana has one of the worst crash statistics in the world going using old Russian planes as you can see on the internet) the train is the best way to go. I talked to someone who went by bus from Havana. It was hot like hell and there was heavy delays, due to a broken bus. The train numero uno is never canceled as I wrote on my web-site.

Comments:

I really enjoyed your comments,especially regarding tren numero uno, which I was told is sometimes called El tren especiale. I had the "pleasure" of taking the train from Matanzas to Holguin, which was an adventure. The guards and police on the train kept warning about "banditos', so to make things easier for the pickpockets and robbers, all lights were turned Off at 10:30 p.m. We finally reached Holguin at 2:15 a.m. - pitch black. To make life more interesting, one had to jump more than a meter from the train step, to the ground. The food on the train, from the trolley, was actually quite tasty, and reasonably priced. If you think the train is interesting, try the BUS!! I have done both, and still enjoy the trips to Cuba, because the people are really friendly, and hospitable. It is MUCH less expensive than travel in Europe!! Regards, and feel free to keep in touch. I usually go to Jiguani, Holguin, Bayamo and Niguera, since I have business interests and friends there. Bill

Cuba - speaking English

Jon-Thinking of visiting Cuba myself. That percentage of the younger population would you say speak some English ?? I speak no Spanish and am concerned about that. Thanks-Dan

Hi

If you take the whole population it is only some of the people with university degrees and some students and people on hotels etc. to some extent that speak Spanish. And if you are outside the bigger cities it is only Spanish.

As for the younger people it isn't much better. So if you want to meet people other than the ones you meet at hotels and travel agencies etc. I would recommend you to learn some Spanish, basic and common words, the numbers, all the words you need to book something etc.

Of course you will be able to find your way as the Cubans (except the bureaucrats) are most helpful, but it will help you a lot to learn just a little Spanish.

hope that answered your questions

jon

The Sierra Maestra Mountains and meeting the bureaucrats

Hi John

Sierra Maestra :

My plan was to go to the north side of the Sierra Maestra mountains to cross via Pico Turquino to the south side ( a 3 days trek and from there in some way or other go to Santiago de Cuba) I am a fairly experienced mountain hiker. have been on mount Kilimanjaro in Africa 5895 m, on Mount Kinabula on Borneo 4100 m, Mont. Blanc 4800 m and in other parts of the mountains in Europe in Corsica, the Alps etc. So I was well equipped so I was able to sleep outdoors, bad weather clothing etc.

I started out from Santiago in the morning by train leaving for Manzanillo 5.25. You can't as a tourist bye a ticket before you are leaving even if you see the Cubans do it, so just get in the train and hope for the best. The Cuban railway bureaucrats will find you on the train anyway as you probably will be the only tourist. The train was 5 hours delayed, but that is normal. It was exciting going on this local train, so try it if you don't have a tight schedule. Anyway my advice to you: don't at any time have a tight schedule in Cuba, when traveling on a hikers basis. Take time to plan alternatives if your first plan doesn't work.

Late in the afternoon I arrived at the small town of Yara. I tried to get a taxi from here, right to Santo Domingo where the Hike should start. But that was no good. the taxi driver refused to go any longer than 7 km from Santo Domingo. And when he dropped me there I understood why. the last 7 km is by a road where it wouldn't be safe to drive without a 4 wheel drive car. So as the taxi was an American car from the fifties, and I was in the middle of nowhere I had to walk the rest of the way. That was really a tuff job, because the road was more like a black alpine slope than a road, and I had all my gear in my rucksack. Don't do that. If you want to go the same way you shouldn't go any further from Yara. than to Bartolome Maso where you should try to wait for a truck that several times a week goes to Santo Domingo, but at irregular times.

Arriving really exhausted in Santo Domingo, I got something of a surprise. Even if every guide book says, that you can go from there with a guide to Pico turquino after getting an admittance, it was impossible for me to get one. I tried in every way to persuade the local authorities. They told me that the whole area was closed for the next year.

I tried to get an answer why, but got none. After in the next days speaking to locals and seeing what was going on in the area, I think the trail is closed for hikers that are not part of a group, that has been organized from Havana, so that the authorities have the possibility to check who walks on the trail.

I saw some military vehicles in the area and there were more police check-ups than I met in other part of Cuba. Anyway that meant that I only was allowed to go to The Commandancia de Plata. That is very interesting but probably not the trouble worth if you aren't in a 4 wheel drive car. The problem is that without such car as a single hiker it is difficult to get out again because you have to wait for tourists coming by car, if they will let you join them, or the truck, that is very irregular. I was stuck in the area for 4 days, and even if it is beautiful, the problem is you can only stay at the local Villa Santo Domingo. And the meals in the restaurant are too expensive for a low budget. But the area is wonderful even considering the trouble with the bureaucrats

If I go to the Sierra Maestra again I would try to go by the road on the south coast from Santiago ( buses near the old railway station) to the town Uvero. I talked to someone who had been there.from there you perhaps can go with some local in the mountains.but I am quite sure that the trail to Pico Turquino is closed in the coming year.

Hi Jon - this is Tara from Canada. I REALLY enjoyed reading about your trip to Cuba, especially since many of your experiences reminded me of my own. I had one opportunity to visit the country at the age of 18, when several friends and I decided to tour the Sierra Maestra region in the province of Granma. After university I'd like to return (by myself if necessary), and I'm interested in knowing how long you stayed for, where you stayed, and what modes of transportation you would recommend. Like you, I am not interested in doing the typical "tourist thing" - Cuba is so much more interesting when you explore it on your own...Thanks!

HI Tara

I under stand that the information you want is especially on the sierra Maestra mountain.Here are my comments

The sierra Maestra mountains seem to be closed for hikers traveling by them selves. I had planned to go from the north to the south via Pico Turquino, but was told by the police that the whole area was closed the next year. The only place you can visit is the Commandancia de la Plata. That is worth a visit, but be aware that the public transportation stops 7 km from villa Santo Domingo. The reason: the last 7 km are like black slopes and can only be forced by a modern car with a lot of horse power and good brakes or better a 4 wheel drive. occasionally there is a truck to the next town but i had to wait 3 days to get back.The villa Santo Domingo are some nice huts and a small restaurant all OK, but not worth spending more than 1 day. The information in guides like lonely planet is not correct except for the Commandancia de Plata.

I suggest that you Visit the Baracoa area and spend several days her. It is a wonderful mountain area, there are few bureaucrats and a lot of things to see if in the countryside.

cheers

jon

Comments:

Hi Jon! It sound like you are already packed and ready to go! great! I envy you a bit, I wish I could go to!

I understand you will arrive in Santiago de Cuba, great place to start. From the airport you will find both locals and the official "taxi" that will take you downtown. Expect to pay ~10-20 dollars, always ask them first how much they want. Do that in any business transaction there!!!! I suggest you spend some time visiting Santiago, this also will give you a feeling for the way you can travel around. IF you speak Spanish you are a step ahead!!! For your accommodation in Santiago I suggest you go either at the Hotel San Juan or Las Americas.

Dont' miss the Castle Del Morro but you can surely skip the Tropicana show, believe me.

At the hotels you can inquire about transportation to Yara. e Bartolome' Maso. You can rent a car (very expensive!!!) or ride their buses ( i.e. old trucks, you ride cow stile) but for that you need to ask around. When I was there I was lucky because I was using the car of a Canadian Mining company ( my sponsors, then, they went to bankrupt this past summer...). Another option is the Cuban way, a lot of walking or find a bike, there is a nice bike store in Santiago, but after you spend a couple of days there you can find creative ways to get around! But that depends on the time you have available.

I went to Yara., Bartolome' Maso and to the the trail to the Turquino, even though for lack of time I didn't go far on it. I did visit Fidel Castro hideouts thereby. There is a paved road that takes you there (Turquino), and it is as steep as a black diamond skip slope. It's an unbelievable place. The sight as you climb up is awesome, and there are 15-20km from the beginning of the trail to the summit. Since I was in business (the Cubans literally love the Canadian mining companies) I got away without "permits".

But the "permit" is a bothersome issue. I heard contrasting stories about the necessity to have one and the time it needs to get it. You can inquiry about it in Yara. If you find some difficulties, play dummy and try to go around it, keeping a low profile. The Cubans are very nice people but now and then you can run into bureaucrats that are paid to give hard time to people, however even these guys are very polite. Don't insist with them, say OK and try somewhere else. I did find problems in try to go through a traverse east of the turquino, there I was stopped because I was taking pictures ( of rocks), and detained in a local police office for few hours, they made plenty of telephone calls, wrote reports and finally told me that I couldn't go that way, or in any other area of the Sierra. They too were very polite, I said thank you and then found my way through farther west. So, chances are no one will imprison and torture you but they can waste a lot of your time. But that's their system.

If you made it to the Turquino, don't be disappointed by the clouds. it's the rule, the summit is almost always covered. The way down the other side is challenging, especially for the dense vegetation, but it sounds like that's you "cup of tea". A machete will help. The good things there are no very nasty bugs or dangerous animals, I saw a few snakes, and wasps nest are in the most unexpected places.

IF you don't make it across the turquino then you can take the long tour around. Nothing much there until you hit the southern coast. That's beautiful. I suggest you stop at Marea Del Portillo. There are a couple of very nice hotels, (90 US$) with an awesome view.

Again you could make it back to Santiago by hiking, biking, truck. you can play it by ear. you can stop in the little towns at your wish but I strongly recommend to stay at the Hotel Guama' a Civirico. That is a Cuban hotel, charging 20 dollars to foreigners. There is no need to reserve there.

They cook the best Cuban food and make great mohiitos. Unfortunately I dot' have my maps here so I cannot give you exact names and distances. I will go to the university late tonight and send you an email from there, also with the name and addresses of people there.

There are no campsites on the route to the Turquino that I am aware of, but again you can stay in local hotels or improvise some free camping. The guide to hike to the Turquino is mandatory, they won't let you go alone, officially, and they won't let you go down the other way, officially. however I went around that area on my own.

A Caveat. People there are nice and friendly but some will definitely try to take advantage of you, mostly to get your money. They will not steal it (there is almost not crime) but there are other ways they can get it. People are not allowed to rent you rooms or sell you things but if you inquire discretely you always find those who will help you. I suggest you keep 1 dollar bills and quartos available.

There are stores where you can buy food and supplies with dollars, and you probably won't need any Cuban money.

The weather. I am very sensitive to the issue of carrying stuff, by the end of each day I had always several kilos of rocks on my shoulders, but I got around without problems with a light goretex shell will provide all the protection you need from wind and rain. Maybe a light sweater for the night but it's warm there all the time, on the Sierra it gets cooler, but nothing like in Denmark (one of my best friends live in Copenhagen, and she tells me about the cold!). Shorts and hiking sandals for the southern coast or the city. Don't go swimming far from the coast, currents are very strong, and unless you in the local beach resorts, always wear the sandals in the water, I cut my feet several times without them. I found very useful long pants for the hikes in the interior, there are some nasty plants.

There is no way to do your laundry the regular way, unless you take advantage of the touristic hotel services. Even in the local hotels water is available only few hours a day, and they don't have detergents. But if you are not fussy about that you can survive by rinsing t-shirts in streams ( up mountain).

Don't drink the water, you can get in serious trouble. Bring along antidhiarreal medications. You can buy bottled water, that by the way, costs as much as the beer! OR you can carry iodine tables, but I suppose you know all these things

Last but most important: do you have topographic maps???? Chances are you wont's find anything useful there. Well, I stop here now, I will send you an email late today with some addresses , hopefully i catch you before you leave!

ciao! giuseppina

Comments:

From Santiago to go to the Turquino you can stop by the Cobre village, it's a well known touristic landmark and also there is the largest copper mine there, locals will try to sell you the minerals too! If you cannot make it to Yara in one day you can stop either in Contramaestre or in Bayamo one of the largest city there. The hotel Sierra Maestra is reasonably priced. That far inland you will probably see no tourists at all. I suspect you won't be able to organize your trip to the Turquino (arrange the guide, permits, etc..) until you get fairly near, long distance communication is a real problem in that area.

The area where you could find real problems, however is south of Guisa (that's where the police got me), but unless you have a specific interest in rocks, you don't need to go there.

IF you go across from the turquino you can take the w trail to la Plata at the ensenada de Las cuevas, the east trail arrives in to ensenadas de las mulas. The largest city to the w is Marea Del Portillo., about 40 km from there. There are no major settlement in between. To the east there is Uvero. after 20 km, and chivirico, after 50 km. There I suggest you stop for a while! A very interesting hike from chivirico is to go to the alcarraza community, that trail offers in my opinion one of the best view of the Sierra. You can ask the locals to show you the road, it should be you by the bridge over the Guama' river.

It is possible that they will stop you at the alcarraza, asking what you are doing there, you can tell you like to go to see the waterfalls (which i am not sure are there, but that's what a guy there told me is the local attraction), after they ask you that they live you alone, so you can look around. You might follow upstream the alcarraza river (just out of the settlement), it's a great hike over boulders , and the stream makes some fantastic pool of water (a bit too cold for my Mediterranean skin, but sure inviting).

If you don't make it there, there are trail that take you inside the Sierra from every stream that drains along the coastal highway (called Carteret mar Verde). Finally you might want to consider get to the turquino directly from the south flank.

Okay, Jon, details? Trouble? Anything you can share? My youngest daughter and I were "detained" by police in an isolated setting because we were riding in a private car. Lovely situation.

Take care.Richard

Hi Richard

well the story to be told is not a sensational one:

as I wasn't allowed in the Sierra Maestra mountains to go to the south coast via Pico Turquino I did find problems in trying to go through by another route There I was stopped and detained in a local police office for a few hours, they made calls, wrote reports and finally I was told not to go that way, or as it was told to me, in any other part of the Sierra. They were very polite and I couldn't complain. I said thank you and didn't get violated or treated otherwise than in any European police station, but wasted a lot of time. But that's their system. And I don't blame them. They are just doing their work.

In the Baracoa area I didn't have that sort of problems. It is probably to far from Havana. But the possibilities for Eco-tourism are enormous. If I had the time I could be tempted to try to persuade the Cuban authorities to start up that sort of tourism on a systematic scale.

Cuba in general

Comments:

I visited your web site on Cuba, as you I traveled independently for a month last October, I really liked the experience and as an Spanish it appeared fairly easy to get in contact with the locals, you find wonderful people there but there´s also the tricky side, the rip-offs, lies, etc., ("la mecanica" - mechanics as they say), quite comprehensible due to the situation they´re living and quite difficult to explain to other travelers, specially if not Spanish spoken. I will come back, perhaps for for a shorter visit, Havana, Isla Juventud, Cienfuegos and why not to catch up salsa, rum, etc. :) again.

Regards

Budget traveling alone as a woman in Cuba

Hi

Sorry but I haven't had the the time until now to answer your questions. thank you for your comments on my site.

As for your question if it is safe for a woman to travel by herself in Cuba my advice is the following:

If you are traveling following the main routes, that is Havana to Santiago de Cuba, Santiago de Cuba to Baracoa or other routes between the big cities, by bus or train I see no problems. But going by taxi or truck outside the daytime, I don't think is a good idea for a woman traveling alone. Even if there isn't much crime in Cuba, there are hustlers who could think of taking chances with a lonely woman.

So if you have to go by these means of transportation outside daytime. see if you can find someone who is going the same way.

As to accommodation, if you are on a low budget and want to use the casa particulars, take your time to find the right ones. look at the accommodation and the surroundings, check if there is any water in the shower (normally only cold) and see some sort of legitimization from the owner. If it is a family house with the grandma and wife etc. living in the house it is better than if the only people you see are young ones.

you have to be most careful in Havana, and if you don't have a reliable address her i would prefer to have a hotel. have a look at Allison's page (the link on my site) she has some advises traveling as a woman in Cuba.

Hope that this answered some of your questions, otherwise you are welcome to return with more questions.cheers

Jon

The Baracoa area

Comments:

Hi john

But I suggest a much better alternative to you. Go in the opposite direction to the town Baracoa on the Atlantic coast. That is a 8 hours ride by bus. The bus leaves in the morning around 6 a clock from Santiago the bus station opposite the revolution Plaza. You can get a ticket the day before to be sure and the there was only small delays. everything worked perfect to Cuban standards. but if you return the same way, you have to bye a ticket several days before because there is a great demand the other way.

The Baracoa area is wonderful. you don't feel the Cuban bureaucrats like in other places. You can go in the mountains by yourself or better with a local guide, because there are no maps of the area. you meet a lot of friendly people, there are beaches. In short everything you want as a hiker. I spent 8 days there and could have spent one week more without being bored. So that is my secret tip to you if you aren't very hooked on seeing the Commandancia de Plata.

Comments

Hi

to answer some of your questions:

As to Maguana, I didn't go there my self. But I have been in contact with a girl who together with her girlfriend went there. everything was closed. they managed somehow to sleep there for one day, but without service. if you want to go there you probably have to make a reservation through an islazul office.

There is a beach 10 minutes walk from the center of Baracoa. it is OK, but watch your money and valuables, or better don't bring them there, because the kids on the beach aren't reliable.

Another suggestion if it is OK for you to live the primitive way among poor fishermen will be the small place called Boco De Yumeri 30 km east of Baracoa. But there isn't any sort of hotel there.

I enjoyed very much to walk in the mountains around Baracoa. Some of my pictures are on my web-site. If you intend to do the same I recommend you to get a local guide by asking in the hotel or in the city, as it is a very wild area, and you can't get any maps.

cheers jon

Cuba and the internet

untitledart wrote:

Are there any locations in Havana that one could send E-Mail back to their homes? Something like internet coffee houses in various parts of the world.

Hi again

There are no internet cafes or other places where you can use e-mail as a foreigner as far as I know.
The internet is in Cuba considered to be a medium for the government and a few researcher under tight scrutiny.

Advice on casa particulars

Comments:

Another advice is to look careful for whom you choose as host when you find private accommodation. Most careful in the Havana area lesser in areas like Baracoa. But some way some of the Cubans have slightly changed in their attitudes since my last visit a year ago, in considering what's yours and what is not. Count your things in the rucksack before you leave. Everything you carry is most valuable to them.

But otherwise if you have learn some Spanish you will have a good time if you take things like they are.I f you go outside the big towns you will find a lot of places where very few hikers ever come. Cuba wait to be discovered by hikers who are ready to meet the obstacles.

Comments:

You could get casas to 10 $ if you spend some time looking for them, but the facilities aren't very good. Go up to 15 or 20 and check who is your host, and you will get better and safer ones. But it can be a bit tiring to live in casa. be prepared that everyone in the family and in the neighborhood will be interested in contacting you( in a friendly way) .So perhaps you should plan to have some days on a hotel also in your budget. But don't miss the opportunity to meet the Cubans by living in their private home. Literally they move out of their sleeping room and sleep at their neighbors place or I don't know.

Comments:

hi

Some fresh tips outside my report Jan 1998:

Be careful who you choose as host for your casa particular. I didn't have any problems, but talked to several travelers, who had problems with casa particulars especially in the Havana area. Ask to see some sort of identification of the owner, and be careful to check your things before you leave the room. A Frenchman I talked to didn't check his things before he was on the train for Santiago, and found out that all his medicine and some clothes had disappeared. Others had similar experiences, and my impression is, that it has grown worse the last year. That doesn't mean you shouldn't choose any casa particulars. It still is a fine way to have a cheap accommodation and get in contact with Cubans. But be cautious like in other countries.

Cuba -money and credit cards

: untitledart wrote:

Can you use travelers checks from Canada in Cuba, and if so where can you use them?

hi

I recommend that you use Thomas cook travelers checks or better bring a visa or master card that isn't issued in the US.´you can use the cards at all hotels and in banks in the bigger cities. travelers checques you have to go to some banks in the bigger cities. Even better bring some cash but in a money belt.

Faq for skandinavisktalendetalende:

Her er nogle spørgsmål og svar fra og til skandinavisk talende

Om at leve og arbejde på Cuba, om visum, om at lære spansk og salsa og om vandet kan drikkes?

Kim wrote:

Hej Jon

Tak for dine råd. Nå så må jeg igang med et visum herhjemme fra. Hvor hurtigt tror du det går ?

Var det dig der skrev at en flyvebillet fra Canzun + 1 uges mad og hotel ophold kostede 300 $ ?

Vi vil over til Cuba billigst muligt for at læse spansk med bedre endnu simpelthen få et lønnet job. Kan man det ? Min veninde vil gerne et danse og tromme kursus i Havanna. Hvor går man hen ?

1. Spansk kursus

2. Danse og Tromme kursus

3. Kan man arbejde derovre. Jeg er ingeniør med speciale i rent vand i troperne og bakterier. Min veninde er uddanet indenfor sundhed i troperne.

4. Kender du nogle vi kan bo billigt ved ? Vi vil være derovre i 2 måneder.

Venligst Kim

hi kim

jeg ved ikke hvor lang tid et visum tager hvis du skal bruge det til arbejde men du kan formentlig ikke starte tidligt nok.

jeg kan ikke hjælpe dig med 1 og 2. prøv at sende en request ud i newsgruppen. I Santiago de cuba er der flere steder der danses. spørg dig omkring hvis du kommer dertil.

med hensyn til arbejde tvivler jeg på du kan få arbejde. Cubanerne har problemer med selv at få et arbejde og du ved formentlig at deres månedsløn feks for en læge eller ingeniør er 20$. ja det er rigtigt ikke i timen, men om måneden. så hvis du vil arbejde må det være for at hjælpe dem. en anden mulighed er måske at du via dit universitet får kontakt til fagfæller på cuba. måske vil det hjælpe hvis du i solidaritetens navn tilbyder din bistand.

Der er iøvrigt rig brug for viden om rent vand. vandet er de fleste steder udrikkeligt og jeg havde i bjergene vandfilterudstyr med.

med hensyn til 3 så brug linket på min site og send en email til allison der bestyrer dette link. hun vil sende dig en email med en række adresser hvis du spørger og hun har tid.

hilsen jon

Kim wrote:

Hej Jon

Tak for dit svar. Jeg når nok ikke visum her i DK. Men vil prøve fra Mexico eller Guatemala.

20$ er jo ikke meget. Det vil sige de ligger langt under WHO´s fattigdomsgrænse og længere nede end det meste af Afrika, hvor jeg har rejst og boet sammenlagt 4 år. Jeg har ikke planer om at blive millionær på Cuba, blot ville jeg gerne kunne tjene til ophold derovre. Dvs. 300 $ pr. md. Der er også noget galt med hotelpriserne, som ligger i nærheden af 20 $/dag, hvis en læge kun tjener 20 $/md. ??? Men det finder jeg ud af. Jeg vil prøve din link senere.

Din idé med at udnytte mit Uni er jeg godt klar over. Det vil være det første jeg gør, fordi jeg vil prøve at etablere en samarbejdsaftale mellem mit og deres Uni.

Det "glæder mig" at de har møgbeskidt vand derovre. Så er der noget at rode rundt med. Sådan er det i øvrigt overalt i den tredie verden. Blot troede jeg at Cuba var lidt længere fremme. Den med de 20 $ generer mig en del. Det kan da ikke passe !!??

Tak igen for dit svar Hilsen Kim

hej igen

jo det er rigtigt.men du skal jo tænke på at det er ikke en normal markedsmekanisme der fungerer.staten ejer alle boliger og de fleste af butikkerne, transportsystem etc., og kan dermed sætte prisen til et niveau, der svarer til lønningerne. det betyder til gengæld at der er køer alle steder.

men de 20$ er en sædvanlig månedsløn. og lønningerne er sat ud fra et solidaritetsprincip så uddanelsen, der jo er gratis ikke giver specielle fordele. de der derimod har adgang til dollarturister under en eller anden form eller har fået lov til at sælge egne varer kan tjene betydeligt mere.

næsten alle har et to eller flere bijobs for ellers kunne de ikke leve. Dermed ligger de ifølge internationale statisstikker højere end feks Tanzania, som jeg har besøgt. Du kan f.eks se Cias statitikker på webbet, som trods Cias almindelige rygte er et udmærket sted at få et overblik over alle lande.

held og lykke med din videre planlægning

hilsen jon

Om Internet og kommunikation på Cuba

Carsten

Om internet cafeer kan jeg oplyse dig at sådanne findes ikke på Cuba.(i 1998)Nu (2005) kan du finde dem på hoteller i de større byer. Det har nøje sammenhæng med at Cuba jo er et stærkt statsstyret system, hvor det at kunne kommunikere frit, som vi kan i Danmark ikke anses for at være godt for borgernes udvikling.

Internettet findes på Cuba men er forbeholdt staten eller statslige institutioner eller virksomheder i specielle industrier som medicinalindustrien og lignende som har et behov herfor.

Kommunikationen skal derfor foregå pr telefon eller fax. Det vil være muligt at ringe fra alle større hoteller også selv om man ikke bor der. Det er rasende dyrt, så vidt jeg husker 5 dollar i minuttet, men kan bruges til at give et livstegn fra sig eller hvad ens pengepung eller behov, nu styrer. Forbindelsen er udmærket.

Jeg kan fortælle hvor jeg selv har ringet fra i Santiago de Cuba eller i Havana hvis du er interesseret. Hvis hun skal opholde sig i et af turistområderne er der slet ingen problemer.

Det vil også være muligt at ringe fra større postkontorer, men her vil det sikkert være en fordel at kunne klare sig på spansk.

Email mig hvis du har flere spørgsmål, og jeg vil svare når jeg har tid.

Med venlig hilsen Jon

Om at rejse i de cubanske bjerge

Kære Jon.

Vi har læst din hjemmeside fra Cuba.

Da vi skal til Cuba i juni, vil vi spørge om du vil fortælle lidt mere omkring dine oplevelser i bjergene, om hvordan du kom dertil og lidt mere om hvordan du greb det an, at komme til det for turister svært tilgængelige bjergområde.

Desværre kan vi kun være der et par uger, men vi vil meget gerne til bjergområdet, og meget gerne til områder udenfor turisme, og da vi aldrig har været der før har du sikkert tips og erfaringer man ikke kan læse sig til.

Taler du spansk, Jon? - det gør vi ikke. Tror du det vil blive et problem?

Hvis du har lyst og tid til at kontakte os vil vi værdsætte det meget, hvis ikke, så tak for en inspirerende beskrivelse af din rejse til Cuba.

Kærlig hilsen

Åke og Anette

Hej åke og anette

jeg vil forsøge at svare på jeres spørgsmål ved at sende uddrag af 3 svar jeg har givet til andre der har stillet mig lignende spørgsmål.

konklusionen er.:

hvis I vil I bjerge så tag til Baracoa og ikke Sierra Maestra. det vil I bare spilde for meget tid på uden at få noget ud af det. sagen er nemlig den at i år er det 40 året for revolutionens start. der vil være masser af officielle aktiviteter i Sierra maestra hvor Fidel startede sin revolution, og det betyder lukket land for udlændinge. da jeg var der var de i fuld gang med forberedelserne.

og så vil jeg tilråde jer at lære noget spansk bare det basale, som jeg skriver nedenfor.

I kan på biblioteket låne er multimedia cd-rom som er glimrende til at lære efter. eller i kan tage på et eller flere weekend kurser som arrangeres i københvan. jeg tror det er studieskolen. I vil få 10 gange så meget ud af jeres tur.

Det er meget nemt at komme til Baracoa fra santiago de cuba med bus. den starter tidligt om morgenen kl 6 og er fremme kl 2 og det er en god tur hvor I bl.a passerer Guantanomo området.

I baracoa bør i spørge jer om og få kontakt til en lokal der vil guide jer i området, for det er urjungle, hvor det er nemt at fare vild. men fantastisk smukt.

I er iøvrigt velkommen til at vende tilbage med flere spørgsmål. jeg vil svare når jeg har tid.

hej

Jon

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