Postcards from Cuba
Apr 18, 2016, 2:03 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Sacramento, CA, US
Posts: 2,229
Postcards from Cuba
On my recent (March 2016) trip to Cuba I mailed 51 postcards to family and friends. They arrived in the U.S. approximately 4 weeks later, most without cancellation marks, perhaps because ink is in short supply. I'm still waiting for arrival reports from Europe.
Determining the appropriate postage rate was a bit of a challenge. A shop in a government-run museum offered up 3-stamp combos for visitors (with a free paperclip!) totaling 70 centavos. Elsewhere, I was told postage is "more than 70" and "between 70 and 90". Our guides also did not have a firm idea. Another person thought 75 was correct. At a major hotel in Havana, I bought out virtually the entire supply of stamps from concierges on 2 shifts, again in various denominations, without being able to determine what the actual rate was. We had no opportunity to visit a post office, where perhaps greater clarity could have been obtained (maybe).
The stamps were colorful. One featured the pope and Raul Castro, another Hugo Chavez. Another had a cat using a telephone.
Determining the appropriate postage rate was a bit of a challenge. A shop in a government-run museum offered up 3-stamp combos for visitors (with a free paperclip!) totaling 70 centavos. Elsewhere, I was told postage is "more than 70" and "between 70 and 90". Our guides also did not have a firm idea. Another person thought 75 was correct. At a major hotel in Havana, I bought out virtually the entire supply of stamps from concierges on 2 shifts, again in various denominations, without being able to determine what the actual rate was. We had no opportunity to visit a post office, where perhaps greater clarity could have been obtained (maybe).
The stamps were colorful. One featured the pope and Raul Castro, another Hugo Chavez. Another had a cat using a telephone.
Apr 18, 2016, 5:55 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: San Jose, Costa Rica
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum
Posts: 1,894
I mailed postcards from Cuba in March 2015. They have yet to arrive. What's different now is there are direct US-Cuba postal links. There were not one year ago. I'm glad to hear your cards arrived.
Apr 19, 2016, 6:14 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2000
Programs: Hy-Vee Fuel Saver
Posts: 404
That got my attention. This must be the stamp:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...51a21baf59.jpg
I'm impressed. Not every cat can handle a rotary dial.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...51a21baf59.jpg
I'm impressed. Not every cat can handle a rotary dial.
Last edited by scruffy; Apr 19, 2016 at 6:24 pm