Travel agents in both Merida and Cancun in the Yucatan sell cheap short stay packages to Havana with Hotels and transfers, very cheaply. About 90% of those taking them are Americans of course! Flying down from Canada has always been big, but most stay at the beach resort of Varadero, which is about as Cuban as San Diego is. Directs also from Kingston Jamaica last time I was there.

Not sure if they can accept US isused Mastercard as was posted above. I recall with a smile a gang of about 10 waiters scouring (slowly, as is everyting in Cuba) a long list of credit card prefixes in the Hemingway Bar (whatever its reall name is - Floridita perhaps?) in Havana. The first 4 number prefix tells them WHAT bank and country issued it. IF US, no deal.

My only sad memory of the cigar factory in the countryside was the realisation that they were not rolled on the inner thighs of young virgins as recounted by popular rumour. In fact most of those wrinkly old guys with zapata moustaches rolling them looked like extras from a Spaghetti Western.

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~ Glen ~