Jailer

A large oil of El Morro, by noted Spanish Fauvist Manual Anoro, dominates my living room. This Havana harbor and seaside painting bespeaks of a fascination with Cuba going back many years. Even prior to those Marxist economic theory classes that I took at U.C. for my econ degree in the 1970's, I dimly recall stories of my dad sailing his boat to Cuba when he lived in Miami during the Batista regime. In that my father never talked of these trips means that either they never happened or that they were deliciously good. I prefer the later explanation.

How I have longed to sneak over from Cancun or Montreal, but my Department of Justice connection made a clandestine creep across undoable: if anyone were to be made an example of, it would be me. Besides, I have a very healthy hesitancy to break any law, even if that law is the product of Neanderthal social and political policy on the part of the United States.

My Australian cousin Bryan, who is unbelievably well traveled even by the standards of Flyertalk, claims that Cuba is the best place he has ever been.

As luck would have it, a scuba diving art history professor friend of mine has a medical humanitarian license to go to Cuba. Not cheap, $3,000 for a week including a $300 donation to a medical charity, but it’s now or never: I fear that before Castro bounces twice Cuba will morph into Cancun…Raul won’t be able to hold power…the dialectic has swung back and only Fidel’s cult of personality maintains the status quo, IMH(and uneducated)O.

Trip leader Mary has gone numerous times and is well plugged in. For example, she used to visit the 102 year old Old Man of the Sea before he died a couple of years ago. A day of scuba diving in the Bay of Pigs and another couple dives right off the city Trinidad are add-ons that I can't resist, given the good things that I have heard about diving in Cuba.

I like pre-trip reports for two reasons. One, it commits me to writing a trip report and thereby means that I pay closer attention to my surroundings: the quirky, bizarre, tasty and beautiful (although it would be a poor journalist indeed who was not traveling Cuba with eyes wide open). Second, all should feel welcome to use this as a depository for advice as to what to see, do, eat, etc.

I look forward to resurrecting this thread in October.

Hasta la vista, Jailer

Kiwi Flyer

I look forward to reading more in October.

N145PM

How was this a Trip Report?

patchadamsbk

To be continued.....

Jailer

As is generally my tradition, it is a pre-trip report. Feel free to check other of my trip reports, since you are fairly new to FT.

(snip: I like pre-trip reports for two reasons. One, it commits me to writing a trip report and thereby means that I pay closer attention to my surroundings: the quirky, bizarre, tasty and beautiful (although it would be a poor journalist indeed who was not traveling Cuba with eyes wide open). Second, all should feel welcome to use this as a depository for advice as to what to see, do, eat, etc.)

I am merely setting the table, it is up to you if you wish to eat.

mad_atta

Well, it's certainly an appetising beginning

I'm planning to get to Cuba in April next year - here's hoping poor ol' Fidel can hold on that long. For what it's worth, I share your theory re his cult of personality - tho I also share your uninformed status

Jailer

Looking back at my Nepal packing list (where Craig6z and I visited a Tibetan refugee camp) and augmenting, here’s what I am planning to bring:

100 toothbrushes plus toothpaste, already donated by my dentist
Children’s vitamins and aspirin/Motrin
Children’s cast off clothes
Silly String, bubbles and balsa wood gliders, etc.
School supplies, TBD
A few school backpacks
Medical supplies, TBD depending on donations
An industrial sized box of Costco tampons
Disposable razor blades


Any other idea welcomed….

seobeglobal

yeah, me too.

Rejuvenated

So do I.

AJLondon

Ditto!

stimpy

Try the pork.

driftings

If you get the chance to venture outside of Havana, hire a driver or rent a car and head a few hours West to Viñales. Great weekend trip.

Very interested in hearing about any scuba diving.

driftings

...and the tortuga, crocodile, platanos, mojitos...

Don't rely on cab/coco drivers to give unbiased suggestions.

Read "Waiting for Fidel" before you leave!!!

kevinsac

My parents oft told of their trips to Cuba back in the 1950's. Maybe I will visit one day.

"I'd like to order the rabbit." "Sorry, we are out of that."

"But it's on your menu. Then I'd like to order the prime rib." "Sorry, we are out of that."

"But it's on your menu. Well, can I have the lamb chops?" "Sorry, we are out of that, too."

I guess that's what it feels like to have a trip report.......many months before the trip.

You are a tease!

Jailer

Thanks, drift, on your advice I ordered "Waiting for Fidel" and am really enjoying it. Even at a decade old, I'm guessing that it's really not that dated.