Just Got Back From Cuba: Ask me anything!!!!

[Coventina]

[PoliticAverse]

1. So where's the link to your slide show? n/t

[Coventina]

2. I haven't downloaded my pictures from my camera yet!

I'm sort of technology-impaired!

[avebury]

3. I am so jealous!

The closest I have ever gotten to Cuba is sailing by on a cruise ship.

Please post some pictures and write about your experiences there!!!

[Coventina]

5. If I can figure out how to post pictures, I will!!

I'll make a little post for the lounge in the next couple of days......

[mrmpa]

4. How was the food.....

more importantly, how were the drinks?

[Coventina]

6. The food was variable. The drinks were exquisite!!!

The food ranged from terrible to heavenly.

The drinks were ALL good! I've never been a rum fan, but the rum drinks there are sooooo yummy!
I feel as if I had never had a "real" daiquiri before last week. Or a real Mojito.

[shanti]

17. did you bring back some rum?

if so, how much was it?

[Coventina]

19. Yes, three bottles of Havana Club (the most prevalent brand there).

A 7 year aged, a bottle of "Anejo Reserva", and my big splurge on a bottle of "Triple Barrel Aged".

I don't remember the exact prices of the first two, but the "Triple Barrel Aged" was $40. All together the three bottles were less than $100.

[lunatica]

7. How were you greeted there?

I'm dying to find out because some day I want to visit Cuba.

[Coventina]

8. Cubans are VERY receptive to Americans. Extremely friendly and helpful.

Their nickname for us is "Yumas" (pronounced "jew-mas&quot .

Apparently, the movie "3:10 to Yuma" is insanely popular there, and so the nickname for Americans has become "Yumas."

We were greeted with "Hola! Yumas!" in many neighborhoods we visited.

They are super excited about having contact with the United States again, and will treat you with a lot of friendliness and respect, as long as it is returned.

[lunatica]

9. That's so cool!

I would have a great time there.

[Coventina]

10. You would! I would encourage you to go. Right now, it makes a REAL difference.

Right now is a time when person-to-person interaction is forming the way our two countries build a mental image of each other, and I think it's really important that good-hearted people visit and form good opinions of "Yumas".

[OriginalGeek]

11. that's hilarious!

Yumas! I wanna be a Yuma. Cuba has long been on my list and I hope to get there before we screw it up. Cruises to Cuba have recently started (like in the last month or so) but they are still kind of pricey.

I like that movie too.

[Coventina]

12. Yes, it's much cheaper at this point to fly.

That's what I did.

The cruise price is wayyyyy out of my price range!

[OriginalGeek]

13. on a related note

my wife and I just got our first ever passports yesterday. So that's one step towards a visit to Cuba!

we are going on a cruise next month for our 30th anniversary and I can hardly stand the wait. 29 days until we sail! I wonder if we sail close enough to Cuba to see it - probably at night so maybe not - leave from Port Everglades and go to Cozumel, Belize, Roatan and Grand Cayman. looks plenty close on google maps lol.

[Coventina]

14. Have a wonderful time! It sounds like a lovely trip!!!

And, congrats on the milestone!!!!

[Callmecrazy]

15. Yes, Geek, you can see Cuba...

It's off in the distance, but you can see the mountains and stuff. Cuba is huge; you can see it all day during your first sailing day.

[OriginalGeek]

28. Neat!

I'll raise a toast to the people of Cuba on our way by.

[Bluzmann57]

16. Did you smoke a cigar?

I mean, Cuba is famous for cigars, so why not try one? Even a confirmed non smoker like me would like to at least try a Cuban cigar.

[Coventina]

20. Yes I did! And I brought cigars back with me for family and friends.

I'm not a smoker either, but once in a while I will puff on cigar. I find them much tastier and enjoyable than the cigarettes I've had.

We visited a tobacco farm, and I bought some of the farmer's hand-made private stash!!!

I also bought some from a tobacco store, with the brand labels on them: Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, etc.

[PoiBoy]

36. That is so awesome..!!

Real cuban cigars are on my bucket list... and it looks like you got some good ones...!!!

[Coventina]

37. Well...if the embargo is finally dropped, you should be able to buy them from your local tobacconist

However, I'm told that getting them in Cuba they are fresher and more flavorful.

Probably true of most agricultural products.....

[GOLGO 13]

38. Those are some of the ELITE cigar brands. Simply the best cigars on the planet.

So jealous.

[Coventina]

39. Not being a smoker, I don't know what they would sell for, say in Europe.

But I can assure you that they do NOT sell for ELITE prices in Cuba!

I bought a LOT of cigars for less than $100 (the maximum value you are allowed to bring back).

[flamingdem]

18. Did you get any marriage proposals?

[Coventina]

21. No. I was with my husband the whole time.

But, I learned that men outnumber women in Cuba, so single women are VERY popular there!

[Phentex]

22. Did you see any cool cars?

What was your favorite moment?

[Coventina]

23. Yes, far too many to count!!! We took several as taxis to get from place to place.

Probably my favorite moment was riding in a 1949 convertible Chevrolet along the Malecon (the seaside drive in Havana) as the sun was setting and just after a thunderstorm, so the air was cool and breezy (well, as cool as Cuba gets in the summertime!). Just heavenly!

[Phentex]

24. Sounds great!

I'm glad you had a good time. It's nice to hear about what you did.

[Coventina]

25. Thanks, when I have time, I'm going to compose a little piece to sum up my experiences.

Can't promise when I'll be able to get that done, though.

[Xyzse]

26. How'd you swing that?

What do I have to do to pull that off?

[Coventina]

27. Well......one of the perks of being a college professor, I guess.

I was the instructor for a "Study Abroad" program to Cuba, so I, along with another faculty member, brought a group of students to Cuba to learn about Cuban art.

Check with your local institutions of higher learning, particularly community colleges. We ran into another community college group while there that was doing the same thing.

Also, check with the Arts council of your local government. Many cities are arranging such tours as well. One of our local towns took a group of citizens to learn about the music of Cuba.

The opportunities are there, but you might have to hunt for them.

[Xyzse]

29. I see, I see...

Nice.

[EvilAL]

30. love Cuba! !

Can't wait to go back! !
The rum is awesome and Cristal is a pretty good beer too. Some people like the Buccanero , but it's got a taste to it that doesn't make it as good as Cristal.
People are friendly and it's safe to walk around town..
I stayed at the Iberostar Laguna Azul in Varadero twice..

[Coventina]

31. I'm not a beer drinker, so I cannot comment on Cristal or Buccanero. However, I did have a lot of

Tucola!


I liked it, AND it has 1/3 less calories than Coke or Pepsi! It definitely is less sweet, but still very tasty and refreshing.

[EvilAL]

34. I didn't drink much of that.. heheh

I had a beer day.. a rum day.. a beer day.. a rum day.. a beer/rum day.. heheh
One day pretty much all I drank were mojitos. They crushed the frest mint stocks and leaves right there and always remembered how much I liked in it.. very smart people.. I went on the catamaran cruise to the dolphin enlosure and Cayo Blanco and everyone working on the boat was fluent in 4 or 5 languages.. same with most of the resort staff as well. I was very impressed.
Also it was safe to walk around. I hear other people go to countries and they have to stay on rhe resorts.. not in Cuba.. I went right to a guys house to buy some cigars way cheaper than the smoke shops or the hotel.. wasn't worried about getting robbed or hurt..
I'll be back next year at the end of April.. going to go to Varadero again.. but take the overnight excursion to havana this time.. haven't gotten to go yet..

[Coventina]

35. Havana is lovely. I spent most of my time there. I also visited

Cienfuegos, Trinidad, and Santa Clara.

Didn't make it to Santiago. Hope to do that next time.

[whistler162]

32. Did you go to the Cuba Cheese Shoppe?

I stopped at the McDonalds in Cuba while going to Jamestown NY.

[Coventina]

33. I did not see any cheese shops. The only McDonalds in Cuba is on the US base in Guantanamo Bay.

And I was not on the base.