Prince Charles and Camilla Went Full Tourist on Their Cuba Trip

[Judi Lynn]

Prince Charles and Camilla Went Full Tourist on Their Cuba Trip
With make-your-own mojitos and stylish sunglasses, the future King of England proved that diplomacy can be fun.

BY ERIN VANDERHOOF
MARCH 28, 2019



On their four-day trip to Cuba, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall decided to mix work and play. Their visit to the island had historical significance—it’s the first time a British royal has visited the post-revolutionary country—but they didn’t let that stop them from taking advantage of its nicest sites and activities.

The couple embraced Cuba’s love for vintage cars on Tuesday at an event organized to bring together notable cars from Britain, according to Reuters. In a pair of Ray-Bans, the Prince of Wales stepped behind the wheel of a 1953 MG TD, a British roadster known for its distinctive grille. Charles is a car enthusiast himself, owning an Aston Martin, but the MG was tricky to drive, according to the prince. "The one I was driving is the most beautiful car," he said. "It has an incredibly powerful accelerator. It is incredibly close to the brake, so you have to be careful you don't press the wrong one."

On Wednesday, their last day on the island, the couple went to a paladar, a private restaurant, where they were presented with vegetables and food from around the island, and Charles used a hand crank to press sugarcane in the traditional way. They stepped behind the bar to make mojitos, and sipped them for the cameras. Per the Daily Mail, Charles asked their host if he was muddling the mint the right way, and the duchess gamely said, "Cheers!"

Then they sampled different foods; Charles was partial to a goat cheese he tried, and even asked for a recipe for black bean croquettes. Though she was reportedly hesitant about Cuban food before she left England, Camilla commented to onlookers that she wanted to send her son, Tom Parker Bowles, a food writer, to the island. Before leaving for the Cayman Islands, she stopped at Cuba’s national equestrian center to feed a few horses, including one named Diane.

More:
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/03/prince-charles-and-camilla-went-full-tourist-on-their-cuba-trip?verso=true

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[imposter222]

1. Visited Cuba enough times to have friends there.

Cuba used to be a popular destination for Americans in the early 1950's, but the Russian missiles and embargo changed all that. I have since traveled to Cuba two times, and have traveled throughout the country. Cuba is a very beautiful country with many attractions that includes the popular bars and restaurants made famous by Ernest Hemingway such as Floridita in Havana. The Nacional Hotel in Havana has many attractions based on the fact that many movie stars and VIP's stayed there, and the patio bar is a popular watering hole where one can meet people from all over the world. The Parque Central Hotel bar is an excellent place to spend a few hours enjoying a drink and the famous Cuban cigars. Americans visiting Cuba should exchange their US dollars for Canadian dollars or Euros before going. They get the best exchange rates; the US dollar is discounted by 10% before the current exchange rate. Go to La Guarida paladar (restaurant) for a meal. When my travel buddy and I were there, Susan Sarandon walked into our small dining room. If I had my wits, I would have invited her to join us. Visit the Partagas cigar factory. They have a small bar where you can enjoy a drink and one of their famous cigars. I never smoked a Cohiba, but the Partagas D4's is my favorite. We know Hiroshi Robaina who owns one of the largest tobacco farms in Cuba. I don't smoke at home; quit smoking about 55 years ago. Cuba is safe, and I highly recommend visiting before it becomes a popular destination. I'm lucky, because my travel buddy is fluent in Spanish. BTW, when you hire a taxi, always negotiate the price. They charge tourists much higher rates that can be negotiated. Taxi in Cuba , How to Book Taxi and Prices — Steemit
steemit.com/taxi/@maski/taxi-in-cuba-how-to-book...
Taxi drivers in Cuba tend to overprice their service but you can always negotiate with them and in some cases you can lower initial asking price for as much as 2/3 . I will not go here into details what are the reasons for very high taxi prices in Cuba but they do have a lot of problems maintaining those old cars and taxes are high .

[Judi Lynn]

2. So good seeing your comments! I've heard other Cuba travellers also saying best to go there soon

to get to see the country before the flood of US American tourists crash through, trashing the place, and shoving people around.

Have heard this from previous internet posters since I started keeping track of Cuba information in 2000, people from the U.K., Canada, all over Latin America, etc. Have read articles by other people from Australia, Germany, Asia, and many people also post their photos of their trips on line. It's a real pleasure to stumble across them from time to time.

Great seeing you have named specific places. There's a DU poster who just announced his/her plan to visit in the next week or so. Hope he/she will see your post, too.

Having a Spanish-fluent travelling companion is outstanding. It's someone to share the experience, and someone to illuminate dealing with the citizens, keeping you from feeling helpless! Very cool.

Thanks for taking the time, imposter222, welcome to D.U.