Would you vacation in Cuba?

[puddle jumper]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

I have some friends that have gone and say its fantastic. But you do have to watch were you go and who you pi$$ off. As a rule the people are just as friendly as can be and treat you like a good friend.

I was told that they have strict laws on who comes to vacation. If you have a criminal record they wont let you in.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

Well who ever goes first send me a few cigars.

 

[beerfilter]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

I have some friends that have gone and say its fantastic. But you do have to watch were you go and who you pi$$ off. As a rule the people are just as friendly as can be and treat you like a good friend.

I was told that they have strict laws on who comes to vacation. If you have a criminal record they wont let you in.

Talk about irony , Castro had no compunction about sending a large percentage of his prisons and "mental hospitals" here , in the early 1980's .
Maybe they just don't want those folks back ?

Watch where you go and who you pi$$ off ? That could be my own house , actually .

Seriously , I would have no problems visiting Cuba . I wish the U.S. would have moved to try to normalize relations , years ago . The quickest way to kill communism is to expose it's subjects to capitalism ....
Still , that whole missile crisis and almost starting WW3 left a big impression , so here we are .

I know several people who have visited Cuba , but they had to get flights from other countries , Mexico , Costa Rica , Panama , etc..

It will be many years before just anyone can book a flight from the U.S.A. directly to Cuba . My greatest hope for our current administration is that they reverse the screwed-up state of international travel caused by the previous administration . Hopefully they can get on with it once the economy recovers despite their best efforts to help it recover ...

 

[eaglejim]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

There are a lot of other places I would go before I went to Cuba,but I was born and raised in Miami

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

In a heartbeat. I've actually wanted to go for a long time, but could never figure our how to do it without spending money there.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

There are a lot of other places I would go before I went to Cuba,but I was born and raised in Miami

There are a few great Cubano people in Miami I hear??

love the food, at least the lil Havana / Miami version..fried pork & black beans & rice!

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

There are pretty credible stories of 25LB largemouth bass in some of Cuba's fresh water lakes.

There are also verifiable stories of the world's finest cigars and some of it's best rum.

What else in the world would ya need? Not that Dominican Cohiba stuff, the real deal.....And pure sugar cane rum..man.....I'm tempted to fire up the B Ticket and make the run right now! lol..

 

[mhlbnghm]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

Not as long as it's under communist rule and supression

JMB

 

[Expidia]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

Talk about irony , Castro had no compunction about sending a large percentage of his prisons and "mental hospitals" here , in the early 1980's .
Maybe they just don't want those folks back ?

I was going to say exactly the same thing as soon as I read the other posters comments. I bit my lip figuring I'd get shot down for being too political.

But that's exactly what Castro did was to open the prisons and he shipped them to Miami

 

[beerfilter]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

I was going to say exactly the same thing as soon as I read the other posters comments. I bit my lip figuring I'd get shot down for being too political.

But that's exactly what Castro did was to open the prisons and he shipped them to Miami

I mentioned that in passing , as a joking reference . Given the last 50+ years of history , political references are going to be inextricable from the core subject of discussion .
Hopefully we can keep it semi-civil and the mods wont have to use the smack-fu on this thread ..

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

What else in the world would ya need? Not that Dominican Cohiba stuff, the real deal.....And pure sugar cane rum..man.....I'm tempted to fire up the B Ticket and make the run right now! lol..

Havig smoked a few "real deal" Montecristos, I can say that they are the smoothest cigars that I have ever had my hands on. I quit smoking years ago, and never was that much of a cigar aficionado, but those things would make me light up again!

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

Havig smoked a few "real deal" Montecristos, I can say that they are the smoothest cigars that I have ever had my hands on. I quit smoking years ago, and never was that much of a cigar aficionado, but those things would make me light up again!

I have had quite a few Cuban Cohibas...Much better than the Dominican's..Never had a Cuban MonteCristos though...I'll let everyone know before I go when they open that lil Island up and I'll make a list..

 

[Expidia]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

Montreal is only 3.5 hours North of me. We go there a few times a year. The first place I hit on St Catherine Street is the cigar store to pick up a few Cuban Cohibas.

I always got the feeling those cigar stores have the labels printed up and the cigars are not real Cuban Cohibas. Has anyone ever checked out the authenticity of the Cohibas sold in Montreal?

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

A Domincan Cohiba will have a red "dot" on the label..A REAL cohiba, the label is thick and raised gold lettering, no red dot...
Also the smoothness of the cigar itself..then there is that thick, creamy smoke that is trademark Cohiba..
See pic of real and fake Cohiba

 

[Expidia]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

A Domincan Cohiba will have a red "dot" on the label..A REAL cohiba, the label is thick and raised gold lettering, no red dot...
Also the smoothness of the cigar itself..then there is that thick, creamy smoke that is trademark Cohiba..
See pic of real and fake Cohiba

Thx CheapoboatKev, yep, that's what I've always suspected. In 30 years I've never seen a raised gold label on one of them! They have all looked like the one on the with the cheap printed label. I think they used to charge $10 each for a $2 cigar

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

I purchased 10 Cubans while visiting the Yucatan several years back, 5 Cohiba's, and 5 Montecristos. Both far and away in a class by themselves. On another occasion a customer (from Brazil) brought me a three pack of Cohiba's. Three cigars were $120.00 bucks (that US green backs) 8 plus years ago.

 

[KurtG]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

jay-
I think you can spend money if you get local press credentials. My dad built a 50' catamaran and rebuilt a subsequent monohull and has done a fair bit of sailing. He was planning to go to Cuba at one time (spent time in the bahamas instead) and mentioned he needed to get his local hometown paper to sponsor him so that he could spend money legally by US law ($100 a day if I recall correctly).

I'd like tot go. I enjoyed both Jamaica and Puerto Rico much more than I did Hawaii- both were much more beautiful and not so touristy.

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

unfortunately, cuba isn't u.s. friendly...yet. my wife is there right now as i type this. i've had friends and family members go and absolutely love it. i once dated a cuban woman and she was a very nice lady. don't tell the wife though. i don't normally talk about my past..lol. i met many cuban people and they seem very nice and friendly.

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

Not if I had to take a plane.

The last several plane trips were a disaster. Late or canceled flights, lost luggage, arrogant screeners, yada yada. If I can't drive there, I ain't going.

I'm with OldePharte on this one. Our flights weren't canceled and we didn't lose any luggage, but sitting a few rows in front of a woman EDIT who hadn't bathed in who knows how long was the last straw. She was the last on board and they had already closed the door by the time she was seated. Everyone gagged as she walked by and turned their individual air vents higher. Felt sorry for the people sitting next to her. EDIT.

The point is flying just isn't the same anymore. Every flight is full, there's no food anymore, frequent flyer programs stink, and people are getting rude.

If we ever get to go to Cuba, we'll drive from our home in MN to Glaveston, TX, and then hop on a cruise ship to Havana.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Would you vacation in Cuba?

I'm with OldePharte on this one. Our flights weren't canceled and we didn't lose any luggage, but sitting a few rows in front of a woman EDIT who hadn't bathed in who knows how long was the last straw. She was the last on board and they had already closed the door by the time she was seated. Everyone gagged as she walked by and turned their individual air vents higher. Felt sorry for the people sitting next to her.

The point is flying just isn't the same anymore. Every flight is full, there's no food anymore, frequent flyer programs stink, and people are getting rude.

If we ever get to go to Cuba, we'll drive from our home in MN to Glaveston, TX, and then hop on a cruise ship to Havana.

I basically travel throughout the S.E. US 2 weeks out of the month...From Oklahoma South (including Texas ) and everything East of OK to NC....
I have met that woman, and her American cousins, and her grandpa...
Ya know..I think thats a thread idea...Worst airline travel story?!
Man I have a lot of em!