Making the most of Cuba - or write Signora Rogin's Xmas list for me

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

We're going to Cuba for a fortnight in February. Three nights in Havana, a cruise around the island and its neighbours then a stay on the beach in Varadero. I've only the scantest recollection of the people and events of the revolution or since from a module on a politics course I took 30 years ago. And Signora Rogin thinks Che Guevara was Eva Peron's boyfriend, thanks to Evita.

Are there any books or films recommended that I can buy so we are a bit better immersed in Cuban history and culture before we go, stuff we can settle down to over Christmas? I don't want to have to read Old Man of the Sea, it sounds bloody boring tbh.

[WOM]

The Old Man and The Sea is absolutely marvelous and not a bit boring. It's also quite short, but will teach you little about Cuba.

[EIM]

WATCH:

The Godfather II
Che: Part 1
Sons of Cuba
X-Men: First Class (not really, but sort of)
Buena Vista Social Club

READ:

Cuba: A New History by Richard Gott
Dirty Havana Trilogy by Pedro Juan Gutierrez
Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene
Fidel Castro: My Life by Fidel Castro
In The Red Corner: A Journey into Cuban Boxing by John Duncan

I loved Cuba. I didn't spend enough time in Havana and I will go back soon. Varadero is a beach resort, and you could be in any beach resort in the world. It's not very Cuban, so make the most of every second of your time in Havana.

[diggedy derek]

I watched Soy Cuba for the first time recently – a 1960s film which was rehabilitated largely through the endorsement of Martin Scorsese – and while it's no more accurate a portrait of Cuba than Scarface, it is absolutely extraordinary and I highly recommend it.

[Bored Of Education]

WATCH:

The Godfather II
Che: Part 1
Sons of Cuba
X-Men: First Class (not really, but sort of)
Buena Vista Social Club

READ:

Cuba: A New History by Richard Gott
Dirty Havana Trilogy by Pedro Juan Gutierrez
Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene
Fidel Castro: My Life by Fidel Castro
In The Red Corner: A Journey into Cuban Boxing by John Duncan

I loved Cuba. I didn't spend enough time in Havana and I will go back soon. Varadero is a beach resort, and you could be in any beach resort in the world. It's not very Cuban, so make the most of every second of your time in Havana.

That's what I heard as well. We went to an all-inclusive resort at the other end of the island called Guardalavaca which was very Cuban in that it was a concrete monstrosity seemingly designed for Soviet tourists in the 80s. It ended up being fun despite me almost drowning but I even enjoyed bingo. All the facts in that last sentence were fuelled by endless free Pina coladas (and not getting caught in the rain).

Good call on the John Duncan book, EIM. Before my second visit, I actually called Duncan to get some recommendations for watching some boxing in Havana which were so detailed that I was able to tell the cab driver that he was taking us the wrong way. Talking about our second visit, if you watch "Louder Than War" the Manic Street Preachers in Havana documentary, you will see at least one current OTFer and possibly one ex-OTFer as well.

[Nefertiti2]

nice little British film shot recently in Cuba starring Carlos Acosta.

Carlos Acosta's autobiography

[Sam]

Seconded on EIM's recommendations of the Gott and Greene books. If you watch the film of Our Man In Havana you can also recognise one or two street corners when you're there.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

I can't get my head around the visa/tourist card demand. I've had (verbal) assurances from both Thomas Cook and MSC that these will be readily available at both airline checkin and onboard the cruise ship; is that advice reliable or do I need to be in touch with the embassy? Tried them today. They're shut. And appear to have a staff of about 3 people. Which doesn't bode well.

[Aitch]

From Wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Cuba

Visitors to Cuba must obtain a visa before travel or a tourist card from one of the Cuban diplomatic missions, travel agencies or authorized airlines unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries.^[1]
All visitors, including those with Cuban nationality residing outside Cuba, must hold valid return tickets and proof of medical insurance. Non-Cuban passport holders must also provide proof of financial solvency of at least US$50 per day. Visitors from many countries are expected to hold a passport valid for at least two months from the arrival date.^[

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

It's the authorized travel companies bit that is throwing me off. I mean I assume an airline flying there and a cruise company departing and arriving there are authorized but assume is not enough. I've got the other stuff.

[ursus arctos]

Are you flying from the UK or from elswhere? The rules are more complicated if you are flying from the US. Any airline flying directly from the UK should have tourist cards (either included in the ticket price or available for sale at the airport)

[Bored Of Education]

I watched Soy Cuba for the first time recently – a 1960s film which was rehabilitated largely through the endorsement of Martin Scorsese – and while it's no more accurate a portrait of Cuba than Scarface, it is absolutely extraordinary and I highly recommend it.

Is that the one with the really long tracking shot that inspired the one in "Goodfellas"?

[Bored Of Education]

When I got my visa from the Cuban embassy, it was like the start of the trip. I went into what looked like a normal-isa business building on High Holborn (albeit with a massive Cuban flag in the window) and entered, Mr-Benn-like, into exactly what you would have thought a Cuban embassy would look like - in the 70s. It was all squeaky fake leather orange seats and pampas grass. I think there may even have been a massive ceiling fan.

[adams house cat]

You could read "Havana Bay" by Martin Cruz Smith. How accurate it is about contemporary Cuba I can't say but it is a rattling good read.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Thanks for all the above. I've just discovered that our hotel is a 2 minute marguerita fuelled stumble up the road from El Floridita, Hemingway's main hangout. Perhaps I should give the Old Man and the Sea a go as well as all of your excellent suggestions.

[Bored Of Education]

El Floridita, like La Bodeguita del Medio, is worth going along for one drink to take in the atmosphere but are too Hemmingway touristy really. The best place we found was Lluvia de Oro which was one of those places that you hope you will find with excellent music from different bands every night. The bar upstairs at Palacio de la Artesania was also great (not the one in the courtyard) with fantastic views.

[G-Man]

There is a fair chance that we might go to Cuba for four days at the end of January (provided a main trip to Central America happens). So I've been looking at potential accommodation. Trouble is, even looking at maps, I'm not sure which area is the best place to stay for people who like to live centrally and get round mostly by walking.

I'll tap y'all for detailed tips if the trip happens.

[Stumpy Pepys]

And Signora Rogin thinks Che Guevara was Eva Peron's boyfriend, thanks to Evita.

And here's me thinking David Essex was Eva Peron's boyfriend.

[WOM]

Canadians practically live in Cuba, and one of the three big places to go is Varadero, which is about an hour outside of Havana. It's heavy-heavy on all-inclusive resorts, but easy to day-trip from.

[Bored Of Education]

Yeah, I wouldn't go to Varadero for that reason. From what everyone I know who have travelled there has said, you could be anywhere and the only Cubans you see are the staff. I was glad that we went to Guardalavaca as, at least, it wasn't like Varadero or Cancun or somewhere. Although, yes, the staff were all Cuban, it was more chilled out and relaxed. I remember having a lovely conversation with a rep who was (unfortunately, it has to be said) an ex-teacher which taught me more about Cuba than I could have found out from a lot of other sources. Certainly beat talking to a teenage English rep.

In Havana, I don't see why you would go and not stay at one of the landmark hotels like the Nacional, Cuba Libre or, where we stayed, the Ingleterra which is exceptionally. Havana is a fantastic walking city.They may all be a bit frayed around the edges and faded grandeur but you wouldn't go to Havana if you didn't want that.

If I were going again and was going to to do a two-destination trip, I would stay at the Hotel Los Jazmines in Vinales which is the big tobacco producing region and has been recommended to me.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Off tomorrow so thanks again for the hints and tips (and the PM G-Man, sounds like you had a fantastic time). Our man in Havana was definitely a nice tip as we now understand our hotel the Sevilla is the one used in the film. The bar open to the street they used in the film isn't mentioned on any internet sites describing location scenes but I reckon we'll find it.

[G-Man]

If you do the walking tours, they'll show you the Sevilla.

I picked a great place to stay: an apartment n Central Havana, which is the run-down area between the Old City and the more refined Vedado (with the former mafia hotel Nacional). So both areas were within walking distance. Our place was two blocks away from the Malecon, the seafront boulevard (near the statue of Maceo, if anyone cares).

It was superbly located, and the area is non-touristy, so you breathe the air the locals breathe, and hear the sounds the locals hear. Like the guy going from street to street selling bread, loudly advertising his presence. It was like a scene from ages past. We observed awoman in a house on the other side in our road buying a loaf from the upstairs window. She lowered the money in a basket on a rope; he put the bread in the basket. As I said, a scene from the past, right there.

[E10 Rifle]

Yeah I found myself dossing on the Central Havana sofa of a bloke in a local hip hop group for a week or so, when I was there back in 1998. It's the sort of agreeably unplanned thing that can happen in the city, which can be agreeably chaotic for a supposedly authoritarian and highly regulated place

[Bored Of Education]

It's true about the the unplanned happenings. I ended up watching a rehearsal of the biggest heavy metal band in Havana after meeting their drummer at the Manics' after show at the Nacional. I also went to see the Olympic boxing team play a local team at an outdoor ring on a derelict site between two houses.

[Flynnie]

No one in this thread had mentioned baseball. This seems like an unfortunate oversight.