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Tagged With "cuba"

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Re: Trains in Cuba

Paul Heymont ·
Great question...and possibly not an easy clear answer. Cuba's trains have generally been in poor shape in recent years as older equipment has run down and spares not available. However, according to Mark Smith (The Man in Seat 61), that's changing with the arrival of a fleet of new Chinese-built locomotives. On his site ( Seat61.com ) he has an extensive update of recent changes in schedules, routes and locations (that's important because Havana's main station is closed for a 3-year...
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Re: Trains in Cuba

Wilbur's Travels ·
Thanks for the info. I too love Mark's site. I will try my damnedest to do a train journey if I can so I can send you details. Wilbur.
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Re: Flights to Cuba: lots of planes, not so many passengers

GarryRF ·
Many returning tourists will be telling their American friends that life in a third world country - like Cuba - is worse than just having only one flavour of Ice Cream.
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Re: Cuba - a step back in time !

Travel Rob ·
Great Pic! I've got to get the Cuban secrets for contolling rust. Amazing they are able to keep those cars up with the limited parts they have for them
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Re: Cuba - a step back in time !

GarryRF ·
Re: Cuba - a step back in time !
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Re: Cuba - a step back in time !

DrFumblefinger ·
I recall as a boy my dad's best friend had a Pontiac like this. It was a beautiful car and the pride of his life. It ended up being totaled in a car crash (he survived), but I still remember his pride in showing off the polished beauty! His was two tone brown, I think.
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Re: Cuba - a step back in time !

GarryRF ·
Fell in love with this remarkable example but - no idea of the Make and Model ! If you take too close an interest you cant get a pic without the Owner, Wife and Kids !
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Re: Cuba - a step back in time !

Paul Heymont ·
Oldsmobile...think it's a 55, might be 54. My first car was a 53 Olds 88.
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Re: Cuba - a step back in time !

DrFumblefinger ·
Originally Posted by PHeymont: Oldsmobile...think it's a 55, might be 54. My first car was a 53 Olds 88. PHeymont -- you owned a Rocket 88? Remember that old song by Ike Turner and Jackie Brentson? Here's the you-tube link to remind those who may have forgotten this classic song -- one of the first Rock 'n Roll tunes ever. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbfnh1oVTk0
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Re: March 3, 2019: Palacio de Valle, Cienfuegos, Cuba

GarryRF ·
Amazing find Jonathan L. !
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Re: March 3, 2019: Palacio de Valle, Cienfuegos, Cuba

Jonathan L ·
Thank you!
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Re: March 3, 2019: Palacio de Valle, Cienfuegos, Cuba

GarryRF ·
I'm in Cuba soon Jonathan - must remember to take some pix inside buildings too !
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Re: Gallery: A visit to Cuba

Dgems ·
Beautiful! I was there in 1959......and the color of the water is what I remember the most!
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Re: Gallery: A visit to Cuba

IslandMan ·
Great post and pictures Dr Y...definitely on my wish list. Is tourism on the increase you think??
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Re: Gallery: A visit to Cuba

Dr.Y ·
Thanks IslandMan, There are many resorts in the Varadero peninsular. The Christmas/New Year season is kind of full. But other than that, still unspoiled to me. The tour guy told us that currently 80% tourists are Canadians. I can imagine if sanctions are lifted, there will be lots of tourists from USA, they are much closer in terms of distance.
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Re: Americans Free to Travel to Cuba Tomorrow

Paul Heymont ·
But not quite as free as all that. Travel is still restricted to the purposes (such as education, family visits, journalism, cultural exchange, etc.) that formerly required obtaining individual licenses. What has changed is that you no longer need to obtain a license; the government will assume you honestly belong to one of those categories...until and unless you irritate it.
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Re: Americans Free to Travel to Cuba Tomorrow

Travel Rob ·
According to the White House Press Office ,these are the twelve categories. (below)Without licenses ,like before, most everyone can fit into one of these categories legally if they really want to. (1) family visits; (2) official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations; (3) journalistic activity; (4) professional research and professional meetings; (5) educational activities; (6) religious activities; (7) public performances, clinics,...
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Re: Thinking Cuba? Tickets not so easy yet!

DrFumblefinger ·
I've also heard that there are concerns not enough hotel rooms exist in Cuba for the expected flood of American tourists. Besides flights, it's important to have a room reservation at hand. I truly hope the flood of tourist money will be of benefit to the Cuban people whose plight I have great empathy for.
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Re: Thinking Cuba? Tickets not so easy yet!

Paul Heymont ·
Perhaps TG Guru GarryRF can add something on this...he's been there often. My impression is that the lack of facilities may be overstated, because Canadians, Brits and others have been going there in large numbers. Of course, if you double that without building, there will be a problem, but I don't think the numbers will go up that fast until the hotels and airlines start offering the kind of attractive packages they do for other areas of the Caribbean. It may be a self-solving problem.
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Re: Thinking Cuba? Tickets not so easy yet!

GarryRF ·
Many Americans travel to the Capital - Havana. Its a big - overgrown and mostly poor city. Not really a flavour of the real Cuba and its people. Wherever you go on the Island they do 2-3 day trips to Havana. The stores are mostly empty and food is strictly rationed to the locals. So you'll be better going to one of the hundreds of All Inclusive Hotels that line the coast. Inclusive vacations fly from Toronto to Resorts all around the Island. Very much like Dominican Republic - without the...
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Re: Thinking Cuba? Tickets not so easy yet!

Mac ·
Most interesting Garry. I still have Cuba on my list as 'yet to be visited'. I'm not a great beach lover - a few days are fine - is there really a lot to be seen in the country as a whole if you take away the Ché-related hyped locations? Is it really worth making the effort right now before things change as they surely will? Unfortunately I still have a load of other places that are tugging at my sleeve for early visits...
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Re: Thinking Cuba? Tickets not so easy yet!

GarryRF ·
Most city centres have been laid out in the Spanish style with an open park. This is lunchtime when all the school children and workers eat their packed lunches. No radio - music - skateboards - headphones - just peace and tranquillity !
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Re: Thinking Cuba? Tickets not so easy yet!

GarryRF ·
Mac. Cuba has already changed since my first visit 15 years ago. Buses and cars are everywhere now thanks to those intrepid Chinese salesmen. Living standards are rising rapidly thanks to the tourist dollar. Fields of Sugar Cane are now rare. Castro has decided that Cuba's future lies in tourism. Bicycles prevail in most Towns and a horse and buggy are common. When I first went to Cuba it was painfully poor. It's like going back in time to a 3rd world country. But with safety and very civil,...
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Re: Thinking Cuba? Tickets not so easy yet!

Mac ·
Thank you Garry - a really useful piece of feed-back.
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Re: Thinking Cuba? Tickets not so easy yet!

GarryRF ·
Maybe the answer to the number of Hotels needed to accommodate the new visitors from the US is all in the timing. Brits - Canadians - Germans love Cuba in the winter. It's the dry season with no hurricane threat. Warm in the daytime, 75-85f or 24 -29c. Cool enough for a sweater at night. Americans can have the summer !!!
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Re: Thinking Cuba? Tickets not so easy yet!

Mac ·
Well, that's it then, Cuba is right back on the list!! Thanks Garry.
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Re: Airbnb now open for business in Cuba

PortMoresby ·
It's big news - BBC had an interview with one of the Airbnb guys this evening, talking about just this. I'm getting ready, just watched 'Our Man in Havana', (1959, Alec Guinness).
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Re: Airbnb now open for business in Cuba

Paul Heymont ·
Great film. Graham Greene novel and screenplay.
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Re: Airbnb now open for business in Cuba

GarryRF ·
The internet is accessible for most people in Cuba. Phone lines are still a rare item for private houses. Many share a local service with business and families using the same web address. Just like we used to - when we shared a public phone. Yes - years ago - I know !
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Re: Airbnb now open for business in Cuba

Paul Heymont ·
I know this is open to double meaning in this context...but yes, I remember sharing a party line. Leavenworth, KS, 1951. Our number was 779-J and we were #10 of the 12 families on the line. There was a distinct ring for each family...can't remember ours (I was 7 at the time).
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Re: Airbnb now open for business in Cuba

GarryRF ·
Did it go Brrr....Brrr... or was that the Polar Bear without his coat on ? Yes party lines were great fun if you picked up the receiver when someone else was talking.
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Re: Airbnb now open for business in Cuba

DrFumblefinger ·
Garry, it seems like you were a naughty boy. I suspect you actually took part in some of these party line calls, rendering some good advice, I'm sure -- whether wanted or not.
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Re: Airbnb now open for business in Cuba

Paul Heymont ·
Don't remember exactly what it sounded like, but I remember what my mother sounded like when she caught me listening...
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Re: Airbnb now open for business in Cuba

PortMoresby ·
Ours was 2 shorts and a long (or was it 2 longs and a short?), also early '50s, Danville, California. It was an idyllic new subdivision in the rolling golden hills, golf course next door and a community pool under the oaks, a short walk from home. It would never have occurred to us that a party line made life any less wonderful.
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Re: Airbnb now open for business in Cuba

My Thatched Hut ·
Apparently Airbnb in Cuba, so far, is only for Americans who have permission to go there.
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Re: Airbnb now open for business in Cuba

GarryRF ·
Many of my Canadian friends travel independently to Cuba. They all stay with these guys -Pinot and Agnia. Too far from Havana to travel but it will give you a taste of what to expect from Casa Particulars. http://www.hostalpinoyagnia.com/
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Re: As scheduled Cuba service nears, charter operators face unknown future

Travel Rob ·
With a few exceptions, the charter prices for Americans were really expensive. So for those companies, the gravy train is over.
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Re: As scheduled Cuba service nears, charter operators face unknown future

GarryRF ·
On leaving Cuba last year our flight home to the UK was delayed. We had to wait on the plane for 4 hours. The airport had run out of Jet Fuel A1. So a fuel tanker was dispatched to fetch some. I do hope the US embargo stops before I go again. I'm not fighting American Airlines for the last drop of Jet Fuel !!
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Re: Feb. 5, 2016: Fishing boats, Santiago de Cuba

Travel Rob ·
Great photos!
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Re: Feb. 5, 2016: Fishing boats, Santiago de Cuba

GarryRF ·
You must have been tempted to spend a few hours fishing the blue waters !
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Re: Jan. 29: Hillside Living, Santiago de Cuba

Travel Rob ·
The second photo is really scary to me. I hope Cuba is not hit by a big earthquake before they reinforce their buildings.
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Re: Jan. 29: Hillside Living, Santiago de Cuba

DrFumblefinger ·
Yes, Rob, that bottom image is scary because you just know a strong wind will knock those homes down. Poor people using what they can find to create a shelter and home. Part of the triumph of a half century of Castro rule.
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Re: Jan. 29: Hillside Living, Santiago de Cuba

Paul Heymont ·
Actually, that collapsed group (Sandy damage, I believe) is not endangering the rest. No one's living in that; it appears to be in the process of being scavenged for materials.
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Re: Jan. 29: Hillside Living, Santiago de Cuba

GarryRF ·
Part of the triumph of a half century of American embargo. "This boycott provides that no vessel, be it US flagged or foreign that calls at Cuba may thereafter call at a US port"
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Re: Those famous Cuban cars, behind the scenes...

GarryRF ·
Wonderful collection Paul. This collection is not to be confused with the Saturday Night Cruisers you see in Florida and other memorabilia shows. But a testament to the ingenuity of Cuban car collectors. The prices of these dinosaurs was in thousands of dollars each. And a will to keep them going forever.
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Re: U.S. Airlines put in their bids for Cuba flights

Paul Heymont ·
UPDATE: USA Today has published a complete list of the airline filings .
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Re: U.S. Airlines put in their bids for Cuba flights

GarryRF ·
It's unfortunate you still cant take a short flight to Cuba to enjoy some winter sun on the white sands it has to offer. But on the positive side, it keeps prices down for us Brits and Canadians.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov. 7, 2013: Bicycle taxi, Santa Clara, Cuba.

Dan Carter ·
They sure have an interesting mix for travel in Cuba...I loved the pictures of the old cars in your other post! In New York I saw bicycle taxis, too, but they were smaller and just for tours, not really for getting around.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov. 7, 2013: Bicycle taxi, Santa Clara, Cuba.

GarryRF ·
Santa Clara has motorized Taxi's if you want to travel some distance !
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov. 7, 2013: Bicycle taxi, Santa Clara, Cuba.

GarryRF ·
... and of course - The One Horse Power SUV !
 
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