Boiling Havana

[Ojibear]

I was in Havana from December 28th to January 4th. It was very hot and humid and this poor Canadian suffered. Fortunately I had good air conditioning in my flat but it curtailed any excursions except to to Mixte and Cafe Cantante for NYE.

Mixte is a very nice club. Fantastic drag performers. I went there with Arian and Henry from the Casa and a straight couple from Zurich. I met young Felix who joined me at the end of the evening for a visit to my humble abode. He was a very smoochy, horny young Cuban. European looking and on the short side. 35CUCs.

The major problem with Havana is access to potable water. I'm a big man and I drink a lot of water. Bottled water only comes in small plastic containers. You can't find any 2 liter bottles. I also find the food to be "no hell".

I had a rendezvous with Yoel from PlanetRomeo. He's a very petit guy. European looking and a lovely pinga. A very sweet guy.

Unfortunately my cellphone was stolen at Cafe Cantante NYE which begs the question why bring it in the first place... to take pictures. I don't think I'll even bring a phone on my next trip abroad, just bring a cheap digital camera. I also had problems finding a place to exchange money.

All in all I'd give Havana a grade of C. I'm thinking of Rio or Porto Allegre next.

[msclelovr]

Thanks for the interesting report.

As I'm thinking of a visit, please would you expand a little on what you wrote about

1. your flat/the Casa - how well equipped and located is it? comfortable big bed? decent shower? relaxed about company?

2. the food - I don't understand the description "no hell". Is it poor generally or simply inedible?

[zetor2001]

gracias for your report ojibear

i was in cuba last year and will go again in a few months. you complain about the food, i always had good diners , of course, not "haute cuisine" but not bad and for a good price. restaurant " los nardos" oposite the capitol is great, same as " el cafe de flor", to change money its easy in every big hotel. i changed many times in melia cohiba.

gaybar " humbold" is closed and also the owners carlos gay hotel. so bad!!!!

[Axiom2020]

MUCHAS Gracias, Oji

On my first and only Sunday in Havana last March, I left my room at the Hotel Presidente and walked along the Malecon and went into a smallish cafe and purchased some large bottles of water and took back to my hotel room. They lasted me for the rest of the trip, for during my daily outings with the small group, our tour director provided each of us with one small bottle of water per day. I was ok with this! Since I had mine in my frigo bar in the hotel, I was all right.

In terms of food- check out the website in my first post which provides the better restaurants. Listed are some great restaurants in Habana. Also, you should have done a quick check on restaurants on TripAdvisor. Apparently great places are listed and reviewed there as well. The restaurants that I ventured to with my travel companions were wonderful, too. I wrote reviews for all of the ones that we visited. When I manage to visit again, I’ll have my lists in tow and have my director or the owner of the casa particulars to make the reservations for me.

What guidance did you receive from the owners of the casa, and was it a gay friendly casa? If you made your arrangements via www.cuba-junky.com, please write a review for future travelers. Be as detailed as possible, pro favor.

Lastly, I’m happy for you and glad that Yoel is still escorting. The last time that I looked at www.gayromeo.com, his ad was taken down. His mature friend, Frank relayed to me that at the time this young cutie was having cell phone or internet problems. And I’d agree with you, his pinga is large, very flavorful, and feels oh so good in one’s tight crevice. The only problem that I had with this stud is that he didn’t engage longer as I’d wish and didn’t kiss as much either.

Don’t give up on Habana or Cuba in general. Next time just try to be more prepared about the food and water situation, and try to travel there during the best times for weather— latter February through latter May. Axiom

​If you’ve never been to Brasil, you will find it easy for the basics, etc. Remember Cuba has been cut off from the mainstream for over 50 years, and a lot of things of which we are accustomed do not exist there. Even paper products are limited.

​If I travel independently, I’ll have my toilet paper, tissue, baby wipes, hand sanitizer, poppers, lube, condoms: everything that I’ll need because of the acute lack of supermarkets and other places for convenience as well as necessities.

[floridarob]

I'm going back to Cuba in a couple of weeks...... Cell phones are a commodity and are better than cash in most 3rd world countries,lol

What type of money were you exchanging? The USD is the hardest because of the 10% penalty they still impose but I found someone that would give 96 cents without the penalty because they were taking dollars to Venezuela and Equador since there is talk about changing to 1 official currency and no one wants to be stuck with a bunch of useless CUC.

Restaurants are WAY better now than they use to be....they actually have the things listed on the menu and since Raul has opened up restaurants as an allowed business (just just from your home) he sold under performing state owned places to individuals. There are about 5 or 6 places I frequent.

My last trip I had a kid stay with me for 8 nights didn't pay him anything because he craved a cell phone. So on my last day we went to Carlos Tercero area and for $95 bought him a nice used phone, he was thrilled.

[Ojibear]

Thanks for the interesting report.

As I'm thinking of a visit, please would you expand a little on what you wrote about

1. your flat/the Casa - how well equipped and located is it? comfortable big bed? decent shower? relaxed about company?

2. the food - I don't understand the description "no hell". Is it poor generally or simply inedible?

"no hell" is a Canadian expression which means "no good". I found the food bland and overcooked. But the Cubans have lived on rations for years which isn't conducive to "haute cuisine".

My flat was minimally equipped. Everything is old in Cuba. Everything worked. The shower was small and you could rest your chin on the sink when sitting on the toilet. Everything was clean.

I was in Central Havana which is rougher part of Havana and kind of dirty (the streets). The vehicles are old and spewed dirty black smoke. Old Havana is much nicer, but I like Arian of Cafe Arian in Central who is a nice host. Havana makes you appreciate your home country where even the poor live better than some professionally educated people in Cuba.

[Ojibear]

MUCHAS Gracias, Oji

On my first and only Sunday in Havana last March, I left my room at the Hotel Presidente and walked along the Malecon and went into a smallish cafe and purchased some large bottles of water and took back to my hotel room. They lasted me for the rest of the trip, for during my daily outings with the small group, our tour director provided each of us with one small bottle of water per day. I was ok with this! Since I had mine in my frigo bar in the hotel, I was all right.

In terms of food- check out the website in my first post which provides the better restaurants. Listed are some great restaurants in Habana. Also, you should have done a quick check on restaurants on TripAdvisor. Apparently great places are listed and reviewed there as well. The restaurants that I ventured to with my travel companions were wonderful, too. I wrote reviews for all of the ones that we visited. When I manage to visit again, I’ll have my lists in tow and have my director or the owner of the casa particulars to make the reservations for me.

What guidance did you receive from the owners of the casa, and was it a gay friendly casa? If you made your arrangements via www.cuba-junky.com, please write a review for future travelers. Be as detailed as possible, pro favor.

Lastly, I’m happy for you and glad that Yoel is still escorting. The last time that I looked at www.gayromeo.com, his ad was taken down. His mature friend, Frank relayed to me that at the time this young cutie was having cell phone or internet problems. And I’d agree with you, his pinga is large, very flavorful, and feels oh so good in one’s tight crevice. The only problem that I had with this stud is that he didn’t engage longer as I’d wish and didn’t kiss as much either.

Don’t give up on Habana or Cuba in general. Next time just try to be more prepared about the food and water situation, and try to travel there during the best times for weather— latter February through latter May. Axiom

​If you’ve never been to Brasil, you will find it easy for the basics, etc. Remember Cuba has been cut off from the mainstream for over 50 years, and a lot of things of which we are accustomed do not exist there. Even paper products are limited.

​If I travel independently, I’ll have my toilet paper, tissue, baby wipes, hand sanitizer, poppers, lube, condoms: everything that I’ll need because of the acute lack of supermarkets and other places for convenience as well as necessities.

I found a place a couple of days before I left where I could buy cold drinks a couple of doors down from my flat. Duh! lol

I tried to be scrupulous about the water situation but I goofed up by drinking fresh juice on the last day.

[Ojibear]

I found a place a couple of days before I left where I could buy cold drinks a couple of doors down from my flat. Duh! lol

I tried to be scrupulous about the water situation but I goofed up by drinking fresh juice on the last day.

Yoel kissed but not with much enthusiasm. The other fellow was much more romantic, but he is not professional rent boy. I gave him some money as gift. I think Yoel is probably bi, leaning towards straight.

[Ojibear]

I'm going back to Cuba in a couple of weeks...... Cell phones are a commodity and are better than cash in most 3rd world countries,lol

What type of money were you exchanging? The USD is the hardest because of the 10% penalty they still impose but I found someone that would give 96 cents without the penalty because they were taking dollars to Venezuela and Equador since there is talk about changing to 1 official currency and no one wants to be stuck with a bunch of useless CUC.

Restaurants are WAY better now than they use to be....they actually have the things listed on the menu and since Raul has opened up restaurants as an allowed business (just just from your home) he sold under performing state owned places to individuals. There are about 5 or 6 places I frequent.

My last trip I had a kid stay with me for 8 nights didn't pay him anything because he craved a cell phone. So on my last day we went to Carlos Tercero area and for $95 bought him a nice used phone, he was thrilled.

The Canadian dollar is tanking, but I got 71 cents on the US dollar (71 CUCs per 100CDN). I went to a swanking hotel (The National Hotel) where I was told I could exchange Canadian dollars, but, as it turned for guests only. The good thing was I meet a nice handsome German guy who was staying there who graciously exchanged the money for me, although they gave him a big hassle. What a guy! lol

[Axiom2020]

Yoel kissed but not with much enthusiasm. The other fellow was much more romantic, but he is not professional rent boy. I gave him some money as gift. I think Yoel is probably bi, leaning towards straight.

I like your ..."bi, leaning towards straight." ...or "gay for pay" or as you wrote in your private to me! Thanks for answering!