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torogen

Havana trip November 2017

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Posted

Thanks for the detailed report!   I am missing Cuba so much right now.  There is a cheaper option to get to Micayito beach and that is a tourist bus that leaves every hour from Parque Central in Old town.  I think it’s about five cucs.  Just tell the driver that you want to go to Micayito and they will drop you off as close as they can get.  It’s about a seven minute walk up the road to get to the entrance.   And those sand dunes and bushes and abandoned building on the route?  Great places for naughty fun with the beach boys.  How I miss watching guys walk the beach in underwear (few seem to have swimming shorts) with semi hard cocks swinging around.   Such a good time.  

Toke was my go to breakfast place.  I rented an amazing apartment right at the corner of La Rampa and the malecon.   Top floor with huge deck!   But the last time I was there at Toke (2015) the police seemed to be ever present.  In fact there were regular “sweeps” in the gay hangout areas on La Rampa which was a buzzkill.    Did you experience that as well Torogen?   I'm hoping that was a temporary thing.    

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Posted

What an excellent report.  Thank you very much. 

I have a few questions. 

Your report indicates that you went to Cuba last month.  The timing of your visit is why I have my questions.  

I read that a few months ago, Trump (after he and his family visited Cuba) reversed many of Obama's easing of travel restrictions for Americans visiting Cuba.  

Could it be that you are not American, and therefore,  were not affected by Trump's bizarre decisions?

I am aware that American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines all took major financial losses because they anticipated tourism to Cuba but because of Trump's pronouncements and reversals, the airlines cancelled or curtailed many of their existing and proposed routes to Cuba.   

There are new travel restrictions for Americans flying to Cuba when trying to book a ticket using U.S. air carriers.  

If you are American, do you have any advice for lessening the aggravation put in by Trump for Americans visiting Cuba?

Thanks in advance.

 

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Posted
7 hours ago, mvan1 said:

There are new travel restrictions for Americans flying to Cuba when trying to book a ticket using U.S. air carriers.  

If you are American, do you have any advice for lessening the aggravation put in by Trump for Americans visiting Cuba?

I am aware of the travel restrictions. All I can say is that it is definitely more restrictive, punitively so, but that I fall into one of the categories that does not require a permanent paid escort (people-to-people, for example, now must be with a group, and must participate in a "full-time" schedule of activities, led by a paid escort working for the tour group). The system still works on the honor system, meaning you don't have to apply ahead of time for a visa, you just sign the OFAC statement before you board, and the airline keeps a copy of your general license authorization). I do believe the current/post-Trump system is confusing, and even many academic institutions have reacted by canceling their plans until it becomes more clear exactly what the rules are, and how they are going to be enforced.

A side note: I saw several of these paid tour groups, and the things they were doing with their tour guide were things like exploring shopping districts and visiting bars to have a cocktail ("Next we go down to the street and to the left to another bar, La Floridita!"). So it looked mostly like having a loud person herd you around. I was impressed with the Cuban educational system and the individual entrepreneurial spirit, because I heard two different tour guides giving directions in English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, and I think Dutch. I befriended one gay tour guide, and he told me that he learned the languages at the university.

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Posted
5 hours ago, HotBottom4U said:

Thanks much for such a thorough trip report...  Are there any older men (preferably tops) that escort there?

There were plenty of guys of all ages. And all body types. I got the impression from many guys I met casually that they would be cool with making money in that way, even if they weren't technically escorts. There were also lots of guys just cruising for sex. One odd turnoff for me is that many of the guys in Cuba, even the macho/masculine ones, have plucked/shaped/arched eyebrows. It's just the style there, but I don't find it attractive at all. Tons of guys also wear these odd asymmetrical long t-shirts that look like dresses over their jeans.

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Posted

Torogen, I, too, truly enjoyed reading your post.  ...have been to Cuba three times, the most recent was last March.  ...liked my trips but still have yet to spend the time and explore as I'd yearned ever since my most wonderful travel there in 2015, which at that time I was with a People-to-People, but it was much more enriching and beneficial than what you cited as an aside.  ...had planned to go in March 2018, but have since changed my plans.  To me I could give a "rat's fuck" to #45's policies.  If I do join a tour group-- I still plan to travel independently to get there, explore, then join my folks.  

Remember Cuba is a very poor country due to that Draconian embargo which the US imposed some 50+ years ago.  In March I took some goods to give to the young man who had volunteered to be my guide.  He was an amigo of a Brit acquaintance of mine.  Well, as it turned out, my second bag with the goods (which was unlocked) never appeared, so after an hour of meandering and searching-- I left the airport with my comely driver who transported me to my rented casa particular, a very welcoming and well-situated lodging.  I spent three days but left suddenly on day 4, for I woke up with the most horrendous back ache.  I had problems bending, etc.  Because I was to be traveling for long hours outside of Habana-- I did not want to chance it, so I cancelled.  I was to have been in the country for 25 days.  

The sunny Saturday that I decided to leave, my impending guide texted me; I can't text, nor can I read or speak Espanol, so I asked the woman from the company who was to escort me to the airport to read it;  she did but in a limited way; she too spoke limited English.  To cut to the chase-- I'd promised him the goods and had a nice fee (of my chosing) to give the amateur guide.  Since he was supposedly in dire need of them, telling me that toiletries are expensive to the locals, I sent what he had asked plus a very good gratuity for his services which I never directly received.  I sent via his cousin who lives in Miami who in turn posted to him.  It was an expensive undertaking, but I sympathized with him.  Occasionally, he posts on Facebook, but since my google doesn't translate my Espanol component, or I don't know how to do it-- I don't know what he's written.  I do know that he's asked for money in order to pay for his cell services; I've candidly stated that I am on a retiree's income and can only help my family.  He's stopped, and that I am grateful.

Well, I don't want to use anymore of your space or divert from it--so I'll stop.  Again, thanks for your insightful recapturing of some of your experience.  Next time you might want to take some bars of soap, condoms, toothbrushes, shaving cream if easy to pack.  The guys would appreciate receiving, for soap is apparently hard to come by or unnecessarily expensive.  [When I was with the P-to-P, many of us brought items to give to institutions.  I brought loads of condoms and lube and teas and bottles of Hershey syrup and gave to the owner of Cafe Libro, an operation managed by an American woman and her Cuban husband.  This was an experience  I shall forever remember as well.  Check out on TripAdvisor and or on Facebook.  Fin

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Posted
7 hours ago, axiom2001 said:

Remember Cuba is a very poor country due to that Draconian embargo which the US imposed some 50+ years ago.  In March I took some goods to give to the young man who had volunteered to be my guide. 

The fact that Cuba is a poor country is obvious. There was a big billboard on the way into the city from the airport that called the embargo the biggest genocide in the history of the country.

Posted
On 12/9/2017 at 11:20 PM, torogen said:

 There was a big billboard on the way into the city from the airport that called the embargo the biggest genocide in the history of the country.

The biggest genocide in the country .....while there is a "Embargo"...the government doesn't call it that....they say is a BLOCKADE.......This conversation could get serious, especially if you've ever visited the Eastern part of the Island (Fidelistas)

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Posted
17 hours ago, floridarob said:

while there is a "Embargo"...the government doesn't call it that....they say is a BLOCKADE.......This conversation could get serious, especially if you've ever visited the Eastern part of the Island (Fidelistas)

In the US, we say embargo, in Cuba they say El Bloqueo. We don't call it the Blockade, so I translated that as "the embargo". Not sure what the rest of your comment means, since I didn't visit that part of the island, and I'm not that informed about the political situation on the ground in Cuba. I mentioned something I saw. I did find it surprising that the citizens were almost uniformly positive about their government.

 

21 hours ago, likeohmygod said:

You mean this Michael Lucas? :P

864423.jpg

And yes, that is exactly the Michael Lucas I mentioned. I have seen him on multiple trips: Puerto Vallarta (twice), Rio, and now in Cuba. His is an interesting life. He "discovered" Alejandro Castillo (his stage name) in Puerto Vallarta, a beautiful and sweet boy who was basically kind of a buff drifter, but who is now a porn star and a PV nightlife staple. Alejandro Castillo as a porn star: LucasEntertainment-ripped-naked-muscle-hunks-James-Castle-Bottoms-Alejandro-Castillo-Big-Uncut-Cock--ucking-anal-002-gay-porn-sex-gallery-pics-video-photo.thumb.jpg.7c7d7866f35c2bb8d91e301db6996001.jpg

And before becoming famous:

004.thumb.PNG.ed2856ab692d449b93efbecf66cab958.PNG003.thumb.PNG.71d8733b8248521e6384b290e89ff7d7.PNG

That hugely thick dick meant that boy was destined to become famous for it, IMO. The icing is that he's one of the nicest guys I've ever met.

 

Posted

Thanks Torogen for a VERY useful report.

I'll be visiting Cuba in January, and would appreciate if you could answer some follow-up questions:

 

Did you feel safe walking around, day and night?

Anything on sightseeing in Havana and its surroundings? How many days are enough for that?

Since the wifi is so problematic, how did you manage without translation and navigation apps?

Any recommendations regarding hotels (that allow companions in) in the vicinity of Rampa-Malecon?

In these f2f cruisings, any acceptable polite way to pre-check the guy's size?

 

Thanks again,

(-:

 

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Posted

Although you asked the original poster these questions, I thought I'd chime in since I've visited Cuba on three occasions, each different yet, in ways, incomplete.

Havana (Cuba) is quite safe as has been reported in books, at websites, and from experience. 

Go to www.TripAdvisor.com and do a "Things to See" and "Things to Do."  You'll be amazed at what you find.  Goggle gay tour guides in Cuba.  Two or three will come up; two have websites. 

No hotel allows one to have male or female companions.  They're strict on this.  My advice would be to rent a room in a casa particular operated by a gay tenant or that's gay friendly.  I'll get back to you with website and other specifics.  ...will even share an e address of a man who I have not met but who rents rooms and obtains guys.  I know of him from an acquaintance who's used his facilities.

...will return here within a few days; right now I am getting ready to drive to San Francisco!

I have lots of material which i'll share later at this site.  ...right now I am busy trying to get ready to drive to San Francisco.]

By next Monday I hope to return to your queries and cite specifics for you to use.

HOTELS don't allow guests:

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Posted

Havana, Cuba is probably the safest city to visit in the Western Hemisphere. Cubans aren’t trying to get thrown in Cuban jails — and crimes against tourists are taken more seriously because the government doesn’t want the bad publicity.

That being said, doing something in public that is illegal or frowned upon can easily get you locked up, even as a tourist. So, don’t be stupid. No public sex, no drugs, no porn and no obvious solicitations.

Hotels do not allow Cuban visitors. Get a casa particular or rent a room in a casa where the owner or landlord allows in advance Cubans to visit, The law there requires all casas to register all visitors, whether tourists or Cuban, in a book at the house, and ID must be shown. This is usually just an informal book, like the kind you’d see at a wedding reception or a funeral. 

BTW, if you’re American, most hotels are now off limits, because they’re state-owned or operated.  Trump has banned this. Another reason to stay at a casa particular — they are all privately-owned.

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