Cuba- Cars and Cigars! Part 2

A group of gentlemen from California enjoy cigars after a meal at a state run tourist restaurant

Nearly everyone I know who smokes asked me about bringing back Cuban cigars. Cuba is known for their excellent cigars. Is it just the allure of something we can't get in the USA? (because if there is one thing Americans are known for its for getting what we want as long as we can pay for it! )  Or are the cigars really that good? Our exchange wasn't centered around cigars but several of the men and a woman on our trip had interest in Cuban cigars, so our guides made sure they were able to explore their interests by recommending cigar bars and shops where they could buy them, during free time when there weren't exchange activities planned.

(For more about our trip see our previous post; http://www.goseeittravel.com/travel-blog/2015/7/1/cuba-we-can-all-agree-on-change.  )

We were told that all the Cuban cigars are made by the government factories, that these same factories produce all of the different "brands" of Cuban cigars. We were also told that the reason for the superiority of the cigars is due to the care taken to get the best leaves, with no stems or flavorless by products, and that they are all rolled by hand. Those folks who tried them did say the cigars were superior to what they can normally buy in the US, and several occasional smokers were feeling the effects of overindulging in them after a day of two. 

One thing I noticed as a non smoker, is that in the US, cigar smoke is intolerable to me, it will drive me right out of a venue.   But in Havana, even a room filled with smoke from Cuban cigars did not affect me the same way. Now, I know even less about cigars than cars (at least I actually USE a car in my every day life. (See our post about the cars of Cuba here; http://www.goseeittravel.com/travel-blog/2015/7/9/cuba-cars-and-cigars )  but I had the feeling that that better cigars somehow smelled better, and therefore were more tolerable to a person like myself who doesn't like them at all.  I had also fixed my attitude to expect cigar smoke because it is part of the culture here, and like a lot of things in Cuba I may not agree with- I was not visiting to express my disapproval, but rather learn about the place and its culture. 

A haze of cigar smoke fills the Jazz club in our hotel. Smokers enjoyed the opportunity to enjoy a cigar and hear good music. 

One of the things visiting cigar smokers enjoy about Havana is an open culture of cigar smoking. It's welcome in many restaurants, and public places.  Most places allow cigar smoking indoors and out. It's a common sight to see ash trays on restaurant tables and in the tables in the lobby of hotels. 

 We visited some famous jazz and dance clubs and recording studios used by Cuban musicians as part of our exchange. I was unfortunately just getting over a respiratory illness and had several attacks of reactive airways while in those closed in environments, even though no one was smoking during our visits.  The air quality in many places was poor and would be challenging for anyone with respiratory problems. I was fortunate to recover quickly from my issues by stepping outside and using an inhaler.

Many state owned restaurants and Jazz Clubs catering to tourists do not allow indoor smoking at all. So it's possible for tourists to seek those out, but possibly at the expense of visiting with locals.

The Jazz club right across from the Melia Cohiba hotel in Vedado was airy, air conditioned and non smoking. Even though the band was local, we had met them earlier in the week as part of our exchange, the club was also filled entirely with South American and European tourists. 

Interestingly, we rarely saw people smoking cigarettes in Cuba. We were told that filtered cigarettes are expensive and most Cubans can get inexpensive cigars (or roll their own) that are made with the twigs and other by products of the tobacco left over from government manufactured cigars. We were also told not to buy cigars on the street from Cubans because these are most likely the home rolled versions of poor quality because ordinary Cubans do not have access to the best tobacco.

There are several state run tobacco shops, and there was a shop in our hotel run by the state where all the brands were available for purchase.  At the time we traveled Americans returning the U.S. were allowed to bring back $100 worth of cigars. (Any Cuban rum brought home was also included in this $100 allowance) However, our guides explained that those guidelines can change quickly and capriciously, as the tango of opening US and Cuba relations goes on, so if you go, ask someone in the know before you invest in cigars to bring home. 

Gentlemen in Havana enjoy a cigar while reading the two government produced newspapers. 

Disney Bans Selfie Sticks!? Yes, and Thank You!

See, even our family takes selfies! This time at Los Nardos restaurant in Havana...but selfie sticks?  No way! 

I'm not above taking a fun travel selfie, but I'm happy to see this fad being rejected across the travel landscape. Why? Not because I'm some Luddite who believes in the "good old days", when travel meant a guide book and a Brownie camera, because I fully embrace many new technologies to make travel easier, more fun and to connect with others. Without my cell phone I would not have connected with a great local guide in Budapest, found my way on foot around Burlington VT, or known to get a great deal on my last cruise. It's become an invaluable tool. And yes, it's even a camera...but I draw the line at the selfie stick because if fufills all 3 of Ms Bissonette- Clark's 3 Ds, which is not a good thing! (Footnote: Ms. B-C, was my children's grade school principal and she always taught the children not to commit the 3 Ds)

Dangerous 

Selfie sticks are long and usually made of metal. In some countries they are the only weapon the policemen carry! Even if you never encounter a selfie stick wielding mad man who is better armed than the local police during your travels, you are very likely to get bonked in the head with one at Leaning Tower of Pisa. 

 Destructive

This is generally the stated reason by most institutions for banning the selfie stick. Having visitors wave a large pole around a world class museum filled with priceless treasures is a recipe for disaster. It's only going to take a couple of insurance claims on the part of the museums before the risk loss management specialist says, "Nu uh, you can't afford insurance if patrons use those things". (Of course they won't say it THAT way, they will say it in a tersely worded memo instead, and charge by the hour) 

 Disrespectful

Selfies at a funeral or with the WWII Veterans Memorial? We've all seen the pictures, we've all feigned the outrage (because I know I've been so good at feigning outrage and then being guilty of being outrageous myself) This is a slippery slope, and I know culture changes, and the next generation does things their way. But it's disrespectful to any culture to not do your homework. Understand what happened at a place, or what a monument exists to commemorate and what it means to the people there. Lots of people head off to Vlad the Impalers castle in Romania like they are taking a ride through the Haunted Mansion. But he was a real guy, a real bad guy, who killed real people, in a real bad way, even if it was a real long time ago. It's still important to respect that fact and the people who live in that place and may still find it difficult to live with that history.

Lastly, even if you are certain you would never commit the 3 Ds, (Mrs B-C would be proud) I'd still suggest this reason for not using a selfie stick. Maybe this story will give you the motivation and courage needed to hand your camera to a stranger when you are standing in front of a monument instead. My husband was taking pictures in Turkey on the Asian side when a young woman in a head scarf traveling all alone pantomimed askimg him if he would take her picture. She probably recongnized that since his camera was more expensive than hers, he would be unlikely to run off with it! He obliged and used her camera to take a photo. Jeff, who always appreciates an opportunity to get a street portrait, pantomimed back asking if he could take her photo with HIS camera, she agreed and posed, then she pantomimed that she would like to take a photo of him with HER camera. Not a word was exchanged, but later my husband told me this was one of the most interesting and special encounters he's ever had taking street portraits, and felt like he'd made a friend. So leave the selfie stick at home, save the art work and your fellow travelers from concussions and every time you hand your camera over to a stranger to "take our picture?" you have an encounter, a real connection with a real person, and you have the opportunity to make a friend. And isn't that why we travel? 

Jeff was shooting Istanbul at sunset when a stranger asked him to take her photo..

...and became a friend! 

Cuba- Cars and Cigars!

The very first things everyone mentions when you say you are going to Cuba are "cars and cigars". There were lots of things about Cuba that were surprising, a lot that is controversial, but one thing that knows no politics is the interest Americans have with the "cars and cigars" of Cuba.

Some old cars along the Malecon in front of the Old Fortress. 

Cars

Not only are the old cars the first thing mentioned by many folks I told them about my trip, but they were also mentioned as one of the first things that will change with the opening of relations between Cuba and the United States. For more about the changes see my post "We CanAll Agree On Change"

(A disclaimer: what I know about cars could fit in the tip of a spark plug! That a car has spark plugs may, in fact, be the sum total of my car knowledge! So while I've done my best to identify the cars from photos and notes of what the owners told me, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of makes and models- I'll leave that the real car buffs!)  

When I placed my call to book our Insight Cuba "Jazz in Havana" people to people exchange, the staff member I spoke with mentioned that her friends in Cuba (who are lucky enough to own one!) were anxious to get rid of their "old cars", and she was certain that collectors would be happy to get their hands on them! Even for the biggest gear head, the constant struggle to upkeep these vehicles with little means and ability to import parts is a challenge, and most folks are ready for newer, easier to maintain vehicles- if they can afford one at all. Of course, most of the better preserved mid century American cars are owned by the government or private owners and serve as taxis for tourists, and given the "branding" of Cuba with old American cars, the government and those private owners supplementing their income with private taxi service are not likely to give those up! 

The best preserved cars are government owned and operate as tourist taxis. A ride in a '57 Chevy Belair convertible costs about 1/3 to 1/2 more than a standard taxi, but is a bucket list experience for most visitors from the USA. (Photo by Alfredo Insight Cuba)

Cruising along Havana's Malecon in a vintage American car is "bucket list" experience for most Americans. It's unlikely the Cuban government or private taxi owners will sell cars like these that they use as tourist taxis. 

There were several things about the cars in Cuba that surprised me.  

1- Most people have heard about the "old cars" in Cuba. What comes to mind are the often photographed American classics from the 1950s.  What was surprising are all the 20+ year old cars, mostly simple stripped down diesel Ladas imported from communist Russia in the 1980s and early 90s. 

An ancient and barely operational Lada was our "unofficial taxi" home one evening. While not technically sanctioned as a taxi an enterprising man was willing to drive us and we were willing to pay for the experience. While not for the faint of heart, it WAS an experience, with gas fumes, semi operational window cranks, and doors that unmatched flew open around the corners, we never laughed so hard! (Photo by Kathy Klofft) 

Another old Soviet era car sits near "Our Lady of Guadelope" art work created from old tire rims at the Muraleando Project. 

2- Ordinary Cubans can buy cars. This is a more recent development, but most Cubans still cannot afford them. Oftentimes, a handful of partners will pool their resources and buy a used car and share the revenue operating it as a taxi outside of their regular government jobs.  If you spot the very rare brand new vehicle, it is almost always owned by an ambassador or one of the embassies in Havana. 

At the airport, relatives arriving from the US call upon someone who owns a car to transport the goods they are allowed to bring in for their families. A "P" on the license plate indicates a vehicle is privately owned. 

A rare "new" car in Cuba alongside a private "old" car. 

3- Most engines in the old American cars have been replaced to operate on diesel fuel which was what was available from the Russians before the 1990s. This is the old diesel and not the new cleaner diesel used in the U.S. and Europe today, and I noticed a difference in the air quality with the old diesel and gasoline engines being used. Below is a photo essay of the Chevy we took on a tour around Havana. We were with a group of about 6 similar taxis, only 2 of them had the original engines. 

Several of us took Chevrolet taxis on a tour through Havana including the Revolutian Square. All but one or two no longer had the original engines. 

The mid century dash boards are well preserved.

Riding in a car built before my time was a thrilling way to see the city of Havana. 

fins and chrome, that's what the car lovers love to see! 

Perhaps the biggest surprise of all, was just how few cars there are at all in the city of Havana. Usually one thinks of large cities as places with traffic jams, even in palces where relatively little of the population owns cars, they still dominate the major cities! But in Cuba, because of the 50+  year embargo and the only very recent rule change allowing Cubans to own cars, there are very few cars on the road. At "rush hour" on a major ring road around the city, no more than a 1/2 dozen cars make their way down the road over the course of a few minutes. The good news is there were no traffic jams while we were there! We were able to walk across the 4 lane highway from our hotel to the Malecon with little concern for our safety and almost no waiting.

A view to the Malecon, with its major ring road around the city, with no traffic and virtually empty parking lots at 5 PM on a weekday. 

We noticed that there is a lot of infrastructure for vehicles in Havana, wide roads with multiple lanes, newer constructed bridges and tunnels, but there was hardly any traffic using them. While buildings and sidewalks in Havana were often in poor condition due to lack of resources, the roads and bridges seemed to be in good shape, largely due to lack of use. 

The main road out from Havana to Matanzas features a huge 4 lane bridge, the Bacunaygaua Bridge spanning the Yumuri River. Despite this being the main east/west route into Havana, Jeff found he had to be patient to photograph it with a vehicle on the span. 

A "busy" travel circle in Havana

Toward the end of our stay, Jeff decided to go stand on the traffic island in the middle of the 4 lane road that parallels the Malecon (sea wall) in the Vedado section of Havana. Despite it being a busy Saturday evening along the Malecon, patience was required to wait for a vehicle to go by to photograph! For contrast: several days earlier we had been in South Beach Miami, along Ocean Ave on a Saturday night. The traffic ground to a near halt, with people showboating in their vehicles bumper to bumper up and down the strip. 

Overall, the "old cars" we expected to see in Cuba did not disappoint- in the city there some beautifully preserved old cars operating as tourist taxis, and lots of intersting older cars families have owned for 50 or more years and keep running with a lot of creativity and determination. And while we enjoyed traveling in and by some of those old cars during our stay, we learned that most of the people in Havana take the bus! 

Cars, trucks, motorcycles, buses, on the road in Matanzas, most Cubans (seen waiting here) take the bus! 

(Next post: Cigars)