I was on a cruise on the Azamara Journey, which is part of the Royal Caribbean family. The ship was a smaller one with only 700 passengers. I was part of a group of 100 who were guests of Park West Gallery. As you may imagine, we “qualified” for this free cruise (and a free 24/7 drinks package) by previous art purchases. Park West is the largest art dealer in the world and supplies the art for cruise ship art programs.
We were in Havana for two days, Cienfuegos for one day, 24 hours spread over two days (5pm to 5pm) in Santiago de Cuba, one day in Nassau, and two sea days. Organized tours were available at each port, and the cruise line took as many of the 700 who wanted to go to a fabulous modern ballet performance the first night in Havana. This show was truly incredible.
In Havana I did the classic car tour the first morning, which combined the cars, a bus, and a short walking tour. One of our three guides said something to me about baseball, and I told him I wanted a fitted Industrialies cap. After the tour ended, he took me on a trek in and out of shops he knew of trying to find an authentic team cap. Just as he/we were about to give up, we found one! Yay. A bonus of this association was he worked in a restaurant as his regular gig, and we (I was hanging out with a great couple from KC who are SERIOUS art collectors), and we ate “lunch” there at about 3. The next day I blew off the walking tour after awhile and walked around Havana by myself soaking it all in. Surreal-much like Carolyn and I walking in Red Square-to be walking around Havana Cuba, alone, with no fear or apprehension. The streets were clogged with people on a weekday, and I did not encounter a single unfriendly person. I bought Montecristo cigars for Mark and me. Under the new rules, up to 100 cigars may be brought back duty free.
My most fun day was in Cienfuegos. The three of us wound up in two bicycle taxis, and they drove us around for 6+ hours. We shopped, stopped to see a restaurant where Fidel celebrated after the revolution was secure (big photo on the wall), just generally drove around all over, and went to the ballpark (Cienfuegos Los Elefantes). The team had been eliminated from the postseason so I thought I would be taking photos of an empty ballpark. No! There was a game in progress between two teams of 18-year olds-a team from Cienfuegos and one from another town. We watched 2-3 innings and left with Cienfuegos holding a 7-1 lead. As we left, a guy with some swag approached the easy mark (me), and after some negotiation I bought a cap and home and away Los Elefantes jerseys. We told our drivers we wanted an authentic Cuban meal, and they took us to Restaurante Bahia, which was great. We bought their lunch, and I had a couple of the best local beer (Bucanero) with my lunch. Don’t ask me what I had because I do not remember, but it was great. Our drivers each had a heaping pile of fried shrimp, and the mixture of rice and black beans was to die for. One of the drivers was a baseball fanatic; he did not speak much English, but we talked all day about Cuban and other Latin American MLB players. They turned into Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid when we were back at the ship, but we paid the 100 CUC per taxi without argument. We had not negotiated a price up front, and they had us all day in a tremendously fun day.
The three of us walked around Santiago’s Old Town, which is very hilly and somewhat challenging, Think SF. My friends mostly hung out in the Plaza Square setting up a photo with some musicians so I left them and explored on my own. I was kicking myself for not buying street art in Cienfuegos, and the shopping was not as good in Santiago. I finally found a street with shops and bought a couple of pieces...one to keep and one to give away. My friends wanted to go back to the ship around 1 so I went with them because I thought I had been pretty much all over the Old Town area. We encounter one extremely friendly local on the street who asked me where I was from. When I told him, he said “Oh, Estados Unidos!” The best people in the world are from Estados Unidos, except for Cuba.” On my way back down the hill going to the ship, she stopped me again to ask if I had a good time and to urge me to return. He was not trying to sell me anything; he simply was being welcoming and friendly. We went to the Tropicana the night we were in Santiago. It is a 1950s-style nightclub show with women in colorful outfits with tall headdresses, male and female singers and dancers, a complimentary cigar, and a complimentary bottle of rum and Cokes for each two patrons.
One funny thing, or at least this made me smile. The internet warns potential US travelers not to rely on credit cards because US bank cards are not accepted. One needs cash, and Cuba’s payback for the embargo is to charge an extra an extra 10% to exchange US dollars for CUC (1 to 1 USD). All currency is charged 3% so $100 USD becomes 87 CUC. US folks are advised take euros, Canadian dollars, or British pounds to exchange. I took Canadian. I did not do a good job spending all my money ashore, so I had to exchange what I had when I left Santiago. US banks will not take CUC. I went to the window and asked for Canadian dollars. The nice lady changing money said “I only have US dollars.” Well, good for you! Cuba did not get my 10% entering the country , but it got it when I left.
The people were extremely friendly and are glad to see Americans coming as tourists. In each city, the streets are crowded all day. Our guide in Havana told us “When you go back home, tell your friends we love Americans. We have been praying for this day for many years.”
Ask me any questions you have. I had a wonderful time. Cuba was a bucket list dream trip for me.
