Following my recent, successful shoot with Artemis Fauna in India (we are still on talking terms), I am seriously looking at doing a week or ten day long shoot in Cuba (specifically Havana), later this year. Having travelled most of the world, I have never set foot in this socialist paradise. Any experiences, warnings, advice people, with relevant experience, care to share?
Thanks in advance.
Not been myself, but a close colleague swears by the place. (He brings me coffee when he goes there).
Good parts of town and bad in Havana, a bit like LA, Miami or New Orleans.
People are supposedly lovely and friendly.....and the way they have kept cars running in a DIY way is worth a photography day evidently.
Secondhand advice, but he's a decent sort.
Myself and my girlfriend travelled round Cuba in 2009 and had a fantastic time!
We flew over on Virgin Atlantic and travelled about on our own by bus. Great service you can even book here from the UK http://www.viazul.com/index.php
Forget the trains (unless they have improved), I really wanted to travel on one from Santiago de Cuba .... we waited two days .... never turned up!
We stayed in quite a few places but would really recommend:
In general we found it safe and the people really welcoming esp when they find you are from the UK and not the US, it was helpful to speak a little Spanish.
There are the normal low level crimes, pick pocketing and scamming. Couple of examples were:
The taxi driver from the airport tried to charge us double the agreed price, one price for each of us although he backed down once I called him a 'rob dog' and smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
The other was a little more sinister and I am glad I am a big bloke. We were 'befriended' by a chap who said he worked at Havana Uni and wanted to practice his English, he said he knew a nice bar and would buy us a drink .... well we went along and he got a round of mojitos and a couple of his friends joined us. He than had to run off to a meeting and once he went the barman presented us with a bill (the prices were about 4 times normal). When this happened I told my girlfriend to wait outside. The barman was a bit menacing, but I faced up to him told him he was a bad man as were the guys friends!! I thumped the bar a couple of times and then place a reasonable sum for two drinks and slowly walked out, as soon out we both legged it!! Don't be put off as that was the exception!!
We found in a lot of places it was better to have street food than in the 'restaurants'. Street pizzas were really good!!
Hope this helps