General Travel in Cuba
Pamela Ruiz, an American expat who has been based in Cuba for more than a decade. She recently spoke to Indagare about her adopted home country.
What is the biggest misconception people have about Cuba? A lot of people don’t realize that it is possible to travel to Cuba legally from the United States. Yes, you have to apply for a State Department-issued license, either humanitarian or religious, and it takes a few weeks, in some cases up to five, and costs a few hundred dollars. But then you can travel there without any questionable legalities. You can even charter a plane to get there. And there is no cap on how many licenses are issued every year.
How do you work with clients on creating itineraries for them? Cuba is unusual in the sense that there’s not that much reliable information available about it in the U.S. It’s still exotic for most Americans who come. To truly customize a trip, I find out what the focus of the trip will be: is it to gain an overview of the island? Is there a focus on politics or history? Is it the vibrant art scene? Is it the visual arts, a field I’m very involved and connected in? And then you have to brief first-time visitors a bit on what to expect.
Which is? Well, first of all you have to realize that you’re traveling to a third world country. American credit cards do not work in Cuba. You either bring cash or European credit cards, though most hotels can be booked ahead of time and paid for outside of Cuba. You have to know that the hotels you’re going to be staying in will be of three- or four-star caliber even if they’re technically a five-star. You have to know that Cuba is very much a Caribbean island that runs on its own clock, one of the reasons it’s so important to plan the trip way in advance and with someone who knows the schedules; you need someone who makes sure that the galleries you’re dying to see are open when you arrive and that the few good restaurants are booked well in advance.
Finally, the biggest surprise to some first-time visitors is how friendly everyone is. The Cuban people are incredibly receptive to visitors, especially Americans. They’re curious, they’re hospitable, there’s no animosity whatsoever…I would say there is not a single person on the island that doesn’t want you there, including Fidel. It’s also a great place for families, because children are a huge part of Cuban society, and everyone goes out of their way to please them.
What are the most important sights not to miss on a first visit to Cuba? I place an emphasis on cultural Cuba. The arts, be it visual or performing, are such a huge part of the people there; they grow up with it all being so accessible, and the music, theater, dance and art scenes are incredibly rich. On a first visit you have to spend time at the Museuo de Bellas Artes; you should go see the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. I would not recommend you see a play unless you’re fluent in Spanish, but everyone should experience music. I usually recommend going to hear Latin Jazz or visiting a salsa club. These really get going around midnight, but if that’s too late, there are also so-called matinees that start at 5pm. I like the Casa de la Musica, but when I’m planning these excursions for clients, my focus is definitely band- rather than location-oriented.
Also, if you’re at all into sports: baseball is huge in Cuba and when there’s a game, you can’t miss it. It’s a big social event and everyone is so passionate about the game. The Hemingway House makes a nice day trip as well; it’s very touristy so you have to see it with a great private guide. I would say this goes for a lot of Cuba: you have to figure out a way to experience it in more of an insidery and subtle way.
How do you facilitate this? The tricky part about Cuba is that in order to have a meaningful experience you need a cultural translator so to speak. There’s a lot to be seen and done that you won’t find in guidebooks, which often offer only a shallow view of the place. I think that one of the most meaningful experiences is to meet some locals, whether they’re musicians, dancers and architects or lawyers, doctors and professors from the university. Cuba is not a coffee culture, so I usually will ask my clients if they would want to invite a local couple with similar interests to dinner one night. I promise that you’re going to be floored by the conversation and many people have walked away from these dinners saying that they were the highlight of their trips. Food in Havana is pretty inexpensive, by the way, so even if you treat someone to dinner, you won’t end up spending more than around $30 per person.
What have you learned from your clients? To always have a plan B. Often a couple will tell me, We like to go to bed early, so no need to plan any late-night activities, and then they’ll have an amazing dinner with a Cuban couple and be so swept up in the city’s energy that they’ll want to go out salsa dancing until the early morning. I basically make it a point to know what’s going on day and night.
For more tips and suggestions from Pamela Ruiz, click here.
To contact Pamela Ruiz, email her at pamaquiles@enet.cu or pamaquiles@gmail.com.
