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edit: Also the person you were responding to does not have Canada in his location but a northern State hence he might very well be an American
I spent all but one day on the streets of Havana, I am a Canadian and I think we were in the Plaza for an hour one day so just because you did not see us does not mean that we were there. No we did not go to the local beach as it became cold and stormy with waves washing over the sea wall and the Malecon. We could watch the waves from our hotel which was did not have any English speaking guest that I heard. But how can you tell a Canadian from someone else? One person who has been to Cuba for 19 trips said that I was dressed more like a Cuban than a tourists but I just wore my normal clothes. He had been to eastern Cuba, not sure if I would want to because I understand it is hot and humid.
So with all your anger and bitterness you are making assumptions that may cover most but certainly not all Canadians. Other than the one day tour we were on our own and mostly surrounded by Cubans. We stayed at the Hotel Vedado. Quite a bit of Spanish spoken there, never heard English except for the staff speaking to us. Very nice people as were almost everyone we came across except for the one drunk who wanted me to pay him for having his picture taken beside a very rough Edsel and I only wanted the car in my shot.
I think a lot of Canadians are only interested in getting away from the cold. That is not how we travel. I am puzzled by your animosity towards just about everything. Are you a Cuban who does not want tourist or do you think that tourists should be doing something different?
I think that Canadians should go somewhere else. As I told you, Canadians lurk around Plaza de la Catedral a few hours were they buy fake cigars and a Che t-shirt and are siphoned out. Hotel Vedado is one of the worst hotels in Havana, along with Deauville, and I'm surprised that your package included that particular place. No Americans..and very few Europeans, would stand that place unless they were looking for bad experiences. Not even Cubans working for the gov't would stand that place.
How can you tell a Canadian out.. Have you ever been to that country?
Funny you mention that the marina was there 60 years ago. I compared a 2003 satelite photo of Varadero in the area where the marina is now and back then there was nothing there!
Varadero 2003
Varadero 2013
It's a shame I can't find even older satelite images of Varadero to see in what else you are exaggerating.
As I said, just refurbishments, and expensive new resorts that are not competitive and are loosing money. Most roach resorts popular among Canadians are pre-revolutionary and refurbished, Kawama, Internacional, Bellamar, Azul, etc. Some are refurbished soviet style constructions built during the 60's to invite comrades.
The refurbishment and reconstruction of Marinas is being paid by the company that brought the Stones to Cuba, but as the Americans are not really coming..they might stop at any moment...not the first time it happens. Foreign operators, Melia, etc, are really waiting for the Americans during decades and breaking even or loosing money in the process. I personally don't think that Americans will come, what for?
I know that place, the tip of the Hicacos peninsula. There was a marina and old facilities used by Castro himself during 50 years, the area was a closed perimeter.
I think that Canadians should go somewhere else. As I told you, Canadians lurk around Plaza de la Catedral a few hours were they buy fake cigars and a Che t-shirt and are siphoned out. Hotel Vedado is one of the worst hotels in Havana, along with Deauville, and I'm surprised that your package included that particular place. No Americans..and very few Europeans, would stand that place unless they were looking for bad experiences. Not even Cubans working for the gov't would stand that place.
How can you tell a Canadian out.. Have you ever been to that country?
For just over 66 years. Why don't you actually answer a question? I have actually stayed at worse places in both Canada and the States. It was clean. Why the hate for everything? Oops forgot you are just here to puss on everything and not to have a real conversation.
There are a handful of Canadian "Holiday" carriers (Sunwing, Air Transat,Caribbean Air) that routinely fly to Cuban resorts. Before I'd take a Cuban vacation, I think I'd check out the reviews on the carriers flying from Canada or just visit the airline sites for the names of the resort cities and find reviews by searching. Would I want to take off for Habana to fullfill my own curiosity, No. But a packaged tour with a high end charter company, Sure. The US is missing out on the Holiday Charter biz, the U.K. Is the king with trips to sunny places on Monarch, Thomas Cook, Thomson, FlyBe, and a zillion airlines
There's a pretty eclectic choice of options with Sunwing and Air Transat. Cubana, Air Canada Vacations and WestJet Vacations also offer Cuba options. Air Canada would probably be as reputable as you can get. The fact is, you can go from bottom of the barrel budget in Cuba - To a top of the line Iberostar or Paradisus resort through Air Canada vacations. Unlike what some are stating in here, of the almost 1 million Canadian tourists who go to Cuba they represent the complete stratification of traveller.
I think that Canadians should go somewhere else. As I told you, Canadians lurk around Plaza de la Catedral a few hours were they buy fake cigars and a Che t-shirt and are siphoned out. Hotel Vedado is one of the worst hotels in Havana, along with Deauville, and I'm surprised that your package included that particular place. No Americans..and very few Europeans, would stand that place unless they were looking for bad experiences. Not even Cubans working for the gov't would stand that place.
How can you tell a Canadian out.. Have you ever been to that country?
You seem to know a lot about Canadian travellers to Cuba. I just find it odd that you actually know all these hotel names in Havana, how they are and you are 'observing' Canadian traveller habits in Cuba. Are you a spy or something - like get a life! Who cares if some Canadians are budget travellers looking for a 600 CAD dollar flight/hotel transfer/breakfast and accommodation all included holiday? They are going there to get wasted, probably skew on the older side and looking for a little something on the side - like a Cuban gf for a week. I don't condone yet at the same time don't judge. Its their business. God knows, there's enough Europeans and even Americans doing the same thing - don't be naïve!
Most Canadians who go to Cuba aren't going to Hotel Vedado or Deuville (whatever that is) or even going to Havana - they go to Varadero or Holguin simply to get some sun, have a mohito by the beach and not have to worry about the frigid cold for 1 week out of the winter. The resorts in Cuba run the spectrum - budget to moderate 3 star Brisas to 5 star Iberostar, Melia or Royalton (owned by Sunwing) luxury resorts. Give them a break and leave em alone.. You don't like Cuba fine - stay away nobody is forcing you to watch Canadians lurking at Plaza de la Catedral - its totally creepy you are lurking around at what they are lurking around at bwah. Let em buy their fake Cuban Cigars and cheap Rum in peace lol..
As a fan of Cuban cigars, I'd like to get there someday.
Yeah I went on a tour of a Cigar factory and also tobacco plantation. It was pretty cool to see! I don't smoke cigars but bought Cohiba's as a gift for family/friends. Havana Club anejo especial rum is cheap and very nice
I loved Cuba. It's gorgeous. I went (legally, direct from the US and everything) back in 2002. The beaches were lovely, the people were lovely, I could walk around at night and never felt any danger (at the time it was ranked as one of the safest places for women to travel to alone), the service at hotels was great, the food was incredibly, incredibly good.
I really want to go back to visit again, and take my family. Americans view Cuba has a third world country, but the fact is, over a million Canadians have been visiting Cuba every year, and hundreds of thousands of German, French, British, and Italian people visit every year as well (followed by Japanese, Irish, etc.). They also get medical tourism, from people in Latin America and Europe who go there for surgeries. The American view of Cuba is not the world's view of Cuba.
I think that Canadians should go somewhere else. As I told you, Canadians lurk around Plaza de la Catedral a few hours were they buy fake cigars and a Che t-shirt and are siphoned out. Hotel Vedado is one of the worst hotels in Havana, along with Deauville, and I'm surprised that your package included that particular place. No Americans..and very few Europeans, would stand that place unless they were looking for bad experiences. Not even Cubans working for the gov't would stand that place.
How can you tell a Canadian out.. Have you ever been to that country?
The post you quoted from me stated that I was a Canadian and you questioned if i had ever been to Canada. I am still wondering how YOU can spot a Canadian. I don't think you can.
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