Cuba Tourism: Current Status

Above, outside of a Havana flea market/bazaar. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When His Fraudulency Joe Biden "won" the 2020 election, it was speculated that one of the things he'd do is to allow tourism to Cuba again.

So far, that hasn't happened. The current status remains as follows.

Above, yours truly at the Plaza de la Revolución in Havana, Cuba. Photo by Mitch Geriminky.

According to the U.S. Embassy in Havana:

Travel to Cuba for tourist activities remains prohibited by statute. However, the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued general licenses for 12 categories of travel. Individuals who meet the regulatory conditions of the general license they seek to travel under do not need to apply for an additional license from OFAC to travel to Cuba. The 12 categories of authorized travel to Cuba are: family visits; official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations; journalistic activity; professional research and professional meetings; educational activities; religious activities; public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; support for the Cuban people; humanitarian projects; activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes; exportation, importation, or transmission of information or informational materials; and certain authorized export transactions. 

To read more, go here. 

Travel To Cuba: It's Complicated

Above, a Havana flea market/bazaar. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It is still possible for American to travel to Cuba, but there's many rules and restrictions that have to be sorted out.

The Los Angeles Times posted and article on traveling to Cuba, which I found interesting since I visited Havana in April, before travel got clamped down in June. I had never been to a communist country before and thought a trip there would be educational. And it was.

Here's a snippet:

The numbers of foreign visitors had been growing every year, boosting Cuba’s economy even before President Barack Obama and Raúl Castro, Cuba’s head of state, restored diplomatic relations in 2015. 

In June, President Trump clamped down, canceling the loose “people-to-people” category of U.S.-sanctioned group travel to Cuba. 

For Cuba travel to be “sanctioned” by the U.S. government, the money that individual American travelers spend here must benefit ordinary Cubans, not fall into the hands of the Cuban government. Rules for organized groups are different but now Americans traveling individually are supposed to stay in private homes, eat in privately owned restaurants, called paladares, and shop in privately owned stores.

Above, yours truly and Mitch Geriminsky upon arrival at a Havana Port terminal.

To read more, go here. 

Cuban Carved Wooden Indian

Above, the carved wooden Indian from Cuba. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the last things I would have ever expected to buy while touring Havana, Cuba was a 5" carved wooden Indian figure.

Our tour wound up at an indoor flea market/bazaar for some shopping. I had exchanged $130 in U.S. dollars for Cuban Convertible Pesos (CUC), which are used by foreign visitors to the country. By the time we reached the flea market/bazaar, I had about seven CUCs left after buying cigars and rum.

Above, inside the Havana flea market/bazaar. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I did briefly contemplate buying a Cuban cap, but had second thoughts since it would not get much wearing use.

As I wandered around the aisles and looked in many vendor stalls with all kinds of souvenir goods, I spotted some wooden Indian figures of varying sizes. The 5" one had a price of five pesos. Since my home is mainly decorated in Southwest style, the Indian would fit in. So I bought it.

I ended up with two pesos (in paper currency) and some coins left over.

Touring Havana, Cuba, Part Two

Above, El Cristo de La Habana. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During our tour of Havana, Cuba, we headed out of the main part of the city to visit the El Cristo de La Habana (Christ of Havana) statue and the Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña.

This massive statue of Jesus was completed in 1958, a year before the Cuban revolution. The statue overlooks the city from its hilltop plaza.

Above, our ship, Majesty of the Seas, at Havana Port. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While at the El Cristo de La Habana, I found a good spot to take some photos of our ship, Majesty of the Seas in Havana Port.

Above, a Cuban government faciity near the El Cristo de La Habana. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Nearby, is the Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña, which is an 18th-century fortress complex featuring museums, cultural events & a nightly canon-firing ceremony. The only place we went to there was the cigar and rum store. At the fortress, wreckage parts of the U-2 spy plane that was shot down during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis were displayed.

Above, parts of the U-2 spy plane that was shot down during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Originally, I thought I didn't take a photo of the U-2 wreckage pieces, but while going through my photos, I found that I did take a picture of them.

Above, Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

At the store, I bought ten Montecristo No. 2 cigars. For every five cigars purchased, they give one free cigar. So I ended up with a dozen cigars. I also bought the legal limit of rum (1 litre).

Above and below, a cannon and gun at Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After we made our purchases, we then made our way back into the city. Along the way, we passed Castillo De Los Tres Reyes Del Morro, which is an iconic symbol of Havana's seagoing past. The fort dates back to the late 16th century.

Above, vintage steam locomotives were displayed outside of the flea market/bazaar. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in the city, we went to a flea market/bazaar for more shopping. Mitch Geriminsky bought some cigars there and since I only had seven pesos left, I ended up getting a small (3 inch) wooden carved Indian figure for five pesos.

Above, inside the flea market/bazaar. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After shopping, we then headed back to the ship. It was a fun excursion. It was interesting to see Cuba. I found the people there to be nice and friendly, which is not surprising since our issues are with their communist government and not with them. It looks like some capitalism is slowly creeping back into Cuban life, which is a good sign.

Above, as we were sailing out of Havana Port, here's a shot of the port's entrance with Castillo
De Los Tres Reyes Del Morro and its lighthouse on the right. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Actually, I wouldn't mind going back to Cuba for a return visit.

Above, the entrance to the cigar and rum store. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To see part one of our Havana tour, go here.

Above and below, inside the cigar and rum store. Photos by Armand Vaquer.