Viva la ¡Revolución!: Glimpses into an open Cuba

Visiting Havana is a little like stepping into a book by Howard Zinn or Eduardo Galeano. (I almost said “amusement park” — how capitalist!). Shrines to left-leaning heroes dot the streets, particularly the Avenida de los Presidentes, all the way up to the Casas de las Americas, the awarder of a yearly prestigious literary prize. Cars from every decade of the 20th century roam the streets, some Soviet, some Chinese, most mid-century American, and down the sidewalks people sit and talk to each other — so many conversations happening, animatedly, privately (most Cubans speak softer in tête-à-têtes). Above us hangs propaganda in support of solidarity, unity, and other revolutionary virtues, strangely absent of advertisements.

With President Obama’s loosening of the 1960 embargo, it’s even easier to experience the beaches, colonial architecture, iconic cars, and Havana nights all for yourself. Here are some tips from a recent trip.

How to Get There
Domestic flights are still unavailable, so you’ll need to go through Cancún, the Cayman Islands, or another Caribbean town. Round-trip flights from Cancún to Havana through Cubana de Aviación start at around $300.

Though travel restrictions have been lifted, the Department of State currently only allows for US Citizens to travel to Cuba with a General License in one of 12 different categories including journalism, humanitarian aid, and the somewhat capacious educational activities. If you qualify under one of these, available in legal detail by searching “Federal Register 80 No. 11,” you can pick up a general visa in the airport on the way there for $25. The only question we got at Cuban Customs related to Africa and ebola exposure.

How to Buy Things
Cuba has dual currencies: Cuban Pesos (CUP) and Convertible Pesos (CUC). One CUC is worth a dollar. (After fees, our dollars ended up being worth about 84 cents.) A cab ride from Vedado to Old Havana can run $2 in a 1960s Chevrolet or up to $10 in a newer vehicle. Most of our taxis were privately owned with a paper sign taped to the front window, and they worked well. Meals run from $5–15 on average, and you’ll never leave hungry. I ordered blue marlin for $6.50, and received three filets on a plate heaping with vegetables and fried plantains.

Where to Stay
You should find plenty of private homes called Casas Particulares to stay in for $20–30/night, and they’ll often cook you a meal for around $5. Many guidebooks suggest Casas and how to book them. We stayed in one through Airbnb that helpfully provided taxi logistics from the airport ($30 each way) and a stocked refrigerator once we arrived ($20). The benefits of staying in hotels, which are more expensive, are that they can exchange currency and they have typically have wifi ($2–6/hour).

Where to Go
Aside from the many literary and historical sites; the tight streets and decaying architecture of Old Havana; and the salsa and jazz clubs throughout the city, Havana’s gay scene is centered on Calle 23 in Vedado. Without apps or alcohol, it feels like a cruising scene from 70s/80s NYC — friendly, young, and popular. Note that the line between new friend and prostitute is ambiguous at best. Havana has no gay clubs, but some such as Cabaret Las Vegas and Casa Miglis have regular gay nights. If you ask around at the Malecon or Calle 23, you’ll easily find where to go that evening.

For the gay beach, it’s a quick hop on the T-3 Havana Tour bus ($5 round trip) to the Mi Cayito section of Boca Ciega. It’s just a few umbrellas near a kiosk that serves beach grub, but don’t let its modesty fool you: You’ll see the crowd arrive around noon, and the water stays warm. The beers and the island itself? Just cool, day and night.