Since Cuba is not a trip you can plan as easily as say, Hawaii, there are steps that you need to take to obtain a ticket and visa, you also need to know certain rules to enter/exit this mysterious island.
Ticket and Visa: I used the Travel Agency DMC/ Destination Management Consultants and dealt with Sheyla Diaz, a very helpful agent based in Miami, FL. Contact Info: 1850 SW 8th Street, Suite 204-A, Miami, FL 33135 // 305.443.0417 // sheyla@dmcandtravel.com. We flew through Marazul Charter which are either American Airlines, Delta, or JetBlue planes. I paid $400 round trip and Marazul includes the exit tax ($25) in that price.
Should your charter not include the exit tax, please keep 25 CUC handy at the end of your stay so you can leave the island! Also, cash is the only method of payment in Cuba, no credit cards, travelers checks, or anything else is accepted there.
Tips: Your phone will not work over there. There is only wifi in the hotels, should you stay in one (I highly recommend staying at a Casa Particular, more on those below). You're able to rent one through DMC but I loved being off the grid for a week.
Bring medications (prescriptions and over the counter), sunscreen, hair products and anything else you may need as these items are difficult to find there and you don't want to waste time trying to find them.
I recommend rummaging through your closet and packing clothes that you may not have worn in a while and don't mind leaving to the beautiful people there. I brought outfits and shoes that I knew I could easily part with at the end of my stay. Even if you don't have family in Cuba, there is always someone who will know what to do with that thoughtful care package. Clothes and shoes are not easy to find or cheap for them, so this is something special you can leave behind as a token of gratitude.
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Had a serious breakfast courtesy of Roberto y Martha. He made his famous 'trigo' pancakes with Cuban Honey. We also had a torta (egg omelet), cafesito, jugo de mango, papaya, piña, guayaba, mango, and dulce de coco, which I (nor J) had ever had before. Little shavings of coconut, sugar water and leche condensada all blended together... yum.my. We discussed our family background at the table. Roberto was excited to share his thoughts and ideas with us since we we were Cuban. "it's in your veins", he said, "politics shouldn't dictate how we feel about our roots." He got misty- eyed when he mentioned a song we should hear - ME DICEN CUBA. He explained the arduous process on how to obtain a visa to visit the US, and because of the length of time it takes, amount of money and uncertainty of actually being able to get one after all the work, he doesn't have ay desire to go. He said his son tried, spent months waiting for an appointment for an interview, spent almost 500 CUC, and they denied his request. He's angry with the embargo and the restrictions the US puts on Cubans to travel there. He doesn't want to live there, he would never leave Cuba. Why would he? He has a beach house and constant entertainment from tourists! But I understand his point of view. Anyhow, he fed us well and filled us with knowledge and off we went to the little shops down the street. They had a lot of the same things but still cute souvenirs for the family. I bought a leather baseball for Belo which I engraved 'TIGER' on it. Bought some sandals for myself, along with a photo album. A leather lighter holder for my mom. While I was going through the many many rows of artisanal shops and making conversation with the artists, I managed to lose my sunglasses. I noticed at the end of one of rows and J suggested we head back to the casa to see if I left them there. Nope. I dropped off the stuff I bought and Roberto assured us that if a Cuban found them in his or her shop, they would hold them for me. And if that were to happen, I should compensate them. Well, back we went, talking to every vendor I had already talked to before asking if any of them had seen my glasses. None of them had, but, like Roberto said, they assured me that if I did leave them in their shop, they would have held them for me, or
