Cuba

A friend of mine will be visiting Cuba soon (or, since he is American, momentarily). He tells me he has heard there are plenty of rent boys in Havana but on the streets. Does anyone have any information on this? (He'll be travelling on his Canadian passport, of course)

How does an American travel on a Canuck passport? In any case, no real problem for Americans to go there. Fly via Cancun and ask the Cubans not to stamp your passport. There is another problem with currency, forget the details, but it is solvable.
Yes, have also heard not a problem to find renties in Havana. A friend of mine who goes everywhere tells me Cuba is not so much fun that way, something about unpleasant attitudes, sorry, don't have more details.

[Bob]

How does an American travel on a Canuck passport?

When he has dual nationality, of course. And, since Canada doesn't ban travel to Cuba, no problem with
the stamp in the Canadian passport.

Don't feed the trolls

There was nothing trollish about my reply here. Get a life, Hominy.

[yaraboy]

Everyone in Cuba wants your money I do not think gays would consider themselves rent, but they all like money.. $20 used to be standard (3 years ago) Choice is fantastic. English is not spoken by many of the lads

[guyforguy]

I visited Cuba on two occasions. The talent available is incredible, appoximately $20 US. Find a gay friendly Casa Particulares(private residence). Yara Cinema, Central Park and the Malecon are the spots to meet the boys/men. Violent crime is very low do to the severe punishment handed out by the police. I felt very safe there. Goverment restaurants are horrid so meals are best when provided by the CP. Being discreet is a way of life in Cuba so being loud and obnoxious is a big no no. Keep it down low and your friend will have a great time.

G

being loud and obnoxious is a big no noI knew there must be a reason why so few Americans went there

[Surfcrest]

I just got back from Havana on Saturday.

The Yara is dead as is the park and the gay beach just east of town.
The police are all over the place and a boy can get arrested for walking
with a foreigner. That isn't to say it can't be done.
The police have pushed all the action to the Malecon and nothing really
gets going down there until atleast 11 PM. There are big private parties
on the weekend for the boys that can afford to go.

I speak Spanish so it wasn't an issue for me, but I found very few
people anywhere in Cuba that speak English. For me, it was truly one
of the most amazing trips I've been on since my first trip to Thailand
many years ago. If you don't speak Spanish and you are planning to go,
you will need some assistance.

Surfcrest

hmmm....my friend and I drove around Cuba for a week and did not have any problems, we both speak no Spanish. Once in the countryside we got lost, we asked someone for direction...and the best way he cold help us was jump in our car and sit at the back seat!. He said he was going that direction as well. He got off just about a mile before we reached our destination. They are very friendly people. Driving in Cuba is also quite fun...it's like you are driving on your own roads becasue there are really very few cars. Most roads are in good condition.

As for rent boys, I don't know. My friend and I fucked each other. We didn't look for someone else.

I don't think your friends will let you bareback them or v.v. anyway

[Surfcrest]

The once famous Yara Cinema of Vadado, La Habana.

http://upload4.postimage.org/1369532/IMG_0792.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/1369532/photo_hosting.html)

Surfcrest

[yaraboy]

Surfcrest...Amazing...........Can you be more specific ?...............men or culture ambienceand scenery ? Where outside Havana did you like ?
W

being loud and obnoxious is a big no noI knew there must be a reason why so few Americans went there
The reason is that it is illegal.
The Cubans would love to see us, and pretty soon things will open up and we will overrun the island with McDonalds and fat asses.

[Surfcrest]

http://upload4.postimage.org/1371858/IMG_1282a.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/1371858/photo_hosting.html)
http://upload4.postimage.org/1371860/IMG_1275.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/1371860/photo_hosting.html)
http://upload4.postimage.org/1371865/IMG_0817a.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/1371865/photo_hosting.html)
http://upload4.postimage.org/1371871/IMG_0819.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/1371871/photo_hosting.html)

From the Yara to the Malecon in Vedado the boys / men are cruising about from the late afternoon.
The smokey / brightly lit Palmares cafe gets busy up to about 11.
The crowd moves down to the Malecon after 11 and stays busy until 6 AM.
The first two photos are of boys swimming off the Maelcon in Vedado.
The second two is the crowd that swims in Havana Veija (Old Havana).
Many different shapes, sizes, colours....something for everyone.
Can't tell you much more, or the fat asses might start their pre-invasion now.

Surfcrest

[Aunty]

The Cubans would love to see us, and pretty soon things will open up and we will overrun the island with McDonalds and fat asses.

How sad for the Cubans. Friends who have been there tell me how refreshing it is to be in a country so free of American kitch, and for that matter, Americans. I hope the Cubans will hold onto their rich culture and heritage long after Fidel has gone.

I hope the Cubans will hold onto their rich culture and heritage long after Fidel has gone.It's worked for the Nw Zlndrs under Comrade Helen (Cluck)

[Surfcrest]

Cuba and especially Havana is rich in culture, especially with the Arts.

In Cuba, education, health care and housing are provided to everyone.
Ration cards are also issued so that everyone has access to subsidized rations of the basic household necessities for food.
Salaries range from about 250 - 650 Pesos Nationales per month and the conversion is 26 Pesos Nationales to one Peso Convertable or CUC.
To purchase anything beyond the basics in food, including many items we
take for granted (Shampoo / Conditioner / Soap / Shoes / Jeans one must save
what ever Pesos Nationales he / she can, convert to CUC to be able to purchase an item that isnтАЩt part of their basic monthly rations.
.
One young Cuban man explained to us, as he purchased a 1.5 litre bottle of Orange Soda
that to him тАЬTo enjoy "the good life" Cubans must supplement their income.
This encourages a system where people can profit at what they do best.
Art, be it music / dance / creative can be the most profitable for the very best.
For example a painter on the Paseo can sell you a painting for 250$ CUC.
Multiply that by 26 and you can see how much he / she earned in respect to
some average salaries of 250 (government restaurant worker) to 650 (surgeon /
specialist) would earn per month.
The best of the best philosophy certainly applies to тАЬrentтАЭ men as well.
From selling peanuts / begging to tourists to renting rooms / apartments, most
are supplementing their incomes both legally and illegally.

The Cubans make a sacrifice each time they break down and buy something American over the black market. With the embargo, these items cost far more than their equivalent value in the US. This in addition to the Cuban tax of 11.5% on anything American, especially the dollar.

Undoubtedly, the biggest change to the Cuban way of life would probably be a decision in the US about the embargo once Fidel is gone.
The Venezuelans could become a problem if the Cubans improve their relationship with the US. Similarly so the Cuban system would collapse if State educated professionals bolted to the US for US wage rates.
Cubans are all educated people and it appears as though they are aware what the source of their despair is and at how important their social structure is.
Their resilience over the past 47 years must be commended.
I, for one, hope post-Fidel change is minimal and of course positive.
The country is beautiful and Havana amazing.

Surfcrest

[Surfcrest]

http://upload4.postimage.org/1392252/IMG_0846.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/1392252/photo_hosting.html)
http://upload4.postimage.org/1392255/IMG_1118.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/1392255/photo_hosting.html)
http://upload4.postimage.org/1392258/IMG_1319.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/1392258/photo_hosting.html)
http://upload4.postimage.org/1392260/IMG_1594.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/1392260/photo_hosting.html)

[Aunty]

I hope the Cubans will hold onto their rich culture and heritage long after Fidel has gone.It's worked for the Nw Zlndrs under Comrade Helen (Cluck)

I see my stalker is back. Yawn. Darling we'd noticed you'd gone, can't say you were missed.

I see my stalker is back. Yawn. Darling we'd noticed you'd gone, can't say you were missed.Ah, the final piece of evidence in the jigsaw. "Stalker" was a favourite phrase of Hedda. I think we can say with confidence that Hedda Is Back

Nice photos, nice post (as usual) Surfcrest.
Much appreciated.
Cuba looks to be a fascinating place to visit for inquisitive gays.

[Surfcrest]

Thanks for your kind words once again IwanUK.

The only challenge, as I mentioned before was the language
barrier. I spend most my time off the beaten track, so perhaps
my experiences were different from others.

Surfcrest

http://upload4.postimage.org/1444839/IMG_0816.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/1444839/photo_hosting.html)

[Surfcrest]

http://upload4.postimage.org/1954474/IMG_1184.jpg (http://upload4.postimage.org/1954474/photo_hosting.html)

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB153/index.htm

Merry Christmas Cedric

Surfcrest

Wow, seems like we americans are really taking the hits. Not all of it deserved but I have to agree we have a habit of sticking our noses where they don't belong. Still we are decent hard working individuals. I have never agreed with the embargo on cuba and when I worked in miami, had several cuban friends. They are indeed a nice friendly people and I look forward to the day I can visit there legally. They have suffered long enough and we have only added to their suffering.