WowCuba

10/30/2024

It's looking pretty isolated over there on the wrong side of the fence.

The hy·poc·ri·sy of rules-based international order for some / not others is at an all-time high these days.

The UN General Assembly has overwhelmingly voted to condemn the six-decade-old U.S. embargo on Cuba. Out of 191 member states, 187 supported the resolution, with only the U.S. and Israel opposing it and 1 abstaining. The Biden administration has embraced the U.S.’s traditionally isolationist position.

The Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodriguez denounced the inclusion of Cuba by the United States on its “State Sponsors of Terrorism List” and urged Biden to remove Cuba from the list in his remaining time in office, “as the only moral and legal action possible.”

10/30/2024

Daylight savings time coming up....

⏰🇨🇺 Cuba retrasará una hora sus relojes este domingo para iniciar el horario de invierno

El próximo cambio de hora en Cuba se realizará el domingo 3 de noviembre de 2024, cuando a la 1:00 a.m., hora local, los relojes deberán atrasarse una hora, dando comienzo al horario de invierno. Este ajuste significa que amanecerá más temprano en las mañanas y también oscurecerá más temprano por la noche.

10/25/2024

Many sources have been predicting for years that using US currency as a weapon will eventually backfire.

Today at the BRICS summit we see political and economic networks reorienting as a consequence of U.S. sanctions. Cuba was approved as a partner state.

Also, for clarity, one small correction to what's written below:
"But Washington's illegal regulations prohibit its citizens from traveling to the island."
Washington's regulations in fact DON'T prohibit US citizens from traveling to the island, but rather from traveling to Cuba for TOURISM purposes. There are a myriad of ways (and a dozen general paperless categories) to get around the restrictions.
But....
1. the optics of their campaign to paint Cuba as an enemy to US "democracy"
+
2. frequent rule changes
=
results in the average unenlightened traveling American citizen not mustering up the courage / creativity to discover a way around the invisible wall the US put up around Cuba. So they don't discover how different people on the other side are in real life, compared to what they've been told their whole lives. And Cuba suffers because of this interference in its ability to develop its full economic potential.

It's hard to drum up empathy for something that's in your head, but not in your heart. Lots of Cubans living in the US with family in Cuba would prefer normalized relations for this very reason. It's a vocal politically-influential moneyed old school corrupt minority that's opposed. The likes of Bob Menendez and his cronies.

As with George Floyd, it's hard to get up when Uncle Sam's so desperate to be the king of the castle that he's willing to suffocate your attempts to be a sovereign nation that's responsible not only to its citizens, but humanity at large.

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10/25/2024

🚢⚖️A U.S. federal appeals court has overturned a ruling that imposed more than $400 million in fines on four cruise lines, on the arbitrary charge of "trafficking confiscated goods" in Cuba. (PL)

10/21/2024

Fingers crossed it sticks this time. Knock on wood. Whatever else you do to send good vibes our way, it's welcome!!!

Thanks to Leanne MacMillan for the solar battery bank you left us - it came in useful for charging phones and was more environmentally friendly than using the 12V charger in the car. Thanks also to Randie Long for Fidel's book "Obama and the Empire". I finally got around to reading that and some other non-fiction over the weekend.

Abel was at a tourism event in Holguin for the past week, but they left yesterday morning in advance of Hurricane Oscar and should be back in Havana by this evening. In the meantime, I'm grateful for our family and neighbors who were constantly checking in on each other. We loaned a generator + a tank of gas to a restaurant so that they could conserve three freezers of food, and an electrician neighbor ended up spending more than a few hours yesterday working on it after some water appeared to have contaminated the fuel. They got 'er going in the end though, so all's well that ends well.

The nation's solar capacity is growing, but that kind of development is expensive and requires significant capital investment. Cuba's a developing nation that's operated for 6+ decades under a crippling financial blockade. Last week we finally contacted a local solar installers and agreed we'd meet this week to assess our needs. They mentioned there are none in existence in local supply at the moment, so we'll need to import them. That was the day before Prime Minister Marrero announced that the nation needs to stimulate local acquisition of systems with battery backup in the private sector. Regardless, we know that it's how we can not only be part of the solution instead of the problem, but also guarantee our own autonomy. Here's to hoping the investment is attainable financially, as unlike the developed world, there aren't any grants or financial incentives for private installs in Cuba.

‼️ Actualización sobre el restablecimiento del sistema eléctrico en , así se comportaba al cierre de las 8:00 am del lunes 21 de octubre.

10/20/2024

CNC STATEMENT: The Nationwide Power Outage Experienced During Cuba’s Energy Crisis

The Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC) expresses its full solidarity with the people of Cuba as they confront the challenges posed by the recent island-wide electrical blackout. This outage, as well as the shortages that Cuba experiences of other essential services and supplies, are a direct and intentional result of the U.S. blockade against Cuba, as is explicitly stated in the United States’ Mallory Memorandum when it began its brutal economic warfare against Cuba over 60 years ago.

We extend our deepest respect and admiration to Cuba's engineers and energy workers, whose tireless efforts to restore power have once again demonstrated extraordinary dedication and commitment to ensuring the well-being of their fellow citizens. Their heroic work, in the face of immense difficulties, stands as a testament to the strength and resilience of Cuba's human and technical resources.

We also take this moment to hail the remarkable resilience of the Cuban people, who continue to face adversity with unity, determination, and dignity. Despite the hardships of an ongoing energy crisis, compounded by economic difficulties, the Cuban people remain an inspiring example of solidarity and resolve. Their ability to endure and persevere in such challenging times serves as a powerful reminder of their collective spirit and commitment to safeguarding their nation’s sovereignty and independence.

At the same time, we condemn in the strongest terms the U.S. economic war against Cuba, which remains the principal obstacle to resolving the island's energy crisis and advancing its economic development. The current U.S. administration is continuing a policy of collective punishment and slow extermination of the Cuban people through its illegal blockade, and the designation of Cuba as a “State Sponsor of Terrorism”. Recent additional 243 sanctions added by Presidents Trump and Biden have exacerbated Cuba's energy difficulties and impediments to upgrading its infrastructure, limiting access to vital resources, technology, and financial aid that could alleviate these issues.

We call on the international community to continue denouncing this unjust policy, and we reaffirm our unwavering support for the Cuban people and government in their struggle for justice, self-determination, and a brighter future.

Samantha Hislop & Isaac Saney
Executive Committee, Canadian Network on Cuba

10/12/2024

Right around the corner from 's new location in Abel's stomping ground of Vedado, we hadn't realized this place had transformed again until the flooding in Havana the other night. Kind neighbors called around 11 pm to ensure we arrived in time to take precautions and move bikes and Abel's motorcycle out of the garage. At midnight we woke up another friend who lives on higher ground in Vedado to store the Harley. While I was following Abel in his car, I noticed this place all lit up, and naturally my attention was drawn to the bikes.

Instead of a vacation this year, we've decided to eat out more, so today we treated ourselves to supper there. Our server graciously listened to Abel reminisce about playing in the house when he was a kid, his story of the Harley on display, and gave us a tour, including a glimpse into the disco where they were rehearsing for tonight's Alain Perez concert.

Abel's dream for retirement used to be that we'd just move into a room with a mini fridge and go out to eat all the time, but he also knows that his home cooking is probably alot healthier for us. 😉 Still, experimenting with Cuba's restaurants is one of our favorite pastimes and since it means Abel gets a night off from his chef duties, it's not usually very hard to twist his arm.

10/03/2024

¡ATENCIÓN! Concierto de Buena Fe 🎶
📍Salsa Rio (Parque Almendares)
🗓 Viernes 11 de octubre del 2024
⏰️ Apertura 8:30 PM

10/02/2024

10/01/2024

1 de octubre se celebra el Día Internacional del Café y lo celebramos con 5 curiosidades de esta famosa bebida:

☕️ El café es la segunda bebida más consumida en el mundo después del agua.
☕️ Todos los días en el mundo se consumen aproximadamente 3 mil millones de tazas de café.
☕️ El nombre café proviene de la palabra árabe "Qahhwat Al-bun", que significa "vino del grano".
☕️ Es el segundo producto más comercializado del mundo junto con el refresco de Cola.
☕️ Brasil es el mayor productor de café de todo el mundo. Su cosecha equivale al 30,16% del consumo mundial.

09/29/2024

🎨 Este miércoles 2 de octubre, a las 3:00 p.m. en el Salón de Mayo del Pabellón Cuba. Encuentro con... el gran caricaturista y artista visual Arístides Hernández (ARES).



Ministerio de Cultura de Cuba
Pabellón Cuba
Asociación Hermanos Saíz
Unión de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba - UNEAC

09/29/2024

It's a good message.

09/24/2024

Especial TTC: Los paisajes naturales de Cuba, recursos y ofertas para el turismo Por: José Luis Perelló El paisaje natural es aquel que no está modificado por el hombre, a pesar de algunos pequeños enclaves rurales o arqueológicos. Se describe como un espacio recorrido pero no organizado, y

09/24/2024

Turnat 2024, Cuba's premiere Nature Tourism event for travel professionals, is underway now. It begins in Marea del Portillo, Granma province.

That's where I was first based when I began working in Cuba. And Turnat 2000, the inaugural event held in Viñales in November of that year, was where Abel & I first met.

Comienza en Cuba evento de turismo de naturaleza Turnat 2024 La 14 edición del Evento Internacional de Turismo de Naturaleza (Turnat 2024) comienza hoy en la oriental provincia cubana de Granma, en el Hotel Marea del Portillo. A la cita asisten más de 100 turoperadores, agentes de viajes y

09/10/2024

Which airlines are flying to Havana these days?

These Airlines operate the most International Flights To & From Havana, Cuba As the capital of Cuba, Havana is the country’s central commercial hub and, until the early 1960s, the number one tourist destination in the Caribbean. However, much of this tourism originated from the United States, just...

08/03/2024

07/24/2024

"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

Timeless, practical Cuban advice to live by.

06/06/2024

We visited the renewable energy center at the Quinta de los Molinos green space, the only one of its kind in Cuba. It's mission is to promote green energy to Cubans, besides the solar setup powering the installation. Cuban energy's subsidized so converting's still a hard sell to the Cuban population. But we're exploring options and wanted to check it out. Unfortunately we didn't get the time with guide we'd hoped for as there was a film crew on site today, but we'll be back. A Mipymes administers the park now.
🌐www.wowcuba.com

06/02/2024

One year into the eco pool experiment, I've decided to add acuaponics and morph it into an edible pool. Miguel gave me a couple of lettuce plants to try out in my homemade floating rafts. So far, so good. We have some fish and shrimp in the regeneration tanks, so the more plants to absorb nutrients, the better the quality of the water. Next are mussels. The floating rafts should help with shade/algae proliferation in the warm summer months too.

It's been a learning process and we still have more work to do (like installing a solar or wind-powered hydraulic pump), but we've met some really interesting people along the way. The most important lesson is that if the foundation's solid, the possibilities are endless.
🌐www.wowcuba.com

05/28/2024

https://www.elnuevoherald.com/noticias/america-latina/cuba-es/article288797465.html

La administración de Joe Biden finalmente permitirá a empresarios independientes cubanos abrir cuentas bancarias en Estados Unidos de forma remota desde la isla, entre otras medidas de apoyo al sector privado en Cuba que estuvieron paralizadas durante meses debido a objeciones del Congreso.

05/22/2024

Air China’s Havana route: A flight of hope By Daily Pérez Guillén A joke reveals the hope with which the Caribbean country received the inaugural Air China flight that has reconnected Beijing and Havana since Friday. It was recalled by the Ambassador of the Asian country in Cuba, Ma

05/07/2024

Customer loyalty isn't a given. It takes consistently good service & fair prices to keep people returning to your business/destination.

I had friends visit last week and they booked the (all-inclusive beach) hotel closest to my house so that we could spend more time together while they were in Cuba. Coincidentally, it's also the highest rated hotel in our area. Next time, they may choose differently. We were talking with a friend who intimately knows the ins & outs of Cuban restaurant service, and his take was similar to mine on the reason for the lackluster reports from their buffet experiences versus the few times we took them out to eat in private sector establishments. The pay scale at Cuban hotels means that alot of goods get pilfered. It's a risk, but one some of those workers are evidently taking. What the establishments report as being consumed by guests daily looks good on paper, but the consumer reality's often far from it. My friends mentioned they were eating chicken & pork every day, but rarely saw anything else at the buffet. The coconut rum ran out a the bar soon after they arrived (and was never replenished the entire week they were there). One of their daughters who was in Cayo Coco at the same time reported no toilet paper in her room (which reminded me of the special period in the early 90's), but was thankful for the bidet. Towels weren't changed on a regular basis, despite them asking. At one point they were drying off after a shower with a sandy, sunscreen-covered beach towel. Sand wasn't swept off the floor in their rooms, and one day a friend observed that all that was done was a quick swish of the toilet. Yet the cleaning staff felt it necessary to leave a note on their pillows the one day they forgot to leave a tip while they were out enjoying the beach.

The funny thing is, the hotel where my friends stayed is under foreign adminstration, and it used to be that imported kitchen supervisors (part of the foreign administration's management team) were there to ensure quality control. Our private sector Cuban chef friend says nowadays instead of actively supervising and providing professional development for Cuban staff, they're often also lax, collecting a healthy salary and making the most of it, but not ensuring guests are getting the level of service they've paid for.

I don't have a magic solution - it's a complex problem. But I do know that even before inflation, Cuban state salaries weren't cutting it. Nowadays, even much less so. Foreign-managed hotel chains can't claim the same excuse with cash flow as the Cuban government in terms of purchasing/importing goods to support their operation though. So in the meantime, I guess the only consolation is that we know that the private sector's still kicking (even knocking it out of the park sometimes, according to my friends). We'll see what happens in the short & long term with state-operated hotels and elevating their services to meet the expectation of international travelers who have lots of destination choices.

As a traveler, there are a few things you can do if you think you're getting the short end of the stick. If these measures don't immediately help you, then at the least they might help other travelers and push the hotel management to start getting their act together.
1. Ask to speak to the hotel management. Note their name/date for future reference. Voice your concerns kindly, and in detail. If that makes a difference, great!
2. If you feel there's a need to escalate the complaint, go to your tour operator. Clearly document your issues and if they're serious enough to warrant a claim, open one. You don't have anything to lose except a little time.
3. If nothing is done by either to remedy the situation, you can always share your experience with others on a review forum such as Trip Advisor. Most hotels are listed on that platform. The thing with public forums is they can be good to hold operators accountable. They're unfortunately often manipulated too, so keep it factual and sincere. That always shines through and it's what's most helpful to other travelers when choosing worthwhile venues to patronize.

Cuba plans blitz of Canadian advisors on quality improvement roadmap Cuban tourism officials are planning to travel to Canada in the next month, going “door-to-door” with travel advisors to present a “roadmap” that will reveal solutions “to solve many of the complaints” from visitors. Th...