Getting scammed in Havana: Is this the real Cuba?
While Blondine and I were heading to our next plaza in the agenda—Plaza San Francisco, a local couple struck up a conversation with us. The woman smiled at me, ‘Hey, you look like Cuban! And the dress you wore is also very Cuban. Very colourful!’
I have made the decision not to disclose her name, although we never know if she told us her real name.
Cubans are a mixed-race. The ethnicities varies from African to mixed colour to Caucasian. You’ll see very black people here, chocolate browns, mixed people from light to dark tans and white people, some even with freckles. So I guess, I can pass as a Cuban =)
Nevertheless, we smiled at the couple, did small talk and continued to walk further. I was preoccupied with seeing Plaza San Francisco but just before we reached the plaza, we bumped into the local couple once again. This time they told us about the 3-day Salsa national holiday and that the salsa clubs are waiving their entrance fees. They also said that they can show us Fidel Castro’s house.
A glimpse of Plaza San Francisco.
And another one with the Boat Terminal. I wished I had more time in this plaza...
The decision to go with them went very quick. I could not even remember how it happened? The couple quickly paired with us. I was still busy taking pictures of Plaza San Francisco and didn’t get to take a lot and was quite annoyed by it, haha, but nevertheless, the next thing I know I was following Blondine and the guy, while the woman walked beside me. I had my suspicions but decided to just go with the flow.
The woman however was a party. She was blathering non-stop about Cuba, i.e. the revolution, the free education, the free health care, the free housing, the socialist (no, communist you mean) government, etcetera. She said she used to teach dance in the National Theater. On the way to Fidel Castro’s house, she showed me as we walk along the dingy streets, and in her own words, the REAL CUBA, and not the touristy Cuba.
Of course, me being a culture geek took my time taking pictures of this Real Cuba, as she eagerly explains to me every bit of it. We passed by a shop selling religious trinkets which is Cuba’s Afro religion called ‘Santeria’. She showed me the ‘Ration Shops’ where locals can exchange ration vouchers given by the government for food. We saw a local butcher’s shop as well that would have horrified hygiene and sanitation organisations in the Netherlands, a charity food shop.... and more.
The REAL CUBA: A butcher’s shop.
The REAL CUBA: A ration’s shop where locals can exchange government ration vouchers for food.
The REAL CUBA: A particulares (private, non-government) charity shop where hard-up locals can get free food.
The REAL CUBA: Some of the fruits were almost rotten but nonetheless they are free for picking. The message is clear. No one gets hungry in Cuba.
The REAL CUBA: A religious shop selling Santeria religious trinkets. Cuba has 2 religions: Roman Catholic and Santeria. Santeria is an Afro-Cuban religion that has similarities with Catholicism. If you see women dressed and covered in all-white inclusive white stockings and head scarves, they are the nuns of the Santeria religion. They wear the all-white ensemble for a year.
The REAL CUBA: students sitting in the class.
We finally reached Fidel Castro’s house in a not so pretty part of Havana. The building was the same as any other abandoned and decaying building in Havana but this one has a big a sign that says—‘Soceided Cultural Rosalia de Castro’. Now I am a bit confused. Is this now Fidel Castro’s ex-house? There was Castro in the sign though. Inside the dilapidated building was a group of people playing music and a few people on the sidelines watching.
In Cuba, musical band groups and places for people to dance, they are called ‘Casa de la Trovas’, pop out in every corner of the city. The locals just love to wiggle their bum. Dancing is major culture and serious business in Cuba. If their blood could dance, it would.
This is supposed to be Fidel Castro’s old house?
Maybe I heard or understood it wrong...
A band was playing Cuban music inside. Upstairs is a restaurant.
Then they brought us to the bar restaurant on the corner called ‘Buenavista’. The couple said that it’s a very famous place where the best Cuban musicians play (or have played in the past, not sure anymore). We proceeded to take pictures of the important musicians in glass picture frames hanged on the wall. Compay Segundo they said.
As we sat down in a somewhat private area of the bar restaurant, I ordered drinks for the 4 of us and took the couple’s cue and asked what’s the best local fresh drink other than Mojito, Cuba Libre and Daiquiri. It was so hot and humid, and it was time indeed for some cold refreshments.
Buenavista bar restaurant.
Important musicians in Cuba.
They are not mojitos (forgot the name) but they are local Cuban mint drink with lemon and without alcohol. They were really, really good though. 5 stars!
Anyway, I am rambling again. To cut this long story short—WE GOT SCAMMED.
The worst part was that the couple tried to use guilt arguments such as, ‘We have a baby to feed.’ ‘We are poor and you can help us.’ ‘Please, for the babies...’
Umm, hello? What is this, highway robbery? DID WE COME TO CUBA FOR CHARITY?!
To give an idea of what happened, the couple forced the cigars on us for $CUC 80 a pack (that is about 70 Euros). They said it is Montecristo and it is cheaper than retail prices (It is not Montecristo though. The cigars are from the Selectos brand which is for local use). I did not buy the whole pack but negotiated for a part of it for $CUC 20, which was about less than a half of the pack. I was anyway really looking at buying local cigars as souvenirs. I can see that the man was not happy with the deal. ‘Take it or leave it.’ I told him.
I later did a research and it looks like the price I negotiated was somewhat spot on. Or maybe I paid a little bit more but it wasn’t big money.
Then we asked the bill for the 4 drinks and it came out to a whopping $CUC 24 (about 20 Euros! in Cuba?!). Blondine and I stared at the tab with disbelief. The 4 drinks could have easily been a $CUC 6 somewhere else or even less than that in Cuban national peso. Simply ridiculous.
Cuba operates with 2 currencies, the Cuban Convertible Peso (for foreigners, just an excuse to overcharge foreigners) and the Cuban National Peso (for locals). 1 Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) is equivalent to about 23 Cuban National Peso. Both the Cuban Convertible Peso and Cuban National Peso use the $ sign. A month’s salary there is around $US20-30 which is about $CUC20-30 as well. So scamming is easy money.
But anyway, the million $ question remains—What would you do if the local who seemed very friendly and authentic, and most importantly, you devoted your time with, is actually scamming you?
We even have a picture of the 4 of us. Well this was before they forced us to buy the cigars and before the outrageously expensive bill of the 4 drinks arrived.
Well, I am sure we will all feel betrayed, right? We felt that way but managed to stay sane and kept calm. We are the visitors, they are the locals. We are in a part of dingy Havana that is their territory and obviously they made pacts with the bar restaurant, so we cannot just throw a fit and demand world justice. I don’t think we are that stupid. Blondine and I worried about our safety first. Thus our priority was to PAY and GET OUT FAST.
The woman’s words however kept ringing in my ear, ‘This is the REAL CUBA.’ It is just our 2nd day in the country and we got scammed already. I hope that the rest of the locals and the country won’t further disappoint us. We want to experience the REAL CUBA and meet the real (nice) people of the country.
The whole encounter actually destroyed my mood. I mean, who would not be? We were cheated. Right in front of our noses and we could not do anything about it. Normally I would retaliate but not in this situation. Blondine however kept telling me, ‘Let’s just move on and take this as part of our Cuban experience...’ Alright, I just need an hour to fully digest everything and I will be back on track. But one thing for sure—I WILL BLOG ABOUT THESE SCAMMERS!
So if you are visiting Cuba, especially in Havana, mind the ‘overly friendly locals’. You are a $CUC to them no matter what. I am sure they are only a handful but poverty can bring certain people to do certain unscrupulous deeds and the (naïve) tourists are a good target and source for shady income. BE CAREFUL.
Travel Period: May 2012
Destination: Old Havana (Havana), Cuba
I have made the decision not to disclose her name, although we never know if she told us her real name.Cubans are a mixed-race. The ethnicities varies from African to mixed colour to Caucasian. You’ll see very black people here, chocolate browns, mixed people from light to dark tans and white people, some even with freckles. So I guess, I can pass as a Cuban =)
Nevertheless, we smiled at the couple, did small talk and continued to walk further. I was preoccupied with seeing Plaza San Francisco but just before we reached the plaza, we bumped into the local couple once again. This time they told us about the 3-day Salsa national holiday and that the salsa clubs are waiving their entrance fees. They also said that they can show us Fidel Castro’s house.
A glimpse of Plaza San Francisco.And another one with the Boat Terminal. I wished I had more time in this plaza...The decision to go with them went very quick. I could not even remember how it happened? The couple quickly paired with us. I was still busy taking pictures of Plaza San Francisco and didn’t get to take a lot and was quite annoyed by it, haha, but nevertheless, the next thing I know I was following Blondine and the guy, while the woman walked beside me. I had my suspicions but decided to just go with the flow.
The woman however was a party. She was blathering non-stop about Cuba, i.e. the revolution, the free education, the free health care, the free housing, the socialist (no, communist you mean) government, etcetera. She said she used to teach dance in the National Theater. On the way to Fidel Castro’s house, she showed me as we walk along the dingy streets, and in her own words, the REAL CUBA, and not the touristy Cuba.
Of course, me being a culture geek took my time taking pictures of this Real Cuba, as she eagerly explains to me every bit of it. We passed by a shop selling religious trinkets which is Cuba’s Afro religion called ‘Santeria’. She showed me the ‘Ration Shops’ where locals can exchange ration vouchers given by the government for food. We saw a local butcher’s shop as well that would have horrified hygiene and sanitation organisations in the Netherlands, a charity food shop.... and more.
The REAL CUBA: A butcher’s shop.The REAL CUBA: A ration’s shop where locals can exchange government ration vouchers for food.The REAL CUBA: A particulares (private, non-government) charity shop where hard-up locals can get free food.The REAL CUBA: Some of the fruits were almost rotten but nonetheless they are free for picking. The message is clear. No one gets hungry in Cuba.The REAL CUBA: A religious shop selling Santeria religious trinkets. Cuba has 2 religions: Roman Catholic and Santeria. Santeria is an Afro-Cuban religion that has similarities with Catholicism. If you see women dressed and covered in all-white inclusive white stockings and head scarves, they are the nuns of the Santeria religion. They wear the all-white ensemble for a year.The REAL CUBA: students sitting in the class.We finally reached Fidel Castro’s house in a not so pretty part of Havana. The building was the same as any other abandoned and decaying building in Havana but this one has a big a sign that says—‘Soceided Cultural Rosalia de Castro’. Now I am a bit confused. Is this now Fidel Castro’s ex-house? There was Castro in the sign though. Inside the dilapidated building was a group of people playing music and a few people on the sidelines watching.
In Cuba, musical band groups and places for people to dance, they are called ‘Casa de la Trovas’, pop out in every corner of the city. The locals just love to wiggle their bum. Dancing is major culture and serious business in Cuba. If their blood could dance, it would.
This is supposed to be Fidel Castro’s old house?Maybe I heard or understood it wrong...A band was playing Cuban music inside. Upstairs is a restaurant.Then they brought us to the bar restaurant on the corner called ‘Buenavista’. The couple said that it’s a very famous place where the best Cuban musicians play (or have played in the past, not sure anymore). We proceeded to take pictures of the important musicians in glass picture frames hanged on the wall. Compay Segundo they said.
As we sat down in a somewhat private area of the bar restaurant, I ordered drinks for the 4 of us and took the couple’s cue and asked what’s the best local fresh drink other than Mojito, Cuba Libre and Daiquiri. It was so hot and humid, and it was time indeed for some cold refreshments.
Buenavista bar restaurant.Important musicians in Cuba.They are not mojitos (forgot the name) but they are local Cuban mint drink with lemon and without alcohol. They were really, really good though. 5 stars!Anyway, I am rambling again. To cut this long story short—WE GOT SCAMMED.The worst part was that the couple tried to use guilt arguments such as, ‘We have a baby to feed.’ ‘We are poor and you can help us.’ ‘Please, for the babies...’
Umm, hello? What is this, highway robbery? DID WE COME TO CUBA FOR CHARITY?!
To give an idea of what happened, the couple forced the cigars on us for $CUC 80 a pack (that is about 70 Euros). They said it is Montecristo and it is cheaper than retail prices (It is not Montecristo though. The cigars are from the Selectos brand which is for local use). I did not buy the whole pack but negotiated for a part of it for $CUC 20, which was about less than a half of the pack. I was anyway really looking at buying local cigars as souvenirs. I can see that the man was not happy with the deal. ‘Take it or leave it.’ I told him.
I later did a research and it looks like the price I negotiated was somewhat spot on. Or maybe I paid a little bit more but it wasn’t big money.
Then we asked the bill for the 4 drinks and it came out to a whopping $CUC 24 (about 20 Euros! in Cuba?!). Blondine and I stared at the tab with disbelief. The 4 drinks could have easily been a $CUC 6 somewhere else or even less than that in Cuban national peso. Simply ridiculous.
Cuba operates with 2 currencies, the Cuban Convertible Peso (for foreigners, just an excuse to overcharge foreigners) and the Cuban National Peso (for locals). 1 Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) is equivalent to about 23 Cuban National Peso. Both the Cuban Convertible Peso and Cuban National Peso use the $ sign. A month’s salary there is around $US20-30 which is about $CUC20-30 as well. So scamming is easy money.
But anyway, the million $ question remains—What would you do if the local who seemed very friendly and authentic, and most importantly, you devoted your time with, is actually scamming you?
We even have a picture of the 4 of us. Well this was before they forced us to buy the cigars and before the outrageously expensive bill of the 4 drinks arrived.Well, I am sure we will all feel betrayed, right? We felt that way but managed to stay sane and kept calm. We are the visitors, they are the locals. We are in a part of dingy Havana that is their territory and obviously they made pacts with the bar restaurant, so we cannot just throw a fit and demand world justice. I don’t think we are that stupid. Blondine and I worried about our safety first. Thus our priority was to PAY and GET OUT FAST.
The woman’s words however kept ringing in my ear, ‘This is the REAL CUBA.’ It is just our 2nd day in the country and we got scammed already. I hope that the rest of the locals and the country won’t further disappoint us. We want to experience the REAL CUBA and meet the real (nice) people of the country.
The whole encounter actually destroyed my mood. I mean, who would not be? We were cheated. Right in front of our noses and we could not do anything about it. Normally I would retaliate but not in this situation. Blondine however kept telling me, ‘Let’s just move on and take this as part of our Cuban experience...’ Alright, I just need an hour to fully digest everything and I will be back on track. But one thing for sure—I WILL BLOG ABOUT THESE SCAMMERS!
So if you are visiting Cuba, especially in Havana, mind the ‘overly friendly locals’. You are a $CUC to them no matter what. I am sure they are only a handful but poverty can bring certain people to do certain unscrupulous deeds and the (naïve) tourists are a good target and source for shady income. BE CAREFUL.
Travel Period: May 2012
Destination: Old Havana (Havana), Cuba
