Hello friends! I am Oscar Alejandro!
And I welcome you to the travel season on this YouTube channel.
And to start with everything,
I want to welcome you to a series of videos that I am recording here,
in the exotic and unexplored Cuba.
By the way, did I mention how I got to this place?
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Our adventure began in the United States.
The trip to Cuba from this country has to fulfill one of the 12 valid reasons
demanded by the US government.
Traveling for pleasure is prohibited!
You need to buy a tourist visa
that costs between $80 and $100
depending on whether you purchase it at a travel agency or at the airport,
this document will only be valid for one entry.
Before boarding you have to go through a special checkpoint called Cuba Ready,
where they verify that you have all the documents in order
and give you the immigration and customs forms of the Republic of Cuba.
Please make sure your boarding pass has a stamp that says “Cuba Ready”.
The flight from Miami is really fast,
before landing you can see small towns and lots of green areas.
The first impression of the José Martí International Airport
is that it looks like a spacecraft from the 70s.
You know that you have arrived at a different place when the little publicity
is not from Visa or MasterCard, but from UnionPay, a Chinese financial corporation.
In migration they let me pass without any problem,
the only thing I can tell you about the facilities is that they are excessively red,
and the waiting time of the bags is more than normal.
Keep in mind that in Cuba there is no way to use your debit cards,
so come prepared to pay in cash for your entire stay.
Taxi fares are all over the airport so you know exactly how much you should pay
depending on your destination on the island.
Choosing who takes you is no problem because outside the airport there are dozens of cars waiting.
The first sensation when entering the island is of a deep tranquility,
very few cars are appreciated in the street, and the traffic retentions are nonexistent.
The conversation with the taxi driver immediately fills you with reality,
taxi drivers must pay the government 40 CUC a day for the rental of the vehicle that is not theirs.
The driver told me that since Donald Trump became the president of the United States,
tourism declined a lot on the island, and that the profits were barely enough to survive.
In Cuba, as I told you, there is no advertising,
the few ads you see on the street are of the revolution.
Is incredible!
Everything, absolutely everything was frozen in time.
The vestiges of modernity are just flashes.
Many recommended me to stay in the area of “El Vedado”,
and to search through Airbnb,
there are several quite comfortable places and with all the comforts at $30 a night,
a great saving compared to the cost of staying in hotels
whose rates do not fall below $100 per night.
After leaving the bags, it was time to start discovering how this island feels.
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The first moments here in Havana and I'm still getting used to how things are,
and I have several challenges this morning.
The first thing is that since debit or credit cards can be used and, obviously,
neither Visa or MasterCard, everything is absolutely in cash,
so I have to exchange some dollars for convertible pesos,
which is the currency they give us as tourists.
And the second challenge is that, as you can imagine,
no foreign telephone company works here, there is no roaming,
so I think I will have to buy a telephone line because, as you can imagine,
being disconnected from the world is causing me a little of anxiety.
Let's see how we solve it!
CADECA: State Exchange Houses
Well, I just checked my first myth, that 1 CUC is equal to $1 is a lie.
$1 actually change it in Cuba to 0,87 convertible pesos (CUC).
That is, if you bring $100 become 87 CUC.
The challenge of this video and all this adventure is to know how much all that money gives us.
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Okay. I think I'm closer to communicating
because even though I don't have a line on my cell phone yet,
I do have these three cards that equal 1 hour of WiFi Internet each.
Each card costs 1 CUC, 1 Cuban convertible peso.
And as additional data, they are sold at these places called "Telepunto" of the national company ETECSA.
What I do recommend is that you do not leave your passport at home
because it will be very difficult for you to make any management such as changing money,
buying things, but hey... Let's see how these cards work
and see if I can connect with the world.
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Well, I don't know if this happens to you,
but being disconnected a little from social networks, the Internet, Instagram, Facebook,
Twitter, WhatsApp causes me a little anxiety,
and that is what was happening to me until I found one of these places with internet access,
and until I bought these cards to connect to WiFi.
I will explain to you quickly how the wireless connection issue works,
you have to go to the ETECSA stores, which is the national telecommunications company,
and each of these cards is equivalent to 1 hour of connection.
You go to public points that can be easily identifiable,
because there are many people who are sitting here connecting, calling, getting into Facebook, Twitter...
Each card has a user and also has a password.
What a disturbing fact! As our friend Luisito Comunica would say,
once you have activated the cards, time starts running,
and you better take advantage of it because once the time has started you cannot disconnect,
at least from your cell phone. On computers they told me that you can log out.
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Again leaving this office but better accompanied impossible,
because I want to introduce my friend Frank.
-Hi Frank. How are you? -Very good. Glad to have you here.
Well, I want to tell you that the person next to me, Frank Camallerys,
is the owner of the biggest YouTube channel Cuba has...
And, well, for me it is a pleasure that you are with me on this adventure.
No, the pleasure is mine. I have time following Oscar's videos, and it's nice to have him here.
Now we are connected, I'm with Frank, things are going to flow better...
So, let's go!
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How do we move within Cuba?
-Let's see, there are several ways. -And what is the procedure?
Normally we use almond cars, they are cars of the 50s, the 60s...
Like this one that is coming right now.
Exactly. We call it almond because of the almond shape they have.
-Okay. -So, that is public transportation in Cuba.
Normally it costs between 0.50 and 1 CUC per person,
and we will be moving from El Vedado area that is like the most modern area,
to the area of Old Havana that is where the entire historic center is.
-We are going to Old Havana... -To Old Havana.
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Old Havana?
We are live inside an almond car, but look... It's not too bad, it has air conditioning.
Yes, look, this is not so common, they usually don't have air conditioning,
they usually have the windows down and we would only receive natural air.
-Natural air, but this is an air conditioner. -Yes.
And in Venezuela we would call this as a car per stop.
Here it is very common, it has as a route, people ride and get off where they want.
This is very interesting, live, inside an almond car in Havana.
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The popular Paseo del Prado, here in Old Havana.
Frank, where are you taking me?
Let's see, right now we are like in the center of Old Havana, which is the central park.
-We will be visiting what is Bishop's Street. -The Bishop's Street.
Exactly. Bishop's Street is the busiest street every day in all of Old Havana.
What I do like is that there is an atmosphere like the 50's, there are carts with horses,
there are almond cars, let's see what Havana brings us in this part of the city.
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In the transport issue there is something for everyone,
for example, here is a bicycle taxi... Very good!
If you like the colors, there are the almond cars that you can rent to walk around the city,
but if you are a little more classic and want to ride something with air conditioning,
there are yellow cabs for those who prefer comfort.
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This is definitely a city of contrasts, behind us we have the great Manzana hotel.
Why has this hotel become so popular in recent years?
It was the first hotel that has that luxury hotel name in all of Havana.
-It's luxury? -Yes.
I mean, it's like a 5 star plus hotel and something like that,
and the first designer stores were created, so to speak. I mean, high-end.
-There are brands like Armani, Gucci, Cannon... -Let's see how it is.
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Well, we have been walking for half a day in Havana, and at this time we are already hungry.
-You're hungry? -Yes, a lot...
We have arrived, notice, at a pizzeria and restaurant where if we see the menu
there are sandwiches, there are hamburgers, there are pizzas, there is typical Cuban food.
For example, a pizza costs 3.70 CUC.
-A hamburger how much does it cost? -3.60 CUC.
Is that expensive or is it cheap for you?
Compared to different places, it is normal.
Given that a pizza, if we make the change, can be at $ 4.5, I think it's not bad.
I mean, it is payable. This menu also includes cocktails,
and here I can't stop trying a Cuban mojito in Havana itself.
An original Cuban mojito costs 3 CUC.
-Is it cheap or expensive? -I find it cheap...
Considering that a mojito in Miami is $10.
With what you take in Miami here you take three. It is better to get drunk in Havana...
Promise me that at the end of this video
you will take me to the place where they make the best Cuban mojito here in Havana.
I promise.
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That is Old Havana, and right on the edge we come to this place that Frank has told me,
is very special for all of you who live in this city.
-Exactly. -Where we are?
We are in The Malecon of Havana.
I think that when talking about Cuba and Havana, this is one of the most emblematic places.
In fact, there is a song that says: "Until The Malecón dries".
"Until The Malecón dries".
Why is this place so important to all of you?
As it is by the sea, and the Cuban is a person who…
I mean, usually has one or another problem, this as a neutral point, you know?
Whenever you want to come to forget something... It is one of the cheapest outings.
I mean, when you have no money, everyone comes to The Malecón.
That is to say, you put into practice that saying that says: "You drown the sorrows in the sea".
Exactly. I mean, I think it would be the classic example to describe The Malecon.
Always at one stage of your life you always come to stop here,
-it is as if everything is released here. -And you have released things here?
-Many. -What kind of things have you dropped here?
Oscar, you won't pretend to say it here, right now on camera.
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Look, I'm going to take you now to a place that few tourists, or almost none should say,
have visited, and that few Cubans also know.
-And what is that site? -We'll see.
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Friends, I do not know if you hear, but we are riding a ferry,
and here they call it: "Lanchita de Regla".
A lot of passengers are here... Where are we going?
-To Regla. -To Regla.
-It is a municipality. -The municipality Regla, of Havana.
How much does it cost to ride here?
This is the same as public transport, they are like buses.
-Okay. -It costs 1 peso per person.
-Now, a convertible peso or a national peso? -A national peso.
-It is super cheap to ride here. -That represents like 5 cents of CUC.
What I do wonder is: Where will Frank be taking me on this ride?
-It is a secret! -I like secrets!
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We have crossed the bay and started to climb this pile of stairs.
Frank, where are you taking me? Please, I want to know.
Well, look... Right now we are in the municipality of Regla,
and that is where it is most seen... I mean, it is where the Afro-Cuban religion is practiced.
Tell me, that topic is very interesting, santeria is practiced a lot,
because it is also known as santeria, isn't it?
What does all that have to do with this area called Casa Blanca?
It is that here are the Babalaos, the godparents as they are called,
who are the strongest or most important, the most prominent within the religion.
That is, if we want to ask a question with a Babalao we should come to this area.
Exactly. And people who have holy deeds in different parts of Havana always come here.
Okay. Let's continue discovering this area that without a doubt is very interesting.
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Woao! Just as you are seeing it,
Frank and I are probably the people at the top of all of Havana right now.
I want you to tell all our friends: where are we at this moment?
Look, right now we are in the Christ of Havana.
This Christ could be said to be the Christ Redeemer of Rio de Janeiro but here...
-In Cuban version. -In Cuban version, right?
And really, with all due respect, because the Christ Redeemer of that beautiful city
-is also at the top of a mountain just like here. -Exactly.
What is certain is that this place is not the most common one that tourists come to this city,
but without a doubt it is the best hidden secret in Havana
because you look at the beautiful view of this city from the top.
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Hey wait! But the secrets of this place of the heights do not end here
with the Christ of Havana who is behind me...
Just in front there is a kind of mansion, you see the name that says...
There, it has three letters, C, H, E, Che. Did Che live there?
Yes, after the revolution triumphs, this is the official house he has.
And now what is there? We can enter?
Right now it is a museum but in itself they have nothing of Che,
there are only photographs all over the place.
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And what better way to end this day, as we promised,
drinking a Cuban Mojito for the first time during my first day in this country.
-In Cuba. -In Cuba.
Now, let's talk about prices because 4 CUC costs a Cuban mojito, this is...
But don't drink it, we haven't said: "Cheers".
This is almost $5, and I can tell you that
if we compare them with the prices of a mojito in Miami, it's half.
-Now, for you Frank... Is it expensive? -Yes, it is expensive.
How much should a mojito cost in Cuba?
It varies a lot because it is the national drink, so you can find it from 10 Cuban pesos.
-From 10 Cuban pesos. -Up to 5 Cuban pesos.
And where can we find a mojito here in Havana that costs 10 Cuban pesos?
They are usually in places that are for university students.
The fact is that we have paid 4 CUC for this Cuban mojito, I hope it is worth it.
And while I finished this exquisite mojito, I want to leave a preview of the incredible videos
that come on my channel and I recorded here in Cuba.
Cheers!
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Upcoming videos...
If you liked this video, the next of this series will impact you.
In the next chapter I will tell you that I lived like a Cuban for a day,
and I will show you the reality of the ration card.
Later you will see that I entered with a spy camera to a supermarket mocking all the security.
And you'll discover the taste of street food that costs less than $1,
and you can't miss the things that surprised me most about Cuba and nobody tells you.
And that's not all... Because the adventures are just beginning.
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