Havana Running Part 5: Bienvenido a La Habana

 

HAV Airport

Preview: What Would Hemmingway Do?

Part 1: Relaxing

Part 2: I Promise Not To Call This Sleepless In Seattle

Part 3: Just Sit Anywhere

Part 4: Taking It South

I'd heard horror stories about customs at HAV airport.  So had my fellow travelers, and we were all bracing for the worst when we got off the plane.  However, it turned out to be the exact opposite.  I don't know if it was because I was early off the plane, or because I didn't check luggage, or a combination of both, but it took me about 5 minutes, jetbridge to curb.  It was so fast I had to wait for my driver to arrive.  And he was on time, or at least as on time as there is in Cuba.

 

The airport itself is as you would expect- charmingly contained chaos, but on a small scale.  (Note from my future self a few entires from now- this will turn out to be more or less my experience with Havana generally, and I'm fine with that)  on the recommendation of other guests of my Casa, I didn't bother with changing cash at the airport, and instead skipped the lines and changed it with my host.  I'm not sure if this is a normal thing to do, but it worked out fine for me.

 

The view from my Casa

About 25 minutes later, my taxi rolled through the congested and narrow streets of Habana Vieja, and I was met by Jorge, my host.  He showed me up 4 flights of stairs to my room on the rooftop.  My room is small, but the facilities are renovated and it HAS AIR CONDITIONING that works!! The roof deck is common space, with tables where the guests of the several rooms Jorge rents relax between adventures, and where breakfast is served for $5 CUC per day.  US dollars convert to these 'Convertible Pesos' at 1 to 1, but with a 10% tax.  That's one downside of Cuba- you don't get the benefit of the strong dollar here, but most things are much cheaper than at home so it works out. 

 

Jorge gives me my key and the 411 on this part of Havana- don't change money on the street, don't buy cigars on the street, and understand that locals offering to 'go have a beer' are not buying you a drink, but offering for you to buy them one.  (This happens to me not 2 hours later, and it takes away any guilt I might have felt otherwise turning the guy down point blank.)

 

With those admonitions, he leaves me be and I get settled quickly, then head out into the city.  As a last minute thought, I'd printed out some maps of the area with points of interest, and they came in very handy.  

 

I'll just say that being old enough to have come of age before everyone had gps in their pockets has its benefits here.  As I got myself oriented, I made myself promise to teach babyflyer how to read a map for real.  It was so satisfying to be able to navigate confidently on my own without having to ask for directions.  Even though most places I go in the world in a pinch I can turn on my data roaming and pull up directions, or hail an Uber, it's a matter of basic travel to be able to map read well in a new city.  

 

I started out by walking around to a few of the more prominent sights in Habana Vieja- the Capitol, up to the start of the Malecon, and back through the narrow streets to the Plaza.  I knew I'd be best off finding dinner close to the Casa my first night, so I wandered the Plaza and found a balcony table overlooking the square. (My review of this in next post)

Plaza Vieja

My initial impressions of the city- having been a fairly widely ranged traveler the last several years, Havana is unique.  Everyone I'm sure says that, but I mean it in a particular way.  I've spent a fair amount of time in Mexico, as well as Peru, Euqador, and Panama, and Cuba is a more beautiful, more crumbling version of the best parts of these places.  The architecture, under the rubble, is stunning.  The detail, the grandeur, is beautiful and tragic in one.  

 

It's also, and I can't emphasize this enough, shockingly safe feeling to walk around, even as a solo female traveler.  Now, I don't want to give carte blanche to walking around at 2 am with cash visible in your pockets.  Like anywhere, common sense is important.  It also has that feeling you get in many places, especially in central and South America where you know everyone's got a hustle going, and haggling is commonplace for everything.  

 

What's different here is that while the streets I walk through are in disrepair, and anywhere else I've been would be solidly on the wrong side of the tracks- like back alley, dark doorways, stray dogs, sticking out like a sore thumb with my blond hair wrong side of the tracks- I feel safe.  The offers, the catcalls are there, but aside from maybe swindling me out of a beer or a few extra CUCs on a pedicab ride, I don't get that itchy feeling in my traveler brain that I better watch myself or something more seriously will happen.  It's both confusing and refreshing at the same time.  

 

Around Habana Vieja

I've heard that penalties for actual crimes against tourists are stiff here, and maybe that's the cause, but there's also an eerie feeling that no one here has much, but also no one has nothing.  I don't get asked for change on the street, but I get plenty of offers for directions, transport, and goods, all for a cost.  To me, it's far more preferable.  A simple 'no, gracias' and I'm on my way.  

 

After walking for about an hour, I have that telling feeling that if I don't find a place for dinner and relaxing soon, my body's going to tell me just exactly what it thinks about what I've put it through in the past 36 hours.  Heeding that, I head back to Plaza Vieja to see what I can do about that.  

 

Up next- an evening watching out over Havana. 

-CruisingAltitude

Havana Running Part 4: Taking it South

Where we've been:

Preview: What Would Hemmingway Do?

Part 1: Relaxing

Part 2: I Promise Not To Call This Sleepless In Seattle

Part 3: Just Sit Anywhere

And where we're going next....

Is Havana!  Preface to this and the following entries- I'm sorry I couldn't update from 'the road' while I was in Cuba, but (surprise surprise) I was incommunicado entirely.  No cells will work there, and while it's technically possible to get a wifi card and get online at specific places around the city, the coverage is spotty to say the least, so I opted to disconnect for my 36 hours.  In all honesty, this was part of the trip's charm.  I was anxious about being out of reach, but I survived and remembered what it was like to live before our constant contact lifestyle. 

Anyhow, that said, it's good to be back and updating on the journey!  I did a fair amount of writing while I there, so this is the first of those posts.  Thanks for reading!

Why is it that flights heading South out if MIA are just so simply stunning?  That's a bit of a rhetorical question given the coastline and aquamarine waters, but still.  I've literally been around the world, and there's nothing like it.  

 

These flights also have a certain feel to them in the cabin.  Most people are off on adventures and vacations, and it's a great vibe.  

 

Today's is even better than in the past.  It's not even a full business class, and everyone is chatty/excited, and with an edge of the unexpected.  The question of the day being asked among strangers is 'have you been before?'  The answer is uniformly - "no, have you?"

 

It's an unbelievably short 45 minute flight to Havana, which just hammers home how close Cuba is to be so removed for so long from its neighbor. 

My seat mate was nice enough to switch places with me so I could take pictures out the window, so enjoy!

 

As soon as we leveled off, it was a 10 minute cruise time, before we headed back down again.  Blink and you missed it. 

We approached Havana airport through a rain squall, but it didn't cause any issues with the flight.  We touched down on time and in good spirits, thanks to an attentive flight crew who managed a full drink service and several snack basket passes in a matter of minutes. 

 

 

We're off to a good start on this whole Cuba thing, I think.

 

Havana Running Part 2- I Promise Not To Call This Sleepless In Seattle....

SEA approach at its best!

The Story So Far:

Preview: What Would Hemmingway Do?

Part 1: Relaxing

 

…But it kinda is.  I have to face facts, having a toddler has made me old.  It’s not even 10pm, and I’m ready for bed.  I’m trying very hard right now not to think about how I won’t be able to actually lie down to sleep for a good 18 hours.

This is, of course, unless I’m right about my DFW-MIA plane configuration.  Please let me be right about that!  In that case, I’ll get a blissful 3 hours of lie flat time.  Fingers crossed.

Anyhow, I had an uneventful flight up to SEA, the highlight of which was a beautiful light show on the descent over Puget Sound.  When SEA is on its game, there’s few approaches in the world like it.  Maybe YVR, but I won’t say that too loudly around here.

In other news, I think I successfully signed up for “Clear.”  It was fairly simple since I already made my profile online- Finger scan, iris scan, picture, ID check, a few questions….okay now this sounds more complicated than it was.  I may have spent too much of my life in security lines and passport checks that I’m desensitized to all this.

The upside is that in theory it should limit such nonsense and cut all the lines in the future (where the service is provided).   We’ll see.  I’ll update with a review the first time I use it “for real.” Tonight I did get to cut the precheck line though, so it's promising.

I then spent the next couple hours having some quality time in the SEA Centurion Lounge.  Shout out to my buddy there (you know who you are, but unless a certain other buddy passes this on….you’ll never know).  As I’ve repeatedly, repeatedly said the Centurion lounges are head and shoulders above the average domestic lounge, and are the main reason we cough up the Platinum card renewal fee.  Had some specially made skinny margaritas, and dinner before the club closed at 10pm.

Since this was 2 hours before my next flight, I did what any red-blooded mileage runner would do in the situation- found the next best club.  In this case, the Alaska Airlines Board Room that I can access on Priority Pass, or my Admiral's Club access since I'm flight American for my next flight.  All's well and good when there's options until boarding.  I can't go back to the terminal....I just can't!! ;)

So, can I just take a moment here to encapsulate what exactly trips like this can add to your life?  Tonight I walked off the elevator of the Board Room, zombie style, right smack into a priest in full floor length robes… holding what appeared to be a dirty martini.  As in- the priest had the martini, not me. 

And that, Charlie Brown, is what the spirit of Mileage Running is all about.

Next up- DFW (I’ve missed you).

~Cruising Altitude

Havana Running Part 1: A ReLAXing Start

Six pretty birds, all in a row...

It begins!

The adventure is already underway- complete with unexpected perks, slight delAAys, and one extremely confused check in agent.  So basically- Friday.

Rolled into the WallyPark garage a couple hours ago to a scene of light chaos.  I booked a discount stay for Mrs. CruisingAltitude’s car for the duration, and just assumed due to the great last minute price that the place must be empty.  Whelp…no, as it turns out.  Pulled in and found out ‘they’re full.’

So….but….but…my reservation??

Nope, full in self park. But would I be okay with a free upgrade to valet?  Um…yes, yes I would. 

Onwards to LAX we go.  In the shuttle, in the traffic.  Now, as you probably may not be entirely painfully aware, LAX is undergoing about a decade of renovations and construction.  And unlike most of what’s said around here, this isn’t all that much of an exaggeration.  This leads to chronic congestion of traffic through the terminals, and I’d assume, many missed flights.  As the other occupants on my shuttle put it “this is like… Mumbai traffic”  and I’m pretty sure they were even from there, so yeah….

Many long minutes later I got to check in, and promptly hit my next slow down.  However, this was due to asking a beleaguered check-in agent to try and give me my boarding passes all the way through Havana.  He was confused- why in the name of all that’s good in the world would someone fly to Seattle from Los Angeles….to Dallas….to Miami to get to Havana.  There are one stops, there are even NONSTOPS, for crying out loud. 

Heh…yeah I know…Print me the boarding passes, and stop looking at me with your judg-y eyes please. 

Mine.  All mine.

He did (eventually), and I will say that aside from this bit of disbelief, the actual process of getting a boarding pass for Havana was pretty easy.  A perfunctory question about what category I was traveling under, and instructions to get my boarding pass stamped in Miami and I was on my way!

As per always, the next stop before a successful mileage run is the club of the day.  As Havana is considered “Carribbean” it doesn’t qualify for ‘international’ status for lounge access.  I really think an exception is due here.  Anyone who jumps through the hoops to go to Cuba in this day and age really is going to consider it an INTERNATIONAL trip.  I’m pretty sure I’d feel more at ‘home’ in Jakarta at this point….and you all know how I feel about that place.

But, rules are rules. 

However, if we’ve learned anything from politics recently- rules are only rules until you know the right people.  In this case, a friend who happened to have access to the Flagship Lounge side of the Admiral’s club on this particular day.  And the rules clearly state – one guest, as long as that guest is flying onward on an Oneworld marketed and operated flight.  Boom. Champagne.

About an hour of kicking back and watching planes out the window with a glass of bubbly, and wrapping up some last minute work details before being incommunicado for a couple days, I headed to the gate.

Some might be aware of the great airline shuffle happening this month at LAX which, if you didn’t know better, would seem like airline-pocalypse.  However, it’s been going smoothly as far as I can tell, at least as far as Oneworld is concerned.  AA now has consolidated down to T4, T5, and some scattered gates at the international terminal, while Qatar has been moved over to the proper gates at TBIT, rescuing it from the reject terminal at T2.  No complaints, and minimal confusion that I could tell.  They’re even planning a new Admiral’s Club in T5 which is badly needed.

Selfies with idols en-route to T5

Speaking of T5, my slightly delayed flight left from there this afternoon and why did no one tell me they opened a Lemonade restaurant there?!?  That’s ALMOST worth paying airport food prices for….almost.  So far, so good on the flight currently.  No pre-departure beverage to speak of though, which is every nit-picky traveler’s pet peeve.  Now, just looking forward to dinner & hopefully a smooth touch down in Seattle.  After that I’ve got a 5-ish hour layover to contend with, part of which I plan to spend trying to sign up for the newest TSA-avoidance gimmick “Clear.”  I’ve done the online part, and now just have to show up in person at the enrollment center, as long as it’s still open when I get there.  I’ll let you know….

Until the next segment, wish me luck.

-CruisingAltitude

 

Mileage Run Preview- Havana Running or "What Would Hemmingway Do?"

This is the first step to Havana- Once you find a flight deal, of course.

** I now interrupt your regularly scheduled update from my last run, which I promise is almost done, to bring you a preview of this weekend's adventure.  More to follow**

Times are changing.  Now, I'm sure most have their (strongly held) feelings about whether this is, in fact, a good thing or not.  However, let's compartmentalize for a moment and just focus on the one change that arguably is good for travelers.  Having a new place open up to visit, especially one as unique (and close) as Cuba, is good news.  What's even better news, is that with the major US airlines jockeying for timeslots at the newly accessible Havana airport, and with travel to Cuba still somewhat restricted for US citizens, there's a lot of capacity and redundancy in these flights this year.

This all adds up to a mileage deal I couldn't take the chance of missing.  For just a couple of hours, tickets from Seattle to Havana went on a flash sale, including round trip, First/Business class for $380 base fare!  Given that the routing takes has a total of six segments, and earns double elite miles because of the class of service, it's an amazing deal. 

So what's the catch??

Well, one is that it starts in Seattle, where I don't live.  However, I've been known to go as far as Toronto...or even Sri Lanka to start a mileage run, so hopping up to SEA wasn't going to stop me.  Next up, this itinerary doesn't happen to have any widebody planes, so while it's in business class, there'll be no lie flat seats (except maybe between Dallas and Miami on one segment, but we'll see).  Still.... 12k EQM and a trip to Havana for this price... the many hours on 737s wasn't going to turn me off.

The real catch is, predictably, Cuba itself.  Though the US's policy on travel has gotten far more liberal, you still have to get a special visa, and your trip must fit into one of several distinct categories.  The process (so far) has been fairly straightforward.  I followed along with AA's recommendation and got my visa card from "Cuba Travel Services."

As far as accommodations go, Havana obviously doesn't have any American chain hotels, and hotels in general can be expensive.  The 'thing to do' is to use Airbnb to book one of the traditional "casas" which are privately run, but legal, rooms for rent in small boarding houses or people's individual houses.  I booked a room in Old Town that came with good reviews for around $45 a night.  We'll see... but.... culture!

I don't have ambitious plans for my time on the ground- mostly to unplug and explore.  This is just one more example of how this hobby expands your comfort zone, and makes you consider experiences you wouldn't otherwise.  So far, I haven't regretted one, and I doubt it'll be happening anytime soon.

Bring on the Mojitos!

~CruisingAltitude