FOH Cuba NOV 2016

[Bohn007]

1 hour ago, JohnS said:

Come to Havanathon in Brisbane instead!  

Oh yeah, bring it on! In the meantime, you fine fellows should post up some images (in this topic) to see what the rest of us are missing out on!  

The Cuba trip is every two years? Not sure if I can wait that long. 

[clutch5150]

2 minutes ago, Bohn007 said:

The Cuba trip is every two years? Not sure if I can wait that long. 

Heck I just got back a week and a half ago, and going back again at the end of March 2017. By that time, the full price hikes will be in full force!

[Bohn007]

11 minutes ago, clutch5150 said:

Heck I just got back a week and a half ago, and going back again at the end of March 2017. By that time, the full price hikes will be in full force!

The end of March sounds appealing although we are scheduled to go to Anguilla on 04/11/17 so not sure if the dates are too close. 

[n0s4atu]

We are going in April so I'm looking forward to hearing about where to eat in Havana, things to do, hotels etc and the best places to buy and enjoy cigars.

[Habana Mike]

15 hours ago, Ethernut said:

Looks like the 10% USD Tax has been lifted. Anyone experience this first hand?

 

http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=117419

This looks to be a few months old and is dependent on:

The elimination of the tax in Cuba will be effective only after verification that the Cuban State can use the dollar in its operations passing through the United States, specified Rodríguez. “While there is financial persecution, the tax remains,” he said.

Not sure that's happened yet. Still planning to convert to EU to save a few cents unless there's new news in the next couple of weeks....

[Ethernut]

1 minute ago, Habana Mike said:

This looks to be a few months old and is dependent on:

The elimination of the tax in Cuba will be effective only after verification that the Cuban State can use the dollar in its operations passing through the United States, specified Rodríguez. “While there is financial persecution, the tax remains,” he said.

Not sure that's happened yet. Still planning to convert to EU to save a few cents unless there's new news in the next couple of weeks....

Thx Mike!

[Fuzz]

I just wished I had waited until this week to convert some AUD to Euros, Bloody Aussie dollar went up! Could've saved myself a couple hundred bucks.

[Habana Mike]

1 hour ago, Fuzz said:

I just wished I had waited until this week to convert some AUD to Euros, Bloody Aussie dollar went up! Could've saved myself a couple hundred bucks.

Forex can be a bitch! Timing's everything....

[Fuzz]

42 minutes ago, Habana Mike said:

Forex can be a bitch! Timing's everything....

Tell me about it. It was going down from a high, so I thought, better buy now before it gets lower. Who knew the AUD would rally? Guess the flipside is, buying USD this week will be cheaper than last week! (though that don't help my biz, as one of my bigger customers pays in USD!! )

[Corylax18]

On 10/17/2016 at 5:06 AM, Ethernut said:

Looks like the 10% USD Tax has been lifted. Anyone experience this first hand?

 

http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=117419

Great question. I've been wondering the same. I know that "things are in motion" regarding the banking changes, but I haven't been able to find anything suggesting its actually happening yet. Also, no recent reports from people traveling to the island stating the tax has been removed. Hopefully they get it figured out in the next three weeks!

[Corylax18]

Article From Granma. The first 90% is depressing, somebody is not happy about the effort to spread democracy. There was a sentence prudent to our currency exchange discussion though:

" There is no new news to help dispel international doubts regarding the financial persecution to which Cuba is subjected and whose intimidating effects still prevent cash deposits or payments to third parties in U.S. dollars. "

So that 10% exchange fee is almost certainly still in place, and it doesn't look like it will be going anywhere soon. 

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2016-10-19/the-small-print-of-obamas-presidential-policy-directive-on-cuba

[Ryan]

12 hours ago, Corylax18 said:

Article From Granma. The first 90% is depressing, somebody is not happy about the effort to spread democracy. There was a sentence prudent to our currency exchange discussion though:

" There is no new news to help dispel international doubts regarding the financial persecution to which Cuba is subjected and whose intimidating effects still prevent cash deposits or payments to third parties in U.S. dollars. "

So that 10% exchange fee is almost certainly still in place, and it doesn't look like it will be going anywhere soon. 

http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2016-10-19/the-small-print-of-obamas-presidential-policy-directive-on-cuba

I've never changed US dollars in Cuba so I've no firsthand experience but this is the site for exchange rates from the Cuban central bank. This is from 2 days ago.

http://www.bc.gob.cu/Espanol/tipo_cambio_METROPOLITANO.asp

Just under the exchange rate table there is this line.

Al USD se le aplica un 10% de gravamen

"There is a 10% charge applied to the US Dollar"

 

[Corylax18]

3 hours ago, Ryan said:

I've never changed US dollars in Cuba so I've no firsthand experience but this is the site for exchange rates from the Cuban central bank. This is from 2 days ago.

http://www.bc.gob.cu/Espanol/tipo_cambio_METROPOLITANO.asp

Just under the exchange rate table there is this line.

Al USD se le aplica un 10% de gravamen

"There is a 10% charge applied to the US Dollar"

 

Looks like I need to buy myself some Swiss francs!