Virtual Experience of Travel to Cuba

[Ryan]

While Cuba is closed to outside tourism, the Cuban government has developed a virtual experience of landing at Jose Martí airport.

It's very realistic.

 

 

 

 

 

[Nino]

Let me guess - looking for contraband CUC's or searching for the US dollar ... ?

[nKostyan]

It looks like a vision correction ?

[bmf30180]

On exit:

He's just looking for those Facturas!

[Chas.Alpha]

I gotta be honest, I've never had a problem going into HAV (Jose Marti). The worst I've experienced was leaving out of TPA Tampa. Detained and THOROUGHLY frisked by TSA, for bringing chocolate covered almonds in my carry-on! Last October, I was invited downstairs to the little office in HAV to check my cigars vs. receipts. I respect that, as they wanted to check if my 20 boxes of cigars were legally purchased. I guess they didn't want me going home with street fakes! Very nice (and extremely attractive) young ladies. 

Why couldn't they have been the ones frisking me in Tampa?... ? 

[Ryan]

To be honest, I've never had much of an issue landing in Havana.

When I was there in February, they seemed to be taking it more seriously. Female security staff all had long trousers on, no minis and fishnets which my kids loved seeing two years ago.

In February I had 3 large suitcases with me, my requirements seem to be increasing with every trip.. so they sent me back to the customs channel. That was the usual line of boxed up TVs and air-conditioners and wasn't moving at all, so I stood around for 5 minutes, took off my jacket, so I looked a little different, and walked back out again through the nothing to declare channel. The same official was there but I didn't look at her this time and it was fine. 

Last year I had to bring in a complete baby travel system for a friend. Buggy, car seat, travel cot, etc. I had to make a suitcase for it out of canvas-type stuff and it still just fit within the oversize-luggage allowance on the flight. They saw it in Havana and insisted on x-raying it. I think it was the same machine that gave Yuri Gagarin the all-clear. When they saw that it was full of brand new baby gear they started talking about import-duty. I told them my niece was arriving the next day with her new baby for a holiday and I had this ready for her. They let me go. It wasn't the money I was concerned about, it wouldn't have been much, it was the extra 1 - 3 hours standing around in the airport I didn't want.

It's one of the things I like about Cuba, as long as it's reasonable and you're not pushing too many boundaries, they let you away with a lot of stuff, especially (probably only) if you remain pleasant with them and plead ignorance where necessary. I'm lucky to have a natural talent for pleading ignorance! 

I used to freak out a little every time I saw the stern faces of the immigration officers behind the desks on the way in. Now I have a laugh with them.

I've been very lucky over the years on the way out.