Tagged With "flights to Cuba"
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Re: Casa Bacardi Rum Plant, San Juan, Puerto Rico
I've visited the Bacardi plant too, and remember being quite impressed by it. As I recall, the original was in Cuba and the family moved to P.R. to escape Castro. And I'm proud to see you standing after those free samples! Thanks for the post.
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Re: Boston in the fall - suggestions please!
Thank you Dr. F. - wise words we will keep 1-2 hotels booked ahead and be flexible beyond that. We are really looking forward to this new 'slice' of America, I never realised that the Pilgrim fathers just named every new town after their old home towns - I'm going to be quite confused!! Thanks too Garry that looks lovely! I envy you being there ahead of us!! PS we are now on the verge of booking Cuba too and are horrified at the cost that Virgin Atlantic is trying to screw us for an upgrade...
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Re: Boston in the fall - suggestions please!
Take a look here for some ideas. Most have All-Inclusive packages. But that doesn't stop me going off exploring on the bus and getting a B+B overnight ! You're not glued to the hotel. Plus you don't want to be on the go EVERY day. Relax and take in the countryside. https://www.thomascook.com/holidays/caribbean/cuba/
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Re: Boston in the fall - suggestions please!
Thank you all! Our plans are now well underway for both the Fall in New England... and Cuba! Gracias amigos!
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Re: Obama eliminates restrictions for travelers buying Cuban cigars & rum
You'll be pleased to hear that the price of Cuban Cigars ( in Cuba ) has rocketed in anticipation of American customers buying them. Is nowhere safe from Capitalism ?
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Re: Flights to Cuba: lots of planes, not so many passengers
Many returning tourists will be telling their American friends that life in a third world country - like Cuba - is worse than just having only one flavour of Ice Cream.
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Re: Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit, Kennedy Space Center
Thanks for the comments, guys! The entire shuttle is actually much longer than I'd thought, maybe 180 ft. What was surprising is how small the living/pilot compartment is where the astronauts spent so much time. It's that space in front of the opened cargo door. The US space program is just a former shadow of itself with the retirement of the Shuttle program and nothing ready to take its place. But I was pleased to hear that NASA is working on the Orion project. It is a rocket based space...
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Re: Classic American Cars #5
I think if you take a close look at the plates on the car you'll see "CUBA" Traveland Nature !!
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan. 2, 2014
So when do we rendezvous in Cuba, GarryRF? You've convinced me to come.... I want a bedroom view like yours, though!
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Re: AA Plans to Squeeeeeze More Seats into 737s and MD80s
Everyone was right the other day when they suspected that BA was charging for the seat in the restroom. BA finds new Revenue Stream ?
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Re: "Spotted on the Road". Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
The black car is a 1970 Dodge Charger R/T. You can tell it's a '70 by the line across the middle of the grille and the shape of the front-fender running lights. R/Ts only came with two engine choices - the 375 HP 440 cubic inch or the 425 HP 426 Hemi. The second car is a 1969 Camaro. It appears to be an SS, but that's pretty easy to clone. Can't wait to see what you came up with in Cuba!
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Re: March 3, 2019: Palacio de Valle, Cienfuegos, Cuba
I'm in Cuba soon Jonathan - must remember to take some pix inside buildings too !
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Re: Watch the Boeing 787 Dreamliner in flight
Very interesting and what a wing shape! Have a look at this shorter clip (3mins) which appears to show a vertical initial climb - wow. We are scheduled to fly on one in October https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KYbM-3E11Qo
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Aug 21st, 2014:The Cigar Man
Certainly is Rob. Think of Cuba ? Think back to basics ! US based cards are not welcome !
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Aug. 4, 2014: MURAL DE LA PREHISTORIA - Viñales, Cuba
I like the mural! There are those who get upset whenever anything "Natural" is defaced by art, but we often forget that our ancestors having been painting rocks and caves for thousands of years. I'd never heard of this mural and, besides the classic cars, gives me another reason to want to visit Cuba sometime soon.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, March 25, 2014: Waterton National Park, Alberta
DrY is vacationing this week in Cuba, GarryRF, which we know to be one of your favorite hangouts. He'll get to you when he has reliable internet connections. I posted some photos of the great Prince of Wales hotel on my blog last summer which addresses some of your questions. Here's that link if you're interested
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, March 25, 2014: Waterton National Park, Alberta
Hope DrY brings back loads of photos to share. I do miss the simple life in Cuba - but I soon miss some decent food ! Those little labels they put next to the serve yourself Ice-Cream. Chocolate - Strawberry - Lard .
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Re: Get Gumbo's Daily E-mail Update!
Just a sample for folks to see what the daily newsletter looks like: TravelGumbo Today: April 26, 2014 Quaint English customs: a scarecrow exhibition In a Cotswold village, Mac spent a pleasant day finding the 30+ scarecrows of all types hidden up and down the town's steep slopes.. Gumbo's Picture of the Day: Burma: Into the Storm A small boat in an approaching storm, trying to reach home, from PortMoresby's round-the-world trip.. New Hint! Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#34) We've added...
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Re: Americans Free to Travel to Cuba Tomorrow
According to the White House Press Office ,these are the twelve categories. (below)Without licenses ,like before, most everyone can fit into one of these categories legally if they really want to. (1) family visits; (2) official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations; (3) journalistic activity; (4) professional research and professional meetings; (5) educational activities; (6) religious activities; (7) public performances, clinics,...
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Re: Thinking Cuba? Tickets not so easy yet!
I've also heard that there are concerns not enough hotel rooms exist in Cuba for the expected flood of American tourists. Besides flights, it's important to have a room reservation at hand. I truly hope the flood of tourist money will be of benefit to the Cuban people whose plight I have great empathy for.
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Re: Thinking Cuba? Tickets not so easy yet!
Many Americans travel to the Capital - Havana. Its a big - overgrown and mostly poor city. Not really a flavour of the real Cuba and its people. Wherever you go on the Island they do 2-3 day trips to Havana. The stores are mostly empty and food is strictly rationed to the locals. So you'll be better going to one of the hundreds of All Inclusive Hotels that line the coast. Inclusive vacations fly from Toronto to Resorts all around the Island. Very much like Dominican Republic - without the...
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Re: Thinking Cuba? Tickets not so easy yet!
Most interesting Garry. I still have Cuba on my list as 'yet to be visited'. I'm not a great beach lover - a few days are fine - is there really a lot to be seen in the country as a whole if you take away the Ché-related hyped locations? Is it really worth making the effort right now before things change as they surely will? Unfortunately I still have a load of other places that are tugging at my sleeve for early visits...
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Re: Thinking Cuba? Tickets not so easy yet!
Mac. Cuba has already changed since my first visit 15 years ago. Buses and cars are everywhere now thanks to those intrepid Chinese salesmen. Living standards are rising rapidly thanks to the tourist dollar. Fields of Sugar Cane are now rare. Castro has decided that Cuba's future lies in tourism. Bicycles prevail in most Towns and a horse and buggy are common. When I first went to Cuba it was painfully poor. It's like going back in time to a 3rd world country. But with safety and very civil,...
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Re: Thinking Cuba? Tickets not so easy yet!
Maybe the answer to the number of Hotels needed to accommodate the new visitors from the US is all in the timing. Brits - Canadians - Germans love Cuba in the winter. It's the dry season with no hurricane threat. Warm in the daytime, 75-85f or 24 -29c. Cool enough for a sweater at night. Americans can have the summer !!!
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Re: Thinking Cuba? Tickets not so easy yet!
Well, that's it then, Cuba is right back on the list!! Thanks Garry.
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Re: Airbnb now open for business in Cuba
The internet is accessible for most people in Cuba. Phone lines are still a rare item for private houses. Many share a local service with business and families using the same web address. Just like we used to - when we shared a public phone. Yes - years ago - I know !
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Re: Airbnb now open for business in Cuba
Apparently Airbnb in Cuba, so far, is only for Americans who have permission to go there.
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Re: Airbnb now open for business in Cuba
Many of my Canadian friends travel independently to Cuba. They all stay with these guys -Pinot and Agnia. Too far from Havana to travel but it will give you a taste of what to expect from Casa Particulars. http://www.hostalpinoyagnia.com/
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Re: As scheduled Cuba service nears, charter operators face unknown future
With a few exceptions, the charter prices for Americans were really expensive. So for those companies, the gravy train is over.
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Re: As scheduled Cuba service nears, charter operators face unknown future
On leaving Cuba last year our flight home to the UK was delayed. We had to wait on the plane for 4 hours. The airport had run out of Jet Fuel A1. So a fuel tanker was dispatched to fetch some. I do hope the US embargo stops before I go again. I'm not fighting American Airlines for the last drop of Jet Fuel !!
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Re: Airline scheduling: Hurry up and wait, or run like crazy?
Excellent and informative article!!
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Re: For $345 you can fly back to the 70s on Pan Am
Make that the '70s - no 747s in the '50s.
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Re: For $345 you can fly back to the 70s on Pan Am
We get some great Twitter responses to our articles. @ nichtvermietbar asks of this one: " including smoking?"
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Re: For $345 you can fly back to the 70s on Pan Am
A good question, and it is mentioned on the site: that part is up-to-date, and no smoking is allowed.
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Re: For $345 you can fly back to the 70s on Pan Am
Perhaps they will compromise and allow e-cigarettes. Smoking without the tobacco smoke.
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Re: U.S. plans big increase in "pre-clearance" sites
If you've ever used one of the foreign country based US customs clearances, you know that this is easy to do. So this is a wonderful idea and will help improve tourism to the USA>
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Re: U.S. plans big increase in "pre-clearance" sites
That’s especially true for high-volume areas like Heathrow…I’d far rather use my waiting time there to be cleared than have to spend extra time waiting AFTER my flight at JFK!
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Re: Ferry Service to Cuba Approved by US
$300 for a ferry trip sounds extortionate Rob. As Cuba slowly becomes an acceptable destination, it appears that too many groups want to line their pockets with the proceeds of repatriation of broken families.
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Re: Ferry Service to Cuba Approved by US
I guess I'm so focused on passenger issues that I completely missed the importance of a route like that for shippers. I'll bet that's what could ultimately keep the Florida-Cuba service humming.
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Re: Visiting Cuba.
The enthusiasts I've met in the US are looking for genuine cars ! The Cuban guys call these blasts from the past " Frankencars " Like the original Frankenstein's monster these beauties are made of parts from maybe a dozen other cars. Moskvich and Lada engines from Russia. Brakes from China and everything else off the scrap heap! Panel beaters ( now there's a dying trade ) will beat a new wing from the hood of a dead Russian truck in a few hours. You'd be surprised how much these trade for in...
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Re: Visiting Cuba.
It's similar rules for people like me coming from the Caribbean into Cuba. I flew via Panama and I was surprised how easy the process was entering Cuba given some horror stories I have heard. I planned my entire trip, thankfully with the help of locals. The only stress was getting an internal flight from Santiago back to Havana before we arrived (which I tried to do the minute we arrived). After a week of trying I finally scored the last two seats on the last flight out before our connecting...
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Re: Visiting Cuba.
Internal flights within Cuba use old Russian planes and modern Airbus and Boeing. Tourists only fly on the modern ones. Then when an old Russian plane crashes it doesn't hit the international news. And it does happen.
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Re: Airline scheduling: Hurry up and wait, or run like crazy?
Of course the king of "Banking" for years has been Icelandic Air. They have made their whole business plan around bringing planes from 10 different North American cities in the morning and having those same planes fly out to 10 different European cities 1-2 hours after landing. This allows 10 plane loads of passengers the ability to mix and match origins and destinations. Then in the afternoon they do the reverse run. For 2-4 hours a day the terminal is full as passengers switch planes, the...
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Re: Airline scheduling: Hurry up and wait, or run like crazy?
Thanks for reminding me of that, Jonathan...since it's where I first noticed it. It's actually so bunched that most of the terminal employees work two short shifts a day, with a gap between.
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Re: In-flight refueling for airliners? Worth a look!
Existing planes can travel half way around the world now, without refueling. For example, from Texas to Singapore. I'm not sure I see the point to this. Having a plane full of fuel flying around waiting to refuel another craft has to be expensive, and while the low risk of fire and such for the military might be acceptable, I'm not sure it is for commercial aviation. I'd rather have my plane refueled in the usual manner.
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Re: In-flight refueling for airliners? Worth a look!
I agree on the preference for not being refueled that way...I'm not going to be sitting in an ejection seat with a parachute attached. But the reason they're interested in doing this is not without merit. The idea is that the plane that flies that long route could take off on a shorter runway (reduce load on existing airports, more operations per hour, use other airports that are not now long enough), or replace fuel weight with payload (cargo or passengers). The tankers, obviously, wouldn't...
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Re: Airline scheduling: Hurry up and wait, or run like crazy?
Fascinating piece, PHeymont. And I've noticed how tight they are making these connections. For example, in Europe we had connections scheduled 50 minutes from the plane's landing, assuming it was on time. We were definitely running, and it seemed everyone else at Schipol was as well. We made the connection, but I'd rather have an extra hour for a more relaxed transfer. I'm like you -- book a direct flight if possible, even with a premium, and look carefully at where and how long those...
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Re: Airline scheduling: Hurry up and wait, or run like crazy?
very informative and useful article, PHeymont. Yes, I can relate with most of this, especially trying to make connections with only minutes to spare. We've now taken to seeking alternative forms of transport like trains and buses just to avoid airports!