"no tourist infras ..." a Santiago de Cuba Travel Page by shashasharon

This last trip to cuba I had many plans to explore many things, EL COmbre, Gran Piedro, guantanamo, everything was close by, just rent a car grab a cab and go. not really. to everyone who dedicates pages to travelling with kids and offers advice, you were all sadly mistaken. Buying an all inclusive package with a kids price and a kids plan isnt travelling with kids. For those of you who actually intend to travel with kids hopefully I canguide you a bit and nothing I say is meant to deter anyone, just helping you to be well-armed for cuba with your little rug rats..

if you want to have fun with your kids stay far away from the main drag/centro all the museums in the center of town..stay far away from there. there is virtually no tourist infrastructure and if you are at all like us you will try to pull of the feat of cuba with kids, regardless. There are no public toilets, if there are they are few and far between. In the center of town everyone wants your money or your stuff, so they will help you find a toilet for the children, but its somewhat disconcerting. As every other jintero is trying to convince you that he is the one you should trust. so after you have been berated by 15 jinteros who will help you around and show you the way..you may find a toilet for the children, there are no seats on the toilets (this is fine i understand there is an embargo) no toilet paper..the washroom may look like the dirtiest place you have ever laid eyes on..you have to convince your mollycoddled north american kid that he has no choice he must use this toilet..good luck.

As you are getting into town by taxi/ or hotel shuttle bus, be brave ask the taxi to drop you off at the Bacardi Mansion, not the museum but the mansion. This part of town will make you thing of california and new orleans all rolled into one. Actually they may have been the the model. Please get yourself a little map (I dont want to be responsible for you getting lost)..and just explore the neighborhood. there are old mansions, currrent govt building, schools, restaurants and casa particulares. this neighborhood is charming was once eloquant and lacks Jinteros. Walking through this neighborhood you can take pictures, talk to people, use peoples washrooms, and just feel the beautiful architecture.