I've just returned from 10 days in Cuba, my 6th trip in 4 years, 3rd in the past 6 months. From what my friends tell me, my first visit was just a taste of what the old place use to be like, before the police hit the streets in force.

HOWEVER, I am amazed at the overall negativity and out of line crying about the situation down there, unless I just happened to have met the right people back in 2001. This fact, along with my improving Spanish, means I always have a great time in Cuba. Helk, even the hurricane couldn't damper things this time around. What else was there to do for 24 hours without electricity, than to populate 'my' neighborhood. Will see just how well I did around April 10th next year.

A bit of background. 3 buddies and I were walking down towards the cathedral in Havana Vieja on my first trip in 2001. We met a couple of characters in the street, and their female neighbor invited us over for a meal. She has 6 kids, so it's always a circus in their apt., but she's become my "sister" of Havana, and she can cook some great food!

Anyway, with this contact, and now several others around Havana, I manage to get picked up at the airport for $10, and there's always a friend of my "sisters" waiting for me when I arrive. My "sister" knows the routine. Have a meal waiting for me after her friend brings me in from the airport, then we go visit the apts. she has found for me, if my favorite one isn't available. This time, a guy moved back in with his parents, so that I could have his one bedroom place on Calle Compostela all to myself. It even had a round bed, with a kick ass AC unit (thank God!) Then, of course, the "friend" that she has chosen for me, joins me for my well needed shower. then an early to sleep evening, since I'm usually tired by the time I arrive via Cancun.

Now, I also have my "girlfriend" down there, who doesn't need to know which day I actually arrive. So, it kind of goes like this...Since I do 'real' business in Latin America, I tell her that I have to meet with colleagues upon my arrival, which gives me 48 hours to check out the latest scene with the chicas. This time, I found a real beauty, who I just happened to have 100% chemistry with ! I'm talking one of those 3 -4 girls you meet in a lifetime kind of chemistry. She knew all the moves in bed, and her attitude was A+ What more can one ask for...

So, to make a long story short, I juggled time between her and my "girlfriend" for about a week, and managed to grab about 5 other "neighborhood" girls in the process. It doesn't take long for the folks in the bario to figure out that there's a gringo with cash around, but I never pay more than $30 for girls 7-9 on the scale. I use to go to all of the clubs to find the expensive 9's and 10's (what we might term as "pros"), but I learned my lesson on my second visit. The neighborhood 'regular' girls aim to please for usually $20 - $25, so why deal with all of the others.

Now, don't get me wrong. I can't help but to wander around to diff. parts of the city during the day, looking for fresh prospects. And, during this time, I might find a decent opportunity about once every 45 min. or so. Thus, again, I'm not understanding why everyone says that finding girls in Cuba is a thing of the past. Hell, even when I have a couple of the neighborhood boys or bicitaxi drivers help me out, I"m usually not dissapointed. They just need to know upfront (with the help of a few copied photos) what type of girls I want, and the price I'm willing to pay. Again, I don't need a 10, but solid 7's and 8's with great attitudes is what I find to be the best...

I shit you not, I gave a couple of guys my apt. address (a bit of a mistake), and they started bringing girls by a few hours later. Thank God, my neighbor friend convinced them to stop by his place first, just in case I had company. In fact, it got so crazy/sad that a few of the neighborhood mothers about my age (40), brought their daughters by. I was having so much luck this time, that my dentist (or should I say, the dentist of my friends, who replaced my metal fillings for white ones for a ridiculous low price) introduced me to his hygenist, and I ended up going out with her that night...

Well, there's one thing you should know. I treat the women well (again, not so much monetarily)l, and don't do anything they don't want to. I always have food around my place (or my 'sister' cooks them a meal, some I take out for music, etc., and they all love the hot water showers, the fresh towels (I bring), and the little gifts (lot of lingerie, which I buy at discount dept. stores before I go there).

So please, even if you don't speak much Spanish, go online and get yourself a "user" friendly apt., so you'll always have a place to bring back the girls.

Then, get out on the streets and just observe. Forget the hustlers and start approaching girls. They'll get the signal and they'll eventually find you, if they can't talk to you at first because of police presence. At worse, just hire a bicitaxi or Coco taxi and drive along streets and along the Malecon. Actually, my new, favorite Havana hobby is to rent a bicycle, and just ride around the various streets. It saves time getting around, and I have a blast seeing where the day will take me.

Good luck gentlemen, and enjoy my photos.

aus wsg