Contents
Dangers & annoyances
Habana is ostensibly a safe city, and violent crime is rare. A heavy police presence on the streets and stiff prison sentences for crimes such as robbery and assault have acted as a major deterrent to potential thieves and kept the dirty tentacles of organized crime firmly at bay.
That’s not to say that incidents don’t occur. Indeed petty crime against tourists is on the rise, with bag snatching by youths mounted on bicycles a particular worry.
Keep your money belt on you at all times, making sure that you wear it concealed - and tightly secured - around your waist.
In hotels always use a safety-deposit box and never leave money/passports/credit cards lying around during the day. Theft from hotel rooms is rife in Habana at the moment, with the temptation of earning three times their monthly salary in one fell swoop often too hard to resist for some people.
In bars and restaurants it is wise to always check your change. Intentional overcharging, especially when a customer is mildly inebriated, is tediously common.
Visitors from the well-ordered countries of Europe or litigation-obsessed North America should be subconsciously aware of crumbling sidewalks, manholes with no covers, overenthusiastic drivers, veering cyclists, carelessly lobbed front-door keys (in Habana Centro) and badly pitched baseballs (almost everywhere). Waves cascading over the Malecón sea wall might look romantic, but the resulting slime-fest has been known to throw Lonely Planet-wielding tourists unceremoniously onto their asses.
While you're there
Medical services
Most medical problems can be addressed at the Hospital Nacional Hermanos Ameijeir (877-6053; San Lázaro No 701, Vedado), just off the Malecón. Foreigners pay in hard currency. Entry is via the lower level below the parking lot off Padre Varela (Belascoaín); ask for ‘CEDA’ in Section N.
Another decent international clinic is Clínica Central Cira García (204-2811; fax 24-16-33; Calle 18A No 4101, Playa). Consultations at both places cost in the vicinity of CUC$30.
No comments:
Post a Comment