You can take laptops, ipads, netbooks, iphones etc. It is only stand alone GPS units that aren't allowed. Camouflage clothing isn't an issue either. Unless you really need your Apple Mac I would leave it at home as you are unlikely to find a hotel safe big enough to keep it in.
Whether jeans are allowed in restaurants is down to the individual hotels. Personal opinion is jeans are too heavy and too hot!

Sunaddict wrote:

You can take laptops, ipads, netbooks, iphones etc. It is only stand alone GPS units that aren't allowed. Unless you really need your Apple Mac I would leave it at home as you are unlikely to find a hotel safe big enough to keep it in.
Whether jeans are allowed in restaurants is down to the individual hotels. Personal opinion is jeans are too heavy and too hot!

Agree with all of that....

Sunaddict wrote:

Camouflage clothing isn't an issue either.

Strongly disagree with that... it IS a MAJOR issue in some places and can lead to you being stopped on the street and "questioned" by police....., I would advise against...

Also, there are some "vagueries" about Cuban immigration...one couple on a flight that we were on were stopped and had their baggage searched... the offending article? - a pair of "fluffy" handcuffs....

Until recently DVD players and discs were banned, but now the shops in Havana are selling them...

As far as what to wear in restaurants, if you're on an all-inclusive you need to check your hotel's policy... many won't allow you into their restaurants without full-length trousers and closed-toe shoes...

ATB,J.

[code]Strongly disagree with that... it IS a MAJOR issue in some places and can lead to you being stopped on the street and "questioned" by police....., I would advise against...[/code]

Plenty of posts on TA from people that have been given this information from their tour operators. The people that either live in Cuba or that have travelled there for years, staying off resort, will tell you differently. What they do all agree on is that as far as Cubans are concerned, camouflage is out of date, and no self respecting Cuban will any longer be seen wearing it!

Thanks, very helpful.
The likelihood of us wearing full camo is nil, but we do have some camo shorts that we'd like to bring along - they're very handy with their huge amount of pockets Sounds like I'll need to take some Chino's and muslin trousers.
As for the Mac, I have a titanium lock for that, so hopefully there's something secure in the room
What about chilli? I'm a lover of chilli and Ive heard there's very little of that about. Would it be frowned upon to bring sauce, homemade chilli sauce, or dried chilli with seeds?

I've worn camo shorts in Cuba, as have many people. I doubt the hotel would have a problem with you taking sauces and chillies, but not sure if there are any import restrictions.

Poxicator wrote:

Thanks, very helpful.
The likelihood of us wearing full camo is nil, but we do have some camo shorts that we'd like to bring along - they're very handy with their huge amount of pockets :)

I'm sure that you won't have a problem with that...

Poxicator wrote:

Sounds like I'll need to take some Chino's and muslin trousers.

Perfect for the weather....

Poxicator wrote:

What about chilli? dried chilli with seeds?

Hmmmm.... might be OK.....

ATB,J.

And, we're told no kettle's, irons or toasters,

There was a time when you weren't allowed to take in anything that was deemed to make excessive demands on the electricity supply but I've not heard of naybody having problems recently. However, whether they will actually be usable in Cuba is another matter - a lot of the supply is only 110 volt and you'll wait for ever for a UK 220V kettle to boil or for the iron to get hot enough to be worth using.

The likelihood of us wearing full camo is nil, but we do have some camo shorts that we'd like to bring along - they're very handy with their huge amount of pockets

To the best of my knowledge there is not a blanket ban in place and you probably won;t ahve any problems around a tourist hotel but they could attract unwanted attention if you are likely to be in the vicinity of an armed forces base/barracks or around Guantanamo. Anything that might be of use, such as GPS equipement, to spys or enemy agents (ie the US) will attract attention. Things are thawing under Raoul but the paranoia levels can still be high. Combat shorts with lots of pockets in plain colours won't attract comment at all - Cubans, both men and women seem to regard most tourists as being a pretty scruffy lot any way and will make allowances for your lack of dress sense.

bring sauce, homemade chilli sauce, or dried chilli with seeds?

Cuban food is very bland on the whole and they'll think you very odd for wanting to add anything to your food that might make you sweat any more than you already will - you'll do that enough without any help depending on the time of year you go - but your hotel probably won't pass comment if you are adding your own condiments to your food. However, seeds or dried chillies with the seeds in them could be another matter - on the whole plants, seeds and meats aren't allowed. The explanation I was given was that the Government keen to keep alien plants and seeds out of the country for fear of the damage that imported plants etc could introduce diseases that could affect the sugar cane and tobacco industries which are vital to the economy. I have no first hand knowledge of this being implemented but I would suggest that you take them in your hand luggage, check them against the list of prohibited goods as you arrive and if in doubt, offer to hand them over to the customs officials.

As for the Mac, I have a titanium lock for that, so hopefully there's something secure in the room

Personally, I wouldn't take a Mac, or any other high spec laptop for that matter, to Cuba. Despite reforms and a generally better off population in the cities these days it is still a very poor country by our standards and tourists are all assumed to be very rich (which we are compared to the average Cuban). The only thing that you can guarantee will be secure in your room is the safe and not much else - not even the room door lock. A Mac or high spec laptop will attract attention if you are seen out an about in public with it and whilst there's very little crime directed at tourists why put temptation in people's way? But more importantly, the power supply can be erratic with the possiblity of both 'brown-outs' where the voltage is reduced to prevent 'black-outs' or power cuts and also power surges when the voltage is restored to mormal levels. Both could mean that at best you could have problems recharging it and your Mac possbily performing as you expect it to and at worst it, gets damaged by the power supply fluctuations including your transformer getting burnt out.

SM

Regarding your Mac, unless you are staying in the top class hotels wifi will probably not be availalable, they do have internet lounges but even that is hit and miss and like when we had dial up connections SLLOOOWWWW
Jan