Safety tip for La Habana - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**florencia9699** · 01-30-2007, 07:22 AM

For anyone going into La Habana, be aware of these guys that invite you to a "Salsa Festival" in the Old Habana. This is totally bogus and they just take you to rob you. My boyfriend's brother had two men inviting them and apparently it's quite common too...

He also told me that the guy stuck him as odd 'cause he had really expensive shoes, and that sort of gave him a clue that something wasnt right. So just be cautious about these guys inviting you to meet "nice cuban ladies at the salsa festival!"

**BigE** · 01-30-2007, 07:40 AM

I'm always suspicious of guys with expensive shoes inviting me to a fiesta.

I had an experience in Assisi where two Italian women wanted me to buy them lunch. They thought I was rich because I bought an expensive piece of art for my mom, even though I bargained my way out of 10,000 Lira or whatever it was. They were almost drooling. I have to say I was flattered.

**florencia9699** · 01-30-2007, 07:51 AM

LOL!! What he meant by the expensive shoes was that NO ONE in Cuba had expensive anything... so this one guy came up with super expensive shoes and he felt something just wasnt in place.

Also, apparently a big turn off was whenever they said they were staying at a family's house. Hehe, apparently the girls would just walk away.

**BigE** · 01-30-2007, 08:29 AM

I figured that was the reason.

Now we know that the women only want rich foreign guys. Go figure.