Vegan street photographer in Havana
If you are passionate about street photography and you can afford it, Havana is, in my humble opinion, a must destination. However, things are difficult over there and with all the pain in my heart I have to say that every time I go, although it seems impossible a priori, everything seems to have worsened with respect to my previous stay.
Personally, I like to arrive in a city and mingle with the people, live like them for the month or month and a half that my stay usually lasts. I'm not an all-inclusive hotel kind of person, I like to go shopping at the supermarket and cook my own food. I suppose the fact of being vegan influences and in Havana in particular, if it is already complicated to get food, for a vegan the question becomes a chimera. Not to mention the time involved in this search for food, time that you have to take away from what is really important: walking the streets taking pictures.
So, my recommendation, what I do, is that you take an old suitcase and fill it with food, usually 23 kg. I say old suitcase because I never bring it back. I carry in this suitcase staples like wholemeal pasta and rice, oatmeal, nuts, dried fruit, olive oil, textured soy, stevia, assorted spices and, as a reward for when I'm a good boy, 90% cocoa chocolate. On the streets, when I find a street vendor, I usually buy tomatoes, onions, bananas traditional peanut nougat and guava paste.
As a basic strategy it is advisable to carry food that increases in size and has a high nutritional value. This way you can maximize the space in your suitcase without sacrificing quality food. I always move around on foot; I walk between 12 and 14 km every day during the time I am in Havana. I end up exhausted. It would be impossible for me to take those daily walks without replenishing nutrients with quality food.
On my last trip to Havana, first quarter 2023, the government allowed free and unlimited food imports until December 31, 2023. This limit was later extended to March 31, 2024. It is clear that the rules may vary depending on how events unfold in Cuba. Therefore, it is equally evident that the first thing to do when preparing your trip to Havana is to get well informed about the rules and requirements to be met so that your trip is not compromised.