February 20 2010
Hello Pototo, we are back home in Canada and I wanted to pop you a note to thank you again for a wonderful tour and amazing hospitality at your home. My mom Mary and I really enjoyed our time with your family and have recommended your services to a number of people. I have attached a few photos that I thought may be of interest to you.
Please give our best to your wife!
Thanks again,
Lisa
February 10 2010
Name: Karyn & Terry
Country: Rothesay New Brunswick Canada
Pototo
Pototo enabled us to meet and experience life in Havana.It was very interesting and educational. Cuban life is so different from what we are use to and staying in the CASA PARTICULAR (lovely antiques and a wonderful breakfast), having a personal walking tour and personal driver tour and sharing a meal cooked by our host Pototo sure gave us ample time to ask loads of questions, and enjoy Cuban hospitality.We certainly would never have had nearly the experienceor learned as much and enjoyed some of Pototos jokes, on a regular bus tour provided by the travel companys. Thank you.
February 8 2010
Name: Jane Brannigan
Country: England
Potato and Buenas wife.
I connected with Casa Junky via a special friend sending me the link as she has had to listen to my obsession and interest in Cuba in the last 5 months while planning my trip.
I booked my first Casa through Cuba Junky as didnt fancy searchign after a long flight.
Potato sent lovely warm vibes from Havana and i felt protected.
I was reccomended a perfect first Casa wth panaromic views of the city , and wonderful warm genuine hosts. After 10 days travelling Cuba and losing cash and with an invalid credit card.
I ran into a dilemnda with cash and Potato returned a call i forgot i made. Letting me know I was welcome to come to his house if i needed anything. I visited him more out of respect and grattitude. As did not want to take off him and still had faith that things were working on my level.
He was warm funny and chilled, and his lovely wife he introduced me to Alya, and proudly showed me photos of his beautiful family.
He offered me his house as his if needed as well as offering me money. I did not take but a lifeline if things god worse, and would never abuse. In a nutshell a very warm kind family who i felt privelaged to meet. I need to sort out Pay Pal as really need to donate to this fabulous big hearted web site . Muchas gracias for your support and friendsip/hospitality.
The Beer was nectar ( medicine) at this point of my journey.
January 21 2010
Name: Mona Frank
Country: Sweden
I don't know how to show our appreciation for the excellent service we got from Mr Pototo! MUCHOS muchos GRACIAS! We had booked a couple of nights in Havanna (dec -09) and some nights at La Boca (jan -10) and the rest we holded opened! But at place we reconsider to spend more time at Trinidad and Havanna and asked Pototo for help finding casa particulares... and he fixed it all the way!
Love and respect from
Mona and Jonas, Malmö, Sweden!
January 13 2010
Name: Steve Bee
Country: Canada
Pototo and his connections in Havana and in Vinales, Trinidad and with many rural casa particulares made our Cuban trip work without a hitch. We planned our own driving route and P arranged the accomodations ( or altenatives) We did 1600 kilometers in Cuba over a week of driving with no problem. Pototo arranged a guide to help us navigate the burbs of Havana for a day. Mille Gracias Pototo |
January 15 2010
Name:
Mona Frank
we like to thank mr Pototo very much, for a great service when we were in Cuba (29/12-14/1).. I´am very impressed over the service we got from him... we are for sure gonna donate money to Cuba Junky!... |
January 13 2010
Name: Jude Marion
I had the pleasure of meeting Pototo a couple of years ago while travelling thru Cuba. He was extremely helpful in making recommendations in terms of places to go, things to see while there and making arrangements for accommodations at casa particulares across the country. I also had a wonderful Cuban dinner prepared by him while I was staying in Havanna. 5 star!!!
Pototo is a great guy, and I would highly recommend enlisting his services in advance and while you are in Cuba.
Thanks again, Pototo ... I'm sure we'll meet again! :D |
January 12 2010
Thank you Pototo for booking all of the Casa'a for us. We really enjoyed staying in them all - I don't think we had a favorite. And all of the owners were so nice and looked after us really well.
thank you also for arranging our walking tour in Havana with Osvaldo. He was a great guide and very interesting about Havana - I would recommend him to anyone.
So thank you again. We are now back in the UK surrounded by snow! a bit different to Cuba!
Julie Baxter |
January 12 2010
Pototo,
I just got back from our 3 week trip in Cuba. We had a fantastic time. I just wanted to thank you so much for arranging the casas for us. Every place we stayed had terrific people in wonderful homes.
Bonnie
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Name: Maria
Country: Macedonia
Date: November 5 2009
Subject: ur Cuba pages
Just wanted to tell you THANX for all the tips on Cuba.
I discovered these pages through Google maps (I saw the maps you have made of Havana, one with its hotels and other one with places to see) and am now getting familiar with the contents.
I'm Maria, I am planning to go to Cuba at the end of November, for a very short time (only 9 days, yes, it's next to nothing, I know) and only to celebrate my 30th birthday there. I don't have any company and am still thinking what to do, but by tomorrow I have to make a decision.
Anyways, thank you for all the cool tips.
Havana map to see and do places
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Name: Tatiana
Country: estados unidos
Date: October 27 2009
GRACIAS!!!!!!!!!!!
pototo yo vivia hace 10 anos en centro habana y me recuerdo haver oido hablar de ti pero no te hubico realmente yo vivia en oquendo 305 entre san rafael y san miguel mi papa es el conocido dr.munoz bueno a el lo conocen mucho por eso te digo el conocido mi abuelita qeu en paz descanse se llamaba gabi a mi me decian la rubia bueno eso es para qeu tengas una idea de quien soy ahora yo vivo en california y dejame decirte que ayer viendo un video tuyo por poco me muero se me fue la noche en puro llorar viendo esas calles y demas bueno gracias por ese video a todos los cubanos aqui qeu hace mucho no pisan la isla nos da un gusto enorme ver los barrios ver todo aquello yo senti como si estuviera caminando contigo mis calles, pototo gracias de corazon nos vemos por alla pronto, te aviso cuando gracias de nuevo .
Video part 1
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Date: October 9 2009
Author: Monique & Alexander
Country: Netherlands
We went to Cuba for the first time and met Pototo. He arranged a tour with a lovely guide and we had the greatest Pizza of all time's at his house !!
We want to thank him a million time's for everything he did and we hope to meet him again next time when we go to Cuba !!
We realy fell in love with Cuba ! We traveled around for 16 days and we loved it !!
If you ever go to Cuba make sure you contact Pototo. He is a great guy and a big help in Havana and around !
Pototo, thanks again and untill next time !!
Warm regards
Monique & Alexander |
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Date: August 8 2009
Author: Familie Zimnik
Country: Netherlands
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We zijn terug gekomen van een heerlijke reis in Cuba!!
De casas particulares waren een prima idee. Onze kinderen hebben daar veel pret gehad met de lokale kindjes.
Vinales was echt een topper met 2 kindjes in dezelfde leeftijd.
Trinidad was onze kamer weggeven en kregen we een kamer bij de buren twee huizen verderop, dat was ook ok. Ruime patio. Goede laundry service.
Baracoa was onze kamer er ook niet meer, moesten we naar een andere casa maar daar konden we geen drie dagen blijven en dus moesten we na 1 dag weer (terug) verhuizen naar Casa Tony. Dat was wel vervelend, maar ze deden er alles aan om het ongemak weer goed te maken. Onze kinderen speelden in het rustige straatje tot 's avonds laat en het buurjongetje van 4 was verliefd op onze jongste dochter van 3, ha ha ;-)) Het eten bij de casas is echt verrukkelijk.
De hotels waren ook allemaal prima geregeld. Cayo Seatia is echt heel mooi en ook luxueus en ruim. Alleen jammer van de sandflies. All inclusive is echt niet ons ding maar met de dolfijnen zwemmen bij Rancho Luna was één van de hoogtepunten van de reis naast het paardrijden in Vinales.
Kortom: bedankt voor je waardevolle tips en goede organisatie!
Bijgevoegd nog een paar foto's van onze dochters met Che pet op. Erg grappig was dat onze jongste dochter van drie elke keer als ze een afbeelding zag van Che (en dat zijn er veel!) zei: "die heb ik ook op mijn pet". |
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Date: August 5 2009
Author: Mark
Country: Australia |
We used Pototo's service when we visited Cuba in April 2009. We had a great time in Cuba. Pototo is a lovely guy, he helped us out with a tour guide around old Havana as well as dinner at his house one night. We met 2 British guys that have known him for 10 years, & we agree with them - a genuine, trustworthy man. A friend (solo woman traveller) also used him before us for similar things.
Use his services! |
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Date: August 4 2009
Author: Sandra
Country: England London |
I would like to thank Pototo for introducing me to Yariley. She was really nice and we had a great time. I also would like to say a big thank you to Pototo who is an excellent cook and a lovely man! I loved Cuba and I hope to come back again!!! I keep taliking about this site to people I meet and I hope you'll be around for a very long time!
Hasta la proxima vez!!
Sandra |
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Date: 04-27-2009
Author: Rita Dillon
Country: Canada |
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Before I went I found Pototo'sinformation to be very helpful. While there I had a schedule difficulty, the casa particulare's owners quickly called Pototo's office and all was arranged. I had an excellent tour guide the first day her name was Yariley. She was entertaining, frank and knew her stuff, can't ask for more than that.
I stayed in 5 casa particulares in Havana (2), Santiago de Cuba, Baracoa and Santa Clara. All of them spotless and friendly. Some were referred by Pototo and some not. In Cuba everyone seems to know someone who knows someone. But everyone had heard of his service and all of them spoke highly of their contacts with him.
I travelled by myself, and as woman I had no problems except for being occasionally invisible in some restaurantes (what's new?). I speak only a limited Spanish, but I had no real difficulty in getting around and being understood.
I also had no real problems with the jiniteros. Anyone who has ever been in Rome or San Frncisco has surely had much worse. Be polite , but firm with a "no necesito"and keep on moving. I never give to beggars, but I am a sucker form street and bar musicians, and I have a stack of CDs to prove it. Well worth the money.
At two of the casas I made friends, I was invited to a wedding, and the party after, went on a trip with the family, in a car I rented. It was fun, and well worth the money. I spent Easter Sunday in a church in Baracoa and became part of a procession walking Jesus and Mary figures through the town park in a celebration all of this thanks to my newfound friends.
I found people to be informed and opinionated, anxious to see I got to the right places and found the best bargains. This happened in Santiage, Baracoa and Havana. I cried as I left this beatiful country and my new friends. I'm going backas soon as I can swing it - maybe even September. Rita Dillon |
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Date: 04-11-2009
Author: Dave Reynolds
Country: canada |
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I am planning atrip to cuba once again and i was surfing and looking for info and came across your site wich i find by far the best of any sitesi have come across.I have been to cuba twice now and love te country and it's people and am planning to come back next october and not do the all inclusive thing since i find my self spending more time with the locals then i do at the resort.i plan on staying six months if this is allowed and was just reaching out for some advice on weather i need to go to the cuban consolite and apply forr a longer stay or if when i book my flight the arrengments are done then or when i book my casa?
once again i love this site have told eveyone i know about this great site and would just like to say thank you once again |
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Date: 04-02-2009
Author: Angela Elliott
Country: England |
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I just wanted to say a big thank you to Pototo for arranging a great day for us in Cuba!! We were met by a great guide (Yariley) and she took us all around old and central Havana. We were then taken for a drive in an old convertible American car - which was ace! We then met Pototo for dinner at his house in the evening and his lovely wife cooked an amazing dinner for us and two other couples (say Hi to Bob and Steve for us Pototo!).
So all in all, i would thoroughly recommend Pototo's services. He even arranged a casa particular for us which was just around the corner from his house. So if you want to take a two day trip to Havana this is definately the way to do it. It's so much better than being herded to all the usual tourist spots with a group of other tourists and much cheaper.
10 out of 10 from me!
Angela x |
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Date: 03-03-2009
Author: Isolina Russo
Country: USA |
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| My cousins and I went to Havana in January. I had been in contact with Pototo via email for quite some time, but did not have a chance to use his services because we stayed at a relative's home. However; when Pototo found out when I was going to be there, he kindly and generously arranged for us to visit him and have dinner with his family. My cousins had something else to do that afternoon, so after meeting Pototo, they left me there to have lunch with them. They were so kind and friendly, like I knew them all my life. If anyone is planning a trip to Cuba which I highly recommend, please contact Pototo, he will see to your comfort in every possible way. I plan on going back to Cuba with either a friend or a family member and at that time, we will likely stay at a "casa particular." Thank you Pototo for all your help! |
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Date: 01-17-2009
Author: Celine de Ruffieu
Country: United States |
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Pototo and Family are the THE BEST. They were the ones that made possible for me to have on my Father's grave a "book" with Father's name, etc. He and his family and friend Pequeno were able to interview a wonderful lady by the name of Eusebia that knew my Father well, and thanks to Pototo and his family my web site in honor of my Father has been a reward as is seing all over the world.
I honor Pototo and his family for their fabulous way of treating all of us with a great and sincere heart.
So to them, I say: QUE VIVA POTOTO Y FAMILIA.
CELINE
Visit Pototo on my web site under the name of:
www.celinederuffieu.com |
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Date: 01-05-2009
Author: Viveka & Adam
Country: Canada |
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We are terrified ofall inclusive resorts and almost did not go because we thought Varadero region was only that. Thanks to your website we are on our way to Cuba, to Matanzas with a Casa Particular booked, we are loaded with books and clothing for the kids at the orphanage in Matanzas. We wanted to help but we did not know if on our short trip we could do something.
Thank you again, I will write in when we get back with any info we pick up.
Great website.
regards,
Viveka and Adam |
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