Cruising to Cuba.

[Griffins]

I was there in '15, so things might have changed. But we had no restrictions from the Cubans on where we could go (we had a lot of restrictions from the US due to our permits) and could wander pretty much anywhere. I looked around for anything related but other than at games and La Esquina Caliente saw nothing, and certainly nothing collectable.

In the Parque Central, on the edge of Havana Vieja, there is a part of the park designated for the discussion of baseball. La Esquina Caliente ("the hot corner) is a gathering of fanatical baseball fans, and the discussion is quite lively. I have very basic Spanish speaking skills, but it was fine. They were welcoming and I was asked a lot of questions and answered in English, which was translated for those not bilingual. It was a lot of fun. If you watch one of Anthony Bourdain's first Cuba programs on Netflix the area is featured.

I took a bunch of old caps and tshirts and traded them for food, cigars, rum, tours, whatever they'd offer, I'd leave it up to them. Kids got baseballs and my sons jerseys and caps for a high five. Pretty much everyone loved baseball and was so happy to talk about it with Americans.

You'll love it, one of the most friendly and photogenic places in the world.