Hi, thanks for contacting me and thanks for liking the free book. The longer book that you bought is even better and filled with tons of info on Cuba.
As for the walking tour, I must say that it is not me who does the tour. Technically, I could offer the tour myself, but I feel it is better to have a tour with an actual Cuban guide. They take special walking tour courses and have a degree in Cuban history and tourism. We only use specialized guides for the tours and your payment is given directly to the Cuban guides. It promotes tourism and it keep all earnings within the Cuban community. I prefer it that way.
My assistant in Cuba probably received your message about the tour already. Probably she has responded too. If not, just give her bit of time. You should certainly get the response by the end of the day.
The tours are fun and very educational. The guides are professional. The guides work with the large tourism companies in Cuba (Cubatur, Havanatur, etc). They are used to getting many questions and always have tons of answers.
The tours are customized too. You simply tell the guides what your main interests are and they can spend more time on those themes. Some people prefer to spend time in Old Havana, checking out the shops and waterfront and the rich history with walks around the plazas and to museums. Others prefer to wander around less touristy areas such as Central Havana, and see the architecture and meet regular people and eat at small bodegas and markets.
Vedado is also a great place which is very popular. You can walk down 23rd street and check out the markets and parks (But you might not need a tour guide for this.)
Usually I suggest that for the main tour, you stay focused on Old Havana and Central Havana. There is a lot to see and in an hour or two you can cover a lot of ground and get a good idea of the history and daily life. Vedado is a larger area and it is a richer, more modern neighborhood, so you can probably explore it pretty well without a guide. The main history and vibrant daily life takes place in Old and Central Havana and that is where having a knowledgeable guide can be really fun and educational.
Unfortunately I don’t think I will be in Havana in October. I am currently in Montreal and likely won’t return to Havana until November. But I am sure that you will enjoy Cuba and likely want to return again in the future, so our paths might cross again in the not too distant future.
Have a wonderful time,
Mario
