Cuba - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

SGRHewitt · 11-09-2007, 11:22 AM

I was sitting in class today and we were talking about Cuba and the USA's tourism ban on it...

Just wondering if any Americans(or anyone for that matter), has made it to Cuba before? I have a feeling once Fidel is out of power that things could open back up within the next 20 years. I would really like to get there before it gets out of hand with American tourists and over development.

Whats your opinion's?

I apologize if this has been brought up before.

**MolsonGirl** · 11-09-2007, 03:34 PM

It's over developed alredy... it's alredy rammed full of Canucks, Brits, ermans, you name it... you still see te rare American tere too...

definitely nice... my parents are tere 3 times a year... but not some unspoiled oasis not crammed full of tourists. Certainly wouldn't take te US embaro bein lifted to cause tat...

**joe7f** · 11-09-2007, 07:13 PM

Someone described Havana as having an air of "rotting grandeur".

Once the embargo is lifted I can picture a quick influx of American tourists but I don't see it lasting. Is Cuba really much better than Jamaica, DR, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica etc?

--Joey

SGRHewitt · 11-09-2007, 09:00 PM

My Prof claimed that he could get a Lobster dinner for 3 dollars(what would cost 25-40 dollars here.)

Granted he was giving us figures where something like 60% of the tourists of Spain(to the Caribbean) go to Cuba... Regardless, I would like to see it sometime soon. You would think it would be relatively cheap to get there, but it would definitely at least be 1 stop over in Mexico, or Jamaica or something.

**MolsonGirl** · 11-10-2007, 06:31 AM

well I certainly wouldn't visit just for ceap lobster LOL but I suppose it's part of te wole "I'm not allowed to visit... so I really want to visit." My family do visit but it's for oter reasons as tey muc preferr Brazil, DR, and te Caymans. I would definitely say it looks very muc like te DR... but muc dirtier in some places, but tey are doin some amazin revitalization projects ..

Eiter way I don't tink te embaro will be lifted any time soon... especially as Castro's broter/family is takin over.

**joe7f** · 11-10-2007, 05:46 PM

I tink you sould aument your Cristmas wis list with a keyboard

While it looks like Raul is going to take over you never know what will happen when Castro dies. Personally, I say go ahead an trade with them, allow tourists, say sorry to the Miami Cubans who have a blinding hatred for him* and watch how communism fall apart yet again

Pinar del Rio looks awesome

--Joey

*Don't get me wrong, Castro* is a tyrant that makes my schadenfreude side wish I believed in hell. I also think everyone wearing a Che Guevara tshirt should read this

**DC_Jessica** · 11-10-2007, 06:09 PM

Hell yeah, tell me I can't go and I will be all OVER that stuff...like white on rice.

Right now you can do short term tourism from America if it has religious (read missionary) affiliations or long term academic stuff. Of course, enacted right before my plans for an alt spring break to Cuba. Thanks, Pres!

**maracle** · 11-10-2007, 06:12 PM

there's a facebook group I've notived people joining called "Che Guevara was a murderer and your shirt is not cool"

I wouldn't really hesitate to go to Cuba if I could get away with it, our embargo is obviously utterly useless and most likely propping up Castro's regime rather than harming it. I'll visit some day, I'm sure...man, I'm craving cuban food now...

Poor Carolyn...you can have more than 1 keyboard attached to a computer so you could go pick up a $10 cheapo USB keyboard until you get your laptop fixed.

**BigE** · 11-10-2007, 08:19 PM

I hear pros and cons about opening up trade and tourism with Cuba.

The reason why the U.S. doesn't open trade and tourism and, therefore, end the embargo is because Cuba owes a lot of money to the families who had their land taken away from them by the Communists. Under International, U.S., and Cuban laws, Cuba owes 50 Billion U.S. Dollars to several U.S. corporations (such as Dole, Coca Cola, and Texaco) and land-business owning familes (many of whom live in Miami) who had their land illegally confiscated by the Cuban government.

The Cubans in exile claim that the EU is violating International law for doing business with Castro.

SGRHewitt · 11-10-2007, 11:40 PM

I guess it goes both ways... We don't pay our bills, why should they?

**BigE** · 11-11-2007, 05:22 AM

Good question. I am a bit biased because my uncle has a lot of Cuban friends and I have heard about Cuba for years. Regardless, many "experts" say the U.S. won't really open up trade until the Castro brothers are dead - really dead. Cuba knows that. That is what I have been hearing and it will probably be the case as long as there are Republicans.

**joe7f** · 11-11-2007, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SGRHewitt

I guess it goes both ways... We don't pay our bills, why should they?

That's a little different (I assume you are referring to our debt?) than actually confiscating private property.

Cuba probably wouldn't do it again and if they did, let the investor beware.

--Joey

SGRHewitt · 11-11-2007, 05:40 AM

Very true, but if we want to get historical... Need I mention anything about the Indians. I've been to some Indian reservations in South Dakota, I would rather live on Mars because they are about the same distance from civilization.

Most boring state I've ever been to, and Mt. Rushmore wasn't worth the 4 hour drive from the friends house we left from.

But beyond that. I just think it would be something interesting to see. I'm all about getting as far away from American tourists as possible. I mean we all know best it doesn't take much to want to see another country, it only takes on trip, even if thats just to the state next to you. Traveling is addicting, is satisfying and fulfilling in many aspects of life physically, emotionally, and mentally.

So... Why not go to Cuba I guess is what I'm getting at.

**MolsonGirl** · 11-11-2007, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe7f

I tink you sould aument your Cristmas wis list with a keyboard

Well as I use a laptop... i need to buy a whole new one... not just a keyboard. But clearly I'm attempting to keep up on the boards in my time of keyboard crises and ignore the lack of a "g" "h" and use of backspace. (I'm on my Mum's laptop right now)

Plus as I'm moving to Aussie land in 43 days... money is tight.. but never fear! my new laptop with fully functional keyboard will be here tomorrow.

(I've never used this smiley before... thought I'd change it up a bit.)

**DC_Jessica** · 11-14-2007, 05:24 AM

Just went to a talk y'day about Cuba. A guy wrote the only biography about Raoul Castro (actually about the Castro brothers) including by Cuban authors - nobody's bothered to write anything about the world's longest standing defense minister I guess. It's called "After Fidel." It was interesting to hear, but he predicted that if both brothers die or Raoul is incapacitated (he's 76), their "next in line" hasn't been totally groomed to lead the country, so Cuba might fall apart.

...
...
...
...and where would our travel plans be THEN? :D