# Cuba Tips



## Clockwork (Feb 24, 2002)

My wife and I will be going to Cuba Next Saturday. I wanted to know if anyone had any tips about visiting Cuba. I am very interested in Cuba for the political aspects, along with how beautiful I have heard Cuba is. Yes I know that it is only nice around the resort areas and I know the people are starving and bla bla bla about Castro, but there is not much I can do about it (I could kill Castro but I doubt I would get the chance in a week  I have just finnished taking a course in European history so Communism and Socialisim are fresh in my mind. I am very intersted in learning about there way of life. 
Anyway, if anyone has been to Cuba, or has some suggestions I would greatly appreicate it.


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Umm learn a LOT more or stick with the resorts. ...and no the people are not starving and if you listen you'll hear about a representative system very similar to here with local and regional elected representatives doing things people do in any civilized literate nation.

People are enormously friendly and those that speak English are happy to discuss the good and the bad very openly.

You won't get much in a week - it'll take a couple of days to get your bearings - the resorts are huge.

What area are you going to. ( we just got back so it's fresh ). One week simply is not enough to get any sort of a feel for anything. Two weeks, a car a 1000 KM and a couple of lucky conversations just gave a glimpse.

It's safe, it's friendly and it's NOT what the US wants you to believe.......enjoy


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

Man... that's a pretty loaded paragraph. Advocating the assassination of the head of state of a country with which Canada has friendly relations. Interesting.

It is <b>not</b> "only nice around the resort areas" - Cuba from end to end is an amazing place, full of culture, beautiful landscapes, and some of the most giving people you'll ever meet (I rank 'em right up there with Newfoundlanders). People are not "starving"... where on earth did you get your info? Is MacNutt holding weekend indoctrination seminars or something?

Since you're a Queen's student, you may be familiar with Dr. Susan Babbitt, and the Queen's development studies course offered in Cuba.

There are many, many Canadian-based sources of information which may be useful: 
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.cubafriends.ca">Cuba Friends (Educational Tours)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca">Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC)</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.nscuba.org">Nova Scotia-Cuba Associaton</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.geocities.com/ccfakingston">Canada-Cuba Friendship Assoc. (Kingston)</a>
</ul>
...and many more... on the CNC site, check the Provincial page listings. I also recommend the Documents section, and the Travel section.

Some things you may not know:
- Cuba holds an annual Terry Fox Run (the largest outside of Canada, over 1-million people)
- All Cubans have comprehensive and <u>free</u> health care and education (through the PhD level, if they desire).
- No-one in Cuba is homeless.
- Cuba is currently hosting thousands of international students, including medical students from all over Latin America (and a few Americans!) who are studying to be doctors - entirely on Cuba's tab.
- Cuba last weekend held municipal elections (done every 2.5 years), with over 32,000 candidates competing for office. No propaganda or campaigning is permitted - only their résumés are posted, and their neighbours vote. 
- Tourism has been both a salvation (it's the largest foreign exchange earner) and a curse (it's re-introduced prostitution and the 'contamination' of foreigners who come and flout their comparative wealth). Workers in other sectors, such as teachers, engineers, etc., left their jobs to find work (officially or unofficially) in tourism. This has created significant social challenges.
- You've no doubt heard the propaganda that Cubans are paid "only" $25 USD per month. That figure is based upon nothing more than a direct exchange rate between the average Cuban monthly salary (250-350 pesos) and does not include any reference to the cost of living, which is quite low. Housing rents are capped to a very small percentage of income (if they pay rent - Cuba has the highest level of home ownership in the world). Electricity, water, power... all of these services are, likewise, very inexpensive. Cubans are also beneficiaries of the "libreta" - the ration card which entitles them to purchase a set amount of food (a basic grocery basket) at discounted prices from state stores. They supplement this with foods purchased at grocery stores (available both in pesos - with limited selection - and stores which use the <i>convertible</i> peso, which is closer to the U.S. dollar in value - and where a broader selection of foreign goods are available.
- When it comes to the encounters you will have with Cubans... I will only say that you should consider the sources of information. Those who seek you out, as an identifiable tourist, have a particular objective. You may or may not receive complete disclosure. The further you get away from the resort, the more authentic your encounters are likely to be.
- Lastly, on the politics front: when you hear someone complaining about their political leaders, take a moment and think of the political discussions that have gone on in this forum... you'll find that we're not all that different from Cubans when it comes to griping.

Looking forward to your return, and the sharing of your experiences.

M.


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## Clockwork (Feb 24, 2002)

I know they're not starving or at least there are reports arguing either side. I was using the term loosly. On the other hand people wouldn't be risking there lives to get out of Cuba if there life was all that good there. It would also be difficult to know how things really are, unless you lived there for a significant amount of time. Regardless how they present there political sub-systems they are still Communist. I have heard that they drive old American cars and are very friendly and open to conversation. I could care less what the Yanks have to say because I despise there Government and what they stand for. My only real concern was talking about Communisim and getting myself in trouble. I constantly talk about politics and Religion in my job, and dont want to get myself in trouble because I have the tendency to go off at times. I guess it's like anything you have to go there to find out, simply reading it in a book only gets you so far. I would love to go longer, but that will have to wait for now. Where in Cuba were you?


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## Clockwork (Feb 24, 2002)

I would absolutly love to sit down for tea and a cigar with Castro and talk politics. I would never kill anyone anyway. It's just my sick sense of humor. I just dont beleive in Communisim. Although I beleive in pure Socialisim. People often get confused about Communisim and Socialisim and I am not talking about Marx theory either. Pure Socialism requires everyone to change along with wvwey country which will more then likely never happen. If Cuba was so great to live in why do so many people risk there lives to get out. Since most if not all of us living in Canada never lived in Cuba how can one make any assertions on how life is really like. I admit I know very little about Cuba other then Castro is a Stalinist Dictator and that can't possibly be good for buisness. I am sure he is probably not as rigid in his old age but he better watch out because both Stalin and Lennin both died of Strokes.  
I just bought a new Digital camera so I will take lots of pictures and learn as much as humanly possible in a week. I will make sure I find the right people.


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

Talk about Communism all you want - I've never met a Cuban who was afraid to share his/her opinion! Perhaps the most significant mistake made by successive U.S. administrations is to look at Cuba as a Tropical U.S.S.R. Cuba's socialist path is borne out of specific historical realities that are far removed from those of the Soviet Union. 

As for "risking there lives to get out of Cuba," this is a topic I've covered <i>ad nauseum</i> with MacNutt.... Yes, Cubans risk their lives to cross the Florida Strait to reach the U.S. Why? The U.S.' global reputation as the "land of milk and honey" is a "pull" that affects people from the entire developing world... witness the tens of thousands of Latin Americans who try to cross the border each year into the U.S. (with death a common occurance). So what is the difference with Cuba? <i>The U.S. Cuban Adjustment Act</i>, which grants fast-track citizenship to any Cuban who reaches U.S. soil. That's a helluva modifier to the "pull" effect. Do not hold Cuba to a different standard than any other nation.

Where was I in Cuba? Which time? In the past 11 years, I've been there nine times. Lived in Havana for four months, in a (Cuban) friend's apartment where I traded my labour for free rent (for my M.A. research); taught a study tour with Dalhousie University; taught workshops on web design and information literacy; travelled from San Luis in Pinar del Río (tobacco country) through Santa Clara (site of Che's column which defeated Batista's soldiers and <i>de facto</i> toppled the regime); to Holguin (which has a very nicely developed community telecentre); Santiago de Cuba (amazing history and the heartland of support for the Revolution). Around Santiago, I've been to the town of Moa, where the earth is bright red from the iron ore (and where Canada's Sherritt has mining joint ventures), up to Segundo Frente and Tercero Frente (communities founded at historic sites of major revolutionary battles). ...and a dozen other communities in between... Oh, and I travelled the verrrry interesting Santiago->Havana train. A real experience....

That said - I'm far from an expert. Nobody who's not a Cuban (born in, raised in, lives in Cuba) could with any sense of decency call themselves that. Those of us who've been fortunate enough to spend time there, make friends there and feel passionately about Cuba's right to develop without external interference, can only say "this is what I have seen, what I have learned, and what I think". YMMV.

When you're seeking people to talk politics and religion, be sure to get a good cross-section of society, particularly in age. Consider that the youth of today's Cuba have only ever known scarcity, they are children of the "Special Period", of the crisis. People in their late 30s and 40s know a different Revolutionary period... and those in their 60s and up remember what Cuba was like before the Revolution. 

M.


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Clockwork...
As you may already know, I have spent some considerable time living and working in Cuba. I was engaged to a lady doctor there for about two years and was adopted by her family during that time. 

And I flat out _LOVE_ the place. 

Feel free to travel as you wish in Cuba and never be afraid to speak to anyone about ANY subject. The Cubans are very friendly and VERY well educated. Most will speak to you at great length about any number of subjects. Some will surprise you with their command of english.

Theft is somewhat rare, but not completely unknown. You will be safe pretty much everywhere you go. MUCH safer than in most other countries...including in parts of Canada.

I doubt if you could get into trouble with "the authorities" if you tried. No matter what you might do. (I know...I tried).

A few misconceptions that need to be cleared up here:

You mentioned that you've heard "most Cubans drive very old American cars"

-Actually, most Cubans don't HAVE a car. Most Cubans don't have a telephone either. Almost none of them have a computer. Some don't even have a TV set.

My girlfriend's family...who all live in one small apartment...are all Doctors and Engineers. They had No car, No computer, No telephone and NO TV set when I first got involved with them. Two medical doctors and three engineers all living in the same apartment and they barely had a working refrigerator. And that was about it. I bought them a fan to relieve the heat right off the bat (no air conditioning, either). Then I got them a colour TV and a telephone.

They never would have been able to afford to get any of this stuff themselves. Even though it is all readily available at the US dollar stores in the big city that they live in. (some "embargo").

Everything you will see in Cuba is broken down, worn out, patched together and badly in need of a coat of paint. The whole place is in total disrepair. Hordes of people are out of work. Many (most) Cubans go to bed a bit hungry every single night of their lives, although very few actually starve to death. NONE of them can leave the island...even for a vacation...without special permission from the government and tons of paperwork. They couldn't afford the plane fare anyway...even if they saved all their lives (Doctors get paid about one dollar per day. Most others get quite a bit less than that.)

Such is the legacy of Fidels "glorious revolucion". It is something to behold. And to have pity for.

Go and see for yourself. But you will have to get far away from the resorts if you want to see and experience the real Cuba.

It's a real eye-opener. Trust me on this.


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## IronMac (Sep 22, 2003)

MacNutt...a recurrig question has been...when was the last time you were in Cuba and where?


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

> although very few actually starve to death.


<B>LIES, LIES, MORE DAMN LIES!</b> MacNutt - Put up or shut the h**l up: Give me <b>ONE</b> reference of a Cuban citizen starving to death. That's just outright, baldface lying and you know it.


> NONE of them can leave the island...even for a vacation...without special permission from the government and tons of paperwork.


The 'ton' of paperwork you refer to is more likely to come from the Embassy of the destination country, which <b>rarely</b> will grant a visitor's visa to Cuban citizens. Lay the blame where it belongs - with biased immigration departments that believe (as you do) that all Cubans want to leave the country permanently. 45 years of propaganda have left us with a situation where the world can not believe that Cubans might want to live in their own country! It's a ridiculous presumption, formed of anti-communist rhetoric, a superiority complex on the part of the "developed" nations and, one might say, racism.

Which epoch of Cuban history are you basing your opinions on? Has it been more than a decade since you were there? Tell us, oh wise one.... 

M.


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## Clockwork (Feb 24, 2002)

Hi Mark, 

What area are you working on for your MA? I curently am working on my BA in Psych. I also have a diploma in counselling and work with the mentaly ill. I am a humanist and care deeply about people and hate the way society treats people. Unfourtunatly North Americans and many Europeans live in a individulistic society. The Americans try to force there way of life on everyone and who is to say that the way we live is any better then people living else where. I think in all fairness just like here there is some people who go to bed hungry. I have heard also that Cubans love when you bring them items that they cannot get such as soaps etc. I wanted to know a few things if anyone has info I would appreciate it. How muuch is a good tip? I know the hotels say you don't have to but I want to because I want to. What are the best Cigars there and aprox how much are they? Is it better to buy inside the resort or in the city? I think I know this one but advice wuold be better then what I think I know  Is there bottled water good to drink and is it simular to here? The curency only accpeted now from Canadians is Canadian convertable pesos. I have heard they are 1 ccp = 1 US dollar? I am not really sure about the money. Do they only have pesos or is there lower amounts like we have here like dimes and nickles etc?

Thanks


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## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

<i>This turned out to be really long, but I'll post the entire thing anyway because I know it will be of interest to some of you.</i>

I took a couple of trips to Cuba in 1998-99, total about five weeks, and I made a serious effort to go off the beaten path.

Back then (and I stress that it's now been over six years since I last went -- and it was about seven years into the "Special Period"), what struck me most was the pervasive poverty. Most people were friendly and generous, but severely lacking in material comforts. Many people would put on a reasonably happy face, but it didn't take long to find undercurrents of deep unhappiness, even desperation. The scene of a dentist working under a palm tree in his back yard for minimal remuneration and with antiquated equipment may be a quaint one...but to me it was just sad. And I only saw that because that dentist had to rent rooms to travellers to make ends meet.

Transportation was generally difficult, slow, and prone to breakdowns. (I once spent four hours sitting in a train waiting for a two-hour trip to get underway, but that's just the most extreme example.) And the transportation used by most ordinary people -- flatbed trucks, rusty old trains, bicycles (with a rear passenger seat -- kind of a rickshaw), donkey- and horse-drawn carts, rickety buses, hand-me-down city buses from Montreal -- was generally very crowded and in poor condition (the donkeys and horses were particularly pathetic). Somehow I doubt this situation has improved much in six years, but I'm happy to be set straight if it has.

And in any sizeable urban area, or near any concentration of tourists, people in the streets were frankly annoying. This is not a phenomenon unique to Cuba, but being constantly (and I mean <i>constantly</i>) approached to buy bootleg (and likely counterfeit) cigars, or to check out someone's <i>paladar</i> (small-scale restaurant), or to procure a <i>chica</i> gets old really, really fast. 

Speaking of <i>chicas</i>, sex tourism was obviously rampant when I was there. Both travelling alone as a single man, and with a female companion, <i>everyone</i> assumed we both wanted to go whoring around and we received all kinds of pitches both subtle and blatant. That kind of assumption is of course based on the behaviour of visitors who went before us. Sickening. 

Equally sickening was a "stroll" I saw in the Playa del Este part of Havana, right outside a row of tourist hotels, where the girls looked even more sickly and miserable than the streetwalkers you see in Canada. Heartbreaking. <i>Please, please, please, people, do not engage in sexual exploitation at home or abroad. It's just plain vile.</i>

If you do decide to get involved with touts in the street, be aware that many of them will be all too happy to exploit your ignorance about the cost of living and the value of currency. (Again, this is surely not a uniquely Cuban thing.) So a five-cent cigar becomes a one-dollar cigar, a ten-cent glass of rum becomes $2, and so on. (I fell prey to this in my first few days.) If renting a room from a private individual, you will likely be sized up based on your appearance, age, etc. and a price will be quoted based on that; you may well wind up paying twice as much as the Argentinian backpacker staying across the hall. (Yes, six years ago and all that, but nothing I've read leads me to believe that any amount of time will stop this kind of exploitation/hustling.) 

And, to be frank, many, many of the ordinary folks I met who didn't go for the hard sell (i.e. direct requests for money) were obviously interested in knowing me because they hoped I would help them out. Which I could and did in small ways, but I'm not and never have been affluent enough to get into ongoing transfers of cash as some requested. 

Some random tidbits from my trips:

- street food: I would eat the street food (pizzas, sandwiches, ice cream, etc.), and sometimes it was terrific, especially the sweets and sweet drinks such as guarapo (fresh sugar-cane juice) and smoothies (I forget the local name). Pizza was uniformly awful. But the most fascinating thing for me was that in Havana if you went out in the morning and saw a cart with, say, ham sandwiches, it was a sure thing that every other sandwich cart in town would have exactly the same ham sandwiches that day.

- even tourist hotels and restaurants sometimes fell victim to shortages (most notably of bread...but sometimes just plain everything). 

- staying in a small, out-of-the-way resort town, population roughly 5,000, it quickly started to become obvious who was a Party member and who wasn't. And it also happened more than once that Party members of my acquaintance knew exactly where I'd been and with whom, or what my plans were, and made sure I knew that they knew. Creepy. BTW, this "resort town" was not a big tourist spot: there was one tourist hotel, which seemed mainly a destination for Party officials -- there were maybe a half-dozen foreigners there, and it was high season; and there were a couple of Cubans-only places.

- while being shown around Havana by the Cuban boyfriend of a Canadian woman I knew, we were stopped in the tourist zone of Old Havana. He got the third-degree from the cops (who ignored me except a quick conversation to determine our connection), and they wound up hauling him off to jail for lying. Yes, for telling a lie and not a false denial of a criminal act, either. (He exaggerated the closeness of our relationship -- which would have been OK with me if he'd given me some warning.) When he got out of jail a few hours later (not charged with anything), we went far away from the tourist zones and nobody bothered us at all. But this fellow most certainly did have to produce ID and justify his presence on the street to the officials...if he ventured into a designated tourist zone. 

- some places in a nutshell: Havana - lovely, lively but very crumbly; Trinidad - stunningly beautiful, but a bit of a tourist-trap; Cienfuegos - quite nice, but here I found the most aggressive beggars and greediest hustlers; Matanzas - pretty, but when I went it didn't live up to its lively reputation; Santiago - hotter than Hades, and stunningly beautiful; Baracoa - also very beautiful, but here the poverty was most blatant of all, and the sexual come-ons most aggressive; Guantanamo - flat, dull, hot (and you'll have a hard time getting so much as a glimpse of the U.S. base, which is several kilometres away from the city). 

- Also visited a number of rural areas, for example a nominally Cubans-only holiday camp near Baracoa (they let us pitch a tent), the mountains west of Santiago, and various parts of Pinar del Rio province. All lovely, full of charming people...mostly living in poverty. However, it must be said that this poverty came with shoes, clothing, housing, education, and food (though heavily weighted to carbs and all too often featuring mystery meats like domestic spam and "croquetas" which, as best I could guess, were deep-fried lard-and-cornmeal dumplings). 

It was beautiful, remarkable, unlike any other place, and utterly heartbreaking.

So, I don't want to take sides in the great pro- and anti-Castro debate, but I have to say that while both CubaMark's and MacNutt's accounts ring true in some ways, MacNutt's more closely parallels my own experience. (I haven't really debated anything much with MacNutt, but if you've been paying attention you'll realize I don't often share his point of view.) At the time I visited (again, I don't know what it's like today), this was not a happy-go-lucky land of healthy, well-fed folks. 

People were visibly hungry, and many (both male and female) were willing to prostitute themselves for nothing more than a filling meal. Parents receiving a gift of food would immediately sit the children down to eat it, and they would devour it like there was no tomorrow. Piece of chocolate for a six-year-old girl? Her first. Ever. And so on...

What I will say about the politics of the situation is this: the embargo should end, because it accomplishes only two things, both of them negative: it makes everything more expensive for ordinary people, and it gives Fidel a very good excuse to maintain a permanent state of emergency and avoid a truly competitive election for the presidency. (I don't care how democratic the municipal elections are; it doesn't change the fact that the Party is omnipresent and omnipotent in every sphere that matters most.)

I think there is genuine affection for Fidel, and he might even win a fair and open election, but it speaks volumes that he can't or won't do it. Part of the problem, of course, is that such an election is virtually impossible because the United States would do everything it could to guarantee a Castro loss. My dream is that the United States would lift the embargo in exchange for free elections minus American meddling. Thanks to the Miami lobby, that's impossible...since they will settle for nothing less than an Iraqi-style dismantling of the state. And that's a great big shame.


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Outstanding post, iMatt.

I spent most of the late nineties in Cuba (Camaguey and las Tunas. Rarely Havana) and that is pretty much exactly what I saw and felt about the place.

You wrote:
"It was beautiful, remarkable, unlike any other place, and utterly heartbreaking."

You have said it better than I ever could.


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

And for everyone's information, the last time I was in Cuba was in 2002. It had gotten somwhat worse by then. The sugar markets had collapsed so badly that they were letting the cane flower in the fields instead of harvesting it. No one I met there had ever seen that before. And several of the tourist hotels had closed as well.

Hurtin place full of unhappy people.

The Americans should end the embargo and Fidel should announce free and fair elections. And he should also legalise opposition parties and let all of the political prisoners out of jail.

It's their only hope. Otherwise nothing will ever change. It'll only keep on getting worse.


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## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

BTW, Google Maps doesn't have maps of Cuba but it does have satellite pics at about the same resolution as their British Isles pics. 

Here's Moa from up above, <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?&ll=20.631294,-74.925728&spn=0.094242,.121193&t=k&hl=en">and it looks pretty unpleasant even from so far up.</a> If I'm not mistaken, that big reddish-brown blob in the middle is an open-pit mine. A really, really big open-pit mine.

Mark, any comments on your visit to Moa? I'm curious because it's a place I'd read about before going to the country but that had seemed very much worth avoiding because of the heavy industry.


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## Clockwork (Feb 24, 2002)

Thanks for the posts guys. With everything there will often be bi-polar and possibly biased views of information depending on what side your on. Also just like in Canada and the US there is good and bad places to visit. Go to the slums and that will be your point of view if you see nothing else. One of Stalins famous quotes is "The people who cast the votes don't decide an election, the people who count the votes do". So having elections means nothing if Castro decides who he wants in and I some how think it happens there. This Quote also sounds like The States and the Florida voting process i during the first Bush campaign. I think Gore would of won personaly but then again I dont trust or like the Bush's way of buisness. Castro in my opinion, will never give up his power. Why would he. Personly from what I have read, heard and know about the Stalinist stlye of Comunisim, the people do not come first. America controls too much through there Capatilistic society and I agree America should lift the embargo on Cuba, but hey with America people dont come first there either, the Elite do and they have lots of starving homeless people there. If i get ripped off $1 and it helps some poor guy with a family then you know what, I could care less. I spend more money on garbage here that I dont need anyway. So a buck is only a buck. 

Thanks Again


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## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

Sure, getting ripped for a buck is no big deal. The thing is, if you're not careful you'll get ripped for a buck here and a buck there, five bucks here, ten bucks there, over and over again and your trip just got a <b>lot</b> more expensive. Personally, I would prefer to help out honest people.

BTW, if you're using Safari please consider checking out Edit > Spelling. It will make your words much easier to read if you get rid of most of the spelling mistakes.


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## Clockwork (Feb 24, 2002)

I understand what your saying regarding helping people out. Most of the money I would give to people would be tips at the resort. How much would you say would be reasonable. I have no idea. As for Safari I didn't know about spell check so thanks. My writing, particularly spelling is generally crap. My wife was in India several years ago and they do the same thing there trying to make an extra buck or two. Street workers and people trying to extort tourists etc. I am sure most countries do this even developed countries  What kind of currency other then the pesos do they use? Is there anything under that like what we have here, nickels, quarters and dimes? Also I read something about the voltage they use and I would need a 220v converter? What are the best cigars and how much approximately should I be paying for them?

Thanks for your input.


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## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

Sorry, I can't answer most of your questions, as I assume too much has changed since I was there. (And I remember very little about cigars, except that if you plan to buy then you should educate yourself in identifying fakes.) 

I guess it's safe to say that there are still various denominations of bills and coins. 

And I think the voltage is the same as here. 

If you think you might spend a lot of time outside the resort, you should consider reading a guidebook such as Moon's or Lonely Planet. Could be interesting for you anyway, even if you are only going to leave for a day trip or two.


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

Monetary tips are split amongst all the resort workers. If you want to reward a particular person something tangible ie we left some swim fins for one person we met and liked. Left the partial bottles of liquers for the bartenders. etc.

We left a convertible peso a day for the cleaning staff and a bit more at the end.
Bottom line the country can use our support so be generous.

I can't speak to the western portion but hunger did not appear an issue nor did the people we spoke to mention it - but water is a big time problem in the east due to a long drought - the worst in 70 years.

The mix of vehicles is hilarious and innovative and appropriate to the areas we were in.
I saw little difference in local living standard than other areas of the Carribean I've been in, clearly better schools and medical without a doubt.

The east and south east were where the revolution started with less than 100 people and it's evident there. That part of the island was super poor according to the one Cuban we chatted at length with.
Holguin certainly did not bother me anywhere near as much as San Francisco with hoemless parked outside the shops.

People were out at all hours, police kept good order, well dressed, well spoken and helpful and kept an eye on things.
Portions of Holguin were vehicle free, good one way street system.
It IS confusing to fnd things - there is not the great number of commercial signage but that's true of many towns in the south of France as well. A guide is useful in the cities.

Every place on the planet with tourists has it's share of shysters willing to skim the touristas including Key West 90 miles north.

Cuba needs it's infrastructure improved - it doesn't need the commercialization and excess of places like St. Thomas.
I'm very pleased to see a lot of Canadians there and well papreciated by Cubans for our long term support despite the US idiocy. Canadian support is acknowledged and appreciated.


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## William (Jan 5, 2004)

Clockwork said:


> I know that it is only nice around the resort areas .


If you were to take a cycling tour (which unfortunately are not available all the time), or if you were to travel throughout the country on your own, you would find out otherwise.


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Cuba is always worth seeing. Every single part of it. The place is absolutely fascinating. No matter what method you use to get around.

When I was last there the US dollar was still the preferred currency (they wouldn't take Canadian dollars anywhere I ever went). A dollar was a great tip. Lots of smiles when you handed them one.

All of the places I spent time in use exactly the same current and plugs as we do. No problems there, as far as I know.

About cigars:

(I smoke cigars, so I have some knowledge on this subject. Hopefully it is not too out of date for the current reality in Cuba.)

On buying cigars in the street:

IMHO it's not worth it. I have had VERY mixed results. Particularly with the most popular brands like Monte Cristos and Cohibas (are there ANY real Cohibas being sold in Cuba? Even in the government stores? I think not).

The box and the packaging may look spot on...even to a very experienced buyer. The box may have all of the right stamps and excise marks (and there are a TON of those). The cigars may look and smell great. And the price of 20 bucks or so might be very tempting.

But the cigars might turn out to be worthless and unsmokeable. So tight you can't draw on them. Filled with stems (take one apart and see). Or just plain BAD.

Especially Monte Cristos and Cohibas. Yuckola.

You might get lucky and buy a box of cigars worth several hundred dollars for only twenty bucks...but don't count on it. Mostly the street cigars are crap. Mostly.

On buying cigars in the government stores:

I'd steer well clear of Cohibas, even in a government store. There is so much poverty in Cuba, and such a lot of money to be made in selling fakes, and the Cohiba is such a legendary name, that I suspect that many of the government approved sellers are also in on the scam. A single box of convincing fake Cohibas sold for the going rate of 80 or one hundred bucks is more than a Cuban doctor makes over a four month period.

The temptation to substitute is overwhelming, no doubt. (note here: I have NEVER smoked a good Cohiba. Every single one I ever lit tasted like ass. Stale ass) Monte Cristos are also usually garbage. But not always.

Good brands to watch for are Partagas...always had good luck with those, especially the smaller ones...and my personal favorites, which are "H.Uppmann's" in the aluminium tubes (TUBOS).

I have never seen a counterfeit box of Uppmann's...and never had a truly bad one anywhere in Cuba. The guys in the street never seemed to be able to get them, either. Not sure why...but it works for me.

Also, I have heard that a guy can pick up cigars if you do a factory tour and keep some money visible in your hand while checking out the cigar making process. Never done it myself...but several guys have told me that this is a good way to get a break on the price.

Hope this helps a bit. Like I said, I haven't been there in about three years, so take it as advice only. Things can change.


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## autopilot (Dec 2, 2004)

MacNutt said:


> (note here: I have NEVER smoked a good Cohiba. Every single one I ever lit tasted like ass. Stale ass)


should we trust you on this? after all, if anyone knows how ass tastes...


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

I'll get to your previous questions a little later tonight, but on the matter of cigars, some essential reading:
<ul>
<li><a href="http://havanajournal.com/culture_comments/A1932_0_3_0_M/">How to avoid buying counterfeit cigars</a></li>
</ul>

M.


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## Clockwork (Feb 24, 2002)

I was doing some research and even in Canada, CBC was reporting that 80% of the Cuban cigars sold here are most likely fake. From what I have been reading, I highly doubt I will get real ones, even experienced people have trouble. They are making the boxes look even better then the real thing. They look good, smell good and are probably crap once you start puffing. I read about a guy who went into a house of someone he met on the street and they said come up stairs and he said no and they used the typical BS line that his sister works in the factory. Anyway he bolted after several friends showed up into a public area. Even the stores that are supposed to be authentic I have read buy and sell fakes. We get one excursion to Guardalavaca. I have no idea what it includes but I vaguely remember someone saying that they paid someone to take them to the cigar factory and some zoo of birds. If I can pull that off I may be in luck. If not I probably will stick with the cheap cigars rather then pay several hundred for fakes.


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

In Old Havana, behind the Capitolio building, is a cigar factory. Go there... you can take a tour, see them being made, and buy from the in-factory shop.

M.


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Personally, I'd buy them right from the factory...or just stick with the lesser known brands from a government approved outlet. Those are more likely to be "the real thing". Partagas, and especially, Uppmann's. A lesser know REAL cuban cigar will beat the heck out of almost anything you might want to torch up. From ANYWHERE. Certainly better than any of the clever Cuban counterfeits. Which are often unsmokeable.

When I was there, the going rate "on the street" for Cohibas or Monte Cristos or Romeo Y Julietas was about twenty bucks U$ a box. The Government stores would charge you about eighty bucks or more. (The same box might go for three hundred or more back home, BTW.)

My advice? Pay the price. The cheapos, no matter WHAT you may be told, aren't worth a pinch of coonsh*t. No matter how good they may look or smell.

And DON'T buy Cohibas. Not even from a government store.


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## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

MacNutt said:


> Hurtin place full of unhappy people.


MacNutt, this is certainly consistent with my experience, but I'm inclined to reserve judgment on today's situation. It's not inconceivable that they've worked out a lot of the food supply and distribution problems that were so obvious at the time I was there. And when you've got a full belly, a lot of unhappiness vanishes. In general, I think it's safe to say that most people value a safe life free from hunger more than they value political freedom. Indeed, if calls for political freedom are getting louder, that's probably a reflection of <i>improvement</i> in other areas!


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

They have more oil now due to several recent events...so power is not as big a problem as it once was. Food is still scarce and of poor quality and always will be until they abandon the command style economic model that failed so miserably in every other country that ever tried it.

I am in regular contact with several people in Cuba via emails and letters. Most are Canadians living there long-term, a few are Cubans I worked with while I was there. They all seem to be telling me that "this is the year that we mnake a BIG CHANGE!" They've been saying this since just after Fidel did his public face splat last fall.

Not sure if it will actually happen as soon as that...but there certainly have been a lot more public protests in Cuba lately. And prison riots. And there seems to be real hope mixed in with the desperation of late.

Clockwork:

If you are going to see Cuba "as it is now"....I'd say you'd best hurry. Somethings afoot.


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

> They have more oil now due to several recent events...so power is not as big a problem as it once was.


Welll.... actually, there are still significant challenges in the power-generation field, though some improvements have come. This article, which discusses Cuba's recent move to <b>double the minimum wage</b>, includes an extensive discussion of what Cubans can expect in the area of power availability. 

M.


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

Clockwork,

My M.A. was in International Development Studies. My research examined Cuba's deployment of a national, community-level informatics training and literacy network (the "Joven Club de Computación y Electrónica". My research was conducted over a four-month period, during which time I was based in Havana and travelled extensively throughout the island.


> I have heard also that Cubans love when you bring them items that they cannot get such as soaps etc. I wanted to know a few things if anyone has info I would appreciate it.


In the mid-1990s, this was true - soaps, shampoos, deodorant, etc. were hard to come by. Now, however, those goods are available in the country. It's far more appropriate to tip well if you want to help... particularly as this allows the recipients to decide where they should spend that money. It's impossible for tourists to know what is a priorty for those people.


> Is there bottled water good to drink and is it simular to here?


Bottled water is fine, no worries.


> The curency only accpeted now from Canadians is Canadian convertable pesos. I have heard they are 1 ccp = 1 US dollar? I am not really sure about the money. Do they only have pesos or is there lower amounts like we have here like dimes and nickles etc?


For info on tipping, etc, and various other tips, check out Vancouver-based CubaFriends.ca. Those interested in seeing more than just the beach might want to check out Cuba Friends' customized / educational tour packages, including one that I'm working with them to develop in March, 2006! <i>(shamless plug)</i>

iMatt:


> Transportation was generally difficult, slow, and prone to breakdowns. (I once spent four hours sitting in a train waiting for a two-hour trip to get underway, but that's just the most extreme example.)


I hear you... I dozed on a cold concrete bench in Holguin one night for a train that was four hours late due to a breakdown. Yes, my friends, it does get pretty darn chilly in Cuba...


> And the transportation .... Somehow I doubt this situation has improved much in six years, but I'm happy to be set straight if it has.


There has been new investment in the transporation sector, and later this year there will be a large increase in the number of buses on the streets, following an agreement with China. Keep in mind that bus service in Cuba is ridiculously cheap - only a few centavos - and is one of the <i>essential services</i> that the government keeps within easy economic reach.


> Speaking of chicas, sex tourism was obviously rampant when I was there.


This is perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the Special Period and the increase in tourism. Prostitution had been pretty much eliminated since 1959, when an active social / educational campaign was undertaken to give women in Cuba legitimate options to earn a living. Its re-appearance has caused no end of disgust and shame within the country. It's also provoked a great deal of anger among people who see prostitutes as taking the 'easy' way out, giving Cuba a bad reputation in exchange for money and "nice things." Particularly today, a decade after the very worst years of the economic crisis, nobody sees <i>jineterismo</i> as a 'survival' tactic.


> street food: I would eat the street food (pizzas, sandwiches, ice cream, etc.), and sometimes it was terrific, especially the sweets and sweet drinks such as guarapo (fresh sugar-cane juice) and smoothies (I forget the local name). Pizza was uniformly awful.


Heh... funny... the 'street pizza' was one of my favourites... I spent more time walking to my office than I did in peso taxis, so I had lots of opportunity. Oddly enough, I lost weight despite the high cheese content (but god knows what my cholestoral level was!).


> But the most fascinating thing for me was that in Havana if you went out in the morning and saw a cart with, say, ham sandwiches, it was a sure thing that every other sandwich cart in town would have exactly the same ham sandwiches that day.


That's because one central plant produced the sandwiches. Remember that this is a state-run economy, and few private businesses are permitted. All of the pizza vendors receive their product from government distributors. Uniformity is ensured. There were one or two 'alternative' pizza places, like on on Calle 23 near Avenida de los Presidentes (to the left of the theatre), that served a crispy-crust "italian"-style pizza.


> ...this fellow most certainly did have to produce ID and justify his presence on the street to the officials...if he ventured into a designated tourist zone.


Right... a common occurance. The government knows that tourism is vitally important to the economy, and as such, tries to ensure that tourists aren't overly hassled by tourists. Critics see this as "harassment," whereas for Cuba it's protecting the product. Why should the government allow Cubans who are trying to exploit tourists for their own gain, the opportunity to do so, particularly if it may affect that tourists' decision to come back for another visit? And why isn't that Cuban who is harassing a tourist at his/her place of work? (tourism draws people away from their official job, leading to absenteeism).


> Guantanamo - flat, dull, hot (and you'll have a hard time getting so much as a glimpse of the U.S. base, which is several kilometres away from the city).


...unless you take a tour to the Cuban side of the base! For those interested, here's the welcome message given to those American sailors who report to the illegally-occupied UNSN Guantanamo Bay Naval Station.


> full of charming people...mostly living in poverty. However, it must be said that this poverty came with shoes, clothing, housing, education, and food...


Congratulations - you broke through the barrier. Many tourists returning from Cuba, particularly if they've never vacationed anywhere where they've gone off-resort, see only the 'poverty.' While sub-standard housing, a less-than-diverse food supply and lack of consumer goods may be 'poverty' to some, the provision of the basic goods to everyone is something hundreds of millions of people in the world do not have.


> I think there is genuine affection for Fidel, and he might even win a fair and open election, but it speaks volumes that he can't or won't do it.


Define "fair and open" election.


> Part of the problem, of course, is that such an election is virtually impossible because the United States would do everything it could to guarantee a Castro loss.


Just as it did in Nicaragua, although that was preceded by years of murderous support by Washington to the Contra mercenaries. Fortunately for Cuba, it shares no border with a U.S. client state from which such attacks could be launched. Were it not an island, Cuba's history would be decidedly different.

M.


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## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

CubaMark said:


> Right... a common occurance. The government knows that tourism is vitally important to the economy, and as such, tries to ensure that tourists aren't overly hassled by tourists. Critics see this as "harassment," whereas for Cuba it's protecting the product. Why should the government allow Cubans who are trying to exploit tourists for their own gain, the opportunity to do so, particularly if it may affect that tourists' decision to come back for another visit? And why isn't that Cuban who is harassing a tourist at his/her place of work? (tourism draws people away from their official job, leading to absenteeism)


The strange thing was that many streets both in the cities and smaller towns were full of young men and women doing what I would call "harassment" -- repeatedly accosting tourists who were minding their own business, sometimes persistently following them to hawk their "services," not taking "no thanks" for an answer -- but I never once saw one of <i>them</i> stopped by the police. 

In my anecdote, I was simply accompanied by a Cuban, and I specifically told the police he wasn't bothering me. So it was noteworthy to me because I was in the company of a Cuban, nothing more. Not being harrassed, not telling him to go away, not handing him money or goods. The only logical explanation is that he was known to the police, but then the encounter still seems bizarre because he was taken off the street and put back on almost right away.

As for absenteeism from official jobs...at the time it seemed clear enough that many people didn't care about their official jobs, and their official jobs didn't really seem to care about them. 

BTW, I knew about the sandwich factory; I just thought it was interesting.


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

I should note here that many of my buddies in Cuba are married to Cuban ladies. They are all committed to the place and live there full time.

ALL of them have told me horror stories about their wives being harassed at government checkpoints, or on the street. But, oddly enough, when the Canadian hubby shows up the harassment stops and the smiles come out. 

Even from SEPSA, which is Fidel's elite special police force.

My Cuban doctor girlfriend was overjoyed when I took her to several beaches that she was prevented from ever visiting when she was on her own. She told me that, with some exceptions, Cuban citizens must give good reasons to be travelling or visiting areas of their own country where they don't live or work.

Or they face arrest and questioning. Possibly even prison.

What a paradise. No wonder the rest of the third world isn't exactly breaking down the doors to get in. And no wonder so many Cubans want to get the heck OUT!


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## Clockwork (Feb 24, 2002)

I leave for Cuba tomorrow. I can't wait. Thanks for all the helpful advise. I really appreciate it. I have also done a fair bit of research myself. I always do my research on anything I find interesting. You can never be too informed. 

An old friend came by yesterday and told me that he had been to Cuba last year some time. He didn't stay in a resort, he stayed with a family in Havana. He told me the only thing they had to eat was egg's and bread. Mind you this guy has had some serious eating problems all his life. So maybe eggs are it all he choose to eat . He said it was great being there but they don't have items that we take for granted such as salt, pepper etc. I bought a few baseballs and I am going to leave some tooth paste and tooth brushes etc. As for the cigars I don't think I will get real ones. I read on CBC that 80% of Cuban cigars sold in Canada may be fake.

http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/scams/cigars/

So I think i'll pass on the expensive cigars. Paying $200- 300 or whatever then getting fakes would really suck. They even make boxes look better then the real thing. I have also read that they use the official old boxes and put fake cigars in it. I'll just buy some of the lesser known cigars. I think I get one trip to to the city, I think it is also included a trip to the cigar factory. I'll buy them from there.

Thanks


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## MacDoc (Nov 3, 2001)

> The strange thing was that many streets both in the cities and smaller towns were full of young men and women doing what I would call "harassment" -- repeatedly accosting tourists who were minding their own business, sometimes persistently following them to hawk their "services," not taking "no thanks" for an answer -- but I never once saw one of them stopped by the police.


I can say *EXACTLY* the same thing about San Franciso and it's far worse and far more aggressive than the little bit we encountered in Cuba.
It's one main reason I don't go to MacWorld anymore.


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## Clockwork (Feb 24, 2002)

From what I read it is pretty safe in Cuba. My friend told me that people are afraid to comment crimes due to harsh sentences. I also read crime is fairly low. I would imagine in san Francisco the crime rate is much higher then Cuba, along with all of the US. Not to say that the sentences are not harsh in the States, but people don't seem to care, look at Texas and the crime and the death penalty. I feel much safer going to Cuba. It's probably similar to Toronto and the street people. You just ignore them. I really hate doing it, but after you have been asked several times within several minutes it gets bloody annoying. I have been harassed in Toronto. One time years ago by Two native drunk men. A friend and I were coming out of the subway to the street and two guys would not let us go by them without giving them money. Cuba is probably worse then Toronto but I most likely wont go outside of the resort too often if at all.


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## gordguide (Jan 13, 2001)

Haven't read all the previous posts, but if it hasn't been mentioned yet:

Be sure you have travel health insurance from a non-US-owned company. You won't be able to use it in Cuba if the parent is US owned (the US gov't forbids it).


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Clockwork...

I wouldn't be too awfully concerned about being hassled for money in the street. The Cubans aren't nearly as agressive as the panhandlers in any large Canadian city. And, yes, the place is VERY safe. Crime is not nearly so prevalent as it is in most other latin countries. Or even here in Canada, for that matter.

This is, as has been noted earlier, because of harsh sentences. There are particularly stiff penalties for harassing or stealing from touristas. And the court system in Cuba is pretty much a rubber stamp for the government. If a Cuban is charged with a crime, then said Cuban pretty much ALWAYS goes to jail for that crime. (sometimes they go to jail even if they haven't done anything wrong)  

On cigars:

Buying lesser known brands from the government stores should be totally safe, but quite a bit more expensive than buying them in the street. last time I was there you could get top name brands off the street for 20 or 30 bucks (US) a box. H.Uppmann's or a decent box of Partagas in the government store ran about 80 dollars and up.

As noted previously, the lesser known brands don't seem to be counterfeited very often, if at all. And the most popular...Cohibas and Monte Cristos...ALL seem to be counterfeit. No matter where you buy them. Spend your money carefully and don't try to bring back more than the allotted amount. You may not get out of the Cuban airport with them.

You DO know that you have to clear Cuban customs when leaving? Not just when entering Canada from Cuba. They will be checking for excess cigars....and if you are packing more than the stated limit, they will sieze them. You will not be paid for them either. Trust me on this.

One final note:

If you stay in the resorts you will have no problem with food. If you spend any time out in the country and away from the tourist areas, you will discover that food is both scarce and poor. Salt and pepper are not very commonly seen on any table and what food there is, is pretty bland. Not much in the way of veggies, and the only meat choices are usually some variation on the pork/ham thing or chicken. Usually the thigh and leg. Forget about spicy food. It's not available in Cuba. Fruit is also quite scarece outside of the tourist areas or the big cities...and "Palidars" (small private resteraunts in someones house) are not usually marked by any sort of prominent signage. In fact, there is not much commercial signage at all. Not much commercial activity at all, really.

It's a VERY different place from anything you might have seen before.

Enjoy!


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## Clockwork (Feb 24, 2002)

I have insurance through RBC. It was an option with the Package so we took it instead of going anywhere else to avoid the hassle. Thanks for the tips on what kind of cigars. I will look into them. I read something about 50 cigars you could bring back to Canada. Now that was only the Canadian customs, 
I am not too sure on the Cuban side. I will have to look into it. 

Thanks 

We just bought a new digital camera so i'll try to post some pics later on


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## iMatt (Dec 3, 2004)

MacDoc said:


> I can say *EXACTLY* the same thing about San Franciso and it's far worse and far more aggressive than the little bit we encountered in Cuba.
> It's one main reason I don't go to MacWorld anymore.


No doubt, but please scroll back up and look at the context: I only mentioned what I did because Mark concluded that the Cuban I was with that day got stopped for "harrassing a tourist," and that the police routinely do (or did) this. 

So in response I simply pointed out that a) the guy was harassing no one and b) I saw lots of "harrassment" that went utterly unpunished. (Not that I think that asking for money or offering black- or grey-market services <i>should</i> be punished; but persistently doing so without backing off when asked should be.) 

In other words, something doesn't add up. It seems to me that back when I was there, in 1998-99, pestering the tourists was permitted or at least tolerated in some areas; while in other areas simply walking in public with a tourist was not permitted.


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## MacNutt (Jan 16, 2002)

Lots of stuff is "not permitted" by Fidels government. Cubans face restrictions on daily life that we can't even imagine. 

But, rest assured, as a foreigner from another land, you will pretty much have the run of the place. 

"_Viva la REVOLUCION!_"


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