Other aspects of Cuba

Houndoc

Registered User
Location
Grantsville
To go along with my post on the cars of Cuba, thought I would put up a few photos and a little info about the rest the country.

First, I was very surprised at how open the people were to talk politics and to be critical of their government. Talking with a farmer he explained that they have to sell 90% of their crop to the government "for really lousy prices" and a veterinarian I met talked about leaving working for the government-owned clinics (he was paid $20/month) and now running his own, illegal (but not really hidden) practice that he admits is '100 years behind.' They mocked their leaders (and President Trump.) And we had some interesting discussion about how the economic embargo from the US is what has propped up the communist government by giving them a scape-goat for their own failed policies. They also openly discussed the food and fuel shortages they deal with.

We could go anywhere we wanted and our Cuban guide told us on the first day that we have nothing to fear in regard to physical violence (although discussed a few scams) and we can feel safe going anyplace in the city any time of day or night. We wandered a lot of places we would not have felt safe in a US city and never felt the least bit threatened.

One big surprise was the common use of horses outside of Havana. Horse drawn carts commonly seen on major highways and what they call (in Spanish of course) 'mini-buses') are horse wagons that carry about 6 passengers.

I will start with a few pictures from in and around Havana.
 

Houndoc

Registered User
Location
Grantsville
Thanks for sharing. Looks like a beautiful country! A lot nicer than I was lead to believe.

They have their challenges, and I would love to see what it would have looked like in its prime. Parts of it look tired and worn out but reflect a past glory.
 

Houndoc

Registered User
Location
Grantsville
And last of all from the area around the Bay of Pigs (yes, that Bay of Pigs.) Some wonderful snorkeling- an area I wish we could have spent more time in.

Playa Largo 2.jpgPlaya Largo.jpgroad to Bay of Pigs.jpgCave of Fishes.jpglunch bird Playa.jpgmap.jpg

Another interesting note was on Sunday we attending church in Havana. There are two LDS branches in the country, with a total membership according to the Church's website of about 50.
 

POR

Active Member
What is LDS? Beautiful place. I thought they shut us down from traveling there again?
 

Houndoc

Registered User
Location
Grantsville
Beautiful place. I thought they shut us down from traveling there again?

Seems like the travel restrictions are kind of a joke. Officially you can not travel to Cuba as tourist on a US passport. There are several classifications of travel that are allowed- including "support of the Cuban people". So tour groups are legal in that we 'support the Cuban people' by spending money there (we did stay in privately owned homes that function as bed and breakfasts and not the hotels which are all at least partially owned by the Cuban government.)

We obtained our Cuban visa at the airline counter and they never asked us for anything but our credit card.
 
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