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Author: Subject: Travel to Cuba? Probably not worth the risk
CortezBlue
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[*] posted on 5-5-2013 at 06:05 PM


Let's make this simple.

The USA is the only country that restricts travel to Cuba, with the exception of the obvious countries that don't allow most residents to go anywhere.

I have been to Sandal's in Jamaica and met many a foreigners that told me that Sandal's and some of the other resorts in Cuba are wonderful.

So as a Mexican permanent resident, I think I could enter Cuba with my Mexico Residents card.

However, I have talked to many Americans who have gone to Cuba through Cancun, and everyone of them told me that they look at your passport and ask if you want it stamped?

I had an opportunity to go legally to Cuba in a cultural exchange program, but it was VERY expensive and at 55, I would have been the youngest traveler by 20 years.
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EnsenadaDr
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[*] posted on 5-7-2013 at 06:54 AM


Beyonce and her husband just went to Cuba with the full blessing of the American government. When I was in medical school, several Mexicans went to Cuba to go to medical school free in exchange for 6 years of service or something like that after they got their MD. Mexicans think very highly of Cuban medicine, it was interesting to see Vince's comments about the rudimentary equipment. I had heard in my medical school that Cuban medicine was state of the art. My dad told me that he had a friend in the 50's right before the revolution whose father was a lawyer, and they used to take a ferry to Havana, and stay in this beautiful mansion. It always sounded so exotic...I have always wanted to go there, the beaches I hear are spectacular and it's pretty cheap there to travel.
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mirko
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[*] posted on 5-7-2013 at 04:39 PM


I read a lot about Cuba and also get first hand reports from people who have recently been there.

1. Medical care is widely available. They have hit on a good model, I think. Lots of low level doctors to stitch you up, set a broken bone or monitor your blood pressure. Little high tech medicine except in Havana and that is usually available to people in the government. It's good in the sense that we probably need more of that here. Doctors that are really "almost a doctor" but can do all kinds of things that a high power doctor does not need to handle.

2. The countryside is spectacular in every way. The water is gorgeous and largely unspoiled. If you've been to Costa Rica, then you know that rich green countryside and Cuba is very similar.

3. The people are warm and love Americans. Unfortunately there is a lot of cheap prostitution which goes pretty much unchecked. This seems to come and go but it's pretty rampant now. There is music everywhere. We have a strong African heritage. We invented all the stuff that is now called Salsa, and probably most of Jazz as well. I had the pleasure of seeing the Buena Vista Social Club at UCLA and it was memmorable. Rent the DVD, it's wonderful and very well made. I believe it won the Oscar for some category, either best documentary or best foreign film. Maybe not. It's a real trip.

4. It's hard to deny that 54 years without elections is just wrong. The Castro brothers pass the country around to each other as if it were a loaf of bread.

The embargo is a failure and needs to stop. The embargo punishes the government at the expense of the Cuban people. We need to go to a system where we benefit the Cuban people even if it also benefits the government slightly. In Pierre Sallinger's autobiography he talks about how the night before Kennedy puts on the embargo he asked Pierre to take a van from the White House vehicle pool and drive around DC and pick up as many Cuban cigars as he could. Pierre comes back with hundreds of boxes for Kennedy. Pretty hipocritical.

I may go next summer. This summer is too crowded already with Europe, Flagstaff (my old geezers trip) and Mexico. I was scheduled to go with my wife and daughter last summer but I became disenchanted when I read "Take me with You", which I highly recommed. I would not be able to go to Cuba at this time and just stay in fancy resorts that are off limits to Cubans. I would have to go to my little home town which has few facilities and also go to the old haunts I remember, none of them tourist attractions. I think you should all go. I will also return soon.
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chuckie
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[*] posted on 5-7-2013 at 05:25 PM


I guess a person could just sit in Bakersfield, or wherever..but why? Cuba is a great place...Whats a lil risk? Whats the the worst thing that could happen? Deja Vu in Viet Nam?



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