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I was there in November 2003 for one week. On at least two occassions, I saw chicas stopped by policia on the stretch of road leading to the beach. But! by some miracles, there were a few (not many 3 or 4) local chicas still hanging around at the beach. Obviously these chicas are like lightening rods and attract the attention of male tourists.
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Cubanito, where are you from? and where are you going to Cuba again?
El Cubanito
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My friend who used to go to Havana all the time via Cancun and Nassau told me that the Cubans will stamp an extra sheet of paper in your passport, but not the passport itself. So, you can take the paper out of the pasport and do with it as you please. You may want to keep it around in a travel scrapbook to show and impress your friends.
I never have gone there because I'm wary of Cubana Air aircraft. I don't think any of those pieces of Russian junk would pass FAA inspection regs standards.
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Gentlemen,
This is my first post. But I’m not really a Newbie. I have visited this forum for some years, getting helpful Info and following discussions which often contained interesting points and also sometimes not too much bullshit. Now I will try to give some info and points of view back in future. Please apologize for my poor vocabulary as English is not my mother-language. I’m from central Europe.
First of all I would like to give my compliments and admiration to the creator of this site, which I find is very practical and good maintained. Also it is free of charge and even free of commercials what really strikes me (created in the US of A). The site has appropriate rules and it seems to attract mongerers of a certain ethical level and intelligence….
Thank you very much Jackson
As we are here on the Cuban board I have first to admit that this country is one of the most wonderful places I have visited on this planet. The board, specially the Havana section contains a lot of info and advice for Mongerers and I can’t really add substantial news to it. But what worries me is to read occasionally some unreflected criticism on Fidel, even from respected Senior Members like Saint or our Professor (Havanaman). To reflect these critics, I’d like you to consider following sight of view, which may be somehow polemic but nevertheless contain some truth:
Note:
Fidel stands here as a short-term for: The Socialist system in Cuba “Socialismo Tropical” created and established after Revolution in the 60ties; and includes of course all power maintaining nasty actions and measures of the Cuban Government to keep the system surviving until today.
AA) What are the reasons you guys go to Cuba instead of having a good time in Miami or in Santo Domingo?
It is not the landscape nor the beaches! It is the truly founded and maintained Culture, the Music, the Santeria, the Openheartedness of the Chicas (GFE) and their dedicated BJ techniques. It is the general high education and the good sound faith most of the chicas in Cuba have, because they don’t have to watch all the horror movies and other - from our free Industry created - crap and learn all the evil, hate and fear in their youth. They are not raised in an environment where everybody and everything is being commercialized and therefore they are still somehow innocent in that respect. That’s what attracts you folks. Now what is responsible for all this?
Fidel
BB) I know, there are many difficult and unpleasant circumstances and situations for the Cubans due to the power-maintaining measures of the Government, but many of them are caused because this country lives in a unfriendly environment, is attacked diplomatically and economically by The Big Big Neighbor in the North (TBBNitN) since decades. It is actually a unique island-museum, middle in the Capitalist-Ocean. And there are definitely some good points in the Cuban Socialism left (e.g. affordable Health and Education for everybody) and there is very little Crime in Cuba.
I also admit, that there is little freedom and an absence of democracy in Cuba (at least you can join the PCC and get elected even without being wealthy). But:
May I ask you where the Freedom is in the US for Non-wealthy people, for jobless people, for the Natives left, for Non-CEOs or generally for Non-winners?
May I ask you if you really call it Democracy what is happening now until November. Does the “American People” really have a choice to choose an appropriate Government, which is acting in the interest of the “American People” and not just filling their pockets and paying back into their buddies’ pockets within the next 4 years?
What I mean is: Do you know a convincing alternative for the Cuban People? I hear that George W. does, but why should the American system of “Freedom and Democracy” naturally be the best system for all Nations on this planet?
CC) What happens if Fidel disappears?
I think TBBNitN will take the opportunity and intervene somehow. A US-friendly Government will open all doors and all the Miami-bandits, which had to leave forty years ago, will move in and claim their pieces of the cake back. The managers, producers and creators will move in and tell the Cuban musicians what and how to play, how to dress and what to say to the music-press, in order to fulfill the needs of the Market. Spanish speaking pimps, trained in Miami, will move in; and all other horny guys, who obeyed the embargo before, will come and stand in line with you guys. But don’t worry, the pimps will organize and manage this and tell you the price according the market economical laws…
Do you really want that???
If not, then support Fidel. Enjoy Cuba as long as he is there.
Schang van Fenchel
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support fidel? you must not have spent much time in cuba or you are smoking crack! with all due respect, those things you mention that make cuba precious are there in spite of, not because of fidel. the cuban spirit existed and persisted long before him and through him. cubans are the most wonderful people on earth, and among the most miserable. they would gladly trade some of their safety (which, if you talk enough to cubans, you will find it is overstated) for a breath of freedom. fidel has lied to and cheated those people, and a public hanging would be too good for him (and most cubans will privately agree with that statement).
do i think the u.s. has the solution for cuba? no, and i agree with you totally there. there is less freedom of speech in miami than there is in cuba, and despite their common heritage those right-wing terrorists in miami are worlds apart ideologically from their brethren across the straits.
there is no perfect solution, but i'd, and i believe most cubans, would opt for a dose of freedom, in spite of the bad that inevitably comes with it.
just my humble opinion, based on my experience.
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Not to get political however - - - -
Castro is no worse than others the U.S. has supported over the years and is doing today.
Also, many Cubans don't compare their life with that in the U.S. but with other Caribbean countries.
Yes, Cuba is a police state with many restrictions on freeedom. But look at what "we" are doing in Iraq. Sometimes killing innocent civilians who happen to be in harm's way. It's called "coolateral damage" and we are inflicting it more than the other side. But we don't want to mention this.
Yes, Fidel has done some things which could be considered inhumane, such as shooting down an unarmed private plane. But, would Cuba be better off without Fidel? We don't know. Right now most everyone is poor (notice I say "most") but if/when democracy comes, who is to say there won't be a large number of Cubans who are in worse shape than they are now and some who suddenly jump to the upper class?
History will judge Castro in context just as it will the U.S. So until that judgment comes in, let's just have our own people-to-people program and infuse some $$ to the people of Cuba by our visits. Yes, it ultimately supports the Government which "we" don't like but before it gets to their coffers, it benefits the individuals we give it to. And we know that what we spend doesn't make or break Fidel. If it hasn't in the last 40 years, it won't in the next 40 months.
So much for my political rambling.
Spock.
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Yeah, I think the most important thing is to compare Cuba with other Caribbean countries, not with the US. The whole IMF-free trade movement of the last 20 years has decimated the home-grown economies of all the other Caribbean countries and made them nothing but branches of US TransNationalCorporations, paying them a buck a day to pick bananas, and when people try and rebel against this, the CIA sends in the Contras. It's great for the Bush-funding CEOs of Chiquita etc, and for a tiny number of Caribbean nationals who are connected with them (which is what the Miami Batista Cubans will try to make themselves when Castro dies), but is the average Caribbean citizen any better off than the average Cuban?
In economic terms they're probably similar, and in terms of lack of freedom ditto (the Cubans kept in line by Castro, the others by the CIA-Contras, etc), but at least the Cubans have the slight satisfaction of knowing that they're being exploited by their own government, their own countrymen, and the fruits of their labour are staying in their own country and benefitting it, as opposed to being sucked out by George Bush's golfing buddies.
And look at the DR forum - the peso is at 50 to the dollar, the economy's virtually collapsing and there are riots in the streets. And what about Haiti?! At least all Cubans have a job, a house, food and an education.
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Here's my two cents:
Cubans in general (in my experience) are more ambivalent about the Revolution than many of you all posting here. Cubans routinely differentiate between the Revolution and Castro; i.e. even those Cubans who dislike Castro extremely are ready to enthusiastically and proudly point to their country's post-Revolution achievements in literacy, health care, etc. IMHO, what the Cubans really want is more freedom - - to express themselves, to read what they want, to travel, etc - - but are not at the same time ready to surrender certain fundamental benefits of the Revolution. In my trips to the Island, I have noted an increasing amount of frustration and bitterness among the more educated, "professional" folks - - even over just the past year or year and a half. They feel - - those who express their frustration - - a tremendous gap between their educational and professional aspirations and a social structure that will not allow them to put these aspirations into practice.
Finally, what I find most amazing about Castro is his oddly syncopated sense of flexibility and reform. Take the dual currency situation - - probably a necessary evil to jump start the Special Period economy, but now a real problem in fostering inequality, hustling, corruption etc.
Okay, let's get back to business.
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Gentlemen,
I have no intention of fuelling the flames of this thread, so I will just say that we all have our own political opinions. As a matter of fact I would agree with a number of reporters regarding Snr. Castro. Ego is a dangerous thing at best, but when allowed to have free reign it can obliterate democracy. Sadly this has been the case with this particular leader (one amongst many on the planet!), and we see the results as soon as we land at HAV.
The people of Cuba are amongst the best I have ever had the pleasure of knowing (yes, as friends as well as lovers). They are unique. The resilience and flexibility is outstanding in the face of some real hardship. However, there are also some seriously wealth people who live in Cuba.
Post Castro? I’m not trained enough in socio-economic theory to even begin to speculate. I’m told by a number of respected reporters on this board as well as elsewhere, that the criminal element may make a bid to rule in some way. Be it indirectly via a “puppet regime” or directly by financing whomever takes the leadership (…don’t we see this in our democracy?). I also do not ignore the various secret service (SS ?? interesting...) institutions, which will make a run across the straits as soon as the bearded ones last breath is drawn (...and word gets out...).
I was also told that Snr. Raul Castro (of serious sadistic fame…) is in the running when the bearded one meets his maker. If this happens, we can expect a Haiti type situation. Again I agree with a number of reporters; it makes for fertile ground for “vote-making” back home in the USA. Will G.W.B pass up the opportunity to “free” Cuba and gain the “Latin-vote” in Miami? Not in this lifetime…
Brothers of the board, we can not hope to resolve the situation. We can however make things a little better for those we meet and interact with. So lets do just that. Maybe increase the number of old cloths we take; maybe take more basic medicines when we go over; maybe give a couple of $$ more where it is needed through known, established, recognised people we trust. This is the only answer I can come up with.
Regards, Havanaman
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I just ran across this new story on the web, thought I should share it with all of you:
[b]U.S. Tightens Rules on Cuban Travel[/b]
[quote]President Bush tightened U.S. travel restrictions against Cuba on Thursday, a move likely to strengthen his election-year standing in politically important Florida and heighten tensions with Fidel Castro's communist regime.
Bush's order, less than two weeks before Florida's presidential primary, said Castro's government had used sometimes deadly force against American and Cuban citizens over the past decade and might do so again. Such an incident "could threaten a disturbance of international relations," Bush said.
Bush's action expands the government's authority to prevent the unauthorized departure of Cuban-bound ships from U.S. waters. U.S. authorities would be empowered to inspect any vessel in U.S. territorial waters, place guards on ships and take possession under certain circumstances.
Castro's most ardent Cuban-American opponents represent a vital voting bloc in Florida, the state whose contested election results in 2000 gave the presidency to Bush. Since taking office, Bush has traveled 19 times to Florida, where his brother, Jeb, is governor.
The United States has enforced a trade embargo against Cuba for more than more than four decades, and relations have been deteriorating over the last year.
The State Department's recently canceled talks on migration issues, which normally are held every six months. U.S. officials said Cuba has not been cooperating in achieving the goal of safe, orderly and legal immigration.
The Bush administration has accused Cuba of meddling in Latin America, sometimes in collaboration with the country's main South American ally, Venezuela.
The tightening of Cuban restrictions came on the same day that Bush rescinded a travel ban on Libya. The United States moved toward better relations with Tripoli in December after Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi renounced terrorism and development of weapons of mass destruction.
On another front in the turbulent politics of the Caribbean, Secretary of State Colin Powell on Thursday openly questioned whether President Jean-Bertrand Aristide can continue to serve effectively as Haiti's leader. It was the closest Powell has come to suggesting that Aristide bow out as president before his elected term ends in February 2006.
Bush has pledged to turn back any Haitian refugees who attempt to reach U.S. shores. The Coast Guard said it has intercepted about a dozen small vessels within 50 miles of the Haitian coast during the past three to four days.
The action against Cuba was hailed by Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., a leading anti-Castro lawmaker. He said it was "another clear sign of President Bush's commitment to enforcement of the law and his support for democracy in Cuba."
In Havana on Thursday, Castro's government confirmed that most Cuban-born people living outside the island can visit the country without a visa starting June 1 if they have a valid Cuban passport.
In his order, Bush said Cuba "has over the course of its 45-year existence repeatedly used violence and the threat of violence to undermine U.S. policy interests. This same regime continues in power today, and has since 1959 maintained a pattern of hostile actions contrary to U.S. policy interests."
Bush said that over the past year, Cuba has taken a series of steps to destabilize relations with the United States, such as threatening to rescind migration accords and to close the U.S. interests section in Havana. Further, he said top Cuban officials have said repeatedly that the United States intended to invade Cuba, despite explicit denials from the United States.
The president noted that the United States had warned Cuba last May 8 that any political moves that resulted in a mass migration would be viewed as a hostile act.
Bush directed Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge to develop new rules to keep "unauthorized U.S. vessels" out of Cuban territorial waters.
The president said the passage of American boats into Cuban waters could bring injury or death to anyone on the vessels, "due to the potential use of excessive force, including deadly force, against them by the Cuban military." Crossing into Cuban territorial waters is already against U.S. law for unauthorized vessels, he said.
Moreover, such boats and ships bring money and commerce into Cuba, which runs contrary to U.S. policy aiming to "deny resources to the repressive Cuban government," Bush said. Castro's government may use such cash to support terrorist activities, he said.
Scores, perhaps even hundreds, of yachts sail to Cuba from the United States without permission annually, most of them docking at the Marina Hemingway in western Havana. On any given day, usually a few American-based yacht can be seen docked the marina. Not a single vessel flying a U.S. flag was spotted late Thursday afternoon.
Bush cited long-standing U.S. grievances against Cuba, calling it a state-sponsor of terrorism and saying that it has demonstrated "a ready and reckless willingness to use excessive force" against U.S. and Cuban citizens. He pointed to incidents in the 1990s, including the shooting down of two unarmed U.S.-registered civilian aircraft, the use of force against U.S.-registered vessels and the sinking of an unarmed Cuban vessel that resulted in the deaths of 41 Cuban citizens in 1994.
The new rules governing American boats' movement to Cuba expand restrictions that have been in place for years. Those rules covered vessels originating in Miami, while Ridge's new rules will apply to boats leaving from anywhere in the United States, White House and congressional officials said. [/quote]
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/text/2004/feb/26/022604696.html
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This president is dreaming in his sleep with regards to the threat that Castro has had on the US, along with the other presidents that have sustained this embargo--from Kennedy onward.
How come we don't here anything about Cuban security problems vis a vis the European countries and Canada? Because it does not exist.
Another election year rhetoric from George W.
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Sun Devil,
I offered the article as information that may affect U.S. mongers who want to travel to Cuba.
Discussion of politics (religion too!) are probably best addressed on boards other than this one. Discussing politics or other controversial topics simply is not healthy for a board like this.
Cheers,
Uncle Otto
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Thanks for the information. Sorry, I got carried away. No more politics from this guy.
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Just goes to show that restrictions on freedom are on both sides of the straits. I am curious about Cuba's alleged sponsorship of terrorism. Give me an f-n break! Ok, no more politics. I'll keep going there, until the embargo does end and Havana becomes another Miami Beach.
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Gentlemen,
Me too! With you all the way. Lets get back to what’s important to us all: [red]mongering information[/red].
Having said the above, I stand by my last post’s final paragraph:
“Brothers of the board, we can not hope to resolve the situation. We can however make things a little better for those we meet and interact with. So lets do just that. Maybe increase the number of old cloths we take; maybe take more basic medicines when we go over; maybe give a couple of $$ more where it is needed through known, established, recognised people we trust. This is the only answer I can come up with.”
I’m in Havana for a few days in April; my packing is already done as far as “charity stuff” is concerned. If you can, when you go over to Cuba please do the same; such little help all adds up to giving something back to these people.
Regards, Havanaman