[Blue]

I know a lot of people who have done just that. I haven't however. Apparently, you can ask the Cuban officials not to stamp your US Passport and they will comply. If you get caught (the State Department used to monitor arrivals to Mexico from Cuba for US Passports, for example, and all countries share passenger manifests between governments these days), the fine is tremendous (around $10,000, if I recall). Those days may have been over for a while, but it certainly was common at one time (perhaps other administrations).

I hope I can get to Cuba penalty free to experience the "frozen in history" appearances before it all changes. I've been to Puerto Rico and aside from both having striking island scenery, unique to each location, there really is no comparison. Puerto Rico has been allowed to import pretty much whatever they want for the past 50 years while Cuba has been "frozen" in the past for the most part.

By the way, the movie "Before the Night Falls" was set in Cuba, but filmed in Merida, Yucatan, in case anyone is looking for similar Spanish colonial architecture and one of the largest colonial centros which still exists. It's a quick and painless two-hour or less direct flight from Houston.

Puerto Rico is also a U.S. Territory and under the U.S. Flag. The Dominican Republic would probably be more comparable to Cuba. There isn't a Subway shop nor Starbucks on ever corner in Santiago, DR like there is in San Juan. The DR is probably the most self sufficient island from an agriculture standpoint than any other island in the Caribbean other than Cuba.

[mrNewt]

Apparently, you can ask the Cuban officials not to stamp your US Passport and they will comply.

This is true .

[normhead]

A friend of mine just got back.. $600 for a week everything included, food drinks snorkelling lessons,air fair, everything. Her waitress was a doctor. She makes more in tips than they pay her to practice. One thing everyone does, is go to the Sally Ann, pick out the absolute best clothes in as good condition possible, and take a full suitcase to give away while you're there. The cost of a pair of jeans or nice shirt for those people is simply over the top. Us Canucks have taught the Cubans we are nice people. Don't go ruining it for us.

[redrockcoulee]

My wife and I spent a week in Havana in what was called a 3 star hotel. I am not one who stays in hotels usually unless it is a work related trip and then they decide what type of hotel I stay at. The hotel was old but clean and I think we might of been the only English speaking people there. The only downside of the hotel was the lack of seats on the toilets but then the public washrooms are like that too except usually without paper as well. Some day when we are older (only early 60s) might go down there to a resort but I think they are not a way of seeing the country only getting away from the snow and cold. The people are friendly, even the husslers and prostitiutes after you turn down their services and almost everyone had a story about a relative living in Canada.

We walked freely about the streets between our hotel and the old city which was about a 40 minute walk. I think the old city is in some ways less interesting as most of the buildings have been beautifully restored plus that is where the tourists are. The other parts that are not in the old city (still old old buidlings) are slowly been restored but one never knows what is happening to them. There was one building that looks like some of the outside was totally gone as the inteior hallways on the third and fourth floor were visible from the road and I thought I wonder if this building is being torn down when a door up there opened and a women starting hanging up her laundry. You also have to watch where you walk as there is no danger signs for construction above or manholes missing.

We do go out in the country on a one day tour, the only organized event we did and in one town where the tours stop to visit a distilery there were people begging aggressively at the buses. This was the only time I say that and the only time people were not polite when you said no. The highway was interesting , a modern four lane highway with only moderate traffic. That traffic could be modern buses, modern cars (Mazda, Kia, BMW, Mercedes, Peugeots, and the Chinese Greenly most common) and trucks, Soviet era Ladas, the old classic American cars, old trucks, scooters and horse drawn wagons. On our way back to Havana the bus had to slam on its brakes as a bunch of horse carts had pulled out into the left lane to pass an ox cart. And then there were all these overpasses without connecting roads. It looked like they ran out of money when they built the highway but why so many of them. Turns out they are for hitchhikkers to stand out of the sun or the rain. On the tour was the only time in our trip other than the airport shuttle that we even spoke to any non Cubans and they were Americans who were very paranoid about being found out. Hope this is not considered a political statement but they had asked us why we were visiting Cuba we told them we wanted to see it before it was opened to Americians. They laughed and said that was the reason that took the risk to see it as well >

If you get a chance to go, do what we did and stay in Havana itself. It is a beautiful and safe city with friendly people, wonderful buidlings and such a mixture of cars. We walked past two guys overhauling a motorcycle motor on the street and cars that were jacked up to be fixed where they broke down. One rainy day we thought we would try the old cars and went to the Hotel Nationale, a first class hotel just blocks from where we stayed and took a ride to the other side of the harbour to visit the old fort. The car was a 1956 Ford in mint condition. When we went back to our hotel we flagged down one of the cabs the Cubans use and again it was an old Ford (there are also Lada cabs) but this one was one that any farmer would have been proud of their ability to keep a vehicle running with any time of part they could make or find. The brakes did work but not the speedometer. If you are a Cuban and flag a cab you get in but the cab will stop for other people on its route until it is full. We kind of wished our cab would have done that but he took off his sign when we got in.

Would I go back? Yes but not to Havana, there is a part in the south that I would like to visit that is like a Mini Havana without the tourists. And maybe an all inclusive one time to see if we like it.

One top of the suggestion from Norm, toothpaste, batteries, children's clothes and school supplies are greatly appreaciated. I left the pocketbook I had been reading with the hotel and they were thankful for a book in English. We always felt safe in Havana and I am a medium size older male who is neither brave nor strong, perhaps not smart either. The food was better than we were lead to believe but then we are not fancy people and most of our local travelling is tent camping and a single burner stove. There is the statement that the three casualties of the Revoltuion was breakfast, lunch and dinner.

If you get a chance to go to Cuba GO. But after our next trip please

[clackers]

My stepson and his fiance had a fantastic time in Cuba - best trip either had done.

For anyone wanting a superbly-written examination of its people, culture and complex politics in the Fidel years, there's Ann Louise Bardach's 'Cuba Confidential: Love and Vengeance in Miami and Havana'.