Cuba
Auténtica Cuba
uba, the land beyond reach for most
American citizens. Located only 90
miles off the coast of Key West FL,
Cuba truly is the hidden gem of the
Caribbean. I have been so incredibly fortunate to travel to Cuba 3 times in the
past two years. It is a popular destination
for Canadians and Europeans alike.
The
US placed an embargo on exports to Cuba
(except for food and medicine) in 1960, and
on February 7,1962 was extended to include
almost all imports. Americans are now allowed to travel to Cuba through other countries, but please check with your consulate
for details before buying a ticket!
Imagine if you will a country living in a time
capsule. The rushing busy streets full of American vintage cars from the 1950’s in almost
perfect condition, mixed with new Japanese
cars and masses of buses that move tourists
from one location to another.
The people are some of the most beautiful I
have ever seen in the world. The socialist system in which they live does not allow for one
to get ahead financially. Monetary wealth
by locals is non existant. The man who trims
the branches from the majestic Cuban royal
palm makes the same amount of money as
the doctor who treated your daughter for
her ear infection. Education is free for all its
citizens all the way through secondary education and the literacy rate an impressive
99.8%(.8% higher than the USA) Their medical care is top notch and they are in fact
leaders in cancer research. I learned these
facts from the tour guide on the bus I took to
11
Havana from Varadero last year. He was a
University professor by trade, but was working on a tour bus! Why? Tips. Tips are the
way that Cubans get ahead. The Cubans
have 2 currencies. Regular pesos and Cuban convertible pesos (CUC - tourist’s money). The regular Cuban peso’s value is next
to nothing. Cubans use it for necessities of
life. The CUC is used for anything above and
beyond, that iPod, that TV, that bottle of rum.
I visited Havana twice and fell in love with
it immediately. I did not realize it was such
an old city rich in history. I truly was taken
aback by the authentic beauty I could see
surrounding me. Having to stand on its own
feet without any US assistance for all these
years, you won’t find a starbucks or McDonalds anywhere in sight. You will see brightly
colored buildings. You will hear beautiful
salsa music around almost every corner, and
you can’t help but stop and dance. The old
and the young walk the street with pride and
dignity. I did not see one homeless person,
because they all are given the necessities
of life for free. Everyone dressed well. They
may have not had monetary riches, but in
spirit they are wealthy.
I talked to as many Cubans as I could while
I was there to learn more about their culture
and how we were the same and different.
They all shared pride for their country. Requested respect from foreigners. Dreamed
of peace. I hope one day if you get the
chance to go, that you take a trip to beautiful Cuba, and visit my favorite city La Habana. I promise you will never forget it.
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