just back from 3 weeks on the "big island". magical!!
things seem to be improving in some areas, not so much in others. perhaps the biggest improvements i saw are that there is much more food. restaurants are open. there are street kiosks selling beer, rum and snacks. water can still be shutoff at times, but electrical blackouts seem to be rare.
the cities in the interior seem to have a lot more consumer goods. i saw well-stocked stores, albeit not a lot of them, in Holguin, Camaguey, Cienfuegos, Ciego de Avila and others. also, there is a thriving Bed & Breakfast industry (called Casas Particulares). great accomodations in private homes with awesome food and excellent company.
i had a rental car and was stopped 9-10 times at police checkpoints. one time i got a ticket but the cops are told to leave the tourists alone. except for that one time, every officer/soldier greeted me with a big smile and warm handshake. even when they were "official", they were polite. of course, most cubans don't get that type of treatment but it is a strange & different approach compared to most places where tourists are taken advantage of by everyone, including police.
the food was good, the water clean and the beaches were amazing. i was in santiago de cuba the weekend they won the world series of pelota (baseball) over the Industriales of Havana. partying in the street, great music, fun people. i marched in the parade for primero de mayo in Havana with zillions of others from all over the world. i nver once had any problems, concerns, fears or issues.
tourism exposes the great divide between the priveleges offered to tourists and the life of cuban residentes, but they need the tourist income badly. gas and rental car was a bit expensive but necessary in a land where vacation time is short and the bus may or may not arrive. food was cheap and we never paid more than $25CUC per nite for a great room. if you have ever had a desire to go and see cuba for yourself, do it. you will never regret it. it is easier than you think and worth every dime.
things seem to be improving in some areas, not so much in others. perhaps the biggest improvements i saw are that there is much more food. restaurants are open. there are street kiosks selling beer, rum and snacks. water can still be shutoff at times, but electrical blackouts seem to be rare.
the cities in the interior seem to have a lot more consumer goods. i saw well-stocked stores, albeit not a lot of them, in Holguin, Camaguey, Cienfuegos, Ciego de Avila and others. also, there is a thriving Bed & Breakfast industry (called Casas Particulares). great accomodations in private homes with awesome food and excellent company.
i had a rental car and was stopped 9-10 times at police checkpoints. one time i got a ticket but the cops are told to leave the tourists alone. except for that one time, every officer/soldier greeted me with a big smile and warm handshake. even when they were "official", they were polite. of course, most cubans don't get that type of treatment but it is a strange & different approach compared to most places where tourists are taken advantage of by everyone, including police.
the food was good, the water clean and the beaches were amazing. i was in santiago de cuba the weekend they won the world series of pelota (baseball) over the Industriales of Havana. partying in the street, great music, fun people. i marched in the parade for primero de mayo in Havana with zillions of others from all over the world. i nver once had any problems, concerns, fears or issues.
tourism exposes the great divide between the priveleges offered to tourists and the life of cuban residentes, but they need the tourist income badly. gas and rental car was a bit expensive but necessary in a land where vacation time is short and the bus may or may not arrive. food was cheap and we never paid more than $25CUC per nite for a great room. if you have ever had a desire to go and see cuba for yourself, do it. you will never regret it. it is easier than you think and worth every dime.
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Portland
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