Cuba – Its like the intriguing woman with the mysterious smile you have always wanted to spend time with, but have never known how to get the invite. Like the speakeasy down the street, but didn’t know the password or have the key. When you finally find your way there, its like the destine for stardom band you discover early in their career and have such a deeply personal connection with its music, that you don’t want to share it with anyone. You want it for yourself as your intimate secret. When someone else knows it too, you don’t know if you have a kindred connection or if you should feel betrayed, like the experience was so unique you hoping to have all to yourself, alone. Cuba is my secret that I have mixed feelings about sharing, only because it’s magnificent, tragic and beautiful.
No other moment in time in any other country will compare to the moment you have in Cuba today. Cuba will make you look at the world in a different way. It will open your heart and leave you wanting to go back soon, before this tiny, yet steadfast country moves into its next era. That new era almost at it’s doorstep.
Cuba is as complex of a country as there is. The years of economic and political sanctions has left Cuba almost frozen in time. You can take a ride in one of the many 1950’s cars (in various state of repair) down the famous Malecon of Havana. The buildings, somewhere between pristine Spanish colonial, dilapidated or completely crumbled. Best of all the Cuban people, the warmest and most engaging citizens of any in all the countries I have been to yet. The older generation of Cubans still strongly believing in the socialistic ideology of Fidel Castro’s reign; yet the younger generation wanting something different. One thing’s consistent; the music, the art, its rich history & the culture across all generations is vibrant and unique.
Travel to this once almost forbidden country has become easier to do for the standard American traveler and the requirements are changing rapidly. Where you still need a moderately funky visa (education, missionary, people-to-people, etc) and a charter flight, (or illegally connecting through Mexico or Canada) the progress in normalizing relations with Cuba is making travel more relaxed. In fact, Cuba and American officials have eased restrictions more and allowing commercial flights to operate between the US and Cuba beginning as early as before the end of this year. The embargo’s still in effect that restricts tourism & American businesses from conducting business with Cuba, that will likely change within the next year or so if my crystal ball’s correct. Although this change will literally take an act of congress… and we know how productive they have been as of late.
”Fifty years of isolating Cuba had failed to promote democracy, setting us back in Latin America. That’s why we restored diplomatic relations, opened the door to travel and commerce, and positioned ourselves to improve the lives of the Cuban people. You want to consolidate our leadership and credibility in the hemisphere? Recognize that the Cold War is over. Lift the embargo." – President Barak Obama, State of the Union Address, January 12, 2016.
Even if only through executive action, Cuba is changing fast. Go now to see a world that you will never find again there, or anywhere.
No other moment in time in any other country will compare to the moment you have in Cuba today. Cuba will make you look at the world in a different way. It will open your heart and leave you wanting to go back soon, before this tiny, yet steadfast country moves into its next era. That new era almost at it’s doorstep.
Cuba is as complex of a country as there is. The years of economic and political sanctions has left Cuba almost frozen in time. You can take a ride in one of the many 1950’s cars (in various state of repair) down the famous Malecon of Havana. The buildings, somewhere between pristine Spanish colonial, dilapidated or completely crumbled. Best of all the Cuban people, the warmest and most engaging citizens of any in all the countries I have been to yet. The older generation of Cubans still strongly believing in the socialistic ideology of Fidel Castro’s reign; yet the younger generation wanting something different. One thing’s consistent; the music, the art, its rich history & the culture across all generations is vibrant and unique.
Travel to this once almost forbidden country has become easier to do for the standard American traveler and the requirements are changing rapidly. Where you still need a moderately funky visa (education, missionary, people-to-people, etc) and a charter flight, (or illegally connecting through Mexico or Canada) the progress in normalizing relations with Cuba is making travel more relaxed. In fact, Cuba and American officials have eased restrictions more and allowing commercial flights to operate between the US and Cuba beginning as early as before the end of this year. The embargo’s still in effect that restricts tourism & American businesses from conducting business with Cuba, that will likely change within the next year or so if my crystal ball’s correct. Although this change will literally take an act of congress… and we know how productive they have been as of late.
”Fifty years of isolating Cuba had failed to promote democracy, setting us back in Latin America. That’s why we restored diplomatic relations, opened the door to travel and commerce, and positioned ourselves to improve the lives of the Cuban people. You want to consolidate our leadership and credibility in the hemisphere? Recognize that the Cold War is over. Lift the embargo." – President Barak Obama, State of the Union Address, January 12, 2016.
Even if only through executive action, Cuba is changing fast. Go now to see a world that you will never find again there, or anywhere.