[GreenTiger]

American are banned from going to Cuba unless under very special circumstances and God help you if you have a entry or exit stamp in your passport from the island when you come back into the States.

Canadians go therer frequently I'm told. How is it down there?

[sandorski]

Never been there, but from what I've read, probably the same as going to any other Caribbean Tourist destination.

[Wada]

Just had a bud return from a vacation there and he and his wife loved it. They rented scooters and traveled most of the island. In my wee burg there are hundreds of people who frequently travel to Cuba.

[QBC]

I knew a fellow from Williams Lake, B.C. that went into business with a Cuba national there. They opened up a beach side bed and breakfast. The only hoop he had to jump through in starting the business is that the Cuba citizen own at least 51% of the business. No foreign investor can be a magority owner in any business there, not a bad idea actually.

He said it was quite an amazing place to go, he spends about 5-6 months a year there. His words to me, and I'm paraphrasing since it was several years ago that we talked about it, was that, "Almost all of the US negative propaganda about Cuba is bullshit". He freely goes just about anywhere he wants on the island, except military areas, just like in every nation. He told me a very interesting story about being invited to a Castro speech one sunny afternoon.

He puts the percentage of happy Cubans with the political set up and lifestyle at better than 75%, but that is just one persons view mind you. Anyone who I've talked to that's been there has loved the trip and would go back again and again. I'd like to go myself, just to see first hand and all that.

[2Cdo]

GreenTiger wrote:

American are banned from going to Cuba unless under very special circumstances and God help you if you have a entry or exit stamp in your passport from the island when you come back into the States.

Canadians go therer frequently I'm told. How is it down there?

The absolute bottom of the list when it comes to Caribbean vacation spots. Been there once and will never go back.

[Mr_Canada]

I've heard a lot of positive people with supposedly fantastic trips across Cuba, and
I've heard a lot of negative people with supposedly terrible trips across Cuba.

I hear that many do like the system, despite the few who find disagreement..
There are laws that would be considered strict, but I hear that 'no one cares'.
A sort of calm tone, "A country Marx would have admired" (quote from some documentary).
As with any country, there will be those who are unhappy.

Personally, I really want to visit and have wanted to for years.

[Wada]

2Cdo wrote:

GreenTiger wrote:

American are banned from going to Cuba unless under very special circumstances and God help you if you have a entry or exit stamp in your passport from the island when you come back into the States.

Canadians go therer frequently I'm told. How is it down there?

The absolute bottom of the list when it comes to Caribbean vacation spots. Been there once and will never go back.

Yah but then you think Dubai is less than perfect.

[commanderkai]

Mr_Canada wrote:

I hear that many do like the system, despite the few who find disagreement..
There are laws that would be considered strict, but I hear that 'no one cares'.

The issue with the few who disagree and the whole "nobody cares" is because said few who do care and disagree are summarily arrested.

[Thanos]

I personally wouldn't go, mostly because I'd feel bad about putting any of my own money into the pockets of the Castro family. But that's just me. It's 50-50 for/against whenever I talk to someone who's gone there. Half love it and want to go back. Half end up getting the classic Latino country explosive diarrhea that afflicts visitors and end up sitting on the toilet for the entire trip.

The locals might seem happy, but I can't get over all that police state bullshit the Cubans have going. Just not my cuppa-cuppa so I'll probably never go. Just to even things out on the politics, I'll probably never willingly go anywhere near that total asshole mob scene in Miami, Tampa, or Ft. Lauderdale either, so there.

[BeaverFever]

I dont know that you'd be putting too much money into the pockets of the Castro family, that regime is actually known for NOT being a kleptocracy, relative that region.

As for what most Canadians experience, everyone I know who has been there just stayed cloistered in their all-inclusve beach resort and probably couldn't tell you a single difference between cuba, jamaica or Fort lauderdale cuz all they did was lie on the beach, swim in the pool and get hammered.

[Thanos]

Hammered is good. Hammered is always good. And, in Cuba's defense, at least they don't allow the sort of people exemplified by the cast of, ugh, "Jersey Shore" to wreck the whole place for everyone else.

That's the biggest problem with beachfronts in the United States and Mexico these days. You can literally smell the herpes when the wind kicks up strong enough.

[rickc]

I have always wanted to go to Cuba.Its way past time to knock off the embargo,and travel ban.Its been a total failure.Why shouldn't I be allowed to travel to Cuba? I can visit Iran,Somalia,Yemen,hell I think its legal to visit North Korea if I could get a visa.I went to East Berlin when the wall was still up.Doing business with the enemy act? Give me a break.I disaprove of the Castro regime,but the travel ban has done nothing to remove Castro.He has outlasted what 10 presidents now? Let me legally go to Cuba!

[llama66]

Cuba is on my list of places to go. I'd love to go.

[kenmore]

I go there 3 times a year.. awesome place and awesome people. You have to separate the politics from the general population. Go for sure llama66... the best resort in my opion is the Tripp Peninsual in Varadero. The beach is one of the best in the world. All inclusive and the best service..

[kenmore]

GreenTiger wrote:

American are banned from going to Cuba unless under very special circumstances and God help you if you have a entry or exit stamp in your passport from the island when you come back into the States.

Canadians go therer frequently I'm told. How is it down there?

The Cubans don't mind not having Americans ... trust me.