Any Americans or Europeans Been To Cuba?

[Jaimoe]

I just got back from honeymooning in Havana and Varadero. Cuba is a fascinating, richly poor and beautiful country. Havana is a wild place, full of life and dignity, even though it's last best years were four decades ago. Still, the city has to be visited to be believed.

The Cuban people are interesting. I won't try to generalize, but they are really proud, educated and some are pretty desparate. They indeed do love Canadians (given that Canada was one of the only countries that never ceased being Cuba's trading partner) - Fidel remained great friends with former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau until Trudeau's death a few years ago. There were a few Americans staying in the same Havana hotel that we stayed at. They were part of a convention.

Anyway, have any non-Canucks been to Cuba? Thoughts?

[ratsprayer]

havana's best days are four decades ago?  when the US mafia ran the show, rampant gambling, the donkey shows?  i've never been to cuba, but i hear havana is still very vibrant and far better now that it's been properly cleaned of its vegas-like elements.

[Jaimoe]

havana's best days are four decades ago?  when the US mafia ran the show, rampant gambling, the donkey shows?  i've never been to cuba, but i hear havana is still very vibrant and far better now that it's been properly cleaned of its vegas-like elements.

The buildings are in shambles for the most part. Cleaned? You could have fooled me. The city is pretty filthy. It looks like a hydrogen bomb dropped on the city. Still, it remains vibrant, but pretty poor. I'd like to add that Old Havana is in a continual and constant state of renovation.