Why I prefer Cuba to Mexico or Dominican Republic as a holiday destination

[MichaelB]

The reason that Havana and Santiago de Cuba are so attractive will disappear within 10 years of mass Yankee arrivals. Just go to Kingston or any other big Carribean city and you are looking at the Cuban post-Communism future.

So if you want it, get creative, because it will not be worth going later.

Ha

Not all places with nice beaches in the Caribbean are like that. Is it the tourists or the local governance and management? Jamaica is more of a drug problem than Yankee tourism.

Clearly, Cuba will be different. Once they stop jailing people for doing things like talking with tourists without prior approval.

 

[Nemo2]

Jamaica is more of a drug problem than Yankee tourism.

And perhaps a 'Jamaican' problem.........some 35 years ago, in Toronto, I used to work out in the same 'Y' gym as a number of West Indians from various assorted, smaller, islands......BIG guys.....they'd talk, among themselves, about going to 'clubs', and I heard, more than once, the admonition to avoid the Jamaican hangouts, "Because those guys are crazy".

 

[haha]

Not all places with nice beaches in the Caribbean are like that. Is it the tourists or the local governance and management? Jamaica is more of a drug problem than Yankee tourism.

Clearly, Cuba will be different. Once they stop jailing people for doing things like talking with tourists without prior approval.

Well no doubt. That is why I said large Carribean cities, not Carribean resorts. IMO drugs come where there is demand, either end-user, or processing center, or trans-shipment demand. Jamaica may be a particularly bad case, but I doubt it has unique traits that make it so, or even more important that a post communist Cuba will have unique traits that will prevent this sort of evolution. Certainly prior to the revolution Cuba had no shortage of vices or organized crime. As for afterward-vamos a ver!

Ha

 

[Koolau]

I went to Nam in '68 (during the "troubles").

By the grace of God and a high enough draft number, I missed that scene. I had to take my draft physical - and passed it. Still gives me the willies.

Welcome home!


re: Cuba, I've always thought it would be interesting to go. If nothing else, I would love the beaches and the 50's era cars still running around. Got within 14 miles (close enough to see) from a cruise ship. IIRC, US STILL restricts travel there and can be aggressive about punishing those who slip in from e.g., Canadian cities. YMMV

 

[Chuckanut]

For years I've wanted to go to Cuba too! But, alas, being an American I can't go 'cause it would be p*ssing in Uncle Sam's Wheaties or some other dumb a$$ reason.

It would get a small minority in Florida upset with candidates. Another example of the government serving special interests at the expense of the American people.

 

[audreyh1]

Traveling in rural/small town Mexico was lovely back when you didn't have to worry about accidentally stumbling onto some drug lord's terrain/operation.

I would love to travel to Cuba. Maybe it will become possible in my lifetime. In the meantime there are lots of other Caribbean and Latin American countries to visit.

Thanks Koolau - I had forgotten that I had seen Cuba with my own eyes, on route to Ft. Lauderdale from Panama.

Audrey

 

[baligrandpa]

One thing you can argue with is the DR has the best beaches in the world, the sand is dustlike

 

[kcowan]

Hey, 5 years in and my very first post!

Better late than never. Welcome to the forum!

(And I appreciate your support of Mexico. It is very different than how the press NOTB portray it. Better than Jamaica for sure. Not sure about Cuba though. The nice thing about Cuba is that only brave Americans go there. In Mexico, all kinds of Americans show up. All very nice IMHO.)

 

[Nemo2]

We're currently dog sitting.......our neighbors are in Cuba.....8th year in a row......different strokes. I guess.

 

[jclarksnakes]

I have wanted to go to Cuba since I was in grade school in Florida and Cuban friends told me about the country. I am hopeful that within the next decade we Americans will be able to visit Cuba.

 

[kcowan]

It seems ironic that Americans can visit Russia and China but not Cuba. There must be some strong influential politicians who benefit from the continued blockade/exception.