- 01 Jan 2016 23:33
#14637673
Anyone interested in what's happening in Cuba, and especially in the big changes that are taking place there, is urged to read The Havana Times, an online newspaper in Spanish and English at http://www.havanatimes.org, written by Cubans living in Cuba.
You should consider a holiday in Cuba this year, before it gets changed forever.
You can stay (legally) at private homes (called 'casas particulares') for £20 a night, eat for less than a tenner, take cheap (but tourist-standard, i.e. not bad) coaches around the island, and have a great time. People are generally friendly and helpful, the violent crime rate is very low (hey, it's a police state, which has its postive side), and it's a very interesting country.
It wasn't my interest when I was visiting, but there is a LOT of art, and music everywhere.
It's the last bastion of sane socialism (North Korea being the last bastion of insane socialism), and it's very instructive to, say, try to buy a bar of soap in each town you go to, if you're the inquisitive type. If you're not, or in any case, there are wonderful beaches, and trails to hike ... or you could have a great cycling holiday -- there is not much traffic on the roads and people are used to bicycles and even horse-drawn transport.
If you're a political person -- and what are you doing here if you're not -- there are places you can go to talk politics with people (in English). And things you can do (safely, legally) to help open up political space for democratic dialogue there. (PM me for details.)
So ... what are you waiting for?
You should consider a holiday in Cuba this year, before it gets changed forever.
You can stay (legally) at private homes (called 'casas particulares') for £20 a night, eat for less than a tenner, take cheap (but tourist-standard, i.e. not bad) coaches around the island, and have a great time. People are generally friendly and helpful, the violent crime rate is very low (hey, it's a police state, which has its postive side), and it's a very interesting country.
It wasn't my interest when I was visiting, but there is a LOT of art, and music everywhere.
It's the last bastion of sane socialism (North Korea being the last bastion of insane socialism), and it's very instructive to, say, try to buy a bar of soap in each town you go to, if you're the inquisitive type. If you're not, or in any case, there are wonderful beaches, and trails to hike ... or you could have a great cycling holiday -- there is not much traffic on the roads and people are used to bicycles and even horse-drawn transport.
If you're a political person -- and what are you doing here if you're not -- there are places you can go to talk politics with people (in English). And things you can do (safely, legally) to help open up political space for democratic dialogue there. (PM me for details.)
So ... what are you waiting for?