THE CUBANOLOGY BI-WEEKLY and SPECIAL ARTICLES BLOG

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Nobody lives in Cuba

By Jose Reyes

Most of the times, when I mention, that I am Cuban, the response is, “Oh really, I heard Cuba is beautiful, I want to go there.” That’s it! Nothing else is mentioned. This is a common coincidence, here in America, I suppose and happens to Cuban refugees very often. From those whom have been living here for the last 50 years to those whom have just arrived very recently. Why should they be so uninformed? Cuba is truly beautiful and it’s rather strange for me, to hear this, when anyone could plainly see why. Just by looking at any global map and locating the Tropic of Cancer, one could quickly realize the reason. Geography speaking, it is situated 90 miles south of the southern tip of Florida, smack in the middle of the Caribbean sea. Where the temperature is pleasantly comfortable and warm and in a year round fashion. Not to mention, because of it’s oblong shape, the enormous possibility of having an abundance of white-powdery beaches is great. Borrowing the absence of any on-shore mountain ranges or any significant barrier reefs, the terrain would be very convenient and would allow anyone to enjoy a satisfying dip in the water and/or an enjoyable refuge. If the terrain were not so advantageous, then the idea of traveling to Cuba would diminish a considerable amount. One would only travel there for sightseeing purposes. This would not be a bad choice either because Cuba has a rich history of significant value and in many aspects. Nevertheless, the island of Cuba is perfect because the mountain range there only takes up one particular corner and the barrier reefs totally surround it. So skipping a tour of the mainland is an option. Who really wants to spend a few days walking around and looking at old historical buildings? Anyone can do a simple search online in their homes and read all about it. Time is precious and one must take advantage of every second, especially if he or she is from a country where most of the year is cold and/or where the temperature is ideal but no comfortable beaches exist at all. Cuba is a paradise, one would absolutely be ignorant to say the opposite.

For this reason Millions of tourist a year, save their hard earned money and spend a couple of weeks there in the form of vacation. The government owned beach resorts are available year-round accept for the hurricane season which lasts for 2 to 3 months the most. Other than those few months the island is the perfect place to “get away from it all,” as the saying goes. It is the ideal place to go on vacation and it is very cheap compared to all the other hot spots around the world. Just do a quick search and scroll down. Go on and search through all the pages and you will find an affordable package deal that would suit you well. Take advantage of all the magnificent offers available and no matter where you are coming from, there’s no discrimination at all, everyone is welcomed in Cuba. These beautiful turquoise beaches are there for the taken. There’s a wide range of products available in these elegant resorts, in case you left something behind. There are great beach front restaurants, which serve a variety of gourmet dishes. From delicious, typical Cuban dishes, including all type of seafood platters, to international dishes. There are also many elegant and exotic tropical night clubs right along the beach and in the beach resort complex. They even have bars that are situated inside the swimming pools, so you don’t even have to step out to have a famous Cuba Libre!

If you want to get away from the monotonous beach scene for a few days, then visit the city of La Habana. Get aboard a vintage 1957 Chevy taxi, which will take you to a touristy nightclub where you can listen and dance to the lively beat of Cuban music. Most of these tropical night clubs are located in the government-run Hotels. You are more than welcomed! If you are not near the capital and would like to travel the island, you can board any of the registered air conditioned buses provided by, another state-run company and basically the only one available, Havanatour. The escorted tours will take a specific road which would bypass any distractions and skip-hop from one major tourist city, to the other. Where you could sleep over on a nightly basis in every schedule stop. You will sleep like a baby in the hotels located in the beach resorts there. If you are associated with any elementary school or high school system (Teachers, Principles…ect), there are great educational tours available for students also.

Note: U. S. Travel Restriction to Cuba

There is a travel restriction for all US citizens because of an embargo that was placed on the Cuban government in 1962. It was a small incident concerning missile bases and missiles pointing towards the United States. It was a long time ago and it’s about time we lift this vice grip on the American tourist. Much is being done right now and hopes are very high with the current Obama administration. Coincidentally the same exact government personnel is still in charge right now after 50 years, so negotiations will be much smoother and with more favorable results. These talks have been taking place for the last few months.

Oh yes, somehow it slipped my mind. There’s one minor detail that I forgot to mention. There are 11 million citizens that reside on the island of Cuba but come to think about it, this is a rather insignificant fact. Who really cares?