The Allure of Cuba

Mystique and legacy will forever be present on the island of Cuba. Forgotten and at times forbidden, this Caribbean island has for years past, present, and future been on the minds and in the hearts of people from all walks of life throughout the world. Cuba’s fascination lies in its history, culture, and cuisine.  Even in the 21st century, Cuba is surrealistically frozen by time in the 1950’s. To capture the true Cuba, one must be willing to live in the moment.

A Brief History of Cuba

Christopher Columbus landed on the island of Cuba in 1492. By 1511, Spaniards had established settlements and made Havana’s harbor a familiar stopping point on the journey to and from Spain. The early 1800’s brought a sugarcane industry boom to Cuba, which required immense numbers of black slaves. Slavery was abolished in 1886 and Spanish rule ended. Cuba became an independent republic by way of a treaty in 1899, followed by a 1901 amendment allowing the U.S. to intervene in Cuba’s affairs. Cuba terminated the amendment in 1934. Fulgencio Batista became president in 1940, running a corrupt police state. A revolution was launched by Fidel Castro & Ernesto (Che) Guevara in 1956, which culminated on New Year’s Day 1959 when Batista fled into exile and Castro took over the government.

U.S. Embargo of Cuba

Washington's 45-year-old embargo has cost Cuba more than US$89 billion to date, causing mayhem on everything from primary education to pest control and nearly all other features of island life. The US policy caused US$3 billion in losses over the past year alone to the economy of Cuba. The US sanctions bar American tourists from visiting Cuba and prohibit U.S. companies from doing business with the communist-run nation, with some exceptions for exports of food and farm products, medical supplies and telecommunications equipment.

The United Nations General Assembly has voted 15 years in a row to urge the United States to lift trade sanctions against Cuba. Interest groups from multiple countries around the world have made statements referencing the American blockade against Cuba as a goal to bring down Cuban society through hunger and disease, which is a violation of International Law and the UN Charter. But world rejection to this US barrier is on the rise. Organizations from all over the world are raising their voices in denunciation of the economic blockade of the United States against Cuba that has been maintained for nearly five decades.

*Just found this interesting . . . http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7949137.stm

The State of U.S. Citizen's Travel to Cuba

This website is by no means meant to be political, but for U.S. citizens desiring to visit and tour Cuba, politics is the issue. When Castro took over in 1959, the U.S. clamped down on tourism to Cuba. Since the Bay of Pigs invasion, Americans can only visit legally as a part of an accepted religious or educational tour. The only other way to visit would be to enter illegally through Canada, Mexico, or a Caribbean country. This situation could turn around thanks to a bill submitted in February 2007 by two U.S. representatives. The bill would require the administration to allow U.S. citizens to visit Cuba and U.S. travel agencies to book them. Hopefully, Cuba will once again soon be a destination for American travelers.

February 24, 2008

Fidel Castro has officially stepped aside as Cuba's leader, ending nearly a half-century of rule over one of the world's last communist nations. Castro seized absolute authority in Cuba in 1959, when he and his guerrillas overthrew dictator Fulgencio Batista in what was then a popular revolution. The captivating chief, famous for his bushy beard, his cigar-chomping, his marathon speeches, and his hatred for the "Yankee" leaders of the United States, has since put forth near total control over the tiny island nation. Through all the years of trials and tribulations, he never gave up his passionate belief in his own unique ability to guide his homeland into the future. In a published interview, a former chief Cuba analyst at the State Department, Dennis Hays said, "His personality was such that he always saw himself as the man on the horse, the only guy who could possibly do what he has done. In his mind, he was the only one who could hold back the tides of time and human nature as he has." In every respect, Fidel Castro has been the face of the 49-year-old Cuban revolution, and without his charismatic leadership it is not likely that the world's last remaining true Stalinist state would have survived into the 21st century.

While it is the end of an era, it came about in the manner to which El Comandante himself hoped it would, "devoid of all drama." Castro's political departure has not noticeably touched Havana, which remains its usual bustling and peaceful nature. Tourists continue to intermingle with citizens along the Malecon and wander leisurely through the streets of yellows, turquoise, faded blues, shades of pink, and greens. Music resonates from open windows. Old men carry on their chess matches. Laundry is hung from the balconies. The smell of fresh pizza drifts through the air. Its life as usual with or without Fidel.   

"This is not my farewell to you. My only wish is to fight as a soldier in the battle of ideas."

Since July 2006, when a crippling illness rendered him too weak to appear in public, Fidel’s brother, Raul Castro, has run Cuba on a day-to-day basis, an arrangement which led to Raul becoming the new president. After months of uncertainty and speculation centered on the former president, Cuba’s attention has shifted to the changes needed in the country, and questions about how far the new government of the new president will be willing to go. Cuba has been a remarkable survivor under Fidel, and Raul is expected to stay on a similarly strict socialist course, with favorable signs towards easing some of the burdens that envelop the daily life of Cubans. He is widely considered to be the more down-to-earth and less ideological of the Castro brothers. Even so, in his first speech to the National Assembly which just elected him, the new president made it clear he would be consulting his brother on a range of policies, including economic development.

"There is no need to be afraid of disagreements in a society such as ours, the best solutions can come from a profound exchange of divergent opinions."

The thought of a typical American journeying without restraint to Cuba is still a ways away. Travel to Cuba is not “illegal” for Americans . . . government officials, journalists, researchers, as well as people attending conferences are allowed to visit the island nation. But technically, travel to Cuba is “limited” under the Cuban Assets Control Regulations and the Trading With the Enemy Act. Nothing is likely to be modified while President Bush remains in office. However, after the presidential election in November 2008, there are high hopes for a welcome thaw. Raul Castro has pointed to signs that he would be open to a dialogue with the United States, and presidential candidate Barack Obama has expressed his willingness to open a dialogue with Cuba. So the year 2009 very well could bring a change in the tide, but only if the American populace elects a president who will take that first step to letting bygones be bygones, making way for new horizons. 

A Letter to the New President

Dear President-Elect Obama:

You were right – America needs change, and the majority of voters agreed with you. We’d like to humbly suggest a couple of things in the travel industry that could use a dose or two of change.

The Airport Experience: Some day, when no one is looking, head to a big airport yourself and stand in the cheap-seats check-in line. Check a couple of bags. Stand in the security line. Remove your shoes, place your belongings on the conveyer. Watch as a myopic, humorless, brain-dead worker-bee tries to decipher strange shapes in your carry-on bag. This is “security?” I’m sorry, Mr. President, but this is theatre. If the TSA won’t even be screening 50% of all air cargo until February 2009, the 4 ounces of liquid in the grandmother’s purse is not the issue. If the people of this country felt that airport security really was about deterring terrorists, citizens would be behind it all the way. But the current system just insults our intelligence and our dignity.

International Relationships: We applaud your campaign words to actually talk to foreign leaders, even ones we don’t “like” very much. We suggest you take it a step further, and allow Americans to travel anywhere in the world they desire. Specifically, we’re talking about Cuba. Now that the “we-hate-Fidel” Florida Cuban vote is less of a political issue, please consider resuming normal relations with the island. Better yet, why not visit yourself? You might find it as beautiful as your home state of Hawaii, with people just as open and friendly and interesting. Remember, whether it’s Cuba or Croatia, the more of the world Americans see, and the more we can share our values with other people, the more we can become knowledgeable and compassionate citizens of the world.

We could go on about other things we feel need “change” in America (especially the health-insurance industry). And let’s clean up our financial house of cards. To us, anything that changes our world view – both internally in the U.S. and of the world itself – would be the most lasting and positive change possible. And anything that snaps America out of its naval-gazing rut will be good for the country, for travelers, and for the world.

We applaud your victory, and hope the next four (or eight) years under your leadership bring a new era of enlightenment to our country – in travel and many other areas.

*************************************

I started this website just for fun and interest. My husband was lucky to travel to Cuba a few years ago with a professional photographer friend. I desire to venture into this beautiful island for the culture, art studies, life experiences . . . but living in the United States (the Land of the Free), does not make that possible. So for now, I live the dream through pictures taken by my husband and his knowledge, and hopefully one day soon things will change for Americans. Thank you to all the visitors to my website and a happy, healthy, flourishing New Year to all around the world.  

(the photo above shows the 82 countries that visited this website in 2008)

Early 1930's
Havana's Malecon

Early 1930's
Av. Presidentes

Early 1930's
Downtown Havana

*click on photos to enlarge

*************************************

News & Stories

*************************************

If you’re concerned for the people of Haiti, you’re also probably wondering how best to help. Organizations world-wide will be pouring money and resources into the country. Our suggestion is to support Kiva.org, which helps people all over the world become more self-sufficient with micro loans. See Kiva’s comments about the Haiti earthquake relief here. A loan (not just a donation) through Kiva can be made in amounts as small as $25.

***************

An inspiring video on urban food growing in Havana . . . http://bit.ly/1HUbk

***************

Exiled Cubans' travel to their homeland hopefully will be made easier with the help of Cuba Travel Services . . .

***************

The Royal Ballet will be traveling to Cuba in July 2009 for the first time, bringing along homage to Cuban ballet legend Alicia Alonso.

This introductory visit came about somewhat because the Royal Ballet’s primary guest dancer, Carlos Acosta, is a Cuban and was quite anxious to perform in his home country. “He said it would be the highlight of his career to bring the company to Cuba,” Administrative Director Kevin O’Hare enlightened to Reuters. O’Hare further expressed, “Because of the heritage of their national ballet, there is probably no other place in the world that has a love of classical ballet like Cuba.”

Ninety-six dancers from the Royal Ballet are scheduled to perform four pieces, one of which will be a tribute to Alonso and include dancers from the Cuban National Ballet. The 88-year old Alonso has led the Cuban ballet since shortly after Fidel Castro seized power in 1959. Acosta, considered one of the crowned dancers in the world, had been an apprentice of hers before leaving Cuba.

***************

Online travel company, Orbitz, has launched its own campaign, “Open Cuba”, asking for the travel ban to be lifted . . . and they want you to sign a petition, www.opencuba.org. Orbitz is also offering a $100 voucher for a future “vacation” to Cuba when/if such travel is allowed, and when/if Orbitz offers such travel.

Oribitz’s mission statement:
”Orbitz believes that Americans should have the freedom to travel the world, because our journeys lead to cross cultural understanding and stronger ties between citizens of all nations. The beaches of Cuba were once a premier Caribbean tourism destination for Americans, and they can be once again!”

***************

When discussing Cuba, the future of the Caribbean island is foremost on most peoples’ minds these days . . . except for two Cuban-American authors who recently published books inquiring into Cuba’s recent past, the ‘90s scarcity crisis known as “período especial”, or “special period.”

“Ruins” by Achy Obejas is the bittersweet story of a domino-loving 64 year old who questions his loyal Communist principles when he can not properly feed his daughter. Set in 1992, “Havana Lunar” by Robert Arellano tells the story of a doctor who, in spite of being estranged from the Communist party, idealizes the revolutionary principles and talks to a Che Guevara portrait in his home. Both authors lived on the island during the years after the fall of the Soviet Union, when the loss of financial support sank Cuba’s economy, impoverished its inhabitants, and created a  mass departure (the “balseros” crisis) of people in homemade rafts.

***************

In 1900, Cuban meteorologists tried to warn the island town of Galveston, Texas about a catastrophic storm heading straight towards her. That outreach from the Cubans helped shape a special friendship between the American city and the island nation. Galveston’s mayor hopes to build on this special bond with a visit to Cuba, one that experts say may contribute to a thaw in recent U.S.-Cuban relations and allow both countries to share their experience in dealing with hurricanes. Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas will spend four days in Havana exchanging information with Cuban officials about hurricane preparedness.

According to Isaac’s Storm, an account of the 1900 storm, the National Weather Service was resentful of Cuba’s superior record of predicting storms and refused to let the Cubans use the U.S. military telegraph to warn Galveston. The hurricane ultimately hit Galveston and killed more than 6,000 people, becoming the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.

Over the years, Cuba has achieved a reputation for excelling at hurricane preparation because of its storm-prone location and Americans can gain an extreme amount of knowledge from Cubans’ experiences with this type of tempest.

***************

Luis Tiant left Cuba for America in 1961 with a dream of playing baseball in the Major League. By 1980, “El Tiante”, as he became known, was a legend pitching for both the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. But another dream, visiting his homeland again, took nearly half a century to be fulfilled. Tiant’s emotional return is documented in “The Lost Son of Havana” which will make its debut at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. The film is both a personal portrait of El Tiante’s 2007 reunion with his adored homeland, and a delicate criticism of the Cold War politics that have defined Cuban-American relations for half a century.

“It was completely different, where I lived. The houses, the buildings, the streets needed a lot of work. It’s hard to understand why that happened, why those people are living that way”, he expressed to NY Daily News. Tiant was one of the lucky ones in that he not only took pleasure in a successful baseball career, Fidel Castro allowed his parents to visit the United States in 1975 where they lived for 15 months until their deaths. But given that his parents had past away and he was an only child, he was not able to return to Cuba under the rules of the 47-year-old economic embargo. There was always an emptiness in his heart that he was not allowed to see his family or country.

Tiant’s visit was eventually arranged through an amateur baseball team which goes to Cuba every year as a goodwill gesture, and plays a game against retired Cuban players. Because he was brought along as a coach, El Tiante’s stay was legit. A sad note, the complicatedness of visiting his homeland, and the heartbreaking reunions, created a variety of powerful views about the embargo. “Everybody around the world goes to Cuba, except us,” says Tiant. “You want to see your family, you don’t want to see Castro. You’re not giving him your money, you’re giving it to your family, and they need it. Those people have been suffering for 50 years, and that’s a shame.”

***************

Artist praises Cuba with artwork in seaside village

The seaside village of Jaimanitas is a fantasy land, the heart of Cuba with its bright colors, comical icons, and political undertones. Houses are decorated with Picasso-like paintings and playful ceramic figures of palm trees, roosters, and crocodiles. The Jaimanitas project, 14 years in the making, is the work of Cuban artist Jose Fuster.

Fuster is often referred to as the Picasso of the Caribbean for his idiosyncratic style and is one of Cuba’s best-known artists overseas. He has exhibited all across Europe, and in the United States where art is exempt from the trade embargo against Cuba. His home and studio are the inspiration for the project, where wildly colorful mosaics wrap his home and whimsical sculptures fill his yard . . . an explosion of art that has transformed this modest neighborhood into an island of brightness among Havana’s worn out outer reaches. In front of his house, he has created a tiled park that is a large communal chess board, and just behind that is a 25-foot tall homage to five Cuban agents jailed for spying in the United States.

Alluring and fascinating for arts-minded international visitors, as well as locals, this rickety coastal community in Havana’s western suburbs might be off the beaten path, but worth the effort in searching out.

***************

Pinar del Rio, Cuba's westernmost province, is well-known for  being the most beautiful in Cuba . . . most especially the town of Soroa. This lovely, lush, and hilly countryside region can be found around 45 miles west of Havana, offering a dramatic twenty-two meter waterfall and gorgeous little mountains called "mogotes", because of their round tops.

Nature lovers, flower admirers, and day-trippers alike can take pleasure in Soroa’s diverse vegetation and wildlife. For hikers, the landscape and geography present a very pleasant place to wander around. For photographers, the scenery contributes a fine opportunity for fauna and flora shots. And for those who enjoy bird watching, there are several viewing stations scattered about.

Soroa's natural environment offers unique cycling and mountain climbing experiences and the region is the natural habitat of one of the smallest frogs in the world, along with eighty species of birds. But the greatest allure is the nearby botanical gardens which embraces an exceptional orchidarium, home to more than 700 different varieties of orchids. Nestled in the Sierra del Rosario mountain range, the area also has thousands of ferns and trees which make it a truly one of a kind destination . . . a world biosphere reserve.

*************************************

more News & Stories

*************************************

Please feel free to contact us via email.