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Cuba

By jump the ladder (Fri Jan 25, 2008 at 08:57:01 AM EST) (all tags)

Came back on monday from a two week cycling holiday in Cuba. Cycled 620KM around the island covering most of it apart from the American all inclusive resort in Guatanamo Bay "that you won't be able to bring yourself to leave" (C) Bush Administration 2001.

Poll: is that US trade embargo on Cuba justified?

Bullets

it is still very communist there outside the main resorts. No adverts, just revolutionary slogans on billboards and nothing in the shops kind of like the Soviet Union circa 1985
They use two currencies: converible Pesos for buying tourist stuff and imported goods and National Pesos for the Cubans.
Weather was great with only one cloudy day which was the day we went to the airport to go home
Lots of Canadians there especially the Quebecois.
The group I went with was OK but I hated doing everything as a group. The tour was a bit over organised
Virgin uses its clapped out 747s from the Notrh Atlantic run on this route
Food was very boring unless you're a big fan of rice and beans or omlettes. Very hard to be a veggie there
Best city was Trinidad, beautiful colonial architecture and a wonderful salsa music dominated night life.

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Cuba | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback

WIPO: Remarkably counterproductive by wiredog (4.00 / 1) #1 Fri Jan 25, 2008 at 09:32:19 AM EST

I suspect that the last thing the Cuban government wants is to see the embargo lifted. Because then all the Cuban people might just see what they're missing out on.

Earth First!
_{(We can strip mine the rest later.)}

: Hmm by jump the ladder (2.00 / 0) #2 Fri Jan 25, 2008 at 09:37:10 AM EST

That's if the Cuban govt allows its population access to the internet or mobile phones. You can't even buy coaxial cable so they are forced to use bare telephone copper wire which conveniently the Govt can check up using scanners what you're watching on TV.
Anyway you can buy most consumer crap that you can in the West if you have enough money in convertible Peso stores.

[ Parent ]
: And then go back to golden years before Communism by Tonatiuh (2.00 / 0) #6 Wed Jan 30, 2008 at 10:30:01 AM EST

Like when they were a Spanish colony, or a US colony, or ruled by a cleptocrat supported by the US.
Wait, maybe what they have got today is not the worst they have ever experienced.
Many Cubans in the arts, sports and sciences fields travel abroad and come back home, fully committed to their country's cause, other Cubans know how life in the West is (after all many have family abroad). This is not North Korean pie in the sky dictatorship.

[ Parent ]

WIPO by nebbish (2.00 / 0) #3 Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 07:20:17 AM EST

The human rights argument isn't really justified when you compare Cuba with other countries the US supports. It's quite obviously just because the US doesn't agree with Cuba's politics.

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It's political correctness gone mad!

Dude by jump the ladder (2.00 / 0) #4 Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 07:47:28 AM EST

Did you not notice the sarcasm of the poll option "Yes, they have a bad human rights record unlike our other allies like Saudi Arabia or Pakistan"

It's mixture of the Cuban-American vote in Florida, dislike of one the few remaining true soviet style communist states and Castro being a pain in the rear for so long that keeps the sanctions on.

The Cuban govt is then handed a free get out of jail card by the yanks for their own mismanagement of the economy and repression of free speech and media.

[ Parent ]

: Yeah sorry by nebbish (2.00 / 0) #5 Mon Jan 28, 2008 at 09:44:16 AM EST

Just adding my bit, I did spot that :)
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It's political correctness gone mad!
[ Parent ]

Cuba | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 hidden) | Trackback