A couple of weeks ago, shortly after my 30-part blog series on Cuba wrapped up, Barack Obama announced that he’s following in my footsteps. (I’m assuming it’s a coincidence.) President Obama’s visit on March 22-23 will be the first time a US President has set foot on Cuban soil since 1928.
With all of the media attention on Obama’s historic visit, I’m feeling pretty smart for having just traveled to Cuba. Soon the Castros will be gone, and Dunkin’ Donuts and all of the international chain stores will arrive, heralding a tsunami of change that will submerge the time-warp, idealistic charms of this mysterious island 90 miles off the coast of Florida. I just had to visit now and share my experience. In case you missed it, here are some highlights from my blog series:
Landing in Havana, I went on a photo safari in the colorful old town. One thing that really struck me, wherever I went, was the warm welcome I received from the Cuban people. They love visitors and they love to talk. And it struck me that in Cuba, even though people don’t have a lot, they act like they do.
It was fascinating to explore slice-of-Cuban-life Havana, from a farmers markets to the paltry aisles of a supermarket to the limited options for getting online. We rode a variety of taxis — from those famous classic American cars to a funky but efficient “Cocotaxi.”
For those interested in 20th-century history and current events, there are plenty of weighty issues to grapple with in Cuba — including their communist system, their heritage of complex relations with the USA and USSR, and the racial stratification of Cuban society. The best lessons came on an educational tour organized through Augsburg College’s Center for Global Education and Experience (CGEE).
People are curious about the logistics of my trip. Where did we stay? Where did we eat? How did we get local cash? And what about the red tape — I know it’s legal now, but how does it work? The answers are all in my blog.
Leaving Havana, we toured the same two stops that seem to be on every visitor’s itinerary: the gorgeous valley of Viñales, where we enjoyed a horseback ride (and a rooftop breakfast); and the colorful city of Trinidad, where local guide Julio Muñoz showed me around.
For our grand finale, we returned to Havana just in time for New Year’s Eve, including an impromptu dance party in a local home that we’ll never forget. (And we have the videos to prove it.)
My trip to Cuba was a fascinating and memorable way to kick off 2016. And sharing it with you (and reading so many insightful comments) has been a joy. I hope you enjoyed traveling with me.
“One thing that really struck me, wherever I went, was the warm welcome I received from the Cuban people. They love visitors and they love to talk. And it struck me that in Cuba, even though people don’t have a lot, they act like they do.”
That’s exactly what the travel writers who appear in my recently-released documentary film, “Cuba, Libre?” said about the Cuban people.
Hoping that you will soon publish a (self) guide book on Cuba. We hope to get there in 2017, before it is taken over by McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, & tourists. We used your guide books & DVDs last year for a wonderful month in Europe. All your recommendations were perfect and I will follow up on where we visited.
My husband and I have been going to Cuba over 20 years now and I will be sad when the Americans and American fast food come. My advice to Americans, enjoy the scenery and the local food.
The lessening tensions between the US and Cuba is great news for adventure lovers like myself! Cuba is in fact super mysterious- nobody really knows anything about it! Cuba is extremely high on my bucket list of places to visit- it seems like a place filled with incredible history, culture, and of course beaches!
I live in cuba now for about 7 years I live like the Cubans people wake up worst medical in the world no food no nothing . Obama come live in my neighbourhood and you will not worry about baseball players dick head no water no food no nothing. my wife makes 15 buck a month when we can find potatoes its 1 dollar per potatoe. the most corrupt place in the planet ive been .how can you deal with a murderous regime like the castro twins but I personaly think fidel has been dead for a number of years. propaganda and more and more if things don’t change for the common people there it will be another venesuala!!!!!!!!!!!!!!93 per cent of Cubans steal to survive TRUST ME I KNOW CUBA for you tourists that think you know cuba and go to resorts blow it out your butts .you don’t know dick
and bye the way 38000 Cubans fled to equador in 2015 there is not a Cuban that would cut off there right hand to get out !!!!!!!!!!!!!! they need help NO FREEDOM OF SPEECH NO NOTHING now equador thanks to the usa put in restrictions to flee the mess IN CUBA . go to the equador embassy in Havana and see the number of people there trying to get out and we take refugees from Islamic states by the thousands GO FIGURE