Despite increasing hardships for locals, the Caribbean's most impressive island offers one of the world's great travel experiences, from its music and culture to Havana and its other cities, as well as beaches and nature.
Las Terrazas, a Woodsy Cuban Eco-Treasure
The main reasons millions come to Cuba each year are (primarily) beaches and (secondarily) culture. But the lag in the country’s development since 1959 has been a boon for ecotourism, leaving the island with quite a few natural treasures for visitors to discover, from hidden waterfalls to castaway beaches, national parks, and conversatories. I recently discovered one such gem in the Sierra del Rosario mountains just over an hour’s drive west of capital Havana. Allow me to introduce you to Las…
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That's not a good sign.
When will this embargo finally end?
Last week I asked, "What next?" Now I just saw the answer to my question:
I'm not saying Mexico or Florida or any other particular destinations lobby to keep us out of Cuba... but could you blame them if they did?
Personally I stand for freedom, freedom to travel being one of the most important. Our presence as tourists and the ability to mingle with regular Cubans far outweighs any geopolitical considerations. And anyway, 50 years of embargo haven't changed one thing on the island. Isn't it time we opened up, and tried another way?
A few days ago the Miami Herald reported, ""The Obama administration will soon ease some restrictions on US travel to Cuba and other sanctions following Havana's promise to free political prisoners, according to growing but unconfirmed reports."
I wonder: Which other Caribbean islands would be hurt the most if the U.S. eased travel to Cuba?
"Although Obama has not officially changed any rules regarding nonfamily trips to Cuba, State Department statistics show anecdotal evidence of a flow of visits.
Experts say that although statistics have not been released regarding how many American academics, musicians and church groups have visited Cuba under Obama, the U.S. State Department has relaxed strict Bush-era interpretations of existing law.
Cuba Education Tours offers American professionals tips on how to qualify for a general research license. They offer trips over Thanksgiving, Christmas and a "51st Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution Tour spanning New Years."
"Even though the administration hasn't yet published changes allowing more cultural and educational exchanges to and from Cuba, anecdotal evidence suggests that such loosening has already taken place," said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a critic of Obama's Cuba policy. "We see ads informing college students and artistic groups of planned excursions to the island. So it looks like it's back to the era of two-week college courses in Cuban culture taught on the beaches of Varadero."
"There was a general policy to obstruct all people to people contacts between Americans and Cuba," said attorney Robert Muse, an expert on the U.S. trade embargo. "Virtually any application submitted was denied during that period. While there may be more travel going on now, what Obama has not done is return to licenses."
"The law permits all that without a change," said pro-embargo lobbyist Mauricio Claver-Carone. "There is purposeful travel. The administration has been more lax in authorizing travel than the previous administration was, but that fits the pattern with Democrats."
But activists have urged Obama to do more by officially changing the rules, not just interpreting them differently.
Since Obama has already offered Cuban-Americans the right to travel freely and send money, he is probably waiting for the Castro government to make similar concessions before he allows more liberalized travel for all Americans, she said."
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