|
|
|
Health Insurance for Canada Travel
While we as U.S. residents think often about travel insurance coverage when we're traveling overseas we're not so quick to worry about health insurance for Canada travel. This is especially true if our voyage to Canadian provinces is by car and not...
Safe and Sound Winter Travel
We've all felt Jack Frost taking a nip at our nose, and facing
Jack also means facing the harsh reality that a harsh winter
promises, including the toll it's like to take on our main mode
of transportation.
It's common knowledge that the...
Tips for Summer Travel
The summer is right around the corner, and thousands of Americans are planning vacations and trips. Traveling on a budget can be tricky, but it is not impossible. The key is to plan ahead, and try to the make the most out of what you have. Contact...
Travel Blog Your Next Vacation
Some years ago, I took an extended trip to Europe. During that vacation, I kept a travel journal in which I made notes of the places I visited, the people I met and the events that occurred. I still get out that travel journal and read through some...
Travelers Checks Versus Debit Cards
My first time overseas, I had to exchange cash in $200 of travelers checks to pay a mountaineering guide who hadn't heard of American Express. The bank charged me $8. During the same trip, I used my debit card at an ATM to get $200 from my checking...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Travel to Cuba: The Caribbean's Forbidden Island
Think Cuba, and vivid images come to mind: of men in Guayabera shirts and Panama hats, tropical breezes and cool drinks, steamy Latin rhythms and sultry women. It has always been an intriguing place, steeped in truth and in fiction by the novels of Ernest Hemingway.
In the pre-Revolution Batista days, Cuba was the sin capital of the Americas, a wild haunt of mobsters, corrupt politicians, loose women and petty thieves, all vying to stake their claim to a share of the profits from gambling, prostitution and other lucrative rackets. The easy money attracted some of America's biggest celebrities and high rollers, as well as a flood of tourists eager to indulge in the island's many carnal pleasures.
After decades of blight and neglect, the Caribbean's largest island is radiating a new self-confidence. Havana has regained much of its past allure, tourism is once again thriving, old bars, restaurants and hotels are enjoying a proud comeback, and stunning new attractions are being built.
Cuba is a destination worth discovering that's at its best right now. As a travel desination, its relative political isolation has kept it from being overrun with tourists. Once the U.S. government lifts economic sanctions and the travel ban, there will be a flood of investment into Cuba's economy that is sure to
change the face of the culture and landscape.
Cuba is home to just over 11 million people, with more than 2 million living in the capital, Havana. The island's Cuba's rich culture, interesting political history, and continued economic hardship make it one of the world's most eye-opening nations with a wealth of places just waiting to be discovered. The food, music, and, most of all, the warm hospitality of the Cuban people all combine to make it a great place to visit.
U.S. officials say open trade and travel to Cuba would strengthen Castro's oppressive government. But critics argue that the Cold War-era U.S. embargo, aimed at forcing a change in Cuba's leadership, has not achieved its goals after being in place for more than 40 years.
Despite the embargo, last year, 200,000 Americans visited Cuba (most through Canada or Mexico).
As one taxi driver put it, "We have the best cigars, best rum, best music, and most beautiful women in the world. What more could anyone want?"
I can't argue with that, and don't think you would either.
RESOURCES
The Cuba Report, an expatriate guide, was recently published. For more information or to order, visit www.thegloballife.net.
About the Author
Phillip Townsend is the author of The Cuba Report, available at www.thegloballife.net
|
|
|
|
|
|