CUBA

In early spring I noticed an advertisement for an educational cruise to Cuba.This was after Obama's historic softening of the freeze in diplomatic relations between the US and Cuba since Castro's seizure in 1959. I have always been fascinated with Cuban history and its relationship with the USA and we talked some friends into signing up with us for the 7 day tour. It is sponsored by Carnival Cruises, but leaves Miami on the ADONIA, which is a much smaller ship of only 700 passengers and 300 crew members. I had always vowed to never take a cruise but this was the best way to see Cuba because you stay onboard at night and tour Cuba during the day.I had read that you don't want to stay in Cuban hotels at this stage because they are still pretty crude compared to American standards , and I personally saw some of the best they offered during the tours and it was Holiday INN circa 1959. The Russians certainly didn't do much to modernize Cuba in the 30 years or so of their r

elationship. The average Cuban is paid $20 a month by the Socialist government and Professionals like Doctors and scientists are paid $40. All medicine and medical care is free, as well as college. You must work for the country for 2 years or your college degree is revoked. A lot of teachers and professionals are quitting their $20 a month jobs to become tour guides and bus drivers because the is a lot of tourist tips coming their way from American tourists. Its amazing that your tour group gets off the ship each day and goes through customs and then boards new red ,white , and blue air conditioned buses imported and partially owned by China. The premise of being allowed to tour Cuba at this stage hinges on it being either as an educational group, or as a commercial venture rarely sanctioned by the US. It was just a couple of weeks ago that the first US airlines were starting to be allowed to land in Cuba. It is somewhat of a surprise as your ship enters Havana Harbor as it looks totally like a modern city with tall buildings and an air of modernism. That quickly fades as the ship winds its way through the channel to the dock and you get closer to the city and realize that it is Miami in maybe 1940. The old cars are there as promised, but there are already yellow taxis picking up tourists. Havana is changing even as we watch. The harbor is surrounded by refineries and utility power plants as well as medium tankers loading and off loading petroleum products. There is a smog haze in the air befitting a city of 2 1/2 million people as well as a constant smell of burning paper or wood. As the ship threads its way to the dock, both sides are lined with Cubans waving and taking photos with their I-phones, yelling"Viva America!"They seem happy to see us.The water in the harbor is probably the dirtiest I have ever seen in the Caribbean, much like they described at the Rio Olympics. Everybody on shore seems happy except the Customs people who stamp your Passport and sign your Visa. It's interesting  that half the Customs officials are Men and half are attractive young women wearing mini skirt uniforms with black hose like from Victoria's Secret. There are medical people who scan your forehead with infra red thermometers . If you have a temp you get further evaluations.Once on shore you get on your bus with a Cuban guide who speaks English and takes you through Havana on a bus tour, as well as assorted walking tours. Havana has 4 major town squares with many historic government and cultural buildings , mostly explained in terms of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara ouster of Fulgencio Batista and the American Mafia in 1959. The bus takes you to Revolution Square where classic cars are parked and you pose in 1955 pink Bel Air Chevy convertibles with the Cuban Driver. You pay him maybe $1 or 2pesos CUC which is Cuban currency for tourists.The guide tells you to only buy Cuban Cigars from licensed stores, because otherwise you will probably buy banana leaves wrapped in tobacco. Americans are allowed to buy $400 worth of cigars and rum. That's all . American currency must be exchanged for Cuban  dollars as you exit customs. You are charged 10%  for a fee. The dollar is about equal to a peso in value but becomes 90 cents after the exchange.American credit cards are not allowed so leave them on board the ship. Your cell phones won't work on land so turn them off when you leave Miami or you will receive enormous roaming charges while you're on board the ship. The ship has WIFI at an exorbitant rate, but what the hell, you're in Cuba living like the USA in 1959.Get used to no cell phone. We survived. Mass transit in Havana are 1950 vintage Ford and Chevrolet flat bed trucks with benches.There are thousands of these coming into Havana every day with workers, but I saw very few people working , mostly standing on street corners talking. I didn't see any loose cats, but there were many flea bitten dogs running loose at will, scratching their mangy hides. The tour took us to two different restaurants in Havana the two days we toured the City. The first was a private restaurant on the upper patio up about 50 steps . The meal was Cuba Cuisine of rice and beans , lobster, sautéed vegetables and chicken or pork. Desert is always some sort of ice cream. It was a very pleasant meal with a Cuban band playing Cuban Music. Those who ate the lobster said it was too salty , an observation of everyone who ate lobster on shore the whole trip. The second day in Havana we ate on the 31st floor of an office building . The food was again about the same. Usually they serve a Sangria which brought mixed reviews.It was interesting that we watched Cuban vultures soaring below us as we ate on the top floor in the restaurant. I felt very safe in Havana, and actually we felt more secure in Havana than in Miami. The Cubans were all very friendly and nice to the Invading Americans. There were the usual scammers wanting to sell you artists' renderings , and Attractive Cuba woman dressed in bright tropical clothing wanted to kiss American men for Pesos but I resisted. I might add that the Cuban women as a group are knock outs. I kept hearing The Black Eyed Peas singing "Latin  Girls"in my mind. We went to the Art Museum , which had a lot of Egyptian and Roman Artifacts. It was interesting that in the American Section there was a life sized Portrait of Henry Clay and one of George Washington. There weren't many Cubans partaking of the art work. It was a Beautiful Museum of marble and Beaux Arts design. After two days in Havana the ship loaded up and sailed around the western tip and headed to the second city on the tour which is a different story.