Want to go to Cuba?
 

I saw this, today.....I am often sent emails about going there,but they are $$$. Interesting segment.

Peter Greenberg Worldwide – How Americans Can Travel to Cuba: A CBS Early Show Report

With the people to people availability, the restrictions don't seem bad at all. I would like that kind of interaction.

Henry, most people just won't to do it that way. We know the ways to get there, other than, from here but, taking a chance is not what most people will do.

I would love to visit Cuba.

TM

Been there,,,,done that. No thanks.

"SKY"

Next time you are at Miami airport, check out the departures board. There are plenty of flights from the U.S. to Cuba, but only Americans with authorization can travel there.

Want to go to Cuba?
 

In the early days after it was allowed that Floridians could fly to visit family in Cuba, people used to dress in many, many layers of clothing, so that, when they arrived, they would peel them off to give to their family.

Flights to Havana from Tampa resumed in September. It was all over the news here. Here is a link to an article about it.


http://www2.tbo.com/news/breaking-news/2011/sep/08/tampa-to-havana-flight-makes-history-ar-256197/

Laura

I read the boards often and enjoy the amazing wealth of knowledge among the posters. Can someone give me an intelligent and informed explanation of why we can travel to China and not Cuba. Isn't China a communist country as well?

Florida
 

I have never been in Miami and do not anticipate ever being there .

You never know Henry....you could be cruising from Miami one day...I'll be there in March.:)

The difference is that China has money and they keep on lending it to the US.

TM

China? Heck, you can be legally touring Hanoi tomorrow if you want to.

The answer is: an obsession with Fidel Castro. Once he dies, expect rapid progress on elimination of the travel restrictions.

It's no small irony that the United States -- "land of the free" -- places a de facto travel prohibition on its citizens. This kind of thing is one of the hallmarks of communist countries, including, of course, Cuba.

I wanted to go at one time, but decided that with so many other great places, this one could wait.

Since I will soon be a Florida resident it will put me a lot closer to Cuba.
My DW loves to see old churches and has been all over Europe and a few place in South America, so one of these days we will go to Cuba.

TM

I would love to go to Cuba, someday. From what I have heard from older people, who were able to go there, pre-Castro, it is supposed to be one of the most beautiful countries in the caribbean. My father was a teacher in West New York, New Jersey; starting from the late fifties, until Mariel Bay, most of his students were Cuban refugees. The first group that arrived in the late fifties, were the intelligencia, who had the means to get out. The last group, Mariel Bay, did whatever it took to leave an oppressive government. It would be great, in our lifetime, to see Cuba as a country where people could be free; it is then when I would rejoice in seeing this great country!

The explanation is entirely political and applies equally to the Democrats and Republicans alike. Florida has often been a swing state in presidential elections (or is that a hanging chad state? :mrgreen:). Broward and Dade counties (two of the larger counties) have a very large Cuban-American population. Both parties fear what might happen if they alienate the portion of that population who are very militant in their opposiiton to Castro were we ever to ease restrictions or normalize our relations with Cuba. Therefore that group has influence far beyond what their numbers would normally exert. My best guess is when one or both Castros are dead and gone these ridiculous restrictions will be eased.

Doug,

I think what you say is very true, but you can't forget the fact that the Cubans are not yet free, and there has been no reason for them to be. They have yet to have a voice. They just in the last couple of months have been allowed to own property.

There are so many islands to visit. This is the only one that I know of that the people are supressed.

I cannot in good faith, support such a government, that does not allow it's people to be free.

If we really have used that standard for diplomatic relations we would have far fewer embassies world wide. Since there is no such thing as good tyrants therefore they are all bad and deserve equal treatment. We tolerate some even worse than Cuba becuase of their "strategic importance." It is nothing but political pandering that keeps this anacoristic policy in effect.

The more contact that Cuban people have with people from the outside the more likely that they can create a democracy.
Other Caribbean destinations may have some freedom but when people are starving such as in Haiti, the life is worse than it is in Cuba.

TM

I clearly do not have any answers. The only thing I have to go on, is what my gov. recomends. Does anyone know how many Cubans come back on those planes leaving from the states?

Luanne, I probably don't trust our government as much as you do, because they sure lied to me about Vietnam.
It's a long story, but what they told me was not what I encountered when I got there.

TM

It's I guess trust. I never thought about it that way, but I do tend to follow the rules, and that would keep me from going there.

Ever wonder why anyone would want to go to a place where it's leaders will not allow for it's own citizens to leave.

I also can't support that type. of gov, and yes, it is supporting the gov. when you take money to a country, and it ends up with the gov, instead of the workers, who give so much of themselves.

West New York,NJ
 

I respect your opinion.
However, you are supporting the government of China and Vietnam every day. We all buy products from those countries. Many parts that go in our Air Force aircraft are made in China.
My former employer purchased many products made in Vietnam.

Those countries are Communist and they don't have a very good record on human rights.

TM

Very true, and I wish it didn't have to be the case. But, I am not traveling there.

I try very hard to buy American, but it is getting harder and harder to do.

Before I forget again, let me talk about the fact that you had to go to Vietnam. I am so sorry..... You and I know that I know soldiers. Forcing a person to be a soldier, is never a good thing.

I can't explain Vietnam, or why we ended up there. I also can't explain why it wasn't stopped years earlier. I suppose it was fear of the commies, and what they might do to us, but only those who ordered the deployments know the real reason.

Getting back to Cuba, I am a rule follower. It will not kill me to miss Cuba, so I will continue to pray for the people of Cuba, and hope that one day, they will be free.