Cuba

[Eddie7045]

Levis and Rock and Roll music did more to bring

down the Soviet Union than anything else. Today there are 80 McDonalds in Moscow. In the age of the Internet that effect is only increased. Then there is the problems of poverty. Cubans were poor before the revolution. They're poor now. If they have free elections they'll still be poor. They'd be better off but still poor.

 

[Rick D]

"There is an underground sneaker net of USB drives (and cd's/dvd's)..."
Funny. During my trip eight years ago, I brought a USB drive so the sisters could swap photos, etc on their government computers (with pirated everything). When they inspected our luggage at the airport, the security guy asked me what was in the bubble pack. I told him it was a USB drive for transferring files. He just nodded, blinked his eyes and went on. He obviously had no clue...

 

[Gobsmacked]

Cuban travel

When I was a kid my parents used to take us to pre-Castro Cuba for winter trips. It is a stunningly beautiful place, and a very large island that offers everything from mountains to tropical reefs. You can actually spend a week or more in Cuba traveling around and not cross your path.
It's not like most Caribbean Islands, which are simply mountaintops sticking out of the water where after three days you realize you're seeing the same people wandering around the tourist traps.
And for the Castro regime, it's a dictatorship, but it's no worse than many of the regimes that the US maintains relationships with and which draw lots of American visitors, China and Egypt, for example. Apparently the Tienamin Square massacre in Beijing doesn't count as long as we can buy cheap Chinese-made stuff at Walmart.
I'm really looking to returning to Cuba after 50 years and seeing that incredible beach at Veradero, the wonderful old parts of Havana, the amazing bird life of the interior. and the dive sites with 100-foot underwater visibility.The Cuban people are wonderful, and the music scene is fantastic.
The people who really need to worry about Cuba are those who work in Florida's tourist trade. Once American's rediscover the island, Florida is going to take a hit. The company that runs the high speed ferries from Fort Myers to Key West is already exploring the possibility of offering the same service from Fort Myers to Havana in about five hours.

 

[Eddie7045]

Gobsmacked, excellent post !

.

 

[gettinthere]

I think Bahamas and Puerto Rico will take the tourism hit.

Read of educational tourism that is currently allowed. Highly regulated as to your schedule. No cocktails at the pool. But next year those regulations will be relaxed. You will be required to sign a document stating you are going to educate yourself about the Cuban people and educate them about America and you're good to go.

Still don't like the highly regulated way you must check in every place you move to and required to stay where they tell you. We think Fla anchoring law is heavy handed?

 

[Eddie7045]

It's a given that The Bahamas and Puerto Rico will

suffer but it will be really minimal. There are a lot of tropical vacation choices already. Then there is the problem of Communism losing a grip if there is a substantial increase in tourism. Even though it is advantages to the economy it won't help the current rulers.

 

[Terry in Naples]

From first hand experience i can tell you Naples has all the tourism and snowbird traffic we can handle. Roads are full, restaurants are full, hotels full, beaches full, parking for same full, waterways full, docks and moorings are all full. There are literally thousands of new condos and homes under construction within 5 miles of my home in the city. Yes not exaggerating thousands. Florida is today the third most populated state in us and still growing. I am a Realtor most of my clients are paying cash and 7 figures is not a problem . Tonight on the news the local Key West airline is already talking Cuba flights, less than 1 hour to Havana. So opening up Cuba will do no harm here. On my Catalina 34 it is is less than 200 miles to Havana and a nice halfway stop in Marathon or Key west.
Politics to the wind, most Cubans i know ( former Cubans) want this more relaxed climate. Me too!

 

[Marco Garcia]

As a Naturalized US citizen, I would like to have the freedom to visit any country I want, as I did with my old passport.
For us, sailors, It is about the benefits of the personal friendships and relationships we make on new ports, no matter where they are (internet ports included) or the politics involved in their lives.

At the bottom level, we are all the same...... we want, a good meal, a good drink, good friends.... and a good boat to enjoy and visit them....

 

[Benny17441]

To put it in sailing terms, we inflated the dink but when we towed it, kept pulling to port side so we decided to sink it but failed so we cut it loose. It drifted to another yacht in the Bay and was recovered and repaired. It was used regularly for some years and we could see it underway around the anchorage. At one point the owners of the yacht ran into bankruptcy and decided to cut maintenance expenses on the dink and once again it was set adrift. We were mad that the dink had drifted away from us and continued to push it away every time it started drifting our way. We have turned the boat over to our grandchildren and they still continue to push the dink away without a real reason of their own. It is time that we allow the dink to drift towards us, pump a little air into it and take it for spin and enjoy it without trying to make it turn to where it does not want to go.

 

[Benny17441]

I would not worry about the economy of Florida when Cuba reopens; it will flourish.

 

[gettinthere]

Your dink is now totally covered in sharp barnacles and will cut you good if you are not real careful. The hypalon is badly UV damaged and will split at the seams. A very unsafe vessel for your grandchildren to unwittingly try to use!

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

The people who really need to worry about Cuba are those who work in Florida's tourist trade. Once American's rediscover the island, Florida is going to take a hit. The company that runs the high speed ferries from Fort Myers to Key West is already exploring the possibility of offering the same service from Fort Myers to Havana in about five hours.

If you believe current census data, Fl is now the third largest populated state and growing exponentially. Sending some tourists to Cuba in the winter can only help relieve us of some snow-bird traffic congestion both on land and in the water. Politics notwithstanding, can't wait!

 

[seadaddler]

More

I think maybe more boats will stop in Florida and maybe even spend
more time in Florida before heading to Cuba.
Florida is so over crowded that it could be better or maybe not and only
time will tell and Florida may do very well with boats stocking up before
heading to Cuba just like when heading to Bahama's with everything costing
so much higher than in US.
Cuba could do well with boaters bringing so many things into Cuba from US,
this could be bad both ways with good and bad to and from Cuba and the CG
will need to beef up there patrolling for sure.
Nick

 

[Chris Patterson]

Benny, that was a cool analogy.

 

[Eddie7045]

Chris, well, yeah, but do we really need a metaphor

to say, "It ain't workin' !".