Good question. There is this (I think) ridiculous fear that Cuba is going to become Americanized overnight and that there will be McDonald’s and Starbucks on every street corner, and so we’d better get there before that happens. First of all, when those companies arrive in Havana, the average Cuban will never be able to afford to go there. And if you as a visitor disapprove of those places, you don’t go inside. It’s that simple.

The result is this influx of visitors that the country can’t yet handle. To be honest, if you want great hotels and amazing food, you can do better elsewhere. But if you want a fascinating case study in a country in transition that is bound to have some stumbles along the way, Cuba is your place. You have to go into it with that mindset. You’ll be disappointed otherwise.