Originally Posted by
YVR Cockroach
As said, Cuba is pretty much a place culturally uninfluenced (at least in modern times) by its neighbours. Almost no international brand presence in Havana, let alone the rest of the country, to take away from the fact that you are in Cuba.
On the contrary.
Currently they (or at least, many) can sit at home watching Univision with its commercials for Lowes and Macy's using backgrounds of US homes with US products. That's a significant cultural influence, IMO.
Originally Posted by
Suman84
I think Cuba is a good destination. Havana is listed in top 10 destinations in the world.....
Listed where?
No way would I consider it in the "
top 10 destinations in the world" for any reason (culture, art, music, scenery/beaches, architecture), including the picturesquely crumbling architecture and number of 1940-50s cars.
With destinations like Paris; London; New York; Rio/Salvador/Sao Luis in Brazil; Egypt; Turkey; Pacific islands including Fiji, Tahiti, and Hawaii; Japan; China; India; safari and historic buildings in several African countries; Machu Picchu in Peru; Rome/Florence/Venice/Cinque Terra in Italy; and more? Right.
Originally Posted by
Low Roller
Cuba has its pros and cons.
Varadero beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world ……..The entertainment and customer service can be very good,….
On the plus side, the prices are great. ………some of the world's best rum and cigars are a steal.
The local markets are great for souvenir shopping including some beautiful jewelry.
Havana is a bit run-down in spots but you can see that it was once beautiful ……... You can see why it is a Unesco world heritage site. Some restoration work has begun in recent years and will hopefully bring back its former glory.
IMO Varadero may be just as pretty as some beaches in Brazil, but the majority there are much more beautiful. Let alone Fiji and places like that.
There is very little nightlife outside the hotels which put on tourist shows. No Afro-Cuban music or culture to be found easily.
The advantage is that you can be in Varadero in 45 minutes from Miami.
Prices are great? I spent 3X more money than I thought I would need as a budget traveler (and this is not a good value compared to Mexico and Brazil for example), some of it paying "the gringo tax" for things like taxis in Havana. (14 CUC taxi ride for 25 CUC for example)
$10 + for ONE cigar is NOT my idea of "a steal" !
I saw very little nice jewelry. Lots of cheap junk, badly crafted. (I am an inveterate shopper, stopping at every stall in sight anywhere in the world.)
There were a very few buildings in Havana under restoration, and those were larger public looking buildings.
This for me is in stark contrast to a residential area in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil called Pelourinho where the not-particularly-well-funded government put lots of money into restoring residential buildings of the same age with commercial spaces (bars, restaurants and shops) on the ground floors.
That said, I did enjoy the trip, particularly the people.