Castro dead at 90

[crabcake]

https://travel.state.gov/content/pas...ntry/cuba.html

• TOURIST VISA REQUIRED:
  
  Tourist travel to Cuba is prohibited under U.S. law for U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and others subject to U.S. jurisdiction.
  

According to the (real) news today, Trump will invalidate Obama's executive order unless Raul Castro comes up with a better deal, and institutes serious social reforms. That's per his CoS.

So, it looks like the real estate people in the Keys will be crying in their beer for a while longer. For those of you who don't know, they have been banking on a windfall from normalization of Cuban-America relations.

[weavis]

GUyz

We didnt clean up the thread from politics because it would have taken a while and we had hope people would abide by the rules they signed up with... disappointment reigns supreme.

Just to say that CF policy has not changed and politics and religion and gun threads are not encouraged for discussion.

Bear this in mind as posts will just be deleted from now on.... if you post is missing you know why, if two posts of yours or more go missing, you might not like the mod note that appears in your PM box...

Ive been to Cuba many times. As a Brit the exclusion doesnt apply to me..but I made sure no entry or exit stamp was in my passport as I lived in the States... My route there was never from American soil..

[crabcake]

Originally Posted by weavis

Ive been to Cuba many times. As a Brit the exclusion doesnt apply to me..but I made sure no entry or exit stamp was in my passport as I lived in the States... My route there was never from American soil..

OK, I'll bite, how did you accomplish this - tear out pages from the passport?

[uncle stinkybob]

Originally Posted by weavis

GUyz

We didnt clean up the thread from politics because it would have taken a while and we had hope people would abide by the rules they signed up with... disappointment reigns supreme.

Just to say that CF policy has not changed and politics and religion and gun threads are not encouraged for discussion.

Bear this in mind as posts will just be deleted from now on.... if you post is missing you know why, if two posts of yours or more go missing, you might not like the mod note that appears in your PM box...

Ive been to Cuba many times. As a Brit the exclusion doesnt apply to me..but I made sure no entry was in my passport as I lived in the States... Mt route there was never from American soil..

So that rule applies to everyone? After reading many such posts on many threads it appeared not apply to those with enough stars and post's accredited to them. So to be clear, this rule really does apply to everyone?

[chris mac]

I've been to cuba as well. It is a poor country as many in the carribean are. However the people are incredibly nice, and despite the poverty, most everyone was happier than the people here.
I look forward to going back once I am live aboard.

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by chris mac

I've been to cuba as well. It is a poor country as many in the carribean are. However the people are incredibly nice, and despite the poverty, most everyone was happier than the people here.
I look forward to going back once I am live aboard.

Chris,
Could you please share your formula for the "Happiness Quotient" with CF members that you used for your above remarks? I, for one, will find this helpful when heading out for our next major cruise this Spring. Aside from adventure, we too will be looking for happiness. Good luck and safe sailing.
Capt. Rognvald P.S. May I suggest an interesting read by Sir Thomas More. The link follows: Utopia by Thomas More — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Snore

Sorry. I HAVE BEEN THERE. There is the thin "tourista" veneer. Then there is the reality.

The common (wo)man is disgruntled. If you are not one of the few that owns homes or a cab you "get by".
What you can't sense is the smell of raw sewage on the back streets of Havana

Good input. It will be interesting to see if the infrastructure improves in the near future.

[chris mac]

Originally Posted by rognvald

Chris,
Could you please share your formula for the "Happiness Quotient" with CF members that you used for your above remarks? I, for one, will find this helpful when heading out for our next major cruise this Spring. Aside from adventure, we too will be looking for happiness. Good luck and safe sailing.
Capt. Rognvald P.S. May I suggest an interesting read by Sir Thomas More. The link follows: Utopia by Thomas More — Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

Rognvald, I don't have a formula, or anyway to quantify my experiences other than how those experiences affected me at the time.
Almost everyone we met was smiling. We even noticed random dancing.
We always try to step off the "tourist" path and interact with individuals. Many invited us to eat with them, and most were happy to just stop and talk.
One guy, who was a scuba guide, told me much of his life story. His dad was the towns best carpenter, and he was trained by his dad to continue the family job.he did for several years but didn't love it. So he became a dive instructor and loves his life.
What struck me most was similarities with everyone, everywhere. You always want to improve your life.
It was very counter to what I was told by others about cuba. They did have choice and options. More so if they worked hard. No different than here.
Yes, most everyone lives in poverty compared to 1st world, again not much different than many carribean countries.
The problems they face are different than ours of course. More basic. They aren't worrying about student loans, or mortgages. Or even about starving. Basics are supplied by the government( and yes, very basic)
But they know that they will most likely never leave, or experience the outside world. What is, is what will be. That is their life.
I guess this experience also opened my mind to seeing things outside of the typical north American mind set of Making money, and then more money as the path to success and happiness.
I am not nearly as world travelled as most on this forum. I know many will have different views on it. However cuba holds a piece of me, and I can't wait to go back.


Edit, I believe I have read that book many years ago. It looks familiar. I will pull it from the library and refresh my memory, thanks.

[NoahTreat]

Originally Posted by Sandero

Discussion of politics on a sailing forum is very bad idea. Killing for some political or economical or ideological reason is more common than no. Empires do it, democracies do it, dictators do it, religions do it, crazy individuals do it. HUMANS ARE VIOLENT. How many did the USA kill in Vietnam? in Iraq? In Japan? Democracies don't kill? I think many US presidents killing makes Castro's pale in comparison. This is not a justification by any means. Torture? Gitmo anyone? Abugraib? I hate to use a religious reference... but... he who is without sin cast the first stone or some such nonsense.

I think political and religious topics should off limits on this forum.

Talking politics on a sailing is a bad idea, but I'm about to talk politics for a while.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by NoahTreat

Talking politics on a sailing is a bad idea, but I'm about to talk politics for a while.

Welcome to the forum.

[Snore]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Good input. It will be interesting to see if the infrastructure improves in the near future.

I hope so. They are really nice people, with no way to better themselves without some societal changes. Anyone needing a captain to take them?? I'd love to get back, do it for (almost) nothing.

PS- we gave some extra food to the dock guys at ------- and they were delighted. Our boat got very good care!

[trimarannaga]

After clearing into Cuba, the government requires that you put your boat on a dock at the marina unless there is no marina. Anchoring is not allowed if there is a marina available. However there are many bays that you can anchor at. My experience was on the south coast of Cuba. Islas de la reina are a group of mangrove islands that have excellent protection from weather and a short dinghy ride to awesome snorkeling. In Cuba it seams as if every rock is a lobster condo and if there are no rocks, the fishermen have an ingeneous method of attracting lobster. They make a sort of door on a metal frame 6" off the sea bed. Lift the door and there's the lobsters!!! Once when checking the anchor in a deserted Bay I found we had anchored in the middle of a conch orgy. Hundreds of conch seemed to be mating. Dinner was delicious . If you don't want to catch your own seafood just give a $3 bottle of rum to the fishermen and they will fill your cockpit with seafood. Lovely island. Lovely people. One bad thing happened. We ran out of money and could not access our bank accounts. A bad storm was moving in. We left the marina and tried to motor out of the channel. It was too rough so we had to turn back in. We dropped anchor. A gunship came along side and told us we could not anchor. Return to the marina. We explained we were out of money. They told us "marina or leave" so we put in a double reef on the main, hoisted the staysail and short tacked out of the very narrow channel. We made it out and proceeded to sail 90 miles south thru a horrible storm to reach the Cayman islands. We hit the atm and turned around after 2 days and returned to Cuba.

[trimarannaga]

I wanted to note. They will stamp a piece of paper and you keep it in your passport if you don't want your passport stamped. I do recall that each time we went into a marina a Cuban official came aboard. It was always friendly and not a big deal. If you rent a car to do some road travelling reserve the back seat for any Cubans who need rides. Stack them 5 deep if you wish. They will appreciate the ride and you will enjoy the conversations.

[michaelratinter]

Enjoy it for the next two months. US President elect has promised to renew total embargo. He may keep this promise.

[chris mac]

When there, we were told that drivers were obligated to pick up hitchhikers. It was a condition of having a vehicle. So yes most back seats were full, 5 deep