Goodbye cheap Cuban vacation

For those of us who enjoyed an affordable winter vacation to Cuba well this article confirms that you can now forget about it.

"Cuban tourism infrastructure has seen significant strain since U.S. relations to the island warmed. Prices have surged for the island’s 63,000 hotel rooms, many of which are booked solid months in advance. Cuba received a record 3.52 million visitors last year, up 17.4 percent from 2014. American visits rose 77 percent to 161,000, not counting hundreds of thousands of Cuban-Americans."

http://ca.reuters.com/article/techno...BrandChannel=0

When I go to Cuba I feel sorry for the locals, maybe this will help the average Cuban, which is good.

We toured the interior of Cuba, away from the tourist traps, quite a bit on our honeymoon. None of the Cubans we met, purchased from, ate with, visited seemed hard done by. They were quite happy and content in most respects.

Sure, they didn't have much in the way of handheld devices, HDTVs or $90K luxury SUVs, but so what?

We went to one local ball tourney. It was a weekly deal for them. Huge turn out from something like 7 or 8 villages. Everyone knew everyone else, lots of friendly rivalries, tailgate parties, the whole nine yards. It was like something pulled right out of the 1950s middle america - an era we often moan as being the best of times.

What I can't understand why someone would want to go and spend their money in a country that is run by a communist dictatorship when its citizens are imprisoned and even killed for saying anything against the government - I'm sure there are a lot of other warm places to go rather than Cuba
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Originally Posted by JoePa

What I can't understand why someone would want to go and spend their money in a country that is run by a communist dictatorship when its citizens are imprisoned and even killed for saying anything against the government - I'm sure there are a lot of other warm places to go rather than Cuba
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Wow Joe, sounds like Orlando!!!

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Originally Posted by JoePa

What I can't understand why someone would want to go and spend their money in a country that is run by a communist dictatorship when its citizens are imprisoned and even killed for saying anything against the government - I'm sure there are a lot of other warm places to go rather than Cuba
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1. Being an American, you know exactly what your country wants you to know. And that comes out in spades with your post. The same could be said for just about every "banana republic that the US has propped up, or supported in the last 30-40 years.

2. Cuba is a beautiful country, and it's people are great. The oppression you refer to is greatly exaggerated.

3. It's economical. For value of the $$, and amenities compared to other vacation destinations, its a fraction of the cost.

4. To be bluntly honest Joe, it doesn't have any Americans vacationing there. We love you guys, as neighbors, but it's nice to vacation somewhere, that you folks aren't.

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Originally Posted by Bluebulldog

1. Being an American, you know exactly what your country wants you to know. And that comes out in spades with your post. The same could be said for just about every "banana republic that the US has propped up, or supported in the last 30-40 years.

2. Cuba is a beautiful country, and it's people are great. The oppression you refer to is greatly exaggerated.

3. It's economical. For value of the $$, and amenities compared to other vacation destinations, its a fraction of the cost.

4. To be bluntly honest Joe, it doesn't have any Americans vacationing there. We love you guys, as neighbors, but it's nice to vacation somewhere, that you folks aren't.

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I agree with you 100%, I find it nuts talking to my family who lives in the US, there is a lot of brain washing, maybe making the Commie the bad guy is still their mandate down there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JoePa

What I can't understand why someone would want to go and spend their money in a country that is run by a communist dictatorship when its citizens are imprisoned and even killed for saying anything against the government - I'm sure there are a lot of other warm places to go rather than Cuba
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Because, Joe, if you really believed what you posted above, you would want closer relations between the US and Cuba so that Cubans could benefit from the prosperity of America and its greatness.

You come across as being bitter towards the Cuban people, when in fact, if you are bitter about the situation, it should be towards Castro.

Bluebulldog has summed it up quite well, particularly with point 4.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JoePa

What I can't understand why someone would want to go and spend their money in a country that is run by a communist dictatorship when its citizens are imprisoned and even killed for saying anything against the government - I'm sure there are a lot of other warm places to go rather than Cuba
'

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I suppose it is better to live in a country where exercising your right of freedom of speech by protesting a presidential candidate gets you assaulted....