Future Travel to Cuba Possibly Easier

by Adrienne Wilson on

Ever since I saw the Buena Vista Social Club, I was sold on getting to Cuba. It wasn’t just about wanting to watch tiny old woman roll fat cigars anymore or about chilling on some cool Cuban coastline with a cocktail anymore. That movie made me what to explore the bottomless depths of the music scene. Or should I say musicia? The songs, the dance, the history and the lives of the people swaying to Omara Portuondo’s “Gracias a la Vida” are all the things I’d love to come across during a two-week long trip.

Anyhow, before I get too wrapped up in my own sweet dreams of traveling to Cuba, I wanted to point the attention of other travelers longing to visit the only Communist country in the Western hemisphere to this plug found on World Hum. They site a couple of articles across the web that suggest travel to Cuba could one day become legal and easier for you and me. Now don’t go about clicking your heels yet. There is only a glimmer of hope as of now with factors like Fidel missing his big 80th birthday bash and his brother Raul’s call for open talks with the U.S. over the weekend. So yes, we probably still have to wait until Fidel bites the dust and Raul tells our prez that the American public is happily welcomed to visit Cuba. Of course Bush will probably have to lift sanctions from 1962 when the two countries became unfriendly towards one another and with his schedule I am sure that could take awhile if it were strongly being considered. For all of us dying to go, we can only hope and for more reasons than our own selfish ones.

Red Corner: Cuba Crumbling

by Neil Woodburn on

Cuba is one of our favorite topics here at Red Corner. There is no where else on earth as anachronistic and old fashioned as this Caribbean nation. And, there is nowhere else on earth as likely to change so rapidly the moment the local government topples.

In the meantime, Cuba is falling apart.

Veteran reporter Carol J. Williams visited this communist backwater to discover a shaky infrastructure seemingly held together with nothing more than string and prayers. Of course, this is hardly a surprise. Cuba has been falling apart for decades. Things have gotten exponentially worse, however, since the fall of the USSR and the subsequent loss of Soviet subsidies.

Williams’ journey through Castro’s homeland reveals a nightmare of urban Jenga where 500 buildings collapse every year in Havana simply from old age and neglect. Everything, buildings and otherwise, is state owned and therefore poorly treated, horribly abused, and quite often, ripped off.

Williams paints a rather bleak picture of Cuba and an even bleaker one of its immediate future. One day, however, Cuba will outlast Fidel and when it does, whatever remains standing will hopefully be refurbished with foreign investments before the whole country simply crumbles into a heap.

Cuba & Fidel in Photos

by Adrienne Wilson on

We can all thank the folks at Polo’s Bastards for bringing us this fine collection of Fidel and Cuba photos while we pack our bags and prepare to flock over when the time comes. (Coughs.) If you didn’t know already, Fidel hasn’t been feeling too well and Raul is helping out around the little island located approximately 91 miles from the U.S. Whether Fidel has reached the end of the road or not, Cuba is such an amazing country in my book. It’s the type of place I’d like to go sit rolling cigars with an old wise lady twice my age discussing politics and they way things were back in Fidel’s heyday. Of course my Spanish would be beyond broken and her English the same if not worse, but over time we’ll come to understand one another. Wouldn’t hurt if there were some Omara Portuondo humming from a radio in the background either, but I won’t be too picky here and I’ll stop rambling now.

Head to: Cuba – Hi Fidelity

Red Corner: Happy Birthday Fidel

by Neil Woodburn on

Today is Fidel Castro’s birthday.

Love him or hate him, the resilient bastard has thumbed his nose at nine American presidents during his tenure and continues to rule the island nation with an iron fist. Sure, brother Raúl might be stepping in to help out now that the octogenarian is wavering in health, but this is still Castro’s Cuba. His stamp of authoritarianism is all over the island, hermitically sealing it in a bygone era of socialist slogans and hammer and sickles.

The clock is ticking, however; Fidel doesn’t have too much more time left on this planet. Raúl may take over, but he will not be able to continue suppressing the people with the same overpowering strength as his older brother. Something will have to give. Civil war, peaceful revolution, abdication; in some manner or another, Cuba is going to implode, explode or roll over and expire. And then Cuba will no longer be Cuba–or, perhaps more accurately, it will no longer be Castro’s Cuba. This Caribbean time machine will quickly be overrun by developers, casinos, McDonalds, and every manner of western consumerism imaginable.

So, take advantage of Fidel’s waning longevity and pop on over to the island before el jefe goes belly-up and the whole place becomes a Starbucks-infused mini-mall.

Junky Travel Sites for Travel Junkies

by Adrienne Wilson on

Junky is the kind of word I’m attracted to, partially because there aren’t too many bad habits I have that are hard to kick. But it’s the type of word when paired with those like travel and vacation becomes highly desired by all and everyone. Example: “He’s such a travel junky. From Omaha to Havana, Cuba, there isn’t a place in between he hasn’t been.” Yeah, travel junkies are a cool breed of folk, so it’s not surprising there are sites like this cuba-junky.com place for those with an insatiable interest in Cuba to head to and start planning their vaca. Check out the impressive photo galleries or basically anything you’d like to know about Cuba here.

Other travel-junky sites include: Dominican Republic, Brazil and Jamaica. I’d say they’re pretty gnarly and worth ten minutes of your time if not more, but I’m a travel junky myself so there you have it!

Hello, Hi, my name is Adrienne and I HEART travel to everywhere, anywhere and yes of course there too. I’m a travel junky. Goodbye.