Red Corner: Cuba Changing?

by Neil Woodburn on

I’ve been saying for a number of years that one day Cuba will change in a big way. The first “small” change occurred in the early 1990s when Cuba’s big brother, the Soviet Union, crashed and withdrew the financial support which had kept the island solvent since Castro took over. The quality of life plummeted as a result, and poverty and shortages swept the nation.

The next change, according to Laura Parfitt who recently produced a BBC program about Cuban poetry, is occurring right now. This is because the Cuban economy is getting back on its feet and as a result, money is slowly trickling in. More money means more new cars, trendy clothes, and foreign produced goods. The strange time-wrap which Cuba had existed in for so long is starting to disappear as modernity and luxuries slowly encroach upon it. Tourism is a major cause of this. New hotels, restaurants, cafes, tourist shops, and street buskers are all popping up to siphon the money foreign visitors bring with them to the island.

Despite all this, Cuba, is still a long ways from achieving a decent standard of living for its people. The changes have made life better (or, perhaps easier) for many tourists, but only a few locals are benefiting in the process. This will undoubtedly change over time (perhaps with Castro’s death), but hopefully not at the expense of Cuba itself. The island still remains true to the Cuban spirit, despite government sponsored street performers and more doilies in the tourist hotels.

Red Corner: Corfu to Albania

by Neil Woodburn on

While visiting the Greek island of Corfu in 1990, I heard a rather frightening story. Apparently two college students rented a little paddle boat and headed out to open waters. They went a little too far, got caught in the current and were swept across the channel. They eventually landed in communist Albania, with only bathing suits and with no identification whatsoever. They were quickly jailed as spies.

Up until 1993, Albania was a Hermit Kingdom cut off from the rest of the world, both East and West. Although the country was only a short boat ride (two kilometers at its closest point) from the shores of Corfu, it remained mired deep in the past.

Today, a hydrofoil now zips across the divide, taking tourists from the charming, narrow streets of Old Town Corfu to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Gjirokaster in Albania. Both, according to a recent article in The Times (UK), are very well worth your time. And for those slightly intrepid about travel to the former Hermit Kingdom, you can jet over for just a few hours and be back in Old Town Corfu dining on calamari before the sun sets.

Red Corner: Kalashnikov Proud of Kalashnikov

by Neil Woodburn on

The world is truly a global village when you can buy American Coca Cola in Bangladesh, watch Bollywood movies in Canada, eat French mustard in Bangor, and use Russian weapons to kill people in Iraq. I was a bit appalled today when I ran across an article about the designer of what is probably Russia’s most successful export-the Kalashnikov assault rifle-boast how wonderful his baby is performing in Iraq.

Mikhail Kalashnikov was given the challenge in 1947 of designing a gun that could perform across all of the Soviet Union’s varied landscape-from the deserts of Kazakhstan to the frozen seaports of Murmansk. Unfortunately, he did far too good of a job. With its signature banana-clip design, the Kalashnikov has become the weapon of choice for revolutionaries in the African desert, drug runners in the Colombian jungles, insurgents in Iraq, and practically anywhere else someone needs a cheap, easy-to-operate assault rifle that functions under extreme conditions.

If you see one on your travels, you’re probably not in a very safe place. Sadly, you’re nearly guaranteed to see one if you travel in third world countries-it is estimated that are approximately one billion Kalashnikovs on this planet. Now that’s something to be proud of, Comrade Kalashnikov! You and Charlton Heston should get a room together.

Red Corner: Cheap (Eastern) Europe

by Neil Woodburn on

Is the price of the euro getting you down? Tired of paying exorbitant exchange rates just for an espresso in Rome? Well, thanks to the folks at SmarterTravel, you can now seek out the cheaper cities in Europe that won’t suck your wallet dry.

It shouldn’t come as any surprise that all but one of the cities recommended are in Eastern Europe where the euro is not the national currency. The one oddball in the bunch, however, is the Belgium city of Bruges. I’m surprised that it has appeared on the list, but very happy as well. Bruges is an amazing gastronomical center bursting with phenomenal food and an incredible bounty of tasty Belgian beers.

The remainder of Europe’s cheap digs mentioned in the article are scattered throughout the former Soviet Bloc. But keep in mind these aren’t post-communist hell-holes-although there are certainly plenty of those still in existence and they are plenty cheap as well. No, this list is of up-and-coming towns that have a healthy offering of western amenities, fine culture, good food, and charming architecture. I can speak from experience that recommendations such as Tallinn (Estonia), Krakow (Poland), and Kiev (Ukraine) all live up to these claims very nicely.

So, if you’re interested in saving a bit of money and still want that authentic European experience, take a moment to peruse the suggestions covered in this article. Otherwise, cash in that 401K because you’re going to need it if you stay solely in Western Europe.

Red Corner: Walk Around the World Ended by Russian Red Tape

by Neil Woodburn on

Karl Bushby’s epic journey to walk around the world looks like it has come to an end thanks to heartless Russian authorities who have decided to deport the adventurer. Bushby has spent the last seven-and-a-half years walking 17,000 miles from the tip of South America, up through North America, Canada and Alaska before completing a very rare journey across the frozen Bering Strait and into Russia-where he was quickly arrested on his way to the nearest town to process his visa paperwork.

While it was hoped that Russian authorities would make an exception for the adventurer, it has just been learned that a local court has found him guilty of entering Russia illegally. Bushby will be deported and not allowed back into Russia for five years, his Herculean journey defeated by Russian bureaucracy and red tape.