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I believe you can still travel to Cuba from the USA but it has to be cultural exchange, educational or journalistic in nature...what this means in practical terms is you need to ravel there as part of tour group and not as an individual tourist... Trump reversed some things
I'm not sure if Trump undid what Obama softened, but its now easier to fly to Cuba from the USA. Due to this a few American airliners now fly direct from USA to several Cuban cities.
The old way is still a possibility. That is flying to Mexico City or Santo Domingo or Nassau (Bahamas) and then take any of the direct flights to Havana. Once in Cuba you would ask the immigration official to not stamp your American passport and he will give you a white sheet, stamp it, and you must keep it in your passport for when you leave. When your trip is over, Homeland Security Official will only see the entry/exit stamps of either Mexico or Dominican Republic or The Bahamas. Cuba is nowhere to be seen.
So if I book a trip to Havana with a stopover in Mexico and same back - won't they forward my luggage right through and once I arrive in the US, they'll see my luggage sticker from HAVANA? And do I get a new ticket in Mexico city before I get in the plane?
Or will I have to book two (aka 4) flights independent from each other to make sure, the luggage gets checked in and out every time and my ticket will not reflect Cuba at all? a stopover won't make sense if my tickets and luggage reflect Cuba on it.
US travelers need a Visa to enter Cuba, if I come through Mexico, I don't need that, or am I wrong?
Havana is built along a more European urban model (Spanish to be exact while in the outer areas it takes more of an American urban prototype), and that means in terms of street grid and getting around on foot its the best suited.
Looking at photos, Havana seems like it would be fantastic to take on foot....interesting about the American urban prototype for the outer areas? Does that mean sprawl, or suburbs? I can't imagine it being too similar to the States though, but never even saw pictures of Havana outer areas...
I'm considering making a trip to a couple of these cities within the next year, and would appreciate some comparisons in terms of vibrancy, walkability, how "big" each city feels, architecture, cultural differences, and whatever else anyone would like to add. Also, how do they stack up against similarly sized South American metros (Medellin and Cali in Colombia, Salvador in Brazil) which I'm also considering a visit to. Thanks!
Out of my own curiousity... OBESITY.
Traditionally, Cuba has been well-known to be more fit and healthy with healthier foods. Yet, these days, when I look at photos and pictures of Havana, I see quite a few overweight people, particularly 30s and beyond. Is obesity catching up with Cuba now? I've heard that the cuisine isn't all that great....but I know nothing about Cuban cuisine, except that Southern Florida has adapted Cuban Sandwhiches as one of its own.
I think both DR and PR are known for being at least on the overweight scale, generally. Although having visited Santo Domingo (the only one of the three that I have been to, and even that has been around 10-11 years ago), it didn't seem noticeable at all, while I was there.
Out of these three, how do they compare in regards to safety? Havana would seem to be the most impoverished of the three (I think?) but at the same time would seem to have less of a significant concern in regards to the drug trade, where that would be much more of a concern in San Juan at least from what I understand. I'm not quite sure what to think about SD, as I don't know enough about it.
Looking at photos, Havana seems like it would be fantastic to take on foot....interesting about the American urban prototype for the outer areas? Does that mean sprawl, or suburbs? I can't imagine it being too similar to the States though, but never even saw pictures of Havana outer areas...
Yes, urban sprawl but more reflecting European models. But yes, neighbourhoods like Vibora, Miramar and more that 40 communities, some of them were gated, were conceived for people owning cars.
As bow there are not many cars, and most of those houses were squatted, and then repossesed, etc, transportation is difficult and some houses are falling down.
Miramar and several communities resemble Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, in Miami, but during the capitalistic past they were more luscious, luxurious.
As you see below, everything is stuck in time or crumbling, or communities like Miramar are being vandalized by building modern, awful buildings like the Russian embassy
Below, a house of La Vibora that is "semicrumbling",
Last edited by farinello; 09-18-2017 at 04:15 AM..
Traditionally, Cuba has been well-known to be more fit and healthy with healthier foods. Yet, these days, when I look at photos and pictures of Havana, I see quite a few overweight people, particularly 30s and beyond. Is obesity catching up with Cuba now? I've heard that the cuisine isn't all that great....but I know nothing about Cuban cuisine, except that Southern Florida has adapted Cuban Sandwhiches as one of its own.
I think both DR and PR are known for being at least on the overweight scale, generally. Although having visited Santo Domingo (the only one of the three that I have been to, and even that has been around 10-11 years ago), it didn't seem noticeable at all, while I was there.
Other's thoughts...? Just curious...
Yes, obesity is rampant as people eat basically bread, starches, street pizzas, etc, healthy foods are almost an eccentricity and vegetables are expensive.
Cuban Cuisine, as Russian cuisine, was great and some restaurants now are quite good, not as good as some Miami restaurants. After more than 50 years with rationing cards, many people forgot that Cubans were a meat eating people, and many foods are only known because old people talk about them, such is the case of codfish, morcilla, etc.
Yes, obesity is rampant as people eat basically bread, starches, street pizzas, etc, healthy foods are almost an eccentricity and vegetables are expensive.
Cuban Cuisine, as Russian cuisine, was great and some restaurants now are quite good, not as good as some Miami restaurants. After more than 50 years with rationing cards, many people forgot that Cubans were a meat eating people, and many foods are only known because old people talk about them, such is the case of codfish, morcilla, etc.
Cuban sandwich is from Tampa.
I've been noticing that, when watching any videos on Havana. More and more people are wearing tight shirts, with body rolls sticking out.
Didn't realize that about the Cuban sandwhich...is that something they serve in Cuba at all?
Been to Dominican Republic in 1998 with a female friend.We actually went to Santo Domingo, like all 3rd world capitals it lacks urban planning,is somewhat polluted and the vast majority are poor in the extreme.We only went in the daylight hours and it didnt seem too unsafe.More like a Central American city than a Caribbean one in some ways.
Id love to go to Havana
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