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Cuba

Cuba is a small island nation in the Caribbean Sea, just 90 miles off of Florida's southern tip. It has been a difficult destination for U.S. travelers since the U.S. placed the embargo on Cuba's revolutionary communist government, led by Fidel Castro, during the Cold War. Over the past century, Cuba and its capital, Havana, have become synonymous with cigars, rumba music, rum, wonderul weather, and tropical beauty. Since the embargo, however, all of these treasures now carry the unfortunate connotation of unattainability.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Capital: Havana

Climate: Cuba has a very tropical climate, so expect hot, humid days a great wet season.

Currency: Cuban Peso

Languages: Spanish and English.

Power: 220 V 60 Hz

Time Zone: UTC-5

PERSONAL STORIES

I have been to Cuba 13 times since 1999 and have found it to be a most remarkable place and its people extremely friendly and eager to meet foreigners. You can find many reviews and websites with information about Cuban tourism, but very few that give a real behind the scenes view of Cuba.

All of my visits have been made while leading a U.S. licensed religious mission to a small village called Yaguajay, which is on the northern coast about halfway between Havana and Guantanamo.

Walking the streets of Yaguajay, or most of the small towns in Cuba, is like turning the clock back 45-50 years to the time when milk was delivered to your door, when the corner market was the only source of groceries, riding a bicycle or walking to visit neighbors was commonplace, and when only a handful of your neighbors actually had telephones. The most common form of entertainment in Yaguajay is to simply stroll down the street, meeting and greeting neighbors. In the late afternoon everyone is out on their porch socializing.

Community, family, friends, and faith are very important to the people of Cuba. Every evening the church was filled to capacity with people who eagerly wanted to hear the Gospel. It was these people who helped me see the OTHER side of life in Cuba. While on one hand it is a simple life, it is also filled with hardship and poverty. The average wage in Cuba is around $8-$12USD /Month. Even so, you will likely not encounter panhandlers--certainly not in the smaller villages.

The entire island is beautiful, yet very few people venture outside of Havana, Varadaro, Trinidad, Cienfuegos, or one of the other tourist destinations. If given the opportunity to visit Cuba, I encourage you to try and stay with a local or in one of the many bed and breakfasts called Casa Particular, where you will begin to see and experience some of what I call "The Real Cuba". Bring some hard candies, gum, marbles, yo-yo’s, or other small items that are easy to pack as they make great gifts to the people, young and old, that you will meet throughout your travels.