A new kind of Cuba emerging?

Don’t know why but I keep associating Cuba ONLY with cigars.

Like many folks whom we read such as the post here, it was with with trepidation that we felt when Obama made that historic visit to the island just 90 miles (or is it less?) from the tip of Florida. Almost immediately, a cruise ship was due to dock (it had since) and more than 20 flights (6 airines approved) will be soon shuttling between the continental US and the island that some says look like a crooked cigar (ah that’s why).

Like the post’s author, the impression we have of a communist country is that of a militarized society, where freedoms are curtailed. But it appears that life is just as colorful on the island though choked by sanctions for many years. It clearly demonstrates the indominable spirit of people to overcome adversity yet continue to build a life story.

Some years ago, Suan’s brother visited the island to attend a friend’s wedding (read post here). The images that he brought back echoed the author’s observations.

Our intent is to journey to tap on Mel’s business trip to fly direct into Cuba from NYC for a few days before returning home. We want to get there before thousands of tourists pound the streets of Havana like the rest of the Caribbean…not that we have anything against Americans. Just that it becomes another Cayman, Cozumel etc…

It seems that it is becoming more of a challenge to find a really exotic destination these days. With the advent of budget flight, it’s like taking a short bus hop for a couple of hundred miles in just an hour. Google’s about just mapped every square inch on earth (almost anyway).

We wish that Cuba would retain most of the old charms it has, hopefully without holding back progress for the living standard of Cubans. Our hopes seem to be a little dashed as the first US chain of hotels make its landing. At least until we made our landing there. Yeah it’s a wet dream. But on a blog you can dream and write all you want right?