Cuba Ahoy? Travel Writer Finds the 'Inviting Isle' Can't Even Provide a Decent Toilet
The Travel section in Sunday's Washington Post featured a huge picture of a sailboat in the spray with the words "Cuba AHOY! Just 90 miles offshore, the embargoed yet inviting isle calls out to a sailing family. But there are provisions to consider." The headline writer was overselling what former Post reporter Megan Rosenfeld had to say about their sailing trip to Cuba, and "inviting" is definitely not the word most would use:
Much has been written about the glories of Havana, the fabulous but fading Spanish architecture, the amazing old American cars, the friendly people. All true. But don't expect to buy a piece of fruit to tide you over until lunch, and don't forget to take your own toilet paper - and if possible, your own toilet.
Yes, there are "provisions to consider." As much as the Post might have wanted to paint a romantic picture of Castro's paradise ("the journey seemed so inviting"), Rosenfeld just couldn't find much to praise:
Other sailors have reported the entrance procedure as taking anywhere from half an hour to 90 minutes. Ours lasts three hours....
This marina was built in 1958 and appears not to have been repaired since....In the outward canals we find the legion of the lost: scores of untended, abandoned and half-sunken boats, apparently left to rot in the blazing sun and the humid nights. Long-missing owners and crews have painted names and home ports on the concrete, giving an eerie sense of a graveyard of sailing dreams....
Much of the information we'd found on the Internet about Marina Hemingway is seriously out of date. There is no swimming pool, just a cordoned-off section of the boat canals. The "modern facilities" are hand-held showers without heads and - as we will find everywhere in Cuba except in expensive hotels and private bed and breakfasts - the toilets are without seats or paper. Only one of the six sinks in the ladies' room works, with the broken faucets of the others lined up uselessly on a windowsill. The chandlery, which in most marinas is a store for boat owners to buy items such as paint, rope and turnbuckles, sells only rum, beer and Bailey's Irish Cream.
The first question a Post reader may have had is: How is it legal with for the Post reporter's U.S. party to go on a tourist trip around the Treasury Department restrictions (and penalties)? Rosenfeld explained:
Officially, Americans may travel to Cuba only with a license, obtainable for journalistic purposes, for academic research or to visit relatives you've been sending money to. The problem is that you are not supposed to buy anything in Cuba unless you have a license. This is not as hard as you might think, because there isn't much to buy. The grocery store in the marina, for example, although gleaming and air-conditioned, has beautiful displays of toilet brushes and bottles of rum, but no milk for Josie [the reporter's young granddaughter].
The restaurant scene also offered too much socialist realism:
But the food in them is pretty dreadful: The worst I had was a grilled fish covered with a sauce that looked and tasted like library paste, with a side dish of canned vegetables doused in vinegar. Friends who had visited Cuba had advised us to go to paladares, small restaurants in private homes. For a tourist, finding a private home that happens to have a restaurant is a little daunting, but the one we do find is through a waiter in a really bad public restaurant. Aside from the meals we cook on the boat, it's the best food we have in Cuba.
But surely the infrastructure is better in a socialist system? No:
We rent a car for a few days from the state-run Cubacar. It's the first car rental agency in our experience to instruct us to remove the antenna and the radio whenever we leave the vehicle, and to do our best to avoid potholes. Whoops! Too late. Driving on the highway we take south is like slaloming on skis to avoid the craters in the road. But it is blessedly free of traffic.
The best verdict Rosenfeld could render is hey, children play outside, because no one has a video game system:
There is life on the streets: children playing outside instead of staring at video games, a woman with her hair set in old-fashioned metal crimpers giving herself a manicure, a boy climbing to the roof of a collapsing house to tend his pigeon coops. I wonder how they can keep those old cars running but not the water faucets.
Rosenfeld concluded "the thing about Cuba" was "For every discomfort or inconvenience, there's a flip side, a charming scene or a delightful contradiction." That's not what the reader would conclude at the end of this dreary story.
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Comments
Another worker's paradise!
Submitted by Newsbubba on Sun, 10/24/2010 - 5:18pm.
Communism has done for Cuba and the Cuban people what it has done for every other country it has taken over. Turned it into a living hell.
The only people i know who go to Cuba are the perverts looking for young (I mean REALLY young) prostitutes, which Cuba seems to have an abundance of. It is truly a despicable place. The shame is, it could really be a paradise if it weren't run by communist tyrants. The true shame is that the Cuban people are really a happy, smart, hard working people when given a chance.
Jump north of this piece of crap country to Key West and you will see what I mean. There is a large Cuban population and they are happy and productive. It's easy to see what Cuba could be if some savior hadn't come along to "fundamentally change this nation." Sound familiar?
Never fear. We can end up a piece of crap country in a few more years if we continue down the path we're on. Unfortunately for us, there is no place for us to escape to like the lucky Cubans who got the hell out of Castro's paradise.
lol worker paradise
Submitted by m1xram on Sun, 10/24/2010 - 10:18pm.
I don't think you intended this to be funny, but it sure struck me that way. Cuba as any kind of paradise is laughable.
I do like the thread, it does illustrate what communism has done for Cuba, rendered it as an open toilet.
The opposite of Left is Freedom.
Isn't this the Socialist Utopia
Submitted by ahusser on Sun, 10/24/2010 - 5:22pm.
Obama and friends wish to force on us. Please all you liberal/socialists write on the blackboard 500 times: "socialism doesn't work... socialism doesn't work". The only government subsidized activity I would welcome would be an all expenses paid two week mandatory vacation by all college graduates to the 3rd world socialist shithole of their choice.
"Somehow, I told you so, just doesn't quite say it." Will Smith in 'I, Robot.'
Might have to make it mandatory---
Submitted by matthewdean on Sun, 10/24/2010 - 5:52pm.
though, that any graduates from a liberal college (I know, I know), remain in the third world lest they return as Delaware Coons did from Africa, with even weirder outlooks.
MD
MD
Submitted by ahusser on Mon, 10/25/2010 - 7:38am.
The reason that socialism/liberalism/communism persists is that they believe that the "ism" isn't fundamentally flawed but the execution of said "ism" needs tinkering, or the right person to lead or more money or less corruption or whatever will fix the problems. Unfortunately these idiots are always encouraged by what appears to be a furthering of their idyllic world view (I'd like to buy the world a coke..., Kumbayah and Lennon's "Imagine" etc etc etc). The corruption and slow disintegration of a society and its economy, in our case, has been a slow but steady downward slide into a European style rathole. Look at France. Sarkozy is trying to ward off economic disaster by increasing the mandatory retirement age for the whole country by just two years from 60 to 62 and the entitled socialist elements have gone on a rampage (tantrum) tearing the country apart and crippling the economy.
In a few short years we have gone from a creditor nation to a debtor nation. Our manufacturing and now service industries are being sourced out to countries with cheaper labor than our regulation infested workforce. Our currency is in the toilet and the list goes on. Even with a conservative landslide the socialists in our government will still wield much power with their media enablers greasing the skids. Sorry to be so pessimistic on this Monday morning.
"Somehow, I told you so, just doesn't quite say it." Will Smith in 'I, Robot.'
ahusser---
Submitted by matthewdean on Tue, 10/26/2010 - 12:25am.
Problem is, you are telling the truth of the matter regarding the situation this country now find itself in.
As you stated, this has been a slow slide for a long time, and that fact renders many of our younger people unaware of how things have changed, thanks to liberals in the education system. Much like the frog in the pan of water that goes from cool to tepid to boiling hot so gradually that the frog is doomed, so is our country if the societal norm sought by liberals is achieved.
While I share your pessism, anger seems to be more and more the norm when I consider what liberal Democratic politics, and Obama and his administration have done that either impact my life, pissing me off on a daily basis, or are going to, like ObamaCare.
If this ongoing mess caused by the federal leviathan does not get braking pressure applied starting immediately after November 2nd, that anger will start heating up to the level of boilover. At that point, it will have become rage.
I doubt seriously that I am the only one who feels this way.
Things will change, or there will likely be hell to pay.
MD
Why Don't We All Move There?
Submitted by Tenebrous on Sun, 10/24/2010 - 7:04pm.
That's the question I have after reading this. Seriously, if it's so wonderful, why don't we all move there? What's stopping all those Castro-loving Manhattan liberals from living what they preach? Hey, Hollywoodians, you're up next -- why aren't you there, banging on the gates of the city, demanding to be let in? There's a huge disconnect here. Or maybe, just maybe, Cuba is just another socialist hole that's fit only for those that liberals want to get rid of.
Visions and Principles blog
in keeping with the paradise theme
Submitted by m1xram on Sun, 10/24/2010 - 10:21pm.
Ah, a vacation paradise. LOL Sign me up.
The opposite of Left is Freedom.
The description almost
Submitted by MidAmerica on Sun, 10/24/2010 - 7:47pm.
The description almost sounds like a script from the Twilight Zone TV show. You can almost see Rod Sirling describing a tropical paradise where time no longer exists, everything just stays the same. Visitors come and the inhabitants have a hollow eyed look of someone caught in a time warp between birth and death. There is no tomorrow only an ever present today.
Cuba
Submitted by Denny Crane on Mon, 10/25/2010 - 1:38am.
It's such a sad state of affairs that has happened to that once wonderful island.
One of my students likes to travel around the world, She has been to many countries. She recently went to Cuba. Her first comment to me was "Every country I visit, I always make a list of pros and cons, reasons to visit, and things to avoid. We couldn't come up with 1 pro, not 1" "This is the first country I have visited, and have not had the feeling that I would like to go back"
She also showed me pictures of her trip to Havana. These pictures were not taken as a researcher, journalist, or as propaganda. They were taken as a tourist. The photo's were very shocking. Just about every building looked like it hadn't been repaired in 30 years or more. The reason they have all those vintage cars? They can't buy new ones. The streets smelled of gasoline all the time. Imagine being in a warehouse with 30 semi's running their engines, and that is what Havana smells like.
One of the most shocking things was her story about the grocery store. When you go shopping there are no carts, shelves of items to choose from. Everything is behind the counter. You have to wait in line for an hour and a half, then when your turn finally comes, you have to tell the clerk what you want (90% of which is canned food) he rings it up, and then you can go.
"Lib free or die"
We Are The 53%
The description of
Submitted by UpNorth on Tue, 10/26/2010 - 12:05pm.
"shopping" harkens back to the good ole days of the Soviet Union, Tony. Remember when the newsies actually did news, and the reports of Ivan and Ludmilla going to the store for food, only to see that the shelves were bare, even if they had the money to buy food? That the folks lined up to buy the GAZ or Lada or Moskvitch couldn't really buy them, because the workers at the factories were drunk and didn't churn out their quota of two per day.
But, in the lib's eye, it wasn't because the system was flawed, it was because the people who implemented their system weren't smart enough to make it work. We're much better off, because O and his crowd are so. much. smarter.
I can't wait
Submitted by johnsonl on Mon, 10/25/2010 - 8:00am.
to see the look on the auther's face when she gets a letter from Homeland Security, issuing her and all the adults on board her vessel a penalty for violation of the Cuban Travel Embargo. Elitist. Nothing quite like breaking the law and then writing in a syndicated column about it.
Poor Cuba
Submitted by Blonde on Mon, 10/25/2010 - 1:38pm.
It is really sad that this country has festered under 50 years of communist rule.
In our travels through Latin America, however...we found that no toilet paper and no toilet seats were rather common in the poorer areas of the countries we travelled through. Carrying a roll of TP in the daily "go bag" is essential.
Oh yeah...the other thing you need to remember in Latin America is that people are alot shorter there, I almost knocked myself out leaving the stall in a ladies room in Mexico, left a lovely bump on my forehead. THAT only happened once.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Not just socialism
Submitted by JJoujan on Tue, 10/26/2010 - 9:35am.
Cuba lacks amenities and prices are high for what few goods there are because of the embargo against it by the US. Any American-made products in the stores come through Mexico or even France, therefore making the prices even higher and out of reach for Cubans who make $30 a month. It is so typical of American tourists to complain when they travel when things are not as pristine as at home. Cuban poverty is because of Castro's policies, yes, but the problem is a bit more complex than just "socialism".
So JJoujan
Submitted by ahusser on Tue, 10/26/2010 - 11:58am.
(apparently you are one of the blame America first crowd) You believe the evils and poverty of Cuba are in large part caused by the U.S. embargo. So no other countries are able to fill such a large void like Mexico or Canada or some European country. Transportation costs for the same commodities may be higher because we are only 90 miles away and they aren't but don't throw this disaster of a 3rd world shithole on us. Though they are a poor country to begin with their dear leader and the communist government foisted on the populace are to blame and have perpetuated that poverty. The lost revenue due to American tourism would have singlehandedly brought them prosperity. But prosperity isn't part and parcel to the socialist and revolutionary purity demanded by the dyfunctional system called communism and its ugly step sister socialism. I worked in one of the camps for the cuban boatlift (Fort Chaffee Ark). Although many of those folks were criminal and social misfits released from Cuban jails many were normal folks willing to leave the socialist paradise of Cuba in droves to escape their repressive government. Of the embargo I am a firm believer in Ben Franklin's dictum:" ...a spoonful of honey will catch more flies than a gallon of vinegar..." But that is a two-way street.
"Somehow, I told you so, just doesn't quite say it." Will Smith in 'I, Robot.'
Someone should tell Joujan
Submitted by Free Stinker on Tue, 10/26/2010 - 12:27pm.
Someone should tell Joujan that there is another Island nation with a large nearby neighbot that also has an embargo on the island and guess what? Taiwan is doing just fine anyway. (h/t - P.J.O'Rourke)/// Sarah Palin Fan since July 11, 2007 /// خال
There are aspects of Cuba that make it very clean...
Submitted by jazbo on Tue, 10/26/2010 - 11:28am.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, is wasted. Things we throw out like pop bottles, pieces of old wood or metal, wire, you name it. Everything finds a second use. I didin't see any landfills there, but I'm guessing there isn't much in them - except maybe the occasional dissident.
Similarly, there are few ag chemicals used. They just don't have the money to buy them, and the non-urban waterways and beaches are pristine. If something washes up on a beach it is probably taken and used for something else. It is like taking a trip back to the mid 20th century and much of the countryside is pristine - moreso than it was in the 1950s for sure. But all this pristine-ness is due to a lack of modern amenties and lack of freedom. It is a beaufitul place, but as our young guide told me as he was admiring my $100 hiking shoes; "I love my country, but I hate my government."
Sound familiar?
Everyone should visity a communist country. It is very instructive and emotionally moving. Hopefully we'll always have to travel from the US to do so.
Cuba is clean because of communism?
Submitted by Denny Crane on Sun, 10/31/2010 - 11:02pm.
LOL what a nice spin there jazbo.
My friend showed me pictures from Havana, and you are 100% wrong. One of the pictures I saw was of a garbage dump, and believe me they throw away plenty of stuff. And worse yet is it isn't disposed of very well.
"Lib free or die"
We Are The 53%
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