Adios Cuba!

This has been a short beautiful trip to Cuba.  I want to congratulate Inspiring Vacations for putting on such a budget-friendly trip with a taste, but not a heavy-dose, of life in this country.  You can't help comparing what they have, which is virtually nothing, to what we have in the United States.  Why is it necessary to suppress the majority of the people, while only a few of the rich and powerful get to enjoy life?

I also want to give a BIG SHUTOUT to our tour leader, Yasiel.  He is a native-born Havanan and his knowledge and life of Cuba is unequal.  His quirky and gay personality adds spice to our group of seven.  He openly talks about the good, the bad, and the ugly of Cuba.  Like most Cubans we met, they long for a happier life.  Twenty-four hour electricity, availability of medicine, reliable WiFi, no gas lines, clean streets, etc.  He and his mascot "Alejandro" make quite a pair.

Yasie, with Alejandro

Another pose of Yasiel

There were supposed to be 10 of us in the group but 3 canceled, for whatever reasons.  In every tour that I have been to there is always one or two who stand out.  Someone who is always late.  Someone who is loud.  Someone who tells bad jokes.  Someone who smells.  Someone who is constantly talking.  Someone who always want to taste your food.  Someone with bad table manners. 

We have an over-zealous videographer in our group, whose passion is recording videos of all his trips.  He carries an unbelievable amount of equipment with him, perhaps rivaling some of the professional shows you see on TV, YouTube or TikTok.  

A chair is part of the video equipment

Traveling in a small group is nice, especially with less than 10 travelers.  There is much less friction and personality conflicts.  It is easier to find consensus of opinions.  Moving around is much easier.

Our group of seven travelers plus the driver and guide fit nice into a large passenger van.  It's neither too roomy or too tight.  Our luggage fit nicely into the back.

Our group fits nice into this van

We left Cuba with sadness in our heart.  There is so much potential for this country, yet the people are so poor.  There are no basic food and necessities of everyday life.  How and when will things get better no one knows.  As long as the current government is in control nothing is going to happen.

Latest Update:  The US sent a military force into Venezuela and capture President Nicolas Maduro and brought him to the US.  Why is this important to Cuba?  Venezuela supplies most of the oil to Cuba and without this oil there will be more blackouts.  Without electricity the country cannot function.

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