Hi Frank. This would be a huge mistake on your part if you want to get amazing photos. Havana is wonderful and so are the people. Even the ones that solicit you for money. And a very small amount can get you a great photo. They do it so nicely that you don't mind. You just say no and wave them away. By the way, it is good to bring lots of small things like candies, or little toys to bring to the children. They really appreciate that.
philo wrote:
planning a possible trip for the end of the year.
I have never been there, and would love to have your impressions.
I would be booking an Airbnb room and checking out local day photographing workshops.
Please give me any tips you can.
One last thing i would be going solo and the possible safety factor is always an issue.
thanks
I would be flying out of sfo
I have made 2 trips to Cuba, both were fantastic! I highly recommend looking at Santa Fe Photographic Workshops, as they run frequent trips and they really know what they're doing! Also I highly recommend Jim Cline Photo tours as well. Much better to be with others and not on your own. Several locations are only available with pre-booking by someone e.g. the boxing ring or ballet school. Let me know if you have further questions, happy to help.
berchman wrote:
Ronichas did not say that Cuba has a better health care system than the US. She said that "They have better health care than many in the USA have."
https://www.pbs.org/healthcarecrisis/uninsured.htmlFrom the foregoing article: "About 44 million people in this country have no health insurance, and another 38 million have inadequate health insurance. This means that nearly one-third of Americans face each day without the security of knowing that, if and when they need it, medical care is available to them and their families.
Having no health insurance also often means that people will postpone necessary care and forego preventive care - such as childhood immunizations and routine check-ups-completely. Because the uninsured usually have no regular doctor and limited access to prescription medications, they are more likely to be hospitalized for health conditions that could have been avoided.
Delaying care for fear of medical bills is a downward spiral that leads to ultimately higher health care costs for all of us. More than one third of uninsured adults reported they have problems paying their bills, which helps explain why many of the uninsured don't seek out the care they need until the last minute."
How do you know that things haven't changed that much in Cuba in six years? Did you visit and see with your own eyes? And you seem pretty comfortable accusing someone of being paid by the regime to propagandize. If Cuba was such a pleasure to live in during the reign of Batista then why did the populace welcome Castro and his promise of democracy? Why didn't they fight for Batista?
Ronichas did not say that Cuba has a better health... (
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Batista was bad and so were the dictators who came before them. Have the Castros been any better for the Cuban people? I'd say they've been worse. Cuba was a prosperous country in 1959. After the revolution it slowly became the poorest country in the western hemisphere, partly because of US sanctions but mainly because of the failure of communism. It fails every single time it's tried.
I have no problem with Americans who want to visit Cuba and take pictures. I do have a problem with anyone who wants to gloss over the staggering poverty in Cuba. What's worse, a country where you may not have health insurance but if you need treatment you can get it through Medicaid, or a country where everyone has healthcare coverage but there are often shortages of medicines, bandages and even clean linens? Sometimes even doctors are in shortage because Cuba sends so many of them to other countries to raise cash for the regime.
I have no desire to visit Cuba because I don't want to support a repressive communist government with my cash. Same goes for Vietnam, North Korea and Laos. Vietnam is a hot tourist destination. My daughter went there a few years ago. I would like to see it but I won't, most likely. My problem is that every dollar you spend there is a dollar that helps prop up a totalitarian regime. Call me a right winger. That's not going to hurt my feelings. I support free enterprise and a market based economy.
Not really any of my business but given how many places in the United States have really been hurt by the virus lockdown, why would you go to a communist country to spend your money?
We have 50 states with some pretty nice places to visit.
Not really any of my business but given how many places in the United States have really been hurt by the virus lockdown, why would you go to a communist country to spend your money?
We have 50 states with some pretty nice places to visit.
mr spock wrote:
Not really any of my business but given how many places in the United States have really been hurt by the virus lockdown, why would you go to a communist country to spend your money?
We have 50 states with some pretty nice places to visit.
There are very few large cities that i would feel safe being solo.
philo wrote:
planning a possible trip for the end of the year.
I have never been there, and would love to have your impressions.
I would be booking an Airbnb room and checking out local day photographing workshops.
Please give me any tips you can.
One last thing i would be going solo and the possible safety factor is always an issue.
thanks
I would be flying out of sfo
Very safe anytime day or night. Happy music loving people. Very little crime. Guns not allowed so now one gets shot. (who knew?) The only danger is not paying the ladies in bright costumes for photo ops that are working for tips. You will a nasty look.
philo wrote:
planning a possible trip for the end of the year.
I have never been there, and would love to have your impressions.
I would be booking an Airbnb room and checking out local day photographing workshops.
Please give me any tips you can.
One last thing i would be going solo and the possible safety factor is always an issue.
thanks
I would be flying out of sfo
I hope your Spanish is excellent. And, I'd check for info about Covid-19 in the cities and towns you plan to visit.
philo wrote:
i'll keep that in mind.
I have been in about 38 countries. Probably my favorite place for food. In my top 5 of countries to visit.
Great tips. I lament never going to Cuba. Once, my wife and I were in Cancun, Mexico. We could have taken a round trip flight into Cuba from there for $48 and we were told that they would not stamp our passports. One of my great regrets is that we did not go.
thegrover wrote:
I have been in about 38 countries. Probably my favorite place for food. In my top 5 of countries to visit.
You had better food in Cuba than in France, Italy, China or Japan?
Chinese food turns my stomach and I have been there four times.
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