Cuba

[traderx]

Obama has taken the first step to relaxing restrictions on Cuba.

I applaud this effort and look forward to normalized relations with Cuba. Long time coming.

President Barack Obama directed his administration Monday to allow unlimited travel and money transfers by Cuban Americans to family in Cuba, and to take other steps to ease U.S. restrictions on the island, a senior administration official told The Associated Press.

Obama to allow travel, money transfers to Cuba

 

[Bobby J]

We fly over Cuba on the way to Costa Rico and I often think about all the undiscovered surf there. Thanks Obama! Maybe he surfs and realizes this area is wide open!

 

[scooterbug44]

Great - I never understood why we still had an embargo!

And I want to visit Cuba!

 

[Lynnie]

I want to visit Cuba before we are actually allowed.............before developers get in and overdevelop the beautiful island.

Yep, maybe Obama surfs and smokes cigars.......maybe his influence will abolish the current communist state there. All good!

 

[30ashopper]

We've been waiting so long for Castro to kick the can, it's nice to know he's finally out of the picture. Raul seems much more moderate, if we could normalize relations and inject some good old fashion capitalism in there, I'd bet we'd all be able to vacation there in 10 years. (Assuming the Russians don't stick their dirty fingers in the pie again.)

Since assuming the presidency in February 2008, Ra?l Castro's government has announced several economic reforms. In March 2008, the government removed restrictions against the purchase of numerous products forbidden under Fidel Castro's government including DVD-players, computers, rice cookers, and microwaves.[23] In an effort to boost food production, the government turned over unused state-owned land to private farmers and cooperatives and moved much of the decision-making process regarding land use from the national level to the municipal level.[24] In mid-2008, the government overhauled the salary structure of all state-run companies so that harder-working employees could be rewarded with higher wages.[25] In addition, the government has removed restrictions against the use of cell phones and is investigating loosening travel restrictions on Cubans.[23] Raul Castro is currently ranked 13th on Parade Magazine's 2009 World's Worst Dictator list. [26]

Raúl Castro - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[dgsevier]

Don't they speak Austrian in Cuba? Wait, wrong thread. Sorry.

 

[scooterbug44]

Why 10 years? I'd go there on vacation now if I was allowed.

 

[30ashopper]

Why 10 years? I'd go there on vacation now if I was allowed.

It's not the safest place in the world scooter, years of communist rule have taken a toll on the public. Walking the streets of Cuba isn't an option until they reach some reasonable level of prosperity. That'll largely be dependant to how radical Raul is in his reforms.

 

[scooterbug44]

Even if I pretend to be European instead of American?

 

[dgsevier]

It's not the safest place in the world scooter, years of communist rule have taken a toll on the public. Walking the streets of Cuba isn't an option until they reach some reasonable level of prosperity. That'll largely be dependant to how radical Raul is in his reforms.

I'm not disagreeing with you on the safety thing, but it seems that folks who aren't "U.S. -Americans" (to quote Miss Teen South Carolina) go there all the time on vacation and business. My guess is that the vigilance required in Havana is similar to any other major city in the world. I've traveled world-wide as much as the next guy and the only place I've ever actually been held-up was New Orleans; yet that's still my favorite place in the world (besides SoWal of course).