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A Guide to Kilimanjaro - Marangu Route
All Kilimanjaro treks are challenging and a good level of fitness is required for a successful climb. The Marangu Route is a tough walking trip but within the limits of a fit individual used to hill walking. Marangu Route is the easiest and most...
Drakensberg tour
This Drakensberg story is one of retreat, beauty, relaxation and good eating. The drive towards the Drakensberg Mountains swept over the undulating foothills down side-roads that snake along meandering countryside to our first destination Cleopatra...
Living in the Clouds
I have a sister of whom I am very proud. After the kids were grown she found herself divorced after years of unhappy marraige. So she went back to work. She found the job market brutal after all those years as a housewife, but she stuck with it, and...
Mossel Bay - A small harbour town with a lot of muscle!
Named "Mossel Bay" by the famous Dutch navigator Paulus van Caerdon, whose crew consumed huge amounts of tasty molluscs after landing here in 1601. Today, this coastal town's famous muscles are prized by connoisseurs around the world, but Mossel Bay...
Small Town - Big Fishing Problem
Port Renfrew is a small Canadian town with a major fishing
problem. The problem is the sport fishing is great and only
a few people know that.
We arrive in Port Renfrew in late afternoon. Port Captain
Quigley greets us at the entrance to Osprey...
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Travel to Cuba: The Caribbean's Forbidden Island
Think Cuba, and vivid images come to mind: of men in Guayabera shirts and Panama hats, tropical breezes and cool drinks, steamy Latin rhythms and sultry women. It has always been an intriguing place, steeped in truth and in fiction by the novels of Ernest Hemingway.
In the pre-Revolution Batista days, Cuba was the sin capital of the Americas, a wild haunt of mobsters, corrupt politicians, loose women and petty thieves, all vying to stake their claim to a share of the profits from gambling, prostitution and other lucrative rackets. The easy money attracted some of America's biggest celebrities and high rollers, as well as a flood of tourists eager to indulge in the island's many carnal pleasures.
After decades of blight and neglect, the Caribbean's largest island is radiating a new self-confidence. Havana has regained much of its past allure, tourism is once again thriving, old bars, restaurants and hotels are enjoying a proud comeback, and stunning new attractions are being built.
Cuba is a destination worth discovering that's at its best right now. As a travel desination, its relative political isolation has kept it from being overrun with tourists. Once the U.S. government lifts economic sanctions and the travel ban, there will be a flood of investment into Cuba's economy that is sure to
change the face of the culture and landscape.
Cuba is home to just over 11 million people, with more than 2 million living in the capital, Havana. The island's Cuba's rich culture, interesting political history, and continued economic hardship make it one of the world's most eye-opening nations with a wealth of places just waiting to be discovered. The food, music, and, most of all, the warm hospitality of the Cuban people all combine to make it a great place to visit.
U.S. officials say open trade and travel to Cuba would strengthen Castro's oppressive government. But critics argue that the Cold War-era U.S. embargo, aimed at forcing a change in Cuba's leadership, has not achieved its goals after being in place for more than 40 years.
Despite the embargo, last year, 200,000 Americans visited Cuba (most through Canada or Mexico).
As one taxi driver put it, "We have the best cigars, best rum, best music, and most beautiful women in the world. What more could anyone want?"
I can't argue with that, and don't think you would either.
RESOURCES
The Cuba Report, an expatriate guide, was recently published. For more information or to order, visit www.thegloballife.net.
About the Author
Phillip Townsend is the author of The Cuba Report, available at www.thegloballife.net
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