Cuba: Newest exciting travel destination

Cuba has stunning French colonial architecture. Palm trees swaying in warm, tropical breezes. Classic '50s cars. Distinctive Cuban music. Aromatic cigars. Brightly colored buildings. Friendly, happy people and of course, smooth, flavorful rum. Cuba Libre!

Having grown up in South Florida in the '50s and '60s, I recall my grandmother would fly to Havana about once a month with a group of friends. I never knew why or what she was doing in Havana but she always came home very happy.

My goal was to go there and find out. But alas, by the time I was old enough to go, American sanctions prohibited travel from the U.S. to Cuba.

In December 2014, with the announcement that the U.S. would ease sanctions on Cuba, tour companies scrambled for permits under the guidelines of the U.S. Treasury Department.

Well-prepared for the influx of Americans, Cuba has a tourism school and requires all guides to speak at least one other language. A tourism guide is the most sought after job for the "tips," which can be selectively reported income. Currently there is an effort to provide incentives for teachers because so many are opting for a career in tourism rather than education.

While Americans generally are not allowed to travel independently to Cuba, the tours organized by American travel companies fall under the guidelines and limits of 12 designated categories selected by the U.S. Treasury Department. These tours offer valuable programs that educate Americans on Cuban history, economics, education, health care, culture, music, food and much more. Without question, the programs as presented by Cubans are designed to compliment Cuba. However, there is physical evidence to support the claims made by the Cuban lecturers.

Education and Health care

Education and health care are rated extremely high in Cuba. In 1959 the literacy rate in Cuba was approximately 60 percent. Fidel Castro and Che Guevara determined they would end illiteracy in Cuba and in 1961 they created the Cuban Literacy Campaign. I was fortunate to visit the museum of Campana Nacional de Alfabetizacion. Within one year the "literacy brigades" had increased the literacy rate to 96 percent. By comparison, the U.S. literacy rate for the past 10 years ranges around 86 percent. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 14 percent of Americans cannot read and 21 percent read below a fifth-grade level.

Cuba accomplished this amazing feat by asking volunteers who could read and write to leave home and go into the rural areas and teach adults and children. The volunteers were given 30 days of training and sent off to teach. Some volunteers were as young as 12.

Education in Cuba is totally free - elementary through higher education including medical school and advanced degrees in engineering and technology.

According to the United Nations' World Health Organization, Cuba's health care system is an example for all countries of the world.

Every community has one doctor and one nurse who live in the community and maintain a clinic that is open five days a week. There are weekly programs addressing good health issues. Both the doctor and nurse regularly make home visits. Depending on the size of the community there also could be a medical clinic that addresses minor issues.

Communities a little larger might have a hospital for minor surgeries. Major health care is addressed in regional or national hospitals.

Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization, impressed by the country's achievements in this field, praised the Cuban health care system: "Cuba is the only country that has a health care system closely linked to research and development. This is the way to go, because human health can only improve through innovation."

She also praised "the efforts of the country's leadership for having made health an essential pillar of development."

Entrepreneurship

New businesses are popping up despite the fact that the government owns everything. The Cuban government is loosening the reins and allowing a bit of entrepreneurship. All over Cuba people are obtaining licenses to "rent rooms" to tourists. They must paint their homes a particular color of blue and are allowed to have a small sign indicating "Hostel."

New restaurants are well received, with small menus, interesting decor and very reasonable prices. I ordered lobster one evening priced at $24 and was shocked when the waiter presented two huge lobster tails.

Businesses are required to pay substantial taxes to the government and they seem happy to do it because the government spends 40 percent of all taxes on restoration of the cities. The restoring of the magnificent French Colonial structures in Havana is evidence the taxes are being used as promised.

Future Development

In contrast to all the positives, there remain monumental deficiencies in the infrastructure that are likely to delay substantial development in spite of serious interest from American businesses.

Tour directors remind tourists constantly they may not flush ANY toilet paper or the system will be blocked. Every bathroom has a waste basket next to the toilet. Water is delivered and pumped into cisterns on the roof of buildings because there is no water system or treatment programs. Few businesses accept credit cards and definitely no cards from the U.S. The Cuban CUC = .87 U.S. dollar. Most large hotels will exchange dollars. Few vendors will accept U.S. dollars.

Because the average Cuban citizen is given a government card every month worth about $35 or CUCs, which is their only income, development is based on tourism exclusively. Cuban residents cannot afford to eat in a restaurant, stay in a hotel, shop in a store. The $35 cards are to be used in government stores to buy food and necessities.

Tourism is limited by the number of tour buses imported from China and available hotel rooms (limited by lack of infrastructure). New construction is limited by lack of heavy equipment and infrastructure. Agriculture as an industry is limited by a lack of reliable, appropriate transportation systems.

The ideal tourist going forward will be a cruise ship passenger. These tourists do not seriously affect the infrastructure. As a result the government is currently refurbishing old waterfront buildings to create a cruise ship terminal in Old Havana. The government is also aggressively restoring elegant old colonial buildings and issuing licenses to businesses which will occupy the newly restored buildings. This is projected to be completed in two years.

Meanwhile, I strongly encourage visiting Cuba. For entertainment there are many clubs with wonderful jazz groups and Cuban music is everyplace. The original 'Tropicana' is definitely a highlight. It has a beautiful tropical setting with a 2-plus hour show of magnificent costumes, dancers, singers. It surpasses anything I have ever seen in Las Vegas.

Bonus: There is a bucket of ice on each table, each person is given a can of Coke and there is a bottle of Havana Club Rum for each table. Drink as you like and take the leftovers with you.

The other interesting entertainment is a visit to Ernest Hemingway's home, now a museum complete with Hemingway's favorite Cuban drink, the mojito, adorned with sugar cane strips.

While change is not likely to happen overnight, it is coming. I highly recommend planning a trip to Cuba now.

IF YOU GO:

Because of the newness of the availability of Cuba travel, there are many 'start-up' tour companies. BEWARE!

Road Scholar Tours are excellent. They often use facilities with similar tour groups. These tours are a little more expensive but very reliable. (roadscholar.org)

Gate 1 Travel Discovery Tours is a favorite of mine. I have traveled with them several times and always had excellent guides and accommodations. Gate 1 limits groups to 22 and is reasonably priced. (gate1travel.com)

Shirley Thagard is a Hayden resident.