Cuba - what happens after Castro dies?

[BrainGlutton]

FWIW, a group of South Florida businesscritters just had a three-day conference about the economic potential of a post-Castro Cuba.

[Least_Original_User_Name_Ever]

@bayonet

That’s an interesting take. I can tell you the Special Period, or “Periodo Especial”, was certainly no picnic. The localized organic farming you mention was a dismal failure that caused more problems than it solved. There were parks in Havana where trees were cut down to plant fruits and vegetables, unfortunately no arragements were made for irrigation so very little grew. The little that grew caused its own problems, these parks became buffets for every kind of rat and vermin imaginable.

Cubans survived by making daily treks to the countryside to trade farmers for foods, the government took this opportunity to legalize limiter farmer’s markets in the cities.

Um…are you teaching classes in schools about Cuban history?

[Sunspace]

@BrainGlutton

FWIW, a group of South Florida businesscritters just had a three-day conference about the economic potential of a post-Castro Cuba.

Hmm. 11.8 million people? Bigger than I thought. If it joined Canada, Cuba would be the second-largest Canadian provice by population [sub]which would upset Quebec and Alberta no end[/sub], and would totally change the dynamics of linguistic politics here.

BrainGlutton, your link earlier was interesting as well.

There was an all-Americas (i.e. “Everyone but the US”) Esperanto conference in Cuba a while back; I should ask around on the Esperanto-net and see what the impressions of people who went were.

@bayonet

I have to warn you though, if you’re black or darker skinned you might get hassled going in and out of the hotels and resorts until you can prove you’re not Cuban.

I’m a big ugly pale Anglo, with bad English teeth and all. That does bring up a question, though. I presume you need a passport to go to Cuba, as in most international travel. What ID do you need while you are there, if you leave the resorts?

[guizot]

@Sunspace

I presume you need a passport to go to Cuba, as in most international travel. What ID do you need while you are there, if you leave the resorts?

Just a passport, though I’ve never been asked for it except at the airport. If you’re from the U.S., though, the only thing they stamp in it is a little icon in the shape of a house (with a peaked roof). They stamp it in one color when you arrive, and they stamp it a different color after you’ve paid the tourist tax. For some reason it says “Bank” below the house. Also, they stamp it in the back of your passport. I think they give you a separate piece of paper when you enter.

[Spoons]

@Sunspace

I’m a big ugly pale Anglo, with bad English teeth and all.

Don’t sell yourself short, Sunspace. As you recall, both my wife and I have met you, and we both agree that you are a pale Anglo. Period. No other words or descriptors, such as you’ve given, are suitable.

And if/when you go to Cuba, I wouldn’t say no to a few fine cigars, should you, y’know, choose to bring some back home…

[bayonet]

@Least Original User Name Ever

Um…are you teaching classes in schools about Cuban history?

No, why?

[ralph124c]

The funny thing about Castro and his bankrupt regime-he always pledged to move Cuba away from its traditional economic base-which was sugar farming and tobacco, After 47 years of 'socialism", Cuba is still hopelessly dependent on sugar cane-a crop that provides low wages, low national income, and no generation of technology. The ancient American cars crawling around are proof of the failure of socialism.

[guizot]

@bayonet

The one part that was most likely tainted was the bit about “anger and hatred towards americans”. Next time you’re in Cuba take a ride by the US interests section in Havana, the lines going around the block of people waiting to apply for visas to emigrate to the US will tell you how Cubans feel about the USA.

I’m holding in my hand several photos of the US interests section from a few years back: no line of people. In the dozens of times I’ve walked by there (during the workweek), I’ve never seen these “lines going around the block.” This must be a very recent event.

[guizot]

@Paul in Saudi

I do admit that making Cuba a Disneyland for backpackers would keep backpackers the heck out of my way. But that is just me being self-serving.

So where did this antithapy towards backpackers and Disneyland originate? Let’s start with your mother…

[mnemosyne]

@guizot

Just a passport, though I’ve never been asked for it except at the airport. If you’re from the U.S., though, the only thing they stamp in it is a little icon in the shape of a house (with a peaked roof). They stamp it in one color when you arrive, and they stamp it a different color after you’ve paid the tourist tax. For some reason it says “Bank” below the house. Also, they stamp it in the back of your passport. I think they give you a separate piece of paper when you enter.

I don’t know how they handle Americans, but they will not stamp a Canadian passport at all, even if you ask (based on an overheard conversation at Holquin airport - I didn’t ask for a stamp). They issue a “Tourist Visa” to you, which is a very official looking slip of paper on which you write your passport info/address, etc, and they take half when you enter the country and the other half when you leave. The second half is stamped when you enter and stamped once the 25 CUC tourist tax is paid.

Basically, there is no evidence that I ever went to Cuba (well, other than souvenirs and pictures hehehe). The rationale I was given (and I don’t know how true this is) is not because it might cause a problem with Canada, but to spare us any potential problems if Canadians enter the US with their passports. There are stories (urban legends?) of Canadians being harrassed at US customs because of a Cuban stamp.

I love the idea of Cuba becoming part of Canada! It will never happen, of course, and if ever it did, you can bet airline prices will go up (no one travels cross-Canada because it’s too expensive) but it would be great to share that part of the world! It’s a little mean-spirited, but something I heard a lot on my trip (and, I’ll admit, I somewhat agreed with) was that it was kind of nice to have a place we can go where we aren’t assumed to be American, and that wasn’t owned by Coca-Cola and McDonald’s. The default assumption, if you speak English, is that you’re Canadian. I kind of liked that. I wonder how things will change when the US opens it’s economic and tourist doors to Cuba again.

[guizot]

@ralph124c

The funny thing about Castro and his bankrupt regime-he always pledged to move Cuba away from its traditional economic base-which was sugar farming and tobacco, After 47 years of 'socialism", Cuba is still hopelessly dependent on sugar cane-a crop that provides low wages, low national income, and no generation of technology. The ancient American cars crawling around are proof of the failure of socialism.

I’m not informed on this, but I’ve always heard otherwise. Canada has invested in some industry in Cuba, and I believe some other countries. Expats send a lot of dollars back. And they’ve developed tourism. In fact, I would doubt that Castro would insist upon anything that is underperforming compared to other possibilities. Why would anyone insist upon sugar cane when there are other ways to generate more income? Are you trying to say that Castro has a fetish for sugar cane? And what exactly does sugar cane have to do with old U.S. cars?

[guizot]

@mnemosyne

I don’t know how they handle Americans, but they will not stamp a Canadian passport at all, even if you ask (based on an overheard conversation at Holquin airport - I didn’t ask for a stamp). They issue a “Tourist Visa” to you, which is a very official looking slip of paper on which you write your passport info/address, etc, and they take half when you enter the country and the other half when you leave. The second half is stamped when you enter and stamped once the 25 CUC tourist tax is paid.

Well my passport has the little house “Bank” icon stamped in the back for the last two times I went there. Maybe they thought I was going to try to skip out on the tourist tax, and you looked more honest than I did. It’s clear, though, that they’re trying to get as much tourism as possible.

[BrainGlutton]

[QUOTE=mnemosyne]
I love the idea of Cuba becoming part of Canada!QUOTE]

But then you Canucks would have to paint all your signs in English, French, and Spanish! Enough is enough!