Cuba

My friend said getting to Cuba was fairly easy, and he met a lot of Americans over there. Apparently, Cuban customs officials will not stamp your U.S. passport when you leave or enter. Many people travel to Havana through Cancun, Tijuana, or Mexico City. I've been told that Cancun and Tijuana are the two cheaper cities to fly from. Once in Cuba he said the people are very receptive and welcoming to Americans. The beaches are uncrowded, the streets are devoid of typical big city traffic, and there is just a laid back mellow atmosphere. It is an expensive place to travel, he said, especially if you bring American dollars.

The exchange rate and fees are somewhat ridiculous. You get 89 convertible Cuban Pesos to the dollar, and then a nearly 10% fee is tacked on to the transaction. You are better off bringing Euros or Canadian Dollars. Plus, while the locals use a different currency, as a tourist you are stuck purchasing everything with these convertible Pesos. A lot of the local shops with cheaper prices will not take these convertible Pesos, so you end up spend more money than you can imagine on everything from food, drink, and even taxis!

The car in the picture above is a Cuban taxi. It is available to transport locals only. You will see bunches of people crammed into these cars, driving smokily along the road. The windows are always rolled down, and the people sitting inside by the door will always have their arm hanging out, like they are cruising the boulevard.

He was there for one week, last February. He said he would return, but now with a better understanding how things work and how expensive it is.