Sponsored travel to Cuba

[canucksailorguy]

Now that is the damndest thing...what facilities are those and where? I'd love to check that out next winter. And Americans AND Germans? Huh?

[canucksailorguy]

If anything, I'd want to keep the Germans out...

[cupper3]

Originally Posted by canucksailorguy

If anything, I'd want to keep the Germans out...

Guess I will have to use my Canadian passport, not my German one. I'll save that for Guadalupe. Heck, if I learn enough French, I can even work there

[canucksailorguy]

Guess I will have to use my Canadian passport, not my German one.

I knew I shouldn't have made that smart ass remark....but I'm still curious about why these buildings don't want Germans and Americans....that's curious...maybe the Germans don't tip? Then again, Yanks do and if that were the case, they'd be wanting to keep us Canucks out, we're notoriously bad tippers.

[Minnewaska]

Originally Posted by canucksailorguy

Minne, one question - you're ok with legal approved travel - but why is it so annoying to you that two friends make an arrangement so that the American can visit the country.......

It is only annoying if they do so in defiance of the law. I get particularly annoyed when people are being encouraged to defy the law. It is a very slippery slope when it becomes okay to decide which laws to follow and which not. If one defies a law openly in protest, I get it. But the outcome should be that they go to jail as a martyr. Then let the people decide if they want to change.

No system is perfect, but ours allows us to vote for representation that will change what we don't like. It may be slower than some like, but there is little doubt in my mind that the embargo will eventually be lifted. Until then, you follow the law.

As food for thought, the more people that travel to Cuba correctly, in the light of day, the more obvious it will become to politicians that this may be important. Those that sneak, do so in the dark and are never heard.

[canucksailorguy]

Anyone else ever notice how annoying it is to argue with someone who makes sense? Good points Minne.

[hellosailor]

I'm surprised the Cuban government itself doesn't "fully sponsor" some exchange students, ergh, tourists, so more Americans can come down legally and see for themselves what a great place it is.

That would be legal. That would piss the hell off the US administration, which might appeal to Havana. And of course, word of mouth IS the best advertising, among tourists and voters alike.

Heck, we bombard them with Voice of America...turnabout would only be fair play.

Strange how no Cuban individuals step up and sonsor tourists on a regular basis, you know, like we take in exchange students from abroad.

[Minnewaska]

In general, I don't see how progress will be made by continually trying to piss each other off. Isn't that what got us here in the first place?

Specifically, I suspect that taking money from Cuba, violates another provision of the embargo.

[hellosailor]

I don't see that it makes any progress either. However, tweaking the tiger's tail is seen as a good thing by, ah, tweakers. You know, like shooting down the "Brothers in Arms" (?) plane a couple of years ago, it may not be the course we think is proper, but what do we know? We, who haven't been elected to serve four years, much less six years, much less elected President For Life.

From a strictly practical point of view, it sure would be nice to see Cuba available as a landfall instread of a speedbump. Navassa Island open to the public (the US, Haiti,and a private family all claim title to it). And some of our "insular possessions" forced to either lay down, go free, or accept statehood.

Although I think it is sweet of the USPS to call the Federated States of Micronesia a US State. they do that because we've got their mail contract and some other really special arrangements.

[canucksailorguy]

Strange how no Cuban individuals step up and sonsor tourists on a regular basis

A Cuban's income is about $20 per month...