First Impressions Of Cuba
On arrival at 10pm on a Friday, the roar of people from the Malecon was overwhelming.
Our hotel was one block back in one of the poorer districts of Havana and when you opened the balcony doors it was as if they were in the room with us. We stayed in and slept.
Getting into the spirit in Cienfuegos
The next day we wandered around our neighbourhood. We were invited to parties, pleaded with to buy milk for starving babies and asked where we were from a little over 15 times. All we wanted to do was explore in peace, but the locals wouldnt leave us alone.
I was there with my boyfriend at the time. He originally from Sudan, and me from England this alone caused more attention from the locals than either of us had wanted.
We found solace in The Nacional Hotel, isolated above the neighbourhood and sat back from the Malecon. It was obvious I was out of practice travelling. We felt like we were accosted at every turn and were unsure who was just friendly and who wanted something out of us.
It took a few days to settle in and get used to the harassment on the streets and the Cuban way. After meeting the group for the Havana Club Gap Year project I was working on for my work at gapyear.com, I was assured that the people here were generally good.
A true look at what Cuba is really like
Provinces Of Cuba Map
Cuba is divided into 15 provinces and 1 special municipality . In alphabetical order, the provinces are: Artemisa, Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Cienfuegos, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Mayabeque, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba and Villa Clara. Isla de la Juventud is a special municipality. The provinces are further subdivided into 168 municipalities .
Located on Cubas northern coast on La Habana Bay and to the south of the Coral Cay archipelago of the Florida Keys is, Havana the capital, the largest and the most populous city of Cuba. It is an administrative center, a major port and an important economic, commercial and industrial hub of Cuba.
Cub Domino ‘s Pizza Essay
Cuba Dominos PizzaIntroductionThe following is a summary and analysis of the country Cuba and how a franchise like Dominos Pizza can be incorporated into the culture and thrive as a business. One will glean understand how Dominos product will be introduced to the consumers.Additionally, one will learn Cubas history, the geography, what social institutions are implemented, their education system, living conditions, political system, religion, languages and aesthetics of this country
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The State Of The Physical And Social Sciences
Scientists in all fields are supported by the state, which sees scientific advancement as the key to the success of the socialist project. Medical research has been especially successful. But in the current economic crisis, the state has been unable to maintain its scientists and laboratories as it did in the past. The United States embargo makes it difficult to obtain even basic laboratory supplies.
As to the social sciences, the government has supported thousands of historians, anthropologists, philosophers, and economists. There is some limitation on social scientific research, since the state does not permit the publication of findings that suggest an abandonment of the socialist project or of the PCC. Within that constraint, any investigation or finding can be published and debated, even if it calls for reform.
Exploring The Real Havana
It wasnt until two days later when the excitement of the competition that Id been wrapped up in had subsided that I began to see Cuba, Havana in particular, in a different light.
Walking up Lamparilla Street camera in hand all I saw were grim staring faces. Spanish was hurled across the street, but my ignorance meant I had no idea what they were saying. I know I felt intimidated though.
Shrivelled hands stretched out for money, they belonged to old women in ragged clothes. Her look was so childlike pulled up socks, dolly shoes and sweet clips in her hair.
The more business-minded oldies had gotten hold of a huge fat cigar, colourful trinkets and made themselves up to charge tourists like me money for posing. At the other end of the scale I saw an old woman whod tried to fashion a cigar out of some brown paper and had hit so far off the mark of these successful posers it was painful to watch.
Locals just doing what they can to earn some money.
Interesting video from the Washington Post about the current situation in Cuba
The happy photos you see of bands playing never relay the group following up with a sweep of the bar guilt-tripping tourists into buying their CDs or adding a CUC or three to their begging tray. Too often these bands would also have a vagrant or two hanging on and dancing around them to then demand money from tourists too.
For the entertainment.
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Cuba Facts For Kidscuba Economy
- Cuba has largely a state-planned economy. This means most companies and production centres are state-owned and run by the government. The majority of Cubans are employed by the state. However, in recent years the private sector is expanding.
- Cuba’s main industry sectors are agriculture, tourism, mining and manufacturing.
- People pay for staple food and supplies with coupons from their libretto. A libretto is a ration book with coupons for monthly food supplies such as rice, sugar, meats) and basic supplies such as cooking fuels. Food and basic supplies are rationed due to economic challenges.
- Cuba’s main agricultural products are sugar and citrus fruits, tobacco, rice and beans. Cuba is one of the main raw sugar exporting countries.
- The main export partners are Venezuela, Spain and Russia, while the main import partner for Cuba is China.
The Incredible Place That Is Cuba
Cuba, Cuba, Cuba!Ranging from grassy plains to gentle hills, from steep mountainsides to calm waters of the beach, Cuba is truly one of the most fascinating places in the world. From the capital city of Havana, to the less populated areas like Guisa, Cuba is highly regarded as a shockingly beautiful location. However, behind all of the beauty, there is a world of history and culture. In fact, located in the Caribbean, Cuba provides an incredible blend of rich history, interesting geography, and
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Cuba: Geography And Landscape
Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean Sea. Cuba and its neighbours form the Greater Antilles, a chain of islands created millions of years ago when two of the Earths tectonic plates collided.
This Caribbean country is a long and narrow island. It stretches 1,200km from east to west, but its only 100km wide in most places. High mountains and rolling hills cover about one third of Cuba, and the other two thirds of the island are lowland plains used mainly for farming.
So What Is Cuba Really Like
I saw a different Cuba to the tourist ideal.
Like the cars that are buzzing around, on the surface Cuba looks beautiful, but the most beautiful things rarely are underneath. Actually get in one of the cars and youll see the ripped upholstery, the carpet missing from the floor and the dashboard cracked and broken.
In my eyes Cuba was the same.
After eight days in Havana Id got closer to it, especially after hanging out with more locals than the average tourists thanks to the project I was on.
After that, travelling six hours through the country to Trinidad and then back through Cienfuegos further opened my eyes to what Cuba is really like.
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Nongovernmental Organizations And Other Associations
The state assumes full responsibility for all development projects and the well-being of its citizens and is reluctant the to admit need for external assistance. It is true that “freedom brigades” of supporters of socialism from North America and elsewhere have come to work during the sugar harvest, but these have been symbols of ideological support, not material charity. Another North American organization, Pastors for Peace, annually sends a shipment of medicine, food, and medical computers. Several agencies of the United Nations work in Cuba, including the United Nations Development Program, the United Nations Population Fund, the World Health Organization, and the World Bank. And the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO, is involved in the architectural restoration of the colonial city of Trinidad and of Old Havana.
Food Sovereignty: Views From Cuba
Taken inside the Museum of the Revolution, this photo showcases the grandeur and splendor of the Cuban elite before the revolution. Once the presidential palace, it last housed U.S.-backed authoritarian leader Fulgencio Batista. World-famous Tiffanyâs of New York decorated the interior, and the Salon de los Espejos was built to resemble the Palace of Versailles. No matter your opinion of the Revolution and Cuba today, this palace stands as a reminder of the battles for sovereignty and the pressures of neoliberal capitalism.
This picture shows samples of preserved foods from a community-based food project run by a husband and wife team. They show how local foods can be dried and canned with minimal resources and also write cookbooks for using the preserved foods. Food sovereignty to me is the right to grow food with local resources and materials. .
For some groups in Cuba, practicing food sovereignty is predicated on national self-sufficiency and limited resources. Much agricultural production is done on a small-scale and without petroleum-based machinery. Here, at an urban farm, a farmer plows a field with oxen labor. I identify this photo as food sovereignty in practice because it is low-impact vegetable production in the city.
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Hurricane Season In Cuba
Hurricane season officially starts on June 1 and ends on Nov. 30, but storms are rare in June and July. Chances of a hurricane in the Caribbean peak in August and September. Historically, hurricanes have been rare in Cuba. When they have occurred, hurricanes have mostly impacted Cubas southern coast, far from frequently visited areas including Havana, Vinales, and Varadero.
Medicine And Health Care
The Revolution’s greatest success has been an astonishing improvement of the health of the population since 1959: Cubans have benefitted dramatically in the last forty years, with lower infant and maternal mortality rates, a higher average caloric consumption, and a vastly reduced number of persons served by each doctor. Cuba has joined the United States and Canada as the only three nations in the Western Hemisphere to have been granted “best health status” by the United Nations. Since health care is not a matter of profit, and there are no insurance companies in search of wealth, Cuba can provide high-quality health care at a reasonable cost.
Part of this success is due to an innovative system of distribution of health services and a focus on preventive medicine. “Polyclinics” in the municipalities have specialists who treat any number of illnesses. These specialists have been supplemented since 1985 with family physicians, who are even more widely distributed throughout the neighborhoods and focus on prevention and health maintenance.
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The Climate And Geography Of Cuba
Cuba is an archipelago, i.e., a group of islands towards the north of the Caribbean sea. It is the Caribbean Seas largest island in terms of population as well as size. Cuba lies between north American countries like Florida, Bahamas and southern American countries like Mexico.
Cuba is an independent country featuring the island of Cuba and several other minor islands including, Isla de la Juventud, its second-largest island. Almost one-third of Cuba is covered with high mountains that were formed with the activities of plate tectonics numerous years ago. The rest of the land in the country features lowland plains that are utilized by the people for living and farming. It stretches from north to south and covers a 781 mi long area but interestingly is somewhere only 62.5 mi wide.
Cuba’s climate is warmer than the climate of Hong Kong, even though they both fall under the same latitude. The reason behind this we can say is that it is present towards the south of the tropics, which makes the climate tropical. Another reason we can say is that as Cuba is located in the Caribbean sea region, its Caribbean currents play a role in forming its temperature, as it brings warmer waters present along the equator. So if you are visiting Cuba for this vacation, don’t forget to pack your sunscreen, shades, and hats.
Geography And Micro Climates Of Cuba
Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean, with an area of 42,401 square miles just slightly smaller than the state of Pennsylvania. It is comprised of a mainland as well as many thousands of islands clustered around the coast, the largest of which is Isla de la Juventud.
22 percent of Cubas territory is covered by national parks and wildlife preserves. You can also visit preserves on Cubas extensive coastline, which serve to protect the intact coral reefs near the shore.
The dry season lasts from December to April, and is the high season for visitors. Cubas rainy season lasts from May to October, but plenty of visitors still come during the summer months of July and August. Rain usually comes in bursts and doesnt typically last all day. The eastern coast is prone to hurricanes from August to November. No matter the season, the temperature is almost always comfortable in Cuba, and is usually between 77 °F and 81°F .
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Spanish Colonization And Rule
After first landing on an island then called Guanahani, Bahamas, on 12 October 1492,Christopher Columbus commanded his three ships: La Pinta,La Niña and the Santa María, discovering Cuba on 27 October 1492, and landing in the northeastern coast on 28 October. Columbus claimed the island for the new Kingdom of Spain and named it Isla Juana after John, Prince of Asturias.
In 1511, the first Spanish settlement was founded by Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar at Baracoa. Other settlements soon followed, including San Cristobal de la Habana, founded in 1515, which later became the capital. The indigenousTaíno were forced to work under the encomienda system, which resembled the feudal system in medieval Europe. Within a century, the indigenous people were virtually wiped out due to multiple factors, primarily Eurasian infectious diseases, to which they had no natural resistance , aggravated by harsh conditions of the repressive colonial subjugation. In 1529, a measles outbreak in Cuba killed two-thirds of those few natives who had previously survived smallpox.
Although a smaller proportion of the population of Cuba was enslaved, at times, slaves arose in revolt. In 1812, the Aponte Slave Rebellion took place, but it was ultimately suppressed. The population of Cuba in 1817 was 630,980 , and 224,268 black slaves).
Social Welfare And Change Programs
Social change programs usually are instituted by a ministry or institute of the state. Changes initiated by citizens are channeled through five mass organizations: Federation of Cuban Women , Confederation of Cuban Workers , Union of Cuban Youth , the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution , and the National Association of Small Farmers , through which the state both receives feedback from the people and implements its decisions. Aside from mass organizations and scholarly research institutes associated with a university, there is not much room for private initiative. The state claims that private-sphere movements for change are unnecessary, since the Revolution itself is deeply committed to the well-being of all citizens in the realms of employment, health care, education, housing, and food.
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About The World Travel Guide
The World Travel Guide is the flagship digital consumer brand within the Columbus Travel Media portfolio. A comprehensive guide to the worlds best travel destinations, its print heritage stretches back more than 30 years, with the online portal reaching its 20-year anniversary in 2019. Available in English, German and Spanish versions, the WTG provides detailed and accurate travel content designed to inspire global travellers. It covers all aspects, from cities to airports, cruise ports to ski and beach resorts, attractions to events, and it also includes weekly travel news, features and quizzes. Updated every day by a dedicated global editorial team, the portal logs 1 million+ unique users monthly.
Tourism And Economic Activity In The Rimland
The physical geography of the Caribbean region makes it a prime location for tourism. Its beautiful coastal waters and warm tropical climate draw in tourists from all over North America and the world. Tourism is the number one means of economic income for many places in the Caribbean Basin, and the tourist industry has experienced enormous growth in the last few decades. Tourism is a major component of efforts by leaders of the islands of the Lesser Antilles to achieve economic development for their people. In the last decade, there has been strong growth in the number of cruise ships operating in the Caribbean. Cruise ships from the southern coasts of the United States ply their trade around the islands and coastal regions. San Juan receives the largest number of cruise ship travelers, but other areas well known to tourists include the Bahamas, St. Martin, and the Virgin Islands. Even the poorest country in the Caribbean, Haiti, has tried to attract cruise ships to its ports. The western Caribbean itinerary includes the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and Mexico or Central American ports. The main restriction on cruise ship travel is the hurricane season, from June to November.
Figure 5.33 Carnival Victory Cruise Ship in San Juan Harbor. Large cruise ships in the Caribbean can hold up to four thousand passengers and crew members. The major cruise lines do not operate in the Caribbean during hurricane season. Photo by R. Berglee CC BY-NC-SA.
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