Reuse Your Water Bottles

Reuse Your Water Bottles

More Luggage Tax Complaints

More Luggage Tax Complaints

"They both told me that there was LOTS of screaming, yelling and very angry people at the Havana airport, including business people who had their laptops, business papers etc., weighed with their luggage and charged accordingly.

IMHO this is going to have serious consequences for tourism, especially for people like me who travel with a laptop and extensive camera equipment which alone weighs nearly 15 kilos. I can’t imagine how this will affect sport scuba diving in Cuba. Nobody in their right mind will pay to bring personal diving or other sports equipment into Cuba at those prices.

This will seriously make me reconsider Cuba as either a vacation or photography destination."

Steve_YYZ

Club Raul Review

Cuban Marshall Plan

Cuban Marshall Plan

The infrastructure in Cuba is moving rapidly towards total collapse. The Castro boys and their gang have exploited everything to enrich themselves at the expense of the Cuban people. They have done this using a protective political shield called "the embargo." These tyrants have pulled off this epic swindle so easily because of the westerner's feeble comprehension of economics. The Castro's have for 49 years dumped toxic chemicals into Cuba's rivers. Their ineptitude and mismanagement has led to tons of raw human sewage being flushed into the waterways. Garbage lines the streets collecting little pockets of water with which the dengue fever spreading mosquito can easily reproduce. They pay their people 50 cents a day, collect a thousand times more than that salary in profits from this Cuban labor then blame the embargo for Cubans being so poor. But today all Cubans know why islanders are so poor. It is just a few remaining Canadians, Europeans, Leftist Latin Americans as well as the domestic variety that are still too blinded by political rhetoric to see this obvious fact.

But I have to move beyond this ignorance to do something positive to make things better for the Cuban people. Merely being outraged at the barbaric treatment of the Cuban people at the hands of their own "government" and the assistance the oppressors receive from the above mentioned useful idiots will not feed even one Cuban. What is needed is a Cuban Marshall plan. First go to a computer with Google earth and imagine a tropical island lush with green vegetation and white sandy beaches. Go directly to Cuba and you'll find something shocking far removed from your imagination. Except for the toxic pools of water, some strip mine pictures I've placed on this very blog look almost lunar. In virtually every instance where the Cuban government is doing anything it is polluting. Additionally, large swaths of Cuba obviously are farms with the square patterns, but they are all dirt brown. These once productive valleys are producing nothing but soil erosion. From space it is easy to see the clouds of sewage being released by the Cuban government directly into the rivers. To sum up, these decades of environment suicide have turned Cuba into a very dangerous nation for humans to lead a normal life. Though the Castro government will not admit the figures the Cuban people are suffering the effects of this environmental abuse and they will for some time to come. Tourists are now suffering this same fate by going into a country without fresh clean water. Cuban exiles and relief workers will suffer the same fate if proper precaution and a coordinated plan are not followed.

The first helpers who go into Cuba after the collapse of the current government must bring their own water and other sanitizing supplies as well as mosquito defenses. Relief money must be used to bring in bottled water by the ship load. The cisterns that many Cubans use now for fresh water need screen meshing to protect against mosquitoes. Cuba needs a thousand sewage pumper trucks to return septic systems to a functioning level. All industry must be immediately shut down until they can be evaluated by environmental experts and certified to operate safely before returning to production. Heavy equipment must be brought in to move the earth to stop the mine run-off and make possible the replanting of native plant life to re-stabilize the landscape. Cuba will also need thousands of tractors and other pieces of heavy farming equipment to turn those brown fields green again. All of the urban sewer and water systems must be completely replaced and done so while the people continue to use the old system. Probably parallel systems will need to be constructed while the old water and sewer lines are used. However, Cubans should not drink tap water until a modern system is in place. Once the new sewer and water system is in place the old one can be dismantled and replaced with a retrofitted system giving Cubans plenty of capacity for future population growth and the option of shutting down one system for maintenance while running off the other. This should be done in conjunction with the streets being replaced which means lots of road construction equipment will be required. At the same time it makes sense while the big hole is in the road to install the latest fiber optics, natural gas lines, electric service lines, etc. Tankers of fuel will be required to power these modern machines but perhaps we can work a deal with the oil companies for future drilling rights in Cuban waters. Tons of food will need to be brought in to sustain this revitalization of Cuba hopefully no longer than one year. Thereafter, private family farms will feed Cubans and in several years people of other nations. Finally, medical teams of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals will be required to help the Cuban doctors give Cuba one big check up. Mostly what is needed is the medicine and medical supplies that are in critical shortage in Cuba today except if you are a tourist or high Cuban official like Fidel.

These funds necessary to rescue the Cuban people will have to come from somewhere. Naturally, the exiles in total will inject millions of dollars into Cuba. In addition, I believe we need to get the American people on board with this effort and ask them to open their pocketbooks to lend a big hand. Most of these initial funding needs to go to firing up family farms and fixing private septic systems as well as the food needs of Cubans for the short run. The urban public services will be paid for by corporate money because they will be able to earn revenue from fees for water and sewer service from their initial investment. The labor pool of Cubans are present and accounted for right now. With this seed money from private donation, corporate investment and perhaps loans on favorable terms, the economy will be jump started. From there the remaining reconstruction will blossom transforming Cuba into a modern country.

"Got a Case of Castro's Revenge"

"Got a Case of Castro's Revenge"

Traveler rating:
Varadero Beach: Melia Las Antillas: "1st trip probably last trip"
JAY043, OAK Mar 16, 2007

My experience with this property took place in:
March, 2007

Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? no way!

My ratings for this hotel are:

I recommend this hotel for: Great pool scene

I do not recommend this hotel for: Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Older travelers, Pet owners, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists
I selected this hotel because ... Beach / Sun

My age: 50-64

Traveling group: Spouse / significant other

My visit was for: Quality time with friends

You know you chosen poorly when:
You arrive late at 2:00am, your tired, you get your room key from the friendly person at the desk you walk what seems forever out to your room you open the door and there is a very understanding couple in the room you are assigned who you unfortunately wake up. So you make the trek back to the front desk, past a pumping station that smells like an open sewer and they argue with you as to who is actually in the room.
Finally you get your own room and its not bad, you got a view of every bus that comes into the place but by now your so tired you crash.

Morning your ready for another day

You know you chosen poorly when:
Buffet time the first dome you open at the buffet is scrambled eggs, i think, the next one is empty, the next one contains blood sausage and the next one contains a substance that was later identified as bacon soaked bread. Health food oh boy
The smell of the buffet is to say the least interesting, you know that you can trust a piece of toast but they can't seem to locate any bread.
The coffee (ok) is black and after about 3 ozs. of milk it is , well still black.
You know you chosen poorly when:
You refer to the buffet as the "8 domes of doom"

So you go to the pool because its about a mile to the beach and things are going pretty good until the music starts, I'm not a prude but give me a break turn down the volume a little.

After about 3 days you decide to take one of the recommended trips to Havana and you get on a really nice bus and you realize that your tour guide hates Americans and loves to talk about how much he hates Americans, and he "wants you to tip him good and not just with candies because you have to consider how he has affected your life in your tip. Right Elliott. Have a tic tac.

After the trip to Havana you go back to your hotel and the domes of doom. The next morning you wake up with Castro's revenge. I wonder where that came from.
In short rooms , pool, beach, staff, a la Cartes , drinks and entertainment , not bad, food is garbage no hope for to improve. Fix the elevator.

I'll never go here again and likely won't go back to Cuba again.
Hosta la vista Elliotto

This TripAdvisor Member:
Liked: Beach
Disliked: food food food food food

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More Shocked Cuba Tourists

More Shocked Cuba Tourists

Traveler Reviews (11-15 of 93)
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Traveler rating:
Santiago de Cuba: Gran Caribe Club Bucanero: "Find somewhere else to go"
mrandmrscc, Ontario Mar 12, 2007

My experience with this property took place in:
March, 2007
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? no way!
My ratings for this hotel are:
Value 1
Rooms 3
Location 2
Cleanliness 1
Check in / front desk 1
Service 2
Business service 3

I do not recommend this hotel for: Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Pet owners, Families with teenagers, Tourists

I selected this hotel because ... Beach / Sun, Museums / Cultural / Historical sites, Shopping
My age: 25-34

Traveling group: Friends
My visit was for: Other

Found club bucanero on a sell off. Now I know why it was a sell off. Dont go there it is not a good place for food, service and cleanliness. The only thing it had was a view. The al a carte resturant was booked could not get in. The food was lacking in originality and flavor. There was garbage all over the place. The locals get served first at the bar and at the buffet. Find another resort. This was my first vacation to anywhere and I tell you I hope they are not all like this. It was a true dissapointment. 30 people ended up sick on this vacation.


This TripAdvisor Member:
Liked: The people I met
Disliked: The food

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Santiago de Cuba: Gran Caribe Club Bucanero: "Stay Away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
theresaelite, toronto c Mar 12, 2007

My experience with this property took place in:
March, 2007
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? no way!
My ratings for this hotel are:

Value 1
Rooms 1
Location 4
Cleanliness 1
Check in / front desk 1
Service 2
Business service 2

I recommend this hotel for:

I do not recommend this hotel for: Young singles, An amazing honeymoon, A romantic getaway, Girlfriend getaway, People with disabilities, Older travelers, Great pool scene, Pet owners, Families with young children, Families with teenagers, Tourists

I selected this hotel because ... Beach / Sun, Outdoor / Adventure
My age: 35-49
Traveling group: Spouse / significant other
My visit was for: Quality time with friends
Bad Service--no towels for 4 days--complain--they don't care

wait/bar staff---service with a smile not here---no service or smile at your table or at the bar--even when you tip!!!

beach---what beach---walk 30 seconds one way walk 30seconds back and you are done walking the beach both ways!!Also bring aqua shoes for you will not be able to even do this-to go into the water for it is not possible to do so without shoes.

water--don't even try--"spring water" yeah right!!! diarrhea for 5 days and counting!!!

Your rep for your tour company will not help for they seem to be working for the hotel not the tour companies.

"Ladies of the night" are just as common there as the tourist especially the entertainers that work there (it was right in our face).

Snorkeling is the only plus here--very beautiful!!

The employees are number 1 there not the tourists!!!

Food ---food poisoning anyone????

I will say the location is beautiful but this does not compensate for the service or lack of it (this does not include the hotel--not beautiful at all except for section 100 to 400).

I have been to Cayo Cocco, Vardero and I have never ever encounterd any problems like this before and if there was a problem the hotel staff or your rep would look after it right away.

This TripAdvisor Member:
Liked: snorkeling
Disliked: wait/bar/reception staff


_______________________________________________

Traveler rating:
Santiago de Cuba: Gran Caribe Club Bucanero: "You want a holiday...this is not the place for you!!!!"
syb1955, brampton Mar 9, 2007

My experience with this property took place in:
March, 2007

What a disappointment!!! I had visited Cuba a year and a half ago, but was in varadero. I decided to try this place because it was very much south and thought it might be different. How i wish i had known how bad it was. There was no beach. The food was the worst i have ever tried to eat. Many many people were sick this week Mar 1-8 2007 .....and many were very ticked at the lack of management here. Many of the guests could not get reservations at the al a carte restaurant, and those who did found out they were shoved out because of a private birthday party. We booked on sunday for wed, and when wed came, they gave us the runaround that there was a communication problem.

Also, service??? If you went to a bar and expected to get served, you better be holding some paper peso's for bartender to see or forget about service. Rooms had ants, noisy a/c, crabs. Lizards all over the place....and snakes....uggghhhh!!!! I wanted a holiday for relaxation ....not a trip through the zoo....I would not recommend this place to anyone.....after 2 days.....i wanna go home.

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Revolutionary Irresponsibility

Revolutionary Irresponsibility

I've put many bits of information about how Cuba is a toxic wasteland. Here is the reason that is so. In many mid-sized Cuban cities there is only one septic tanker pumping truck provided by the government. Half the time it does not run. The fact is the guy who drives it prefers it that way because he's getting a check either way. So septic tanks overflow and ooze into the water table all over the place constantly. Here that would never be allowed to happen. In Cuba the citizens can legally throw their hands up in the air. The state has taken responsibility for pumping out septic tanks but decided it had more important things to do with the little wealth that they extract from the populace. Cuban factories dump directly into the waterways because Castro doesn't want to lose profit margin with expensive pollution controls. He could buy these things anywhere except the US or manufacture them in Cuba but he chooses not to. This has nothing to do with the embargo. He has embargoed his people from working for themselves. They must work for Castro so they produce very little wealth. It's barely enough to keep them in bread and sugar water after Castro and his cronies grab their big cut. How much work would you put in for a wage of 50 cents a day? Embargo...ha!

Castro Strikes Again!!!

Beware Sunwing Travel

Beware Sunwing Travel

Some Canadians are not happy with their treatment and some even have trouble speaking English over this. Well, they talk with incomplete sentences like when they say this bad treatment is caused by the embargo but don't finish the sentence. Okay so that was a run on and this is my incomplete sentence: Stupid travelers! HOW DOES THE EMBARGO DO THIS? HOW? Saying the embargo is what is wrong with Cuba but not saying how that is so is rediculous. What if I said Canadians are so stupid because of the embargo! Shouldn't I have to explain how that might be so? Until even one of you can rationally explain to me HOW the US embargo makes Cuba poor I will continue to say Canadians are stupid because of the embargo. Cubans are poor you stupid idiots because Raul Castro pays them 50 cents a day and keeps the remaining thousands of dollars you tourist suckers pay him - for himself. You selfish SOBs should start thinking about the Cuban people and forget your ruined vacations! And by the way...those family members down in Cuba with no water ought to thank God! Tell your poor parents to get the hell out of that country before they drink the water! IDIOTS!!!

Look here you fools and I hope that everyone who blames the embargo for Cuba's misery will travel there immediately and drink some water! IDIOTS!!!

Raul Castro Ruins Another Honeymoon

Raul Castro Ruins Another Honeymoon

No Sanitation for Tourist to Cuba

No Sanitation for Tourist to Cuba

Here is an unseen reality that most tourists in Cuba must face. The aquifer that supplies your water needs in Havana runs under the Almendares River – just about the most polluted river in the world. Oh sure you drink bottled water right? Yes but that drinking glass at the bar or restaurant provided to you, even if they wash it with detergent, will be run under tap water to rinse off the soap. The socialist economy that forbids Cubans to earn wealth for themselves does not produce enough capital to purchase proper dishwashers, hot water heaters or electric to run them consistently - even if they did have these vital sanitation needs for tourists. So microbe contaminated tap water rinses your drinking glass off before you use it. Now do you see why so many tourists are getting stomach trouble in Cuba? Also remember that those Cuban hand handling your food and other needs have not had benefit of regular toilet paper since '59. Check under their fingernails people!

If Raul abdicated his throne today I would not dare go to Cuba until I had done these things:

1. See a doctor to get hepatitis immunizations and malaria pills and other travel advice
2. Mosquito netting for sleeping, deet repellent and adequate clothing to prevent bites from the dengue fever carriers
3. Bring enough bottled water to sustain me while I’m there.
4. Paper cups to drink from and paper plate and plastic utensils for eating
5. Sterilizing wipes and a first-aid kit

These are just the first things right off the top of my head that I’d bring but I’m sure I’ll add to this list once I think about it for a while. But remember, Castro has turned Cuba into a toxic waste dump that will take decades to clean up once they are driven from oppressing the Cuban people. All Cuban industry will need to be shut down immediately so the dumping of toxins can stop immediately. They will not be allowed to begin operating again until enough wealth is generated by Cubans to manufacture in only environmentally healthy ways.

Warning Sex Tourist!

Warning Sex Tourist!

Let this be a warning to you pervert exploiters of Cuban children. We have raised such a stink about your buying Cuban children for sex that the junta is sure to do something of high visibility to nail one of you good to show that they really "care" about kids in Cuba. Maybe that Cuban is not a pimp. Maybe he's the police looking to set up a tourist for a show trial.

Buyer beware!

Mushroomed!

Mushroomed!

Hidden Cuban Crime Wave

Hidden Cuban Crime Wave

You see Europeans, Canadians and others traveling to Cuba or planning to in the future. There is an increasing number of tourist crime victims in Cuba these days due to the imminent collapse of their economy. Unfortunately you won't hear about most of these cases for several reasons. Obviously, the Cuban government does everything possible to restrict news of crime in Cuba. They swoop in after the crime, get the facts, constantly remind the victim that crime happens everywhere and make it appear that they are trying to solve the case. The still dazed tourist then returns home and waits. But nothing happens and soon the traveler is feeling very silly for spending thousands of dollars to go to Cuba only to live in crappy hotels, eat bad food and be a victim of crime. Most simply keep quiet about it except complaining to their own government. Unlike the complicit Spanish government, many nations are now warning their citizens about crime in Cuba because they receive more of these complaints every day.

Here's what the Australian says about crime in Cuba.

Tomas Estrada-Palma

Castro Mining, Inc.

Castro Mining, Inc.

Castro Quote

"Cuba has the cleanest and most educated prostitutes in the world."

- Fidel Castro

Environmentalist Castro

Environmentalist Castro

Here is one of the Castro boy's strip mines just a short hop to the beach and the little town in the background. Just teeming with wildlife...don't you think?

Tomas Estrada-Palma

Buy Nothing From Spain until THEY stop financing Castro, Inc.

World Class Medical Care?

World Class Medical Care?

Remarkably, some on this planet still rave about Cuba's medical system. They even say this is a reason for not having any freedom in Cuba. Well look what no freedom will buy you for medical care in Cuba.

Look here.

Tomas Estrada-Palma

Cuba: An Ecological Disaster

Cuba: An Ecological Disaster

Cuban Spy Names Names

Cuban Spy Names Names

This just in from Babalu! Tonight a Cuban spy names the names of Cuban spys including ones working in the US.

Check out Nuevo Action for details!

Tomas Estrada-Palma

Is This Any Way To Run a Country?

Is This Any Way To Run a Country?

No Stopping Us Now

No Stopping Us Now

(To the guys Raul forces to come here regularly)

We know how desperate you are today and the situation with your boss's cash flow. We're real sorry you're not getting paid like you use to but we need to squeeze you financially to force you to live like the rest of the Cuban population. The bad news is that tourists who come to our sites now, not only find out how unhealthy conditions are in Cuba for them but also how cruel your boss Raul has been to the Cuban people. They are not coming back to Cuba until Raul and his cronies are GONE! So do your patriotic duty and arrest him today. Dudes! We've got millions of dollars just waiting to spend on Cuba. You will be wealthier than your wildest dreams and more importantly - so will the vast majority of other Cubans. You'll be a hero.

The entire Havana infrastructure must be replaced immediately which is GREAT NEWS! You and everybody you know will have great, high paying jobs - free from income tax. We'll make the capitalists pay for the upgrades and they'll do it happily to make future profit. Also we'll seize all foreign owned properties like hotels and just give them to the hotel workers for slavery compensation. They can run it any way they choose but I'd suggest like a business. But that's just another matter that will be solved very soon.

Tomas Estrada-Palma

Stomach Cramps and the Runs

Cuba Facts

Cuba Facts

I read some very interesting statistics on Cuba's sewage treatment like this:

"Despite its clear importance to the citizens of Cuba, the treatment of urban sewage in particular is extremely limited: only 17 or 18 percent receives any treatment before discharge into Cuban waterways. (3) The infrastructure of water and sanitation are beyond the breaking point and are close to catastrophic failure. Havana’s sewer system, which was built almost a hundred years ago, has been due for major repairs for almost five decades and is serving over two million citizens, well beyond its design capacity of 400,000. (4)"

Go here for the entire eye-opening report.

Tomas Estrada-Palma

BOICOT A LOS MELIÁ

BOICOT A LOS MELIÁ

EDICIÓN DEL LUNES 9 DE ABRIL, 2007 BOICOT A LOS MELIÁ LO PODEMOS HACER HASTA EN MIAMI BEACH En la edición del pasado jueves 5 de abril, lanzamos la idea de que los cubanos iniciemos un boicot económico a la cadena de hoteles Meliá, por su abierta y descarada complicidad con la tiranía castrista. Hoy le traemos buenas noticias. Podemos darnos el gusto de hacerlo sin tener que salir del área. Muchos cubanos se pasan fines de semana en Miami Beach y reciben familias de otros Estados. Pues bien, en Miami Beach está el gigantesco hotel Meliá Royal Palm Resort, situado en el 1545 de la Avenida Collins. (Foto: a la izquierda) Vean que fácil resulta todo: simplemente nunca se hospede en ese hotel y cuando reciba visitas de otros estados u otros paises, pídales encarecidamente que no usen ese hotel. Y hasta no resultaría mala idea que Saavedra y su Vigilia Mambisa, les montaran un piquete pacífico en los días de más afluencia de turistas. Por otro lado también los miles de cubanos que viajan mensualmente a los paraísos turísticos de República Dominicana, se pueden divertir de lo lindo, negándolos los dólares a los "gallegos" Meliá. A continuación le ofrecemos una lista de los hoteles propiedad u operados por esa compañía en esa hermana nación. EN LOS QUE USTED NO DEBE HOSPEDARSE: Paradissus Punta Cana y Paradissus Palma Real, en Punta Cana; El Meliá Caribe Tropical Playa Bávaro, en el Higüey, y El Meliá Santo Domingo, en la Capital. Cubano, compatriota, hijos de cubanos, cubano-americano, amigos de nuestra causa, les ofrecemos una manera de sentir la satisfacción inmensa de castigar a los que ayudan a los verdugos del pueblo cubano. Es divertido, créeanlo. Prueben y verán que bien se sienten. Díganle a su operador de turismo o al agente que le tramite su viaje: ¡YO NO ME HOSPEDO EN NINGÚN HOTEL MELIÁ!
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Thank you Jose I. Aguirre

Unpolluted Beach

Unpolluted Beach

This is what an unpolluted beach in southern Cuba, away from socialist mismanagement, looks like. Notice the uniform coloration of the water and the pure white sandy beaches free of the fecal staining.

Polluted Beach

Socialist Sewage Treatment

Socialist Sewage Treatment

Swimming In What?