Reply #16: I've been to Cuba - You can't paint it with broad strokes of "good" or "bad" [View All]

[Taverner]

You have to turn on your critical thinking filter, and realize there are some things Cuba does VERY well (universal health care, education, ending poverty, ending crime) and there are some things they are Abysmal on (Civil Rights, freedom of speech, economic freedom).

For example, there is no street crime. You can walk around at midnight and not have to worry about getting mugged. Of course police states (which Cuba is) are like that - and you will see a cop on every corner, every hour of the night. This is an anomaly in The Caribbean and Latin America. Everyone is fed. Not well fed, and not living large by any stretch - but they don't starve. At the same time, go to any restarant and the menu will read "CHICKEN". That means all you can order that day is chicken or chicken. Often times the chicken is old, rubbery and overcooked. It's easy to find rum, hard to find bottled water.

ON the plus side, they have pretty much eliminated religion. I consider this a plus - take into account the huge rich gold painted Catholic cathedrals of Latin America (while beggars outside are dying), and compare to the deserted, spartan ones in Cuba. Santeria (Cuban Voodoo) is prevalent but it's more like our interest in Horoscopes here. Brujas almost always are retired workers or have a day job.

Yet, ask locals what they think of their government (and believe me, once they trust you and are out of government earshot, they will) and they have nothing good to say about Castro OR the Miami Cubans. They want to rule their own country, by their rules. They hate the BS news they get on TV (It's like FOX with no other options) and they really hate not being able to travel freely.

Also, don't expect quick prompt or fast service. My favorite example was going to a fancy hotel restaurant at lunchtime, waiting 30 minutes to order (and there were barely any patrons), and after the waiter took our order, he sat down at the table next to us and watched TV. We asked him about our order and his answer was that the cook went to lunch - it was lunchtime after all!