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Cuba is safe and beautiful

by Nick
(Toronto)

Cuba is safe and beautiful ... a bit of petty theft and fraud is Ok
I ended up befriending a Cuban musician in downtown Habana. He gave me the story of the wife and kids, and I visited his place a day later when our paths crossed in the street. Yeah he wanted money, and I gave him 10 or so CUC. No big deal. He meets up with me later at a club, and knows that I want to see something of the "real" Cuba. An any rate, to cut a long story short he thinks I want sex with a local and takes me to a rundown street level dwelling with mud floors and a not terribly inviting smell. The people in it are friendly, and out comes a young woman, (who is about 20 years old, and I am 52.) Tempting yes, but I backed out, leaving 20 CUC out of sympathy for those living in such conditions. He asked me what I wanted, and I said, "I want to see the real people of Cuba, the culture without the tourist overlay." In a manner of speaking he did show it to me, though not the way he thought. I saw that a definite class structure exists between people who succeed in micro-capitalism enough to own quality casas, and those who live in squalor.

The Cuban people are a proud family and local community focused people. It would be nice if they had the opportunity to raise the overall standard of living, and especially for the poorest.

My friend asked if there was anything else he could do, and I said, "No, I just want to go back to the casa." I ended up giving away a few CUC, big deal. I also hoped that the beautiful young woman who was offering herself could have a chance to rise above the poverty. I was under no illusions, and I took no advantage. There is more to life than sex.

The Cuban people and culture has a richness despite the low material standard of living. I hope that the transition which eventually comes will allow the positives of Cuban life to not be lost in the aggressive competition and criminal onslaught that befell the former Soviet Union.

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Cuba is safe and beautiful

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Jul 29, 2011
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Cuba Is Safe But....
by: Alice

I agree with Vic. Cuba is safer than than most Central and Latin American countries.

Compared to Kingston Jamaica or Santa Domingo Dominican Republic for example where rapes, murders and drug smuggling is rife part of everyday life, Cuba is a shining light of morality.

However Cubans are incredibly smart when it comes to scamming, lying and deception.

They are extremely well educated for a start. They can read people well. they how about psychology and how to play on your emotions.

They could win an Oscar for their acting when it some to professing eternal love.

How many women and men have been taken in by those three famous words..'Te Quiero Mucho' when said with a straight face and look of deep sincerity?.

How many women have fallen for the words....'You're my only woman I love you so much' When clearly they are lying through their teeth.

Most Cubans have a Cuban woman/man or three while playing/using countless foreigners at the same time.

So you may not get stabbed, or shot or raped in Cuba but you sure as hell will be scammed.

Remark by Vic

What most foreigners don't understand is that the cheating/"love game" - "te quiero mucho game" is the same among Cubans. The case of a Cuban Police officer in his thirties comes to my mind. A really nice guy. He was courting a Cuban woman, crying in front of her door each day, crying at her friends that she was the one, everything in his life, the usual Cuban bla bla... Long story short after two years he left her for another, and the story continues...This happens daily in Cuba, it's part of their Latin culture. Are all Cubans like this? No, but more than the "innocent foreigner" expects.

Jul 24, 2011
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You people are immature
by: Anonymous

Wow.... I just read through all the posts on here, and you guys sound like a bunch of kindergarteners on the playground!

I think I'll take my ball and go home.

Jul 24, 2011
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Safe???!!!!
by: Anonymous

I find it interesting that on the main page, the web site host says, "Havana is one of the safest cities in South America!" Then, goes on to tell about this scam and that hustle... on and on.

He was not proving his thesis statement! LOL

Don't think I'll be visiting Cuba soon, or the rest of South America either, if what he says is true! If Havana is the safest, forget the rest!

Remark from Vic Webmaster

Havana is one of the safest cities of Latin America, and yes there is minor criminallity but compared to other countries Cuba is safe.
Ever been in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Columbia, Brazil etc.? There are almost no firearms in Cuba. You must distinguish between minor offenses and serious crime. Murder and armed
robbery etc. is almost unknown in Cuba. I feel safer in Havana than in New York. When I see the documentaries by Louis Thermoux (BBC) about Killadelphia (Philadelphia), Fresno (Cristal Meth city) and other US cities I feel really scared.

Jul 21, 2011
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To: Amanda Pella
by: Gina

Amanda,

You're 28, you say? If so, you should know how to use apostrophes by now and therefore, know the difference between "losers" and "loser's", etc.

Get off this forum and learn to spell.

Jul 21, 2011
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You Bitter Old Woman 'Amanda'
by: Bill

Amanda it's you who are the 'bitter used up old loser'.

I could not care less if your name is Amanda, Yasmila, or Diane. You are a foul mouthed abusive bully and I feel sorry for the man who is unfortunate enough to be married to you. You are what we refer to in Canada as a ball breaker, an emasculator.

If as you say this site is full of 'used up losers' (no doubt you are referring to yourself) then why ddo you travel to countries like the Dominican Republic where the levels of crime, rapes, scams and drug peddling is worse than Cuba?.

Do you enjoy being around sleze and crime?.

Is that why you defend the orinigal poster when he says that 'Fraud and Theft Is Ok'?.

As the saying goes, birds of a feather. You lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.

I reiterate...Fraud and Theft Is Never Ok.

You cannot come on here dictating to people what they should or should not think or write.

5f you condone crime it says much about you.

Jul 20, 2011
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PS.
by: Amanda Pella

Just a foot note here Bill or whoever you are,I have never been to Cuba am 28 year's old, happliy married to a Canadian man for 10 year's have 3 kid's and have been to the Dominican Republic where storie's like your's about Cuba run rampant-once again watch your mouth when posting,you do sound like an abusive bitter old soul-sorry about that!
And when you accuse someone of being someone else that is a fraudulent accusation-so you are the fraud here,last post for me.
This site is full of bitter, old, used up loser's like yourself and then commit fraud themselve's to make a stupid point-Vic must be laughing his head off reading all these comment's about people losing their money and their shirt over a Puta or Jinitero-LOL
Roger Out!

Jul 20, 2011
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Bitter Babe R WE!!
by: Amanda Pella-Vancouver

FYI I don't know who you are reffering to when you associate me with another person I don't know.
If you do not like a place because it attract's people like you described in your post then don't go stay home!!
I'm not telling anyone what to do,just advising you to stay clear of Cuba where it's like you say,it's full of old men wanting young girl's and old fat women waddling around with their male whore's.
You sound off real angry,is it because you had no luck in attracting a Cubano or a Cubana,well that's not my problem or anyone else's,is it Elsa,Jenna,Sarah,Eye's wide open-who are you any way?
You are personally attacking and bad mouthing a poster on this site and I will report you immediately-stick to the subject on hand-like I said Cuba is not for you go someplace else where you feel more comfortable--PLEASE!you might get lucky elsewhere--lol

Jul 20, 2011
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Amanda or is it Yasmila The Bully/ Dictator Is Back!
by: Bill

Amanda/Yasmila, what makes you think you 'tell it like it is' and other don'nt?.

You come on here bullying people Amanda ,or should I say Yasmila, telling them what they should or should not be thinking or saying. Like a dictator.

Who do you think you are? Fidel Castro.

I can return to Cuba whenever I wish. I do not need permission from a bitter old woman who's been badly stung.

I pointed out in my previous post that.. 'A Little Bit of Fraud and Theft Is Never Ok',.. as the original posted had claimed it to be perfectly ok.

Fraud and theft is never OK. And the good aspect of a site like this is that it alerts the tourism authorities to get off their lazy ass and do something about the fraud which is driving tourists away.

When hard working folk go on vacation they do not expect to be conned, defrauded out of their cash or belongings nor do they want a con man to thieve from them.

That applies to any holiday destination, not just Cuba. So I would advise you to keep your big mouth shut and keep your bully boy tactics to yourself wading in here laying into posters like a dictator.

Little wonder an old woman like you has to fly to Cuba to get laid by a con men/jiniteros.

No man in his right mind in the Western world would go near you.

Jul 19, 2011
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Think Again!!
by: Amanda Pella

Hey Bill-Like I said face reality-get a life-and stay out of Cuba,stop bad mouthing people you don't even know.
The BS you think you cut through is common knowledge all over the world,if you can't take the heat stay out of the kitchen.
Comment on your own miserable experience don't assume other people care what you think or do.
Further more,is it Bill?just because most people don't agree with you it doesn't mean you hit a "raw nerve"-I just tell it like it is!!

Jul 16, 2011
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Have I Hit A Raw Nerve Amanda :) ?
by: Bill

Has my post upset you Amanda, hit home? touched on a raw nerve?.

Well maybe you need to take a reality check ol gal.

What annoyed you most?.

The fact that I cut through the B.S. and write about the truth about life in Varadero or Guardalvaca and the growth of Cuba as a sex tourism destinaion catering to fat elderly Canadian women and ugly old men?.

Now sex tourism, scamming and sleaze may be your reality. It sure as hell is not mine.

I prefer the real Caribbean, the beautiful islands - which remained untainted by mass tourism and the bargain bucket tourist looking to get laid.

I like islands which have not sold out to the low life bargain bucket all inclusive tourist, which you clearly identify with.

I like the islands which have managed to retain a sense of their own cultural identity. Which are not whore-house resorts, sex tourism catering to chubby elderly women and wrinkly old men who like to pig out at all day buffets and swill back liquor 24/7.

Now that may be your preference, and I am not judging you, good luck to you.

But it sure as hell is not for me.

Jul 15, 2011
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Hey Bill!!
by: Amanda Pella

Hola Bill,
Face reality,get a life,and stay out of Cuba!!

Jul 09, 2011
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A Bit of Theft And Fraud Is Never OK!
by: Bill

Frankly I was disgusted by your opening line - 'A bit of petty theft and fraud is OK'. It's never ok.

It's that kind of thinking that is putting people off Cuba.

The level of scamming and thievery deception and marriage fraud has risen over the years along with the proliferation of the all inclusive - cathedrals of gluttony where obese low life people on a bargain bucket vacation, trough round the clock at all day buffets and drink themselves into oblivion on cheap booze.

Soon as they step outside the resort they are propostitioned by hustlers male and female. Young girls selling themselves for as little as $10.

How can you condone such low life behaviour. Is that what you want to experience when you spend your hard earned cash on a trip to an island that peddles itself as a tropical paradise?.

Women tourists behave just as badly. In Varadero and Guardalavaca you see enormous beached whales, white and black, in tight black lycra hotpants wobbling along the beach, their toy boys gripped in their huge fleshy arms, tyring to 'get their groove on' with a youngster.

It is vile.

A whole generation of male whores selling themselves to these ugly overweight Canadians and Americans for the price of a pizza.

In the more low key hotels some old boy in his 60's has slipped 10 bucks to the front desk so he can spend a night with a girl of 15.

Meanwhile the police look the other way, but are spying on ordinary Cuban people night and day. People who struggle to get by with nothing in the shops and no hope, so they hustle the tourist.

Personally I think that Cuba has become a sleazy seedy destination in the last 10 years, no different from Coney Island, one big theme park. Albeit on it's uppers.

I for one, won't be going back.

Jul 04, 2011
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You're A Man of Principle Nick
by: Estelle

You're a decent man with values Nick. You walked away. I wish all men were as principled as you, sadly that is not the case.

I recall a trip to Guardalavaca where I met a very odd couple, the man looked like a cowboy in large Stetson hat, must have been at least 70. The girl with him could not have been more than 15.

I was touring around the island and stopped off at Villa Cabanas where they were staying in the next cabin.

It was cheap and cheerful stop off the kind of place where the old boy could tip the receptionist. There was no way this old guy could book this child into a 4 star hotel.

I speak a little Spanish so he kept asking me to translate what she was saying. He was very annoyed that she kept turning her back on him in bed and refused to kiss him.

He was outraged because he had been sending her 'Tia' $150 a month from the wilds of Wyoming to Holguin, for Yxxxx's keep, to buy her a bicycle for school etc. Yxxxx told me she never saw the bike and did not receive a centavo of the money.

Yxxx was from Moa, and it seems was being pimped by her so called Tia who lived with a retired Cuban Army Captain in Calle xxxxxx . A sweet girl of 15, very beautiful, she seemed to have no clue what was going on.

She showed me her recent picture taken at her Quince Anos (15th birthday party). So it was clear how old she was despite the old cowboy claiming she was 17.

She actually looked about 12. He called her Pocahuntus, his Indian Princess. He'd seen her 15th b/day pic in Belize where he had a work colleague. His name is Nxxx Bxxx. An American land owner and horse breeder.

It seems there's some kind of smuggling ring of young Cuban girls based in Belize. He said he wanted to get the girl a passport and fly her to the States via Belize.

I informed the Cuban Embassy when I returned home, I only hope they acted on the information.

I informed a woman at my casa in Holguin, I urged her to inform the local Child Welfare Social Services.

I only hope that she did for the sake of Yxxx who had had a kind heart.

She asked the old guy to stop at a market and buy lots of food for her Tia en route to Holguin, they had offered me a lift.

I will never forget the cold frosty face of the Tia, - a brasy peroxide blonde called Mxxxx, in Calle xxxxxxx, Holguin, in her 60's who refused to offer us a cup of coffee but grabbed the large bag of groceries without so much as a thank you.

This brassy old greedy tart did not invite us past the doorstep.I was about to make my way to the airport but was angry at the situation of sheer exploitation and greed.

I cheekily asked her to make us a coffee. "I'm not a shop or a cafe' she barked and blew smoke in my face.

I would like to see this old Pimp/Madam locked up.

Child exploitation and prostitution is rife in Cuba and Che Guevara would turn in his grave if he knew that this is the Cuba he fought for and died for.

Jul 03, 2011
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question from holland
by: jet

do you know the name of the cuban musician?

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