CUBA

[blumpet]

Hi everybody,

 

I went to Cuba about five years ago. I found quite a nice scene in Havana near Hotel Colina, if I remember well, arount a cinema. Lots of guy.

 

I am planing to go back and visit other part of cuba as well, like santiago de Cuba or Holguin.

 

I know however that things may change very quickly in this country.

 

Any recent new on Cuba ? Still the same place in Havana ? Any adresse santiago de Cuba or Holguin ?

 

Thanks in advance

 

:-)

[trilingual]

We haven't had any recent reports here about Cuba. In the past year or so the Cuban government has revised its foreign exchange rules in ways that don't favor foreign visitors, and it has instituted a range of new rules and restrictions intended to cut down on contact between Cubans and foreigners. I haven't seen any discussion about how well those restrictions are being enforced, but I'm sure they must have had at least some dampening effect on the gay scene. The regime has also made it harder for Cubans to open or maintain small businesses, like the private "paladar" restaurants, and may have made it harder for Cubans to rent rooms for romantic encounters.

 

For U.S. visitors, Cuba has become more complicated, because the Bush regime is also making it harder for Americans to visit the island and has been enforcing existing restrictions more strictly. A number of people have been fined recently for visiting Cuba.

 

If you find Cuba appealing, easier alternatives are the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, with similar cultures and ethnic diversity. There's also Brazil, whose ethnic diversity is unmatched, and where there are cultural similarities, especially in places like Bahia.