This Guest blogger, Mike, will be posting about his adventures in Cuba, and that is where this lucky fella is sitting as we speak.

I am leaving the snowing, cold Canadian weather for the warmer climate in a couple days and have been having some interesting thoughts and discussions .about the destination. You see, I am off to Cuba and although I have been there once before, Mel has never had the pleasure.

Cuba

It is a very popular Canadian destination for Canadians at this time of the year and if you have never been there, I recommend a few things to ponder,  It is a communist country, so behave yourself. That isn’t a very big problem for most of us. Early in the planning stages, beware that you have to obtain travel insurance to get into the country. That is a must in Cuba.

That should be a no-brainer for anyone traveling outside of Canada anyways. They have two types of currency in Cuba….peso and convertible peso which is what visitors to the country do business in It is easy to convert to their money at the airport or your resort. If need be, a local banking ( make sure you take your passport) institution. Do not engage in conversations about politics or the government.

You never can be sure who is listening and you don’t want to be brought in and questioned about it. They will not bother you if you do not bother them. Other than that subject, the people are very polite and friendly and will go out of their way to make sure your stay is memorable.

As we know their economy has lacked trading partners since the 60s, certain goods are lacking in their lives live. Staples that we take for granted are very much appreciated when you visit. They can be purchased in Canada cheaply enough but may be lacking for any amount of money on this island. A little research on the internet goes a long way on this subject.

The average wage in Cuba amounts to around 30 pesos a month so anything you bring down with you will be greatly accepted I am sure. I have heard that the people are provided by the government with the necessities such as health care and education and in all honesty, on the last visit, I never saw one homeless person.
I have often commented, since my last trip to Cuba, if you could see in black and white instead of technicolor, you would imagine yourself living back in the 50s, for those of us who are old enough to remember.

Perhaps a safer time to walk around and leave your doors unlocked while you went out for a few hours. A time when people respected one another.

On my last visit with a buddy, because of the beautiful warm evenings, we found ourselves exploring the Main Street and back ally’s at 2 in the morning feeling completely safe. I remember walking past a factory with a nightlight on and doors wide open and nobody around. That, my friends, is something to experience. There are many more adventures I could talk about but will save for another time………Cuba is calling me once again….later

Guest Blogger,  Mike Wettlaufer