Cuba is On the Verge of a Tourism Boom!

In a blog post about the episode, Bourdain notes that he expects a bright future for Cuba and its residents:

“It’s a country on the verge of something. I think it’s a country on the verge, among other things, of a tourism boom beyond anyone’s imagining. Because whatever your feelings on the Cuban government of the last half century, Cuba itself is beautiful. The Cuban people are uniquely wonderful: proud, resourceful (you sort of HAVE to be in Cuba), educated — and funny as hell. Even crumbling from neglect, Havana is the most beautiful city in all of Latin America or the Caribbean. The rum is the finest in the world, bar none. The music fantastic.”

My first taste of Cuba was experienced in Miami Florida. As crazy as this sounds it was like being in Havana. The art, the food , the people and the landscape make for an island oasis. I am absolutely thrilled as a global traveler to be able to visit Cuba and experience an island untouched and not uninfluenced by American tourism. I like to enjoy the natural aspects of a culture when I visit a location. The best trips are those that are enriched by a country’s true essence.