I love travel. But I don’t love all-inclusive resorts. They never truly represent the countries they reside in, catering to generally indifferent tourists and showcasing a country’s culture in a pre-packaged form (i.e. cultural shows). At the same time, I can understand the necessity for them as many people prefer to lie safely on a beach for a week, may have young children, and resorts generate revenue and employment for locals.
I’ve never been to one until this past summer. Synchronistically, I’ve never been to the Caribbean, and of all the other choices, Cuba seemed the least overrun by tourism, and, to the delight of many travellers, void of Americans 😉 . Looking at photos of pre-revolution cars zipping past colorful colonial buildings in the background, Cuba’s appeal also extends to Havana’s aesthetics and a vibrant culture.
On top of that, a Cuban climber living in Toronto created a guidebook to