Comparison Cuba and Dr

[juancarlos]

When I visited six years ago, I stayed with my family and I was able to go anywhere. However, I was told that if stopped by police, I should say that I was riding with relatives whom I was visiting. The reason for this was that, legally, only state owned taxis were allowed to transport visitors from abroad. At the time the US$ was all I needed and, of course, I kept my mouth shut when it came to politics or Castro's name, except when I was inside the house and talking with friends and relatives. Today, you need to exchange your dollars for convetible pesos, and accept a 10% devaluation in the process. The new regulations which came into effect recently, make things harder for people in Cuba. They are meant to avoid "contamination" with foreigners and, I guess, to reduce prostitution. Although the main reason is to reinstate tighter control over the population. I think Castro thought he was becoming to lax!

 

[AnnaC]

....I know this is dr1 but any suggestions???? We will be in Varadero.....

Get out of the resort and you'll have fun. My son was there in Nov. 04 and once he decided to walk out and look around he found some nice clubs where they had live music. He and his friends are musicians and once they found life on the outside they didn't hang around the resort much.

I'll find out for you where this place is.


Here you go just got an asnwer by email

I can't remember the name but I know it's on Calle 54 (street) and you can't miss it. There's another club just down the street from the Arenas Blancas Hotel and you can't miss that either. It's wide open and you can hear the music as you walk down the street.

DC

 

[AnnaC]

Today, you need to exchange your dollars for convetible pesos, and accept a 10% devaluation in the process. The new regulations which came into effect recently, make things harder for people in Cuba. !

Except if you bring Canadian dollars. They still use the US exchange rate but Candians don't lose that 10%. We only lose( what is it right now) 24 cents on the dollar :laugh:

 

[easygoin]

us dollars

My friend goes to Cuba quite often from CR, do to an American. He loves the action there and also says there is no heritage like that in the world. He tells all of his friends just bring single dollars for the women. He knows many people in high places in the country, and police are informed .......NOT to mess with Americans bottom line let them spend their money.

 

[mwgarretson]

Argh!

All this Cuba bashing!

I have been to Cuba no less than 15 times in the past 4 years. The DR about the same, and I am moving to the DR in a couple weeks.

I can tell you...underneath the comments made here, about rules, not speaking with locals...etc., that perhaps these people listened a bit to a cab driver or family.

Every trip I've had...every one...the same things said before, after, etc.

The reality is that life on the street is very much different than the writing on news pages. Communism these days is really just propaganda for the masses. Cuba is a capitalistic place, at least as far as your trip will be concerned.

The streets of Habana will be vibrant, much more vibrant than anywhere in Rep. Dom. You never know what day it is in Cuba. Everyone is walking everywhere, with no destination in mind.

You DO stay with families, then and now.

In fact, I can recommend you to 2 places...both top floor penthouses in Habana with 40 mile views of the sea, looking right at the famous morro Castillo. One is $35, the other $30. Try that in cosmopolitan Santo Domingo.

The families in Cuba are wonderful...they will invite you in for dinner everywhere, just to speak and laugh, when they see you walking by. Remember you are not at risk of crime there like the DR. You will see smiles, not knives and currency swindles.

After dark in the DR, you are at risk of MANY crimes, both property and violent.

The example the earlier post...the friend in Cuba pulled over by the police is normal...but those have been the rules for 20 years. Non-State taxis are not allowed, have never been...but the fun of it all, cruising around with a bottle of havana club that every driver has. They know the risk...it is simply a fine. If your driver is pulled over, which is rare (they know where to drop you off), go ahead and pay the $5-$9 fee for him or her. It won't kill you. You'll be off crusing again in minutes (well, Caribbean minutes, that is).

The locals are so fun...and they love Americans, Europeans, Canadians, even though the govts. are warring in the press...you will be loved, and not just for your money.

The partying in Cuba is much more carefree than in the DR. The streets are 4 times safer, and the spirit of life is like the DR squared. And the DR has a lot of life!

There are no rush hours, no hiding cell phones, etc.

As my friends and I say, when we want a nice Americanized stay, we go to the DR. Cuba is a gem, like traveling back in time. And your visits really do help the people, who by the way are probably happier than you or I. They are just deprived of some things we have, most notably Mercedes & McDonalds. But their spirit and life, beyond the small talk of rules...you will make friends in 8 minutes everywhere.

Don't get me wrong, I love the DR. A great place. Much more comfortable particularly if you are used to the 1st world, want a reservation, working hot water, and are not very good at speaking Spanish.

But you certainly will not pick up a dozen persons standing by the road during the course of the day to give them rides along the autopistas...(who will laugh and babble on about their lives, families, and yes...take a drink of Habana Club rum...or give some to you :classic, share lunch and dinner with 2 separate families in 1 day (in their living rooms) you just met strolling by, and walk the streets of the largest capital city at 3am...alone...marveling at the majestic buildings and architecture, without watching every passing car looking for a machete.

The wedding will be amazing. Cuba never disappoints.

Have FUN!

 

[juancarlos]

Well, tourists will certainly have a good time in Cuba and my compatriots there are very friendly. That is true. However, happy they are not. They try to get by the best they can and they enjoy foreigners and wish they could enjoy those Cuban hotels the way foreigners do and be able to visit other countries, just like those tourists who visit them there and they also wish to have enough money to eat decently because, after all, most of them do work, but have to depend on family remittances and the charity of tourists instead. Since I am Cuban, I did not go there as a tourist, but did have a good time with my relatives and friends. I don't think anyone here is bashing Cuba, simply describing a reality which is not circumscribed to that perceived by tourist's eyes. I love Havana. To me it is and has always been one of the most beautiful cities in the world. There's very low violent crime, there was a wave in 1999 and Castro decreed the death penalty for anyone who participated in any armed robbery, even if no one was killed. In addition, policemen make more money than anyone else, including doctors, teachers, engineers etc. and they have put a policeman in almost every corner. I am not comparing Cuba to the DR because I still have to visit the DR. I know the Castro dictatorship is not accountable to anyone in Cuba, Castro does as he pleases and decrees whatever he likes: today you are an honest worker, tomorrow you may be off to jail, simply because what you do has become ilegal. As a Cuban living there you have no rights. This does not apply to tourists. Yes, Americans are very well treated by the authorities, almost any foreigner is. They should treat Cubans the way they treat foreigners, that will certainly constitute progress. That's the way I see it.

 

[Chirimoya]

juancarlos, what's your DR connection?

 

[juancarlos]

juancarlos, what's your DR connection?

Chirimoya, my only DR connection is that about two years ago I discovered this forum because I was looking for info on the DR. I had plans to visit the island and perhaps, one day, live there. Well, the months went by and I did learn a lot about the country, not that I was ignorant before, but I updated my knowledge of the country and lifestyle thanks to people like you, Pib, Nalwohs, Lambada etc. And still I have yet to visit DR, but I've become addicted to this forum. I just returned from a family reunion in Puerto Rico and I have to go to Mexico at the end of the month. So I am still planning my trip to the DR, although for that I'll have to budget my money and vacation time.

Well, my only other connection to the DR was a Dominican lady- a neighbor of mine for many years- who was also a wonderful cook. Aside from that, I know many Cubans who visit there and love it and they have strongly advised me to do the same.

 

[Bartolomeo67]

You will see smiles, not knives and currency swindles.

After dark in the DR, you are at risk of MANY crimes, both property and violent.

Correction: I personally had a cuban knife put to my throat at night in Centro Habana by 2 young poor blacks who attacked me from behind. Unfortunately for them I only had $15 on me. Scumbags exist everywhere, also in Cuba.
I know friends of mine who were attacked during Santiago Carnival. Cuba now is no longer what is was before mass tourism set in.

The partying in Cuba is much more carefree than in the DR. The streets are 4 times safer, and the spirit of life is like the DR squared. And the DR has a lot of life!

Partying in Cuba, if local cubans lead you there, I agree, if not, good luck in your nightlife search. Nightlife is much easier to find in the DR.

Bartolomeo

 

[mwgarretson]

True, there is crime everywhere. But in Cuba it is comparably low, it is very safe to go most everywhere. Crime in Cuba is isolated, particularly violent crime.

In Gazcue, by contrast, such things are regrettably regular, as I have personally experienced more than a few times. That's all I was saying.

But we are really all here (I am) because we love and/or are interested in the DR in some way. I did not mean to detract from that at all!

I highly recommend visiting, and hopefully soon I will be able to recommend the living aspect to others as well.

And let's face it...for nightlife, on most days, both places are probably better than where we are (for those of us who are not yet privileged to personally be there)! I live in Miami, known for its nightlife...and I can tell you that both places mentioned here are far cooler!

Best to all, MG

 

[Bartolomeo67]

What dominicans can learn from cubans

In spite of all their hardships, cubans, whether in Cuba or abroad, have a enormous sense of national pride and patriotism. Whether they like Fidel or hate him, they love their 'isla' and its people, sometimes even feeling a bit superior: they are cubans and they feel special because the whole world has challenged their nation and they have stood strong.
If dominicans in general would show less fatalism and resignation about the future of their country and be more like cubans, I am convinced that the DR would have progressed more than it has now.
Bartolomeo

 

[miguel]

Vaya hombre!

Are you sure that you want to relocate to the DR?. Why not Cuba?.

There are 2 types of Cubas. The one told by cubans living in Cuba and the other told by cubans living abroad.

The little that I know about Cuba is based on books that I have read and the amazing "stories" told to me by my my brother's father-in-law, a cuban that migrated to the US one year after Castro took control of the country.

He goes to Cuba once a year and he says that many times, his own family are not allowed to go out with him at night. Nobody forbits them to go but he says that if a police officer passes by the house and gives his family "the look", that is warning enough for them not to go out that day.

He has also mentioned that most cubans are afraid to talk to any foreigners for fear of being persecuted or harrassed.

Maybe he is exagerating because of his dislike for Castro. Maybe not.

 

[Miamimike]

We recently went to Cuba for my baby brother's wedding(married a Cuban girl)
We arrived and stayed in Santiago de Cuba for several days before heading to Jamel(Baracoa) We found Santiago worst than any place in the DR for beggars, Tigeres, Putas...etc. The city has beautiful buildings and the roads are good. The streets were much cleaner than a comparable DR city. The people have almost nothing, and police(Castro) presense is everywhere, A decent restaurant was not to be found. Beer was good.
In Jamal(a village of about 3000) we found that the real Cuba, away from the goverment. The people were very much like Dominicans,very friendly and a lot of fun(Good food too). There was a active underground economy, very carefully hidden from the government. A friend from New York. who had been to Cuba many times before had told us to expect the DR 40 years ago. He wasn't far off, according to Yris. Dominicans are so lucky that they didn't go the way of Cuba. There the Government controls everything.You can't ride in the Car of a Cucan and you can't stay in their homes over night. I'm sure that most Cubans would prefer the GARBAGE AND CORRUPTION of the DR, just to have freedom. My brothers wife make a grand total of $15 per month as a high school teacher, with no hope of making more. The Dominican Republic is a land where with hard work and brains, you can make your dreams come true, not so in Cuba.

I live in Miami and hear only the Exile's view of Cuba, for the most part. I don't beleive half of what they tell me by the way. Many times they go ballistic if you happen to question their viewpoint on Cuba and Castro. I think that Embargo, that Bush just tightened up on . is the most ridicolous piece of legislation to ever come down the pike. It has done nothing to oust Castro and has only served to hurt the ordinary cuban on the island. Hard to beleive We citizens of the US can get a Visa to Visit Communist China yet are denied the same to Cuba. Give me a Break and get rid of that Embargo, Mr. Bush. :angry:

 

[mwgarretson]

[/QUOTE]Are you sure that you want to relocate to the DR?. Why not Cuba?.


My job offer is in the DR, not in Cuba!

MG

 

[juancarlos]

"I don't beleive half of what they tell me by the way. " miamimike said.

Fine, who do you prefer to believe then? I am not in favor of the travel restrictions and I believe the so called embargo provides Castro with the perfect excuse while, at the same time, American bussiness interest in the agricultural sector are doing bussiness with him, with Congress approval. In addition, Castro trades with the EU and everybody else. It is his policies, economic and otherwise that are really making life very hard. Bush is not helping either and political confrontation with the USA, without actual confrontation, is what Castro loves. But, at the same time, I think you have a comtemptuous and sort of superior attitude regarding those Cubans you see in Miami because you probably are sick of them and intensely dislike them. So anybody else has more credibility in your eyes. You may think whatever you want and I do agree with you that you should be able to travel to Cuba, and so should I, and perhaps by travelling there you will get a better picture of the situation. I would think that after 46 years of a one man police state, anyone opposing it would have some credibility, but I know that many Cubans are their own worst enemy, as if we did not already have a lot of gratuitous ones.

 

[NALs]

When it comes to accepting opinions about Cuba or anything in general, do what I do.

In the case of Cuba,

Listen to what the Cubans in exile have to say and then, go to Cuba and listen to what the Cubans in Cuba have to say, at least those bold enough to talk to you.

Then, blend both stories, and voila, you will have a balanced view.

I still think Castro should go. His own sister wants him to give up his ill fated plan, his own sister for goodness sake!

And about the lower crime levels in Cuba, may I remind people that the DR was in the same category during and after Trujillo's dictatorship. Only in the past 5 years or so have crime increased here, but its still safe. The exception now is that you have to me warry of your sorroundings, not much different from most places on earth.

Let's see how the crime issue is tackled once Cuba becomes liberalized, globalization takes root there, income inequality goes through the roof, tourism truly booms, and cubans who have been arrested for crimes in the US deported to Cuba as "punishment".

One can only expect crime to increase, as it has happened in all countries after a dictatorship. Actually, it will be as sweet as pie with respect to crime for a good number of years after the dictatorship ended, but as new generations come into existence, things will change.

Despite that, Cubans deserve to be as free as Dominicans and have a country that grows economically, even if its by leaps and bounds compared to the crap they got today.

I really like Cubans, I think they are some of the best people in the world in most aspects (except supporting Castro) and I wish them well always.

Cuba deserves to be Free above everything else. Regardless how nice Cuba may seem today, Cuba is not free and a Cuba without Freedom is a Cuba without hope.

Here in the DR, we choose our leaders, we live our lives our way, we do what we want.

That is all Cubans want because everytime you talk to them, the first complaint about Castro's rule is the lack of Freedom above everything else.

Cuba deserves to be Free!

 

[juancarlos]

"I really like Cubans, I think they are some of the best people in the world in most aspects (except supporting Castro) and I wish them well always.

Cuba deserves to be Free above everything else. Regardless how nice Cuba may seem today, Cuba is not free and a Cuba without Freedom is a Cuba without hope.

Here in the DR, we choose our leaders, we live our lives our way, we do what we want.

That is all Cubans want because everytime you talk to them, the first complaint about Castro's rule is the lack of Freedom above everything else.

Cuba deserves to be Free!"

Bravo, Nal0whs and thank you!

 

[mrondon]

Are you sure that you want to relocate to the DR?. Why not Cuba?.

There are 2 types of Cubas. The one told by cubans living in Cuba and the other told by cubans living abroad.

The little that I know about Cuba is based on books that I have read and the amazing "stories" told to me by my my brother's father-in-law, a cuban that migrated to the US one year after Castro took control of the country.

He goes to Cuba once a year and he says that many times, his own family are not allowed to go out with him at night. Nobody forbits them to go but he says that if a police officer passes by the house and gives his family "the look", that is warning enough for them not to go out that day.

He has also mentioned that most cubans are afraid to talk to any foreigners for fear of being persecuted or harrassed.

Maybe he is exagerating because of his dislike for Castro. Maybe not.

I have lived in Miami for the past 34 years (I came when I was 9 years old). As most Cubans fleeing the hands of Castro, we all left our families back there. That is the part that hurts the most. When both of my grandparents died, neither my mother nor father could go and see them, there were restrictions, and we could not visit Cuba then. Later on, 20 years later, we were able to and visit our family. Not much has changed, specially the love and warmth received by the Cuban people in Cuba - but, that Fidelism is still very much alive and ever-so present in everything seen. Yes, you might be able to eat lobster for $8.00 (but that person whom caught the lobster and cooked it for you is at a high stake getting cought and getting a fine and going to jail. I also got married in Cuba, and in 1999 I visited Cuba 10 times in that one year. I spent more time in Cuba than in the USA. The only times that my family really were able to drink (soda or beer or rum) and be able to to go the super-markets and buy cooking oil, mayonaise, butter and bread is when we were present, because thank God above, we have the US dollar, and that makes all the difference. Now the rules have changed, and once again, we are not able to go and visit as we wish, I am not in agreeement with that, specially for my husband who has his 2 daughters, mother and father still over there. I think that the US is a free county, and we should be able to visit - specially our home-land, but I must abide by these rules. One thing that I notice when visiting Cuba, that there is NO FREEDOM, you may be able to talk to your family members, but that is it, Fidel still rules!

 

[miguel]

Ok!

I have lived in Miami for the past 34 years (I came when I was 9 years old). As most Cubans fleeing the hands of Castro, we all left our families back there. That is the part that hurts the most. When both of my grandparents died, neither my mother nor father could go and see them, there were restrictions, and we could not visit Cuba then. Later on, 20 years later, we were able to and visit our family. Not much has changed, specially the love and warmth received by the Cuban people in Cuba - but, that Fidelism is still very much alive and ever-so present in everything seen. Yes, you might be able to eat lobster for $8.00 (but that person whom caught the lobster and cooked it for you is at a high stake getting cought and getting a fine and going to jail. I also got married in Cuba, and in 1999 I visited Cuba 10 times in that one year. I spent more time in Cuba than in the USA. The only times that my family really were able to drink (soda or beer or rum) and be able to to go the super-markets and buy cooking oil, mayonaise, butter and bread is when we were present, because thank God above, we have the US dollar, and that makes all the difference. Now the rules have changed, and once again, we are not able to go and visit as we wish, I am not in agreeement with that, specially for my husband who has his 2 daughters, mother and father still over there. I think that the US is a free county, and we should be able to visit - specially our home-land, but I must abide by these rules. One thing that I notice when visiting Cuba, that there is NO FREEDOM, you may be able to talk to your family members, but that is it, Fidel still rules!

You are quoting MY reply to a poster and you are not telling me anything that I already did not know.

Have many cuban friends, dated a few cubanitas(and befriended their parents, cubans by birth) and have heard more stories that I care to count from cubans living in the US for YEARRRRRS and from cubans right off the "boats", not to mention the 1 or 2 books that I have read about Cuba.

For instance: My brother's father-in-law's brother was visiting Queens, NY, from Cuba. We gathered at my brother's home for a special dinner for this relative. We sat at the table to eat and all of a sudden, this nice old person started to cry. We were shocked and I asked him why he was crying. He replied "because it has been such a long time since I've been able to see so many kind of different foods and meats on one table".

 

[AnnaC]

. Now the rules have changed, and once again, we are not able to go and visit as we wish, I am not in agreeement with that, specially for my husband who has his 2 daughters, mother and father still over there. I think that the US is a free county, and we should be able to visit - specially our home-land, but I must abide by these rules.

I'm interested in hearing what or whom is stopping you from going to Cuba?

Ask them not to stamp your passport if you're afraid of the what the US will do to you.