古巴很穷，因为美国的制裁，工资连饭都吃不饱， 跟中国70年代很相似，人均挣30多块一月，一个教师的工资只够孩子10天的牛奶，几乎人人都兼职打好几份工， 拿着户口本排长队打奶，肉，米等。商店架子很空，包装食品很少很贵，回收再用所有的包装，尤其塑料瓶子，瓶子洗后，装上酸牛奶再卖多一点。但古巴人及其友好温和没有架子，音乐舞蹈艺术到处都是，手工做很多东西质量很好，没有偷窃抢劫杀人放火，深夜走在街上背着昂贵的东西不担心骚扰。 古巴极其美丽，绵延的翠山和梦幻般的海滩到处都是， 古巴没有很多私家车所以污染很小。到美洲吃饭住旅馆要给小费，尤其穷国，就是请人家给你照相得给小费，只有放在侍者手中的小费才正真属于他的。奥巴马时，很多美国人旅游古巴，美国人很大方地给小费，现在被川普又切断经济命脉后没有多少美国人可以旅游古巴，令古巴人很怀念美国人民的大方。
Just came back from Cuba, Cuba people are extremely poor. Talked to 2 locals, first one makes $27/month, because he was talking with somebody fluent in Spanish so I couldn't catch much. 2nd person is a teacher whom I stepped into while walking along the sea wall. He spoke very slowly so I understood most. He makes $40/month, but food is very expensive in Cuba, his salary is only enough to supply 10 days milk for his 3 little kids, so he has to work 2 extra jobs to put food on table. When Obama opened up Economy with Cuba, Cuban can get food directly from Miami, which is only 90 miles away, and foods are affordable, now Trump closed off US economy to Cuba, Cubans have to get foods from much further places like Mexico and etc, thus foods are NOT affordable anymore. Cubans are not interested in politics, all they want is to make enough money for food. Before Trump, there were 2-3 huge American cruise ships coming to Cuba, now no more cruise ships, and a lot of musicians in a lot of empty restaurants are playing for empty tables. This December, Trump will cut flights to all other provinces in Cuba, and reduce flights to Havana, which put chills in already very chilling Economy without considering the recovery from hurricanes as results of global warming.
Shelves are empty in stores, packaged foods are more expensive than US. People recycle and reuse everything, they collect empty bottles of all kinds, they wash off plastic bottles and put in sour milk and resell it. They line up in long lines with a ration notebook in hands for bread, rice, milk, meat and etc.

I never saw toilet paper sold anywhere.
Cubans are not allowed to go to roof top floors of fancy hotels to enjoy good views as foreigners can. Almost every Cuban is a beggar, so prepare to give.
Cuban people are extremely friendly warm happy humble, music/dances are in every restaurant or street corner, kind smiles, looks and Hola are from everybody. Government is not censoring on music, musicians can play pre-Castro music all day long if they like.
Cuba is fantastically beautiful, with unpolluted green mountains and white sand beaches all within short driving distances. Not too much plastic packaging pollutants, most stuff are hand made with good quality and in authentic natural materials like real leather. Restaurants/hotels use real heavy wood furniture, no plastic spoons/plates/cups and etc, ie. not like Chinese produced a lot of cheap trash without any quality. Mostly public transportation and taxis are on road, I hope Cuba can be developed into a green country without each family having a car like in US or China.
This is also the fist time I drank fresh sugar cane juice, it tasted 100 times richer than sugar water, don't know why people would only want sugar out of sugar cane. Every food when fresh tastes the best, once being processed are giving us cancers, diabetes, heart attacks and etc.
No violent crimes in Cuba, tourists can walk in dark alleys with valuables on them in late night without worrying being robbed or hussled. No pickpocketing in crowded places even in capital Havana.
Cubans are getting free college education and medical care. Schools and hospitals are extremely old, crowded and deteriorating, but kids are happily running on concrete side walks with pot holes without a worry. Cubans are very well trained in music, art and different professions.
Cubans said only American government is bad but they love American people, American tourists are very generous and give them tips on everything.

It seems to me people are like workers in private companies, as long as they make good money, they don't care what political system they are in. Cubans love to come to US to work but they don't have money or excuse to come here, I encountered handsome young men trying to hook up with old foreigners in hope to come to US by marriage.
People only want 2 things: good salary and an enjoyable natural environment to live in. They don't care too much of freedom of speech or democracy. Americans are working for authoritarian companies all their lives without realizing it. Remove nationalism and protectionism , People should be allowed to become citizens of any country, and freely flow from 1 to another, just like how 50 states in US are governed, or how millions of companies are run, or how animals/birds migrate from one forest to another, countries should NOT have military, thus no blood sheds in fights. An world wide union like US federal government or European Union can handle the disputes among nations.
Christians in free countries should not vote, join parties, run for offices, support or overturn any politicians, advise or influence or associate with any law-makers, mention your religion in political rallies, give blessings to governments or politicians. Bible is not a manual for government. Did Jesus or any of his disciples vote or be a member of any party or accept politicians' invites to perform religious rituals? Government is to govern people's physical body and needs only.
Christianity is for soul, if money can save soul, why didn't Jesus feed 5000 effortlessly everyday without being beaten and nailed to cross?! Money can't save soul, that is why America has so many problems now, unhappy and fearful that foreigners are taking their jobs not mentioning cold, unfriendly, distrusting, distant manners and all kinds of addictions. In new testament, Israel was colonized by Romans, people wanted magic Jesus to be their king to kick out Romans and feed them, but Jesus didn't forget that he was not sent to fulfill peoples' wills but God's will, of course he didn't do what populism wanted. Actually, in old testament, God was the president of Israel, feed them, defeat all t heir enemies yet, peoples' heart were not changed. An Indian guy told me he really missed English colonized India. As long as people can make a living they don't care communism, capitalism, Muslim or whoever runs their country, just like rich Chinese now.
It is so frustrating to see religious people voted republicans and Trump into offices. You are causing people to starve in N Korea, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Afghanistan, Palestine, Pakistan and etc. Stop playing political games with peoples' lives. Stop manipulating people with conspiracy fake news and ideology. Don't you have common sense?! The whole world is turned away from bible and God's wisdom and common sense by pharisee like religious people.
Christians' job is to make people like Trump born again and become compassionate, honest, and love foreigners as ourselves, help people everywhere with God given talents as doctors, scientists, musicians, businessmen and etc.

Cuban visa is easy to obtain-Cuban government and people alike beg foreigners to come visit, for US side, I think you need to go as a group like a church group or using excuses like culture exchange, support Cuban people and etc. I went with Cuban dance study group. Give generously anywhere you go and pause the all-about-me attitude.
The only bad experience in Cuba is in Havana airport when going back home, I felt I got robbed by shops at terminals. Currency in Cuba is confusing. 1 cuc=25 pesos, local stores/people price stuff in pesos, fancy restaurants/stores price in cucs. In airport you can't use cuc anymore, when you sell your cuc back in airport make sure you check what is given back to you, I can't believe that she gave me 3 cucs back as 5 Canadian dollars which I didn't notice until I had to pay water with non-cucs. Just spend or give away all your cucs, eat and drink well before you come to airport to leave Cuba, the line to sell your cucs is longer and slower than security checks, the shops at departure terminal have long and slow lines, because most times are spent on calculating how much each item costs in terms of Euros, dollars, Canadian dollars, Japanese Yen and etc, and how much change need to be given back in terms of what they have in store for different currencies.
Guantanamera, guajira, Guantanamera
Guantanamera, guajira, Guantanamera

I am a truthful man from the land of the palm trees
I am a truthful man from the land of the palm trees
And before I die, I should like to share my verses with you