We beat Burger King

Brian and I have wanted to go to Cuba for a long time. Because we couldn't go there from the U.S, because I now have a Cuban friend who could help me with some tips and connections to her family, and because someday the Castros will die off and Cuba might become a Caribbean vacation destination like any other, we decided to go there during our 2014 Christmas break.

Just a few days before we left, Obama and Castro announced that they were re-establishing diplomatic relations, opening up business and finance opportunities, and allowing more remittances to go to Cuba, we were looking like geniuses. Even though general tourism will still not be allowed as long as the blockade is in place, more visitors will be able to go to Cuba starting in early 2015. We felt like we squeezed in just before the deadline, like we got there just before Starbucks and Burger King did.

The trip started in Havana, then we moved on to Viñales and Cienfuegos. You'll read more about each of those places. For almost all of our trip, we stayed in casas particulares, private homes that are licensed to rent out rooms to tourists. It's sort of like a Cuban bed and breakfast. I'll tell you more about those too. Even though there is a lot of the country we didn't get to see, I am fascinated with Cuba. It's got classic cars, hot ham and cheese sandwiches, mojitos and communism. So at the risk of the state department hunting me down, I have decided to blog about the trip (which I may or may not have taken). Here are several posts with my impressions.