Comparison Cuba and Dr

[MerengueDutchie]

Also stayed in Cuba about three months last year...

I had the best time of my life with the people, the culture and the differentness''... but in the end it is always a show, real life is much harder than in the Dr.. insecurity over what you can and cannot do, insecurity about yourself, your possesions, your family.. no possibilities for advancement even if you have the capabilities.. it's a sad story really..

In the end I choose the DR with all its shortcomings because of its freedom..

[Easy Money]

Sort of like comparing an apple to an orange, don't you think? An unwise comparison to say the least. One has to remember that both countries were initially colonized by the Spanish but it is there that any similarity ends. We also have to remember to that when Castro took over and nationalized everything in the country, he ****ed off a lot of rich and powerful Americans who had a lot of money in Cuba when Batista fell from power. And it is not an understatement to say that a lot of people want to see Castro dead. Basically, Castro's people skills suck when it comes to relations with the United States but we have to remember that most relationships are a two way street. Trujillo wasn't exactly a saint either but perhaps he had a little more political savvy than Castro does. Oh well, I'm starting to babble here and I hear a cerveza in the refrigerator calling to me. I'll probably be working in Cuba within the next year or two and I know that the Cuban government treats us and our company extremely well. But that's because we're Canadian and I'm perfectly aware that the US administration doesn't like our relationship with the Cubans. Ick, this is starting to meander. Catch you all down in Sosua on March 30.

[mwgarretson]

Castro decided to join Kruschev....Trujillo did not.

Bad move for Fidel. Worse for the people.

Good luck in your Cuba endeavors, workwise...the Government will get you...Canadien, French, Persian, etc.

Doesn't matter, Fidel will change the terms as he sees fit! No warnings...no preferences (maybe Venezuela), but certainly not Canada!

I certainly would love to make a run at it, but capitalistic DR will have to take a nod over the fair smells of Habana Vieja.

MG

[Easy Money]

Don't get me wrong, MW. If I had a choice of where to work, it would definitely be the DR. And my colleagues have pointed out many shortcomings in dealing with Cuban officials. Moreover, an acquaintence of mine would bring down little things like those soap bars that we take for granted in motels in North America and give them to the Cubans; they were extremely grateful as many consumer products are in short supply in Cuba.

On a final note, I had a choice of where to vacation this year and it is the DR, not Cuba. That pretty well sums it up.

[Escott]

Originally Posted by Nal0whs

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!

I can't believe I agree with every word you said. I am going to pinch myself after I finish typing this.

[mwgarretson]

Originally Posted by Easy Money

Don't get me wrong, MW. If I had a choice of where to work, it would definitely be the DR. And my colleagues have pointed out many shortcomings in dealing with Cuban officials. Moreover, an acquaintence of mine would bring down little things like those soap bars that we take for granted in motels in North America and give them to the Cubans; they were extremely grateful as many consumer products are in short supply in Cuba.

On a final note, I had a choice of where to vacation this year and it is the DR, not Cuba. That pretty well sums it up.

I remember when my friends & I used to travel to Cuba a lot, and we had never been to the DR...we used to tell all the gringos we were in the DR...and to go to the DR...so as to steer them away from our gems in Cuba...

Then one time I went to Cuba in August...and thought I was in Italy.

Nowadays, my focus is different. The DR, for all its flaws...will be home. But it certainly is not Cuba.

Without getting more into any of the social ills of either society (wrong tangent)....perhaps I should have stated simply that in my opinion the "mongering" (and I don't mean pro) action is much better in Cuba. Much better.

So I guess it depends if you look to sightsee (I'll take Playa Rincon in Samana over Playa Santa Maria en Habana 7 days a week for that), or have fun with the local wildlife - for anyone who has not visited the huge old stone castle in Vedado...in Cuba...right on the ocean and converted into a gigantic all-night club...you would do well by going, getting lost in one of the long corridors...watching the waves crash...and sipping a strong Mojito.

That, for me, pretty well sums it up. MG

[drloca]

Just returned from my first trip to Cuba this week....sorry, but in my opinion, there is absolutely no comparison, it is like apples and pears! We were a fairly big group for a wedding so had an awesome time, but did not like much about the country at all!! I feel it lacks a lot of the warmth and atmosphere that is abundant in DR, also, I noticed there is a very high expectation for tips, which I personally havent encountered in DR on this scale. The disco's outside the resorts are full of herds of tourists who only want to hear "American "music and are chaperoned by the entertainment people from the resorts....generally, I would rate this country a 1 on a scale of 1-10...1 point definately for great weather every day! Like I said, just my experience!!!!!

[juancarlos]

Hi, what cities did you visit in Cuba? Did you get to interact with Cubans? I am glad you were able to go and see for yourself. What was the tempereture there? Since it is still April, I am sure it was not too hot yet. It gets hotter in May, coinciding with the start of the rainy season and the lluvias de mayo, when the humidity also goes up, but still tolerable. Not like August when heat and humidity combine to drive people crazy. Particularly since almost no one has air contioning at home.

Yes, people in Cuba, in particular those who have contact with tourists, only tink of their daily tips, dollars or euros, but who can blame them! Life is tough and regimented over there.

Did the new exchange rate go into effect yet? Did you take dollars or DR pesos? Credit cards?

[xxeonzz]

I have always been against the idea of comparing the three spanish speaking islands... The truth is that each have a VERY different history and what they share is basically a language and a similar "carribean" culture.

At any rate, this thread is more political than one would expect in a travel forum. I tend to be a middle of the road guy, althought I do lean a bit toward the left (like Canada in comparison the U.S.), I definitely do not agree with communism. That said, I see people here making some bold political statements and I feel compelled to add that a major part of the reason Cuba is as poor as it is is the embargo placed on it. Again, I'm not defending anybody as the whole issue is very complex and deserves opinions only from people who have actual knowledge of the issues...

Anyway, as all things, Cuba has positive and negative things... However, Cuba is unfortunately in a worse position than the DR. A country that has little to no development cannot provide the kind of service a tourist is expecting. One major difference that you can see is that most tourists that travel to Cuba are placed inside the every day life of Cubans. Tourism in the DR is created in a way that tourists are only exposed (if at all) to small amounts of everyday dominican life, which can be pretty miserable as well.

[Custodio]

Originally Posted by xxeonzz

I have always been against the idea of comparing the three spanish speaking islands... The truth is that each have a VERY different history and what they share is basically a language and a similar "carribean" culture.

At any rate, this thread is more political than one would expect in a travel forum. I tend to be a middle of the road guy, althought I do lean a bit toward the left (like Canada in comparison the U.S.), I definitely do not agree with communism. That said, I see people here making some bold political statements and I feel compelled to add that a major part of the reason Cuba is as poor as it is is the embargo placed on it. Again, I'm not defending anybody as the whole issue is very complex and deserves opinions only from people who have actual knowledge of the issues...

Anyway, as all things, Cuba has positive and negative things... However, Cuba is unfortunately in a worse position than the DR. A country that has little to no development cannot provide the kind of service a tourist is expecting. One major difference that you can see is that most tourists that travel to Cuba are placed inside the every day life of Cubans. Tourism in the DR is created in a way that tourists are only exposed (if at all) to small amounts of everyday dominican life, which can be pretty miserable as well.

I think you have mistaken the islands. Tourists that travel to Cuba will only see what Castro want them to see (except you already know this and/or have Cuban friends) in Cuba people living in Varadero, Olguín, Santa Clara etc. are selected comunist party members who have the priviledge to work withing the tourism industry or they have paid some goverment officers so that they can get the chance to work at a hotel.

To give you a better idea of how things are managed in Cuba. Three of ten hotel workers are state security (kind of Cuban CIA) agents who are "earning" an "extra" Dollar, taking care that the normal workers to not get too deep in contact with the tourists and that they will "share" their tips by putting the money into a bottle where the goverment takes 50% and the rest can be split equally among the others.

In the DR the hotels and tour operators simply do business so the hotels are built where ever they think it is nicer or better or what ever, if you wanna go some where or visit some one it is not a problem. In cuba it is.