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La Habana

Background: The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule was severe and exploitative and occasional rebellions were harshly suppressed. It was US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule has held the regime together since then. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in 1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard intercepted 1,498 individuals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in 2004.




Links: La Habana Travel Blogs (215) | La Habana Travel Photos | Map of La Habana | Cuba Travel Forum | Hotels in La Habana | Cuba Facts | Map of Cuba

75 days ago: EJL published a blog
Tears in Havana
August 24th 2009  Central America Caribbean » Cuba » Oeste » La Habana
() A small trickle of blood collected on my neck as I tried desperately to recall the Spanish for “stop humping my leg, you stupid dog!” In all my confusion, the words failed to come ... [full story]

Day 9 - Playa Santa Maria
82 days ago: mbeazley published a blog
Day 9 - Playa Santa Maria
May 24th 2009  Central America Caribbean » Cuba » Oeste » La Habana
Okay, so today was a whirlwind of emotion. After breakfast, a few of us grabbed an early taxi so we could go to the absolutely gorgeous Playa Santa Maria (Santa Maria Beach) for the entire day. ... 8 photos [full story]

Day 3 in Havana
85 days ago: Elf published a blog
Day 3 in Havana
April 11th 2009  Central America Caribbean » Cuba » Oeste » La Habana
Today was Robbyn's and my last day in Havana before we met up with our tours. We were going to look in the museums but as the weather was so hot we decided to take a stroll down the Malecon! We firstl ... 9 photos [full story]

85 days ago: Elf published a blog
Day 2 in Havana
August 14th 2009  Central America Caribbean » Cuba » Oeste » La Habana
On our second day in Havana we got up to the sounds of the street, a very loud cockerel and a guava lorry. The lorry driver gave me and Robbyn both some guavas but when I tasted it I realised why he w ... [full story]

August 14th 2009  Central America Caribbean » Cuba » Oeste » La Habana
We had a big day yesterday as the accomadation we planned was closed down . So after 30 extra km we carried on to a beach on the north coast 60km out of Havana . 160km and didn't get there until 7pm , ... [full story]

Day 8 - Habana Vieja: Part Two
104 days ago: mbeazley published a blog
Day 8 - Habana Vieja: Part Two
May 23rd 2009  Central America Caribbean » Cuba » Oeste » La Habana
Today was fairly busy (but also relaxing) because we had a full day of free time. After waking up at a surprisingly early hour, considering I had been out at the ‘Karachi’ club until ... 19 photos [full story]

Day 6 - The Literacy Campaign
136 days ago: mbeazley published a blog
Day 6 - The Literacy Campaign
May 21st 2009  Central America Caribbean » Cuba » Oeste » La Habana
As I have said before, the ever more sophisticated weapons piling up in the arsenals of the wealthiest and the mightiest can kill the illiterate, the ill, the poor and the hungry, but they cannot kill ... 19 photos [full story]

Day 5 - Habana Vieja
144 days ago: mbeazley published a blog
Day 5 - Habana Vieja
May 20th 2009  Central America Caribbean » Cuba » Oeste » La Habana
“Let me say, at the risk of seeming ridiculous, that the true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love.” ~ Ernesto "Che" Guevara Today was my favourite day in Havana yet! Fir ... 24 photos [full story]

Day 4 - University of Havana
152 days ago: mbeazley published a blog
Day 4 - University of Havana
May 19th 2009  Central America Caribbean » Cuba » Oeste » La Habana
"Freedoms, like privileges, prevail or are imperiled together. You cannot harm or strive to achieve one without harming or furthering all." ~ Jose Marti Today, after my two scrambled eggs for bre ... 6 photos [full story]

Day 3 - Museum of the Revolution
155 days ago: mbeazley published a blog
Day 3 - Museum of the Revolution
May 18th 2009  Central America Caribbean » Cuba » Oeste » La Habana
Today we awoke bright and early for our first lecture in Havana about Cuban Independence and Democracy. Our classroom is on floor twenty-three of ENSAP in a very hot and stuffy room. The two air ... 34 photos [full story]


La Habana Blog Entries

Capitolio and Gran Teatro
Laundry
P1000349
P1000347
IMGP3217
DSCF1092
DSCF1089
Musikuak
4 1-2 hours later
Woman and big cigar
Jose Marti
Along the Malecon
RECOVERED
Street of Old Havana
Crumbling Cuba
Fidel gifts a new Orthodox Church

Cuba

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