Cuba

Before the 1959 communist revolution, Cuba was already an established tourist destination for American tourists. After the revolution, it was shunned by the United States. This means that Cubas tourism Industry has bee frosen just the way it was in the late 1950s

Cuba was discovered by columbus in 1492, the conquest and colonization meant that the Cuban Aboriginals were totally wiped out, so the Spanish imported Slaves from Africa to serve them. The resulting mix shaped Cubas identity, defining their population and culture.
Prodigal in artistic and creative manifestations. It has made contributions to international culture with important names of writers, thinkers, dancers, musicians, painters, poets and singers.

Eating and Drinking
Food in Cuba is renowned for being bland and boring. Most of it is pork or chicken. Most other foods are illegal outside of certain state owned restaurants and hotels. If you eat in a privately owned restaurant, and order turtle, beef, lobster, fist, or just about any form of meat, other than pork or chicken - you would be about to eat illegal food! The jail sentence for a Cuban who kills a cow would be very strict.

Cuban national cocktails include the Cuba Libre (rum and coke) and the Mojito (rum, lime, sugar, mint leaves and ice). Cristal is a light beer and is available in dollar stores where Cubans with CUCs (convertable pesos) & visitors may shop. Cubans prefer the Bucanero Fuerte, which at 5.5% alcohol is a strong (hence the 'fuerte') darker beer.

It's recommended that tourists don't drink the water in Cuba - Even the locals boil their water before drinking it - a healthier solution for tourists is bottled water.

Getting there
A tourist visa is essential for vistitors from most countries. This visa, which is really little more than a piece of paper on which you list your vital stats, costs about USD 25, but can often be had for free. If your travel agent or airline cannot provide this you should contact the closest Cuban Consulate or Embassy You will need a passport valid at least six months past the end of your planned return. The tourist visa is usually valid for 30 days and can be extended for another 30 days at any immigration office in Cuba.

On arrival you must have a legal housing booking for at least three days. If you've written in the name of a good hotel on the tourist card, the officials should rarely ask for proof.

Safety
Cuba is generally a very safe country; strict and prominent policing, combined with neighborhood watch style-programs keep the streets safe from violent crime. Nonetheless, a certain degree of caution is advisable, especially in major cities. Visitors are advised to avoid coming to the attention of the Cuban police and security services. Drug laws can be draconian and their implementation unpredictable. The same may be said about the laws concerning prostitution. The importation, procession or production of pornography is strictly prohibited.