DOES CUBA TAKE AMERICAN EXPRESS OR VISA?

HA HA, THE EASY ANSWER IS NEITHER. IT'S CASH ONLY.  SOMETIMES DOLLARS AND SOMETIMES CUBAN DOLLARS. AN AMERICAN IS LIMITED HOW THEIR DOLLARS CAN BE SPENT. THE RESTRICTIONS ARE PUT IN PLACE BY THE AMERICANS, NOT THE CUBANS. I WILL BE ABLE TO BUY CUBAN MUSIC, PRINTED MATTER AND ART. I CANNOT BUY CIGARS OR RUM. GUESS I'LL HAVE TO SMOKE AND DRINK MYSELF SILLY WHILE THERE. I WANT TO VISIT THE CIGAR FACTORY TO SEE HOW THESE THINGS ARE MADE.

THE LACK OF CREDIT IS AN INTERESTING COMPARISON WHEN APPLIED TO STUDENT LOANS HERE IN AMERICA. FOR EXAMPLE OUR STUDENT LOAN DEBT NOW SURPASSES OUR CREDIT CARD DEBT TO THE TUNE OF OVER 800 BILLION DOLLARS. IS IT ANY WONDER WHY HEALTH CARE COSTS, LAWYER FEES, PROFESSIONAL FEES OF ALL SORTS ARE INCREASING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS. THOSE PROFESSIONALS HAVE A BOAT LOAD OF DEBT THEY ARE PAYING OFF AND THEY ARE PASSING THE COSTS ON TO YOU THE CONSUMER. STUDENT LOANS COULD BE APPLIED TO LIVING COSTS SO STUDENTS WERE USING THE MONEY FOR EXPENSES OTHER THAN SCHOOL. MANY WILL GO TO THEIR GRAVES OWING STUDENT LOANS. HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN? BECAUSE OF EASY CREDIT, BECAUSE HIGHER LEARNING LEARNED IT COULD CHARGE MORE AND MORE BECAUSE OF EASY CREDIT. NOW WE HAVE A HOLE THAT WILL NEVER GO AWAY. 

WHEN THE EMBARGO IS LIFTED IN CUBA WE WILL FIND OUR CONDESCENDING ATTITUDE MAY BE A LITTLE EMBARRASSING. WE HEAR VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE FREE  HEALTH CARE IN CUBA AND WHEN WE DO, IT'S ALWAYS DEROGATORY.  THAT FREE HEALTH CARE IS AVAILABLE BECAUSE OF FREE EDUCATION THROUGH HIGHER LEARNING. THE EMBARGO HAS ALLOWED CUBA TO RUN IT'S OWN SHOW WITHOUT AMERICAN 'HELP,' WHICH HAS CREATED LOTS OF DOCTORS,  LOTS OF NEIGHBORHOOD CLINICS, NO ONE DYING ON THE STREETS BECAUSE OF CHRONIC HEALTH CARE NEEDS AND NO INSURANCE. IT HELPS THAT CUBA HAS HAD AIDS UNDER CONTROL SINCE 1985.

EVAN THOUGH I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY WE ARE FREE TO TRAVEL TO CUBA, 'FREELY,'  I DREAD SEEING THE MANGROVES IN THE ZAPATA SWAMP PAVED OVER TO CREATE RESORTS THAT LOOK JUST LIKE ANY OTHER IN CANCUN OR CABO. I SHUDDER WHEN I THINK OF A STARBUCK'S ON EVERY CORNER IN HAVANA AND THE SPANISH COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE PAINTED TO LOOK LIKE DISNEY WORLD. AND THE CARS, OH THE OLD CARS WHICH WE ARE ALREADY LOSING SINCE IT IS ILLEGAL TO BRING THEM INTO THE US WHEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE.

THANKS FOR READING MY COMMENTS, YOUR COMMENTS ARE ALWAYS APPRECIATED. JUDYK