Rick Steves’s Travels To Cuba

With the United States and Cuba reconciling and rekindling their relationship for the first time since the early 1960’s-when Castro came into power, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and when Cuba began to side with the Soviet Union; and with the recent lifting of the ban against Americans traveling to Cuba, Rick Steves has recently traveled to Cuba

Rick would say to my paternal grandmother that he’s always wanted to travel to Cuba, and my paternal grandmother would always remind him of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the barring of the United States’ relationship with Cuba, and the ban of Americans having any presence in Cuba is still fresh in her mind, as was and is also the aggressive action that President John F. Kennedy had taken against the Cuban Missile Crisis.

For your information, the Berlin Wall was built around the same time as the Cuban Missile Crisis-in 1961, because of Communist nations wanting to isolate themselves from nontotalitarian Western powers and influences.

Rick has traveled to Cuba with his son Andy (who is about my age), Jackie (who is about my sister age); and his girlfriend Trish Feaster.

Stating that Rick is very happy that he has finally been able to travel to Cuba after 60 1/2 years of being on this planet and having been in adulthood since 1973 (when he had traveled to Europe with Gene Openshaw immediately after them both graduating from High School) is an understatement. No doubt is he on Cloud Nine when it comes to traveling to Cuba.

Because of the trade embargo with the United States and other Western nations, 1950’s automobiles are still on the road to this very day, and have been on the road since the enactment of this trade embargo, along with newer Ladas (Lada is a Russian manufacturer of automobile) because of the alliance with the Soviet Union. Ladas are practically the only cars from the 1960’s-present on the road in Cuba.

When describing the appearance of the 1950’s automobiles in the Cuban night sky, Rick even states that “by night, the glint of 60-year-old chrome gives the scene a time-passed elegance”.

Photos Rick’s recent trip to Cuba.