Falling off the map: how Cuba has vanished from travellers’ itineraries

 Watch:https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/cuba-tourism-uk-trump-castro-b2636280.html

Havana is a city that is famous for its  rustic metropolitanism. The Cuban capital lives up to its stereotype. It is a beautifully dilapidated colonial city. Beneath a beaming Caribbean sun,  you can hear the sound of vintage cars and rumba blasting joyfully from open windows.

I first arrived in the Caribbean’s largest city in January 1, 1989 to research the first independent guidebook to Cuba.

New Year’s Day marked 30 years since Fidel Castro had toppled the tyrant Fulgencio Batista and taken control of the island.

Economically, Cuba was just getting bye. Despite the US economic blockade and inept collectivization by the late Che Guevara, Moscow ensured Cuba kept afloat. The Soviet Union sold oil to the island at above the market rate, and bought Cuba’s sugar at inflated prices.   

Yet 1989 was the year when the storm clouds began to gather over Cuba. The fall of the Berlin Wall, 35 years ago this month, started the domino effect that ended with the collapse of the USSR in 1991.

By 1994, the Cuban economy had imploded. This was the beginning of the “Special Period in Peacetime” – Fidel Castro’s nickname for austerity. Many observers predicted the downfall of the Communist regime. 

Fidel, though, had a cunning plan. “Only tourism can save Cuba,” he declared. And it did, with the president staying in power for a further 14 years and making tourism one of its main sources of income.

While in 1989 only a few thousand British travellers made it to Cuba, by the end of the century the annual numbers were into the hundreds of thousands. They landed at a range of airports that had mostly been converted from military bases and were bussed through the countryside to all-inclusive resorts from which ordinary Cubans were excluded. 

However, Covid had ravaged the Cuban tourist industry. It failed to bounce back. The population is shrinking as citizens seek a better life abroad; the regime in Havana has long given up trying to keep Cubans from fleeing.

The Cuban population has decreased from 10 million to 8.5 million. The U.S and Spain are the top two countries with the highest number of Cubans, with roughly  2.5 million Cuban Americans living in the former while around 150 thousand Cubans living in the latter.

1. Barcelona and Tourism : Barcelona is often near the top of the rankings as one of the most visited cities by tourists. What are the pros and cons of having a local economy that is so highly dependent on tourism? 

PROS:

CONS:

2. CODE OF CONDUCT: What are some rules that tourists should be aware of when they visit certain countries? Did you have any culture shock experiences as a tourist ? Complete this table.

	Rules	Why?
Clothes
PDA
Partying
Food
Noise
Interactions with locals

3.Common travel mistakes

 Travelling is all about discovering the unknown, so it’s no surprise that there can be a few hiccups along the way. Tell us your experiences or how you would deal with these common travelling mistakes.

 

1. Overpacking 

2. Dining close to major tourist attractions

3. Carrying valuables

4. Creating an overambitious itinerary

5. Underestimating time required for security

6. Booking flights too close together

7. Not having the correct visa

8. Forgetting to inform your bank about your trip

9. Losing money in exchange transactions

10. Neglecting to factor time zones into your trip

11. Not checking your cell phone plan

12. Not learning any local phrases

13. Neglecting to organise your trip details

14. Not understanding the local culture before your trip

15. Napping when you arrive

16. Living on social media during your holiday

17. Staying on the beaten path

18. Leaving belongings on modes of transport

19. Failing to check the weather forecast before you leave

20. Not reading your travel insurance policy

4.Most Fascinating things about Cuba:

https://visitcuba.com/cuba-up-close/fun-facts-about-cuba/

4. Barcelona and Amsterdam are both tied for 3rd place after Paris and London respectively as the most visited cities in Europe. Compare and contrast these 2 cities.  

5. Tourism: You have a friend from abroad coming to visit Barcelona but they are very short on  time. They must choose only  one thing to see in your city. What would you advise them to do?

·         Sagrada Familia 

·         Park Guell

·         Casa Battlo

·         Casa Mila 

·         Parc de Monjuic and Magic Fountain

·         Palau de la Musica

·         Parc de la Cuitadella

       Tibidabo Mountain

     RECOMMEND SOMETHING NOT ON THE LIST !

 

 6.VOCABULARY: 

Paragraph 1

1.	initiative	a.	sexually explicit
2.	raunchy	b.	saying exactly what you think without trying to be polite
3.	blunt	c.	famous and notable
4.	staggering	d.	not willing to change one´s opinion or way
5.	uncompromising	e.	a strategy intended to resolve a difficulty or improve a situation; a fresh approach to something.
6.	crave	f.	walk or move unsteadily, as if about to fall.
7.	renowned	g.	feel a powerful desire for something

    Paragraph 2

8.	convictions	h.	strict and precise about conditions and regulations
9.	compelled	i.	a small round stone used to cover road surfaces.
10.	sceptical	j.	a prostitute's client.
11.	johns	k.	gradually disappear.
12.	faded	l.	the decision of a judge in a court of law that someone is guilty of a criminal offence
13.	stringent	m.	force or oblige someone to do something.
14.	cobbled	n.	doubtful

7. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article.

1. leisurely
2. thrill
3. stag party
4. sleazy/seedy
5. booming
6. idyllic
7. preserved
8. brawl
9. bygone
10. nuisance
11. picturesque
12. annoyance
13. relaxed
14. mushrooming
15. noisy fight
16. bachelor party
17. shady/immoral
18. excitement
19. maintained
20. belonging to an earlier time

6.Role play

Role  A – U.S.A. You think the The U.S has the best system. Tell the others 3 reasons why. And tell us why its better than the other systems.

Role  B – Cuba You think Cuba has the best sytem.Tell the others 3 reasons why. And tell us why its better than the other systems.

Role  C – Scandinavia You think Scandinavia has the best system . Tell us 3 reasons why . And tell us why its better than the other systems.

Role  D – China You think China has the best system . Tell us 3 reasons why . And tell us why its better than the other systems. Role E- Germany   You think Germany has the best system. Tell us 3 reasons why. And tell us why its better than the other systems. Role F- Spain You think Spain has the best system. Tell us 3 reasons why. And tell us why its better than the other systems. Role G - Roman Empire You think the Roman Empire had the best system. Tell us 3 reasons why. And tell us why its better than the other systems. Role H - USSR  You think the USSR had the best system.Tell us 3 reasons why. And tell us why its better than the other systems. Role I- North Korea You think North Korea have the best system.Tell us 3 reasons why. And tell us why its better than the other systems. Role J- UAE You think UAE have the best system.Tell us 3 reasons why. And tell us why its better than the other systems.