The week of Obama's first inauguration ( you know, the one with the piddly [censored] small crowds) we were flying home to Toronto from STT via Philly. The plane was full of young Americans headed for Washington to be part of history and I had the pleasure of sitting beside a young 20 something lady. We chatted about all of the countries visited and when I mentioned going to Cuba she replied, "yes it was such a great place to visit" Puzzled I asked how she had gotten in and she explained flying to Mexico and then catching a new flight to Cuba from Mexico. Apparently in those days flights that did not overfly USA did not report their passenger list to Homeland Security....they may have to today, anyone know?

On my first visit in the 90's our plane from Toronto had a group of upstate New Yorkers. In Cuba their passports were not stamped but they were given a stamped paper that they carried with their passport. As they left the country they handed in that piece of paper. I am not sure how, when crossing the border at Niagara Falls they explained to the border guards how they had such good tans in the middle of a Canadian winter.

In those days, just after the Russians had left, we were told to take extra toiletries to use as tips for the hotel staff. It was illegal for a Cuban to hold USA $. Soap, shampoo, tampons, toothpaste...items that were all in short supply were highly prized.

On my last visit a couple of years ago I commented that the whole country must get all of the dollar store rejects,...perfectly good facsimiles of brand names were plentiful.

Fabulous beaches and some of the friendliest people on the planet IMO.