I met David Blatt in Cuba, he had reached out to me to help him book a room in Trinidad at the house I was living in.  David is an amazing guy, super intelligent, super funny and very very wise.  He’s from England and has a real grasp on history and politics.  He shared this on Facebook, and it was so good I asked him if he would mind if I shared it with you all here.  I hope you enjoy. Thanks David for your honest share. Cheri Shanti

Whatever your politics you will find facts & figures, sights & sounds to back up your point of view. Here are a few for you to consider:

• Cuba offers all its citizens free education & free medical care – for life.
• The population of Cuba is a little over 11 million, with 99.8% literacy. The country & its people are culturally & spiritually rich, whilst at the same time materially & monetarily poor.
• The majority of the buildings look like the set of Mad Max 27. Many are only held up by amateur scaffolding and a wing & a prayer, yet inside most are decorated like an American sitcom from the 50s & 60s. Everyday felt like we were on a film set.
• The phrase “If you have nothing you have nothing to lose” comes to mind. The people are A-MA-ZING! Their spirit & positivity has to seen to be believed in face of adversity that most of us would find overwhelming. Everyone is so friendly and respectful (obviously except customs & taxi drivers, but then tht applies to virtually all countries around the world.
  Walking around most cities in the UK you will see more and more people sleeping rough on the streets and begging is rife.
• In Cuba there is NO malnutrition and NOBODY sleeps on the street. The only begging we saw were a handful of older people, and they were mostly amputees.
• The government apply a rationing system similar to the UK after WW11. Everybody has the basics of quality food whilst even in the poorest of housing, mothers proudly send their children to school in bright, clean school uniforms. However, very few have access to luxuries.
• The second biggest source of income for the country comes from family & friends living & working abroad and sending money back to family & friends in Cuba.
• Locals are limited in travelling around the country, let alone traveling abroad. One guy we met had just been fined for visiting his girlfriend in another town without prior permission from the state.

There’s a lot more I could add, but after a month travelling around the island, the pros far outweigh the cons. We spent the last Sunday of our trip on a local beach about 20 klms east of Havana. Everyone from kids, through teenagers with massive mono ghetto blasters spewing our reggaeton to families of each generation were enjoying the sea, sun, rum and Heineken. There was total respect from everyone to everyone else.

Cuba must be the safest country in the world. Despite the obvious material limitations there was not a hint of violence or intimidation anywhere. We walked safely day and night.

Most civilised countries could learn a hell of a lot from the positive attitude of the people. Despite everything, Helene & I would jump at the opportunity of going back.

For Travel info and upcoming Trips: Book your Travel to  Cuba here.

Learn more about Cuba Travel: Can Americans travel to Cuba?YES YOU CAN VISIT CUBA: 2020 Travel Update for Cuba Travel  How to Travel to Cuba and click here to get your free guide on 10 Tips Every Traveler to Cuba should know.