I traveled to Cuba as a student in the summer of 2003 without knowing what to expect as part of a rare student study abroad program. I was torn between romantic images of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro as revolutionaries toppling the Batista dictatorship and capitalism and much darker portraits of Castro as a repressive despot crushing freedom of speech and other liberties. I attempted to empty my mind of biased notions of Cuba imposed by western media and construct my own perception of the day-to-day life for Cubans living in Havana.

During my two month stay as a student in Havana, I built strong relations with several Cuban university students. I felt fortunate to meet people who were warm in welcoming me and eager in sharing their realities and views with me. I was afraid that the students would either try to hide the negative parts of their lives or that they would exaggerate how bad things were to gain my sympathy or blame the U.S. This was not the case. It impressed me how nuanced, critical, and open people were when talking about politics or any other topic. They quickly rejected any constructions of the U.S. as an evil empire or Castro as a ruthless dictator. The feeling I got from students and others I met towards Castro was that he was an aging father-figure. They had respect for Castro’s accomplishments in leading the revolution of 1959 and in expanding the right to a quality education and healthcare to everyone; however, they were also quick to criticize and make fun of how Castro tends to talk for hours while everyone falls asleep and hasn’t seemed to catch the wave of the 21^st century where the world is becoming more and more interconnected. The more Castro tries to keep out the influences of U.S. media and create restrictions on aspects of daily life, the more creative the Cuban people are in finding ways around these barriers.

The Cuban people are not isolated in a backwards country silenced by a repressive regime as much Western media would lead you to believe. The Cuban’s spirit of rebellion, their creative struggle to survive under impoverished conditions, and their determination to claim their freedom of expression is most clearly reflected in their music. In Cuba, there is rhythm everywhere. I expected to go to Cuba and hear classic salsa music similar to the sounds of the world renowned “Havana Social Club;” while some restaurants catering to European tourists play this kind of music, the majority of the music I heard in Cuba was far from limited to these traditional genres. Timba (a particularly Cuban pop version of salsa), rap, reggae, rock, techno, hip hop, funk, jazz, and fusion (a mix of all of the above) were among the many rhythms flowing out of open doors, resonating from concerts on the Malecón (a wall and pedestrian pathway along the sea), and pumping in small clubs and bars. The diversity of music reflects the diversity of culture and colors of the small island as well as the diversity of people’s attitudes towards life. The lyrics, while difficult for me to understand despite a pretty good grasp of Spanish, were full of messages decrying racism and oppression and calling on Cuban people to unite to work together to re-build their country and escape poverty. While from afar we only see the aging face of Castro and hear the sweet sounds of traditional salsa, inside Cuba the youth are creating new vibrant rhythms and leading changes with energy that combines Cuban culture and values with those of the 21^st century globalized community.

There are still many problems in Cuba. As a middle-class American it was difficult to see people struggling to have enough food to eat. It was the first time in my life visiting a restaurant where the only things on the menu were beans, rice, and chicken. I began to get used to conserving water for when there wasn’t any to shower with or drink and using candles when the power went out. It was a bit of a shock waiting in a line for hours to get ice cream at la Coppelia or to catch a bus packed with people and no A.C. The Cuban people are extremely strong and resilient in their ability to make the most of the little that they have and continue to laugh and enjoy life.

For more information, check out more reasons to visit Latin America and tips on meeting people while abroad.

Adriana Harvey now works as an economist in Washington D.C. She hopes to one day travel to Cuba again.

Thinking of visiting the Dominican Republic? Reader and Traveler Yvonne Jimenez recounts her Dominican adventure below:

If you seek a bit more adventure, independence and character during your stay in the Dominican Republic you’ll want to skip the DR’s most famous vacation destiny Punta Cana and head straight for the less-commercialized and less expensive Samana Peninsula.

Despite its reputation as being the DR’s most remote area, the Samana Peninsula is quite easy to reach by road due to the relatively recent construction of a highway that cuts directly across the island connecting the peninsula and its cities and beaches to the Dominican Republic’s capital Santo Domingo.  Most international flights are going to take you into Santo Domingo or Punta Cana; the more convenient of the two for reaching the peninsula would be Santo Domingo (3.5 hour drive v. 6 hour drive from Punta Cana).   If you would like to avoid renting a car and driving you can opt to catch a ride on one of Aerodonca’s (Dominican Republic’s small regional airline) small airplanes that traverse the island in about 40 minutes.  Schedules seem to vary and you must call to schedule a flight and pay at the airport before departing.

**Fearful fliers be weary…you are very likely to end up on a tiny three passenger prop plane; fortunately the pilots and staff are friendly and reassuring, hopefully easing your nerves a bit.   There is very little in the way of public transportation connecting the Peninsula and Santo Domingo or Punta Cana aside from taking local ‘Guaguas’ that can require half a dozen transfers and add hours to your trip.

We flew into Las Terrenas from Punta Cana and arranged pickup with our hotel owner.  This is advisable as the single airstrip ‘airport’ does not appear to be serviced by any ground transportation.  Once in Las Terrenas you will find dozens of lovely beach front hotels, villas and apartments, the small streets heading away from the beach also contain a good number of lodging options.  We researched a lovely villa/casita style hotel offering free daily breakfast for the bargain price of $110 a night for two.

The city of Las Terrenas boasts a very large European (mostly French and Italian) expatriate and tourist community.  Many have set up restaurants, bars, and hotels providing the town with a unique Euro-Dominican character.  While the beaches may not be quite as picturesque and sea foam clear as those in Punta Cana, the beach-side bars, diverse dining options and mixture of residents provide a charming and unique atmosphere that Punta Cana’s formulaic resorts simply cannot.  In addition to this, the peninsula and its towns are able to provide a level of independence and adventure not available at the all-inclusive resorts of Punta Cana.

You are not limited to dining options only available at your resort and are able to go on excursions when are where you want at a fraction of the price you’d pay at a resort.  Since the roads are still quite rudimentary en Samana the best and most popular way to get around is on motor-bike or ATV (four-wheelers).   These are easily rented in town or through your hotel for reasonable rates and provide you with a practical and fun way to get around town and even to neighboring towns for day excursions.

One such excursion that is well worth the approximate half hour trip on ATV, is to Limon-a small town lying about 20 km east of Las Terrenas.   Here you can enjoy a large authentic Dominican meal at a great price and then embark on a half-day trip on horseback to the beautiful waterfalls hidden deep within the mountains and forests of Limon.  Our hotel owner arranged our excursion through a Spaniard who owns a restaurant in Limon and arranges tours to the waterfall with native guides who are eager and pleased to take you to the falls for a tip of your choosing at the end of the trek.

The vistas are breathtaking and vendors along the way will sell you anything from coffee and cacao to jewelry made from the Dominican Republic’s wonderful blue gem-larimar.  Their rates are reasonable and they are always willing to haggle!

All in all we found our time spent on the Samana Peninsula to be more enjoyable and appealing than that spent at Punta Cana. The people are warm and welcoming, the beaches and scenery gorgeous, and the food delicious and diverse.  Most importantly the peninsula and its towns provide visitors with a much more authentic experience in the Dominican Republic than any all-inclusive resort ever could.

For some Latin American locations worth a visit, check out Mexico City, Panama City, the beaches at Costa Rica, or Nicaragua.

Article image courtesy of: Jay Look

A San Blas Sunset.

The Comarca Kuna Yala — or the San Blas Islands as Panamanians call the islands — might not be as well known as other Caribbean destinations, but these 365 islands offer some of Latin America’s most pristine and unspoilt beaches. The water here is crystal clear and multi-colored, and palm trees and white sand beaches only add to the allure. Plus, visitors will have the opportunity to interact with the Kuna, Panama’s most traditional indigenous group, who bravely cling to their customs in an ever-globalizing world. The Kuna Yala Islands may technically be part of Panama, but the Kuna have an autonomous local government and make their own rules with little interference from the national government in Panama City.

Located off Panama’s Atlantic Coast and bordering Colombia, accommodations on the San Blas Islands tend to be rustic, though pickier travelers can head to the Coral Lodge (www.corallodge.com), a high-end eco-resort located just outside the Kuna Yala Comarca. Almost all accommodations include three meals a day, excursions to nearby beaches and islands and snorkeling gear. Travelers can expect to pay between $20 to $150 per person per night, depending on the type of accommodation. However, keep in mind that $20 a night won’t get you much more than a tiny beach-side cabana with a sand floor and shared bathroom. And several dozen guitar-playing, pot-smoking, beer-drinking backpackers.

Camping is an option on most islands and islets, as long as you ask the owner’s permission and pay a $1 tax. Most islands have at least one or two families that serve as care-takers, but aside from talking to other campers and day visitors, travelers should know that they will be confined to an island the size of a football field with no nightlife, restaurants or shop — although your Kuna hosts will probably sell cold beer and rum. And there is also the option of having your meals delivered by boat. However, if lying in hammock watching the sunset is your idea of a good time (and who’s isn’t it?), then this a perfectly acceptable option.

Kuna woman. Photo courtesy of Sandra Leidholdt

Personally, my favorite hotel on the Comarca is the Kuna-Niskua Lodge (www.kuna-niskua.com). There’s no A/C and you shouldn’t expect 400 count sheets — or even a great mattress for that matter — but rooms and bathrooms are clean and well-maintained. Orlando, the friendly manager, is informative and talkative, and does his best to make sure his guests are comfortable. Plus, his pal Alberto will be more than happy to take you fishing all day long for the price of fuel, as long as he’s not busy with other guests.  Orlando and Alberto take guests out to daily excursions like Isla Perro, with it’s impressive coral reefs, colorful schools fish and offshore sunken ship. Diving isn’t allowed anywhere on the Comarca, so visitors will have to make do with snorkeling.

But my favorite thing about the Kuna-Niskua Hotel is that it’s situated on Wishub-Wala, an authentic Kuna Island Village. Many of the Islands’ lodging options are located on sparsely populated islands that allow little interaction with Kuna families, but Isla Wishub-Wala is home to some 50 families living in traditional thatched-roof huts, women who wear colorful, traditional, hand-embroidered clothing andchildren who still speak their native Kuna language, making it one of the most unique lodging experiences you’re likely to experience.

There are two options to get to the Kuna Islands. The first option is to take a 20-minute flight from Panama City, which should cost you $120-$150 round trip. Air Panama (www.flyairpanama.com) and Aeroperlas (www.aeroperlas.com) both offer flights several times a week. If you are somewhat more adventurous traveler, you can hire a driver to take you down for $50 roundtrip in a 4-wheel drive. Your driver will probably drop you off at the Porvenir, where a cayuco (wooden canoe) will most likely be waiting to take you to your hotel. Be forewarned that choosing to drive down means you’ll have to cross a sometimes flooded river and you may have to make half the journey down to the islands in a motorized cayuco. I’ve made the journey both way and prefer going by land — there’s nothing like an impromptu jungle river cruise.

For more information on scenic locations in Panama, check out my articles on El Valle and Boquete.

Kuna-Niskua Hotel Manager Orlando taking tourists to Isla Perro. Photo Courtesy of Stephen Tighe.

Imagine a place with secluded, palm-lined white sand beaches and crystalline turquoise waters. Now throw in some friendly locals, a couple shipwrecks, a lush tropical backdrop and a cool island breeze. Sounds like paradise, right? Welcome to the Corn Islands, one of the Caribbean’s most underrated destinations.

If you haven’t heard of the Corn Islands, you’re not alone. For the better part of the last century, they’ve more or less kept to themselves. However, the islands have a surprisingly colorful past. They were originally a British protectorate, and during this time, they were a popular pirate haunt (hence the shipwrecks). In 1894, they were claimed by Nicaraguan government, who leased them to the U.S. government for 99 years.  In 1970, the 99 year lease was ended under President Anstasio Somoza Debayle, and they once again came completely under Nicaraguan leadership.

Today, the Corn Islands are only nominally part of Nicaragua and are home to an English-speaking population descended from English settlers and slaves brought over from Africa. However, tourism is quickly becoming just as important to the local economy as coconut production and commercial fishing, and it’s hard to say how long the Islands will retain their Anglo-Caribbean Identity. Nicaraguan mainlanders and indigenous groups have been migrating to the islands, particularly Big Corn Island, in increasing numbers to take advantage of the growing tourism industry.

But despite this increase in tourism, The Corn Islands still feel very much removed from the modern world.  If you’re the kind of traveler who requires gourmet dinners and five star all-inclusive resorts, the Corn Islands aren’t for you. If, however, you can content yourself with a rustic beachside cabana (A/C’s an unlikely commodity) and a $1.50 street vendor meal, you won’t be disappointed. The Corn Islands are composed of two Islands: Big Corn Island and Small Corn Island. Both are wonderfully elusive and isolated, but those looking for a truly Robinson Crusoe-like escape should head to Small Corn Island — there aren’t even any roads here, so you have no choice but to feel like you’re getting away from it all.  Both islands have some spectacular offshore barrier reefs, and the diving and snorkeling are quickly gaining popularity. However, aside from snorkeling, diving, swimming and exploring the islands by foot, there really isn’t much else to do but relax on the beach with a cold beer in hand, which is perfectly OK in my book.

Located about 45 miles off of Nicaragua’s Atlantic Coast, the Corn Islands are composed of two Islands: Big Corn Island and Little Corn Island. It’s not particularly easy to reach the islands: You will have to fly from Managua to Bluefield Airport to Big Corn Island Airport. Those wanting to stay in Little Corn Island will then need to take a ferry. However, adventurous travelers will find that the Corn Islands are well worth the hassle.

For additional information on other exotic Latin American destinations, check out articles on Ecuador, Brazil, and Mexico.

Contrary to Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom (and Keira Knightly…), pirating was not nearly as crazy as the movies portray.  Nor was it filled with adventures involving sea monsters and cursed, monstrous crews.  It was, in essence, a business.  But it was filled with interesting characters, global economic implications, and before-it’s-time political practices.  It is a very popular, extremely brief, and poorly understood period in history that helped shape the Americas as we know it today.

The Beginning: Roasting Cows on Islands

Pirates were originally, and sometimes still are, referred to as buccaneers.  This nomenclature comes from the French word boucaner, which is someone who roasts meat on a wooden structure.  No, early pirates weren’t avid weekend bar-b-quers.  In the 16th and 17th centuries they were, in fact, marooned sailors on the various tiny islands around Hispanola and Jamaica that lived off of cattle who had shared the same unlucky fate.  By smoking the cows on the beach, passing merchant ships would often be tempted to stop and see if any trading could be done.  The opportunistic marooned men would then attack the ships, stealing the vessel and its cargo.  It was definitely a poorly organized and petty operation done out of a necessity to get the hell off an island, but from these humble beginnings grew a fearsome and lucrative enterprise.

While the smalltiming buccaneers were busy trying to take ships by luring them towards tiny islands, European nations were beginning to develop their New World empires.  It is important to note that only Spain considered the Americas as a priority; the English, Dutch, and French all saw Asia as the land to exploit and concentrated most of their resources in the Far East.  As a result, Spain came to dominate the New World in the early stages and began reaping huge rewards.  The silver mines in Zacatecas, Mexico were turning out unheard of amounts of the shiny metal and all sorts of precious metals were being pillaged from the Incas in Peru.

The other European powers, namely the English, French, and Dutch, soon realized the immense potential of New World colonies and quickly rushed to catch up.  One way to do this was stymie the wealth the Spaniards were shipping out of Panama City.  But with much of the military tied up in European conflicts or protecting the Asian colonies, a more economical approach was taken: hire private ship crews to attack poorly guarded Spanish convoys in the Caribbean and Atlantic.  Because Europe was pretty much constantly at war in some form or another during the 16th and 17th centuries, it was quite easy for a government to legally declare open season on other countries’ vessels in the Caribbean.

The Middle: Creating a Pirate Business Model

The early privateers – mainly British sailors – got to like their new, legal lifestyle of plundering ships and continued to do so once peace in Europe had been reached and the other European countries had gained a stronger foothold in the New World.  Usually, this would have meant the end of piracy, as peace in the Caribbean among the countries was much more economical than warring.  But across the Atlantic, Europe couldn’t get its stuff straight.  Continuous wars and political upheaval allowed for the rampant, “illegal” piracy between 1650 and 1750.

With most military forces fighting in Europe, the waters of the Caribbean were nearly free of obstacles for pirates of any country.  And the region was target rich, as African slave labor increased the production of Spanish precious metal mines.  Pirate havens began to spring up around the Caribbean, with names that are still famous today: Port Royal in Jamaica, Nassau, and Tortuga.  Privateers remained vital for all parties involved (save for the Spanish), because the European wars were not cheap and needed financing from the New World riches.

The men (and sometimes women) that took to the pirate life did so during this period under a certain country’s flag, most likely the one of their homeland.  But they were less patriotic than they were opportunistic; the promise of personal riches and the freedom of sea were the real driving forces.  It is also during this period that the most famous pirate figures strutted their stuff on the decks of cannon-laden ships.  Henry Mo

rgan, that of the famous drink, was just as lethal as the rum named after him.  A lifetime pirate with a career spanning three decades, he is best known for the audacious sacking of Panama City in 1670.  Leading nearly 2000 pirates – one of, if not the, largest pirate armies ever assembled through the dense rainforest, Morgan took the city from behind and burned it to the ground.  He later even became governor of Jamaica.  Not bad for a pirate.

One of the most prolific pirates during this period was Bartholomew Roberts, a Welshman who captured almost 500 ships during his career.  He was all about excess and efficiency; with a huge fleet of pirate ships, each armed to the tooth, he was able to patrol large swaths of water in search of prey.

Then of course there is Blackbeard, the archetype pirate.  While his main claims to fame occurred off what is now the

Blackbeard aka Edward Teach

east coast of the U.S, he did venture often into the Caribbean.   Sporting a wide hat and wild hair, Blackbeard – aka Edward Teach – was about as outlandish as they come in the pirate world.  He wrecked havoc upon his fellow country, the English, with his impressive fleet of ships, including the famous Queen Anne’s Revenge.  During battle Blackbeard would light slow burning matches under his hat and in his beard, giving him the appearance of some kind of hellish monster.  When he was eventually killed in 1718 it is said that he was shot five times and stabbed 20 before finally succumbing to death.

The End: No longer heroes

The end of the piracy good times, during the first half of the 18th century, can be attributed to a few things.  One, the practice had just gotten to big.  What was once a somewhat controlled way to effectively attack enemy colonies had turned into a nightmare of privately enterprising privateers like Blackbeard, who preyed on any ship, no matter the flag.  Secondly, relative (emphasis on relative) had been reached in Europe and more naval resources could be sent to the Caribbean, nulling the need for privateers.  And there had been a general change in philosophy towards pirates; where they had once commanded great admiration among their countrymen (i.e. Morgan becoming the governor of Jamaica), they were now hunted men to be hung upon capture.  Despite their cunning and experience, pirate captains could not match up gun-for-gun with the hundreds of naval ships in the region.  While piracy in the Caribbean continued somewhat regularly up through the 19th century, the romantic images of swashbuckling characters was long gone.

When we think of the Caribbean, most of us think of only Islands. Countries like the Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, The Cayman Islands, Jamaica, The Virgin Islands, etc. come to mind.

But what about Central American countries like Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, etc., and South American countries such as Colombia, Venezuela, French Guiana, etc???

These are also part of the beautiful Caribbean. We just don’t think of them as such. Yes, the Caribbean is mostly made up of island nations and territories but the following continental countries also have Caribbean coasts and islands within the Caribbean:

* Belize
* Colombia
* Costa Rica
* French Guiana
* Guatemala
* Guyana
* Honduras
* Mexico
* Nicaragua
* Panama
* Suriname
* Venezuela

So the next time that you are thinking about embarking on a Caribbean journey, why not look toward some of these places as well. You’ll find the same tropical climate and beautiful beaches you’ll obviously find in the island setting and you’ll also find access to a vast new continental territory.