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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Paddy54, post: 1687593, member: 19250&quot;]Let me shed some light on this...as my neighbor works for the&nbsp; U.S. State Department. Now back in 2004 my neighbor was sent to Cuba for 4 years as a duty station as a diplomat. The U.S. has no embassy in Cuba nor does Cuba here in the U.S. There is what is called the U.S. interest section in Cuba in the Swiss embassy ,as there is a Cuban interest section in the Swiss embassy in Washington D.C. </p><p>My neighbor invited my wife and I to visit them in Cuba. Now I was so excited to visit Cuba because I have traveled all thought the Caribbean from my college days to present... making land fall on just about ever island and country there other than Cuba. </p><p>Now what happen next is just how things work in the world of politics and relations between Cuba and the United States.</p><p>My friend invited us and we did our part to get all the ducks in a row to visit them in Havana. He did the paper work got us a state dept. license to make the trip. The wife and I filled out all the paper work and purchased Money orders to pay for the visa&#039;s . The next step was an interview at the Swiss embassy in Washington D.C. with the Cuban interest section.</p><p>We scheduled a interview sent in our paper work and payment for the visa&#039;s </p><p>A few days later we receive the money orders back from the Cubans stating that the amount was not the correct amount to pay for our visa&#039;s.</p><p>The letter was only two sentences long in Spanish of course....Now at this time we had our Vacation time scheduled off and ready to wrap this process up.. .. My friend and wife only contact to me was from the Swiss embassy in Havana as there is no Internet service in Cuba in private homes. </p><p>The Cubans believed I was CIA and were making it hard for my wife and I to obtain a visa.&nbsp; Unable to get in contact with our friends in Havana we decided to book a cruise so&nbsp; we would not waste our time off in case the trip fell thought.&nbsp; We had already purchased air fare to Miami as we were to fly to Miami and then from there to Havana. The cost of the 90 mile flight is $450.00 usd paid in cash at the air port. </p><p>We booked a cruise paid cash for it as again we did not want to loose our time off. Later my friend worked out all the issues and got us clearance to make the Cuba trip. </p><p>Since we had booked the cruise and paid in full we were locked into that trip, never making it to Cuba. </p><p>It seems this is a game played by both the Cubans and the U.S. for many decades now!&nbsp; A kind of tit for tat game of politics. I do know at different time both governments try to strong arm the other for what ever reasons. My neighbor has told us at different times the State Dept. comes down on buying and selling Cuban items{ IE Cigars, Rum , coffee or just goods in&nbsp; general} When we received our license we were told we could only bring back $100 USD worth of goods from Cuba.</p><p>I know my friend has told me even him and his wife have had items taken from them in US customs that most times would of just passed thru no questions asked. He also told me a story of a trip he and another couple made back to Miami for a little R&amp;R ....and his friend had a bucket of KFC trying to bring it back into Cuba and had done so before. ....but was relieved of the chicken at the Cuban Customs. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> </p><p>So now for some reason at this time the U.S. State dept has decided to put a stronger restrictions against the buying and selling of Cuban goods on E bay. I have seen this done before traveling in and out of the country customs being asked about goods as cigars rum etc..... I do know that there are several issues that both governments are now in a dead lock over...one being a man from Maryland whom has been held in Cuba over a spy charge. When in fact he was on a mission for the Jewish community in Cuba. I also have a Dentist friend whom has made many trips to Cuba and held for bringing in Bibles and larger sums of cash for his Baptist mission. </p><p>One must also understand in Cuba there are no credit cards &quot;Nada&quot; Cash is king or you trade one item for another.&nbsp; IE I have a pig you need a pig ....I need two gallons of petrol.....for my pig.&nbsp; </p><p>With out getting political I just like to say it&#039;s time for both Cuba and the U.S. to grow up and get over it! Both countries could benefit on an open door policy.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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