Why Russian tourists are returning to Cuba

[dipsydoodle]

Includes 4 minute or so video.

For the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union almost 20 years ago, large numbers of Russians are heading back to their former Cold War ally, Cuba.

This time though, they are not going as military or political advisors, but as tourists.

And for some, it is a nostalgic trip which brings back memories of their own recent past, as Michael Voss reports from Havana.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-10718904

[Judi Lynn]

1. Great video! Interesting learning there are more Ladas there than U.S. cars.

They have replaced those old home-made camelos with much, much NEWER looking buses. Saw one which was clearly a camelo, but designed to look like a very loooong bus.

That's good news for a country which tried to get used buses from Bermuda, until the U.S. State Department heard about it and had their Latin Affairs specialist (who used to be an aide for Southern mega-racist asshole Senator Jesse Helms) Roger Noriega apply heavy threats via their ambassador to them informing them they could kiss off their foreign aid, and get a whole lot worse levels of revenge action if they didn't cancel those bus sales to Cuba on the spot.

http://www.pbs.org.nyud.net:8090/newshour/images/latin_america/july-dec05/1220bolivianor2.jpg http://narcosphere.narconews.com.nyud.net:8090/userfiles/70/RogerNoriega.jpg http://www.borev.net.nyud.net:8090/roger_noriega.jpg http://venezuelanalysis.com.nyud.net:8090/images/people/roger-noriega3.jpg

Mr. Strong Arm artist, the Enforcer of Latin America policy, the divine Roger Noriega, Dept. of State.

And what about the Cuban Russian translator who spoke with BBC in English, anyway? Good for her. Whoo!

Very nice seeing the restoration of the old buildings is underway in Old Havana, too. It looks wonderful. They had to put it off for so long to concentrate on more critical areas of infrastructure which demanded attention first, like getting housing for everyone, employment, medical treatment, education, etc.

Now they've got the means to start cleaning up the old part of Havana, and it looks gorgeous.

Thanks for the video. Very cool, dipsydoodle.