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A view of Paseo-de-Marti in the old city of Havana, Cuba. the government. Salaries are paid out based on predetermined amounts. The only exception to equal pay seems to be in the tourism industry. No one pays taxes in Cuba so no one claims any excess cash. Tips are gladly accepted by anyone and ap- preciated by all. | was fortunate to spend an evening at Havana's (if not Latin America’s) most famous night club, The Tropicana. Opened in 1930 a visit transports one back in time to the golden era of Robert Redford in the movie ‘Havana’. | gazed on a stage where Desi Arnaz sang ‘Babaloo’ and Carmen Miranda carried a bowl of fruit on her head. Hundreds of dancers enter- tained the massive crowds in the open air theatre. Cigars were passed around and rum flowed freely. The visit is a must for anyone visiting Ha- van There are two hotels which | would recommend: the Nacional and the Cohiba. Both are five star and have excellent facilities. The Nacional, built in 1930 is beginning to look worn, but it has a charm unequalled by the Cohiba, which was built in 1995 in a more ‘communist block’ style. One thing to remember is that there is no affiliation with the U.S. This means that any credit cards on U.S. banks are not accepted. Debit cards do not seem to work either and Ameri- can Express travellers’ cheques are good only if you are playing Monopoly. | could not find any Coca Cola products in Havana and McDonalds. did not exist. Tourists spoke German, French and ‘Canadian’ and Aussie accents could be heard everywhere. Cuba is only three hours from Toronto and most tourists fly to Varadero (Canada's Caribbean playground). My travels took me from Central America directly into Havana and | was subjected to dictatorship rule first hand. My passport was taken from me at the baggage claim and | was escorted to an area where | was ‘interviewed’ by one of the guards. When you land your carry-on luggage is x-rayed and | was asked We supply a complete line of equipment including... Water Softeners, Iron Filters, Reverse Osmosis, Ultra Violet Lamps, Gas Removers, Pumps, Pressure Tanks & Supplies VIO Systems ¢ 1894 Scugog Street, Unit 1, Port Perry 905-985-4900 or 1-888-468-1336 * www.ecowater.ca about my camera. They said it looked professional and mistakenly | told them that's what | did for a living. Immediately the interrogation began: ‘What was | going to photograph?’, ‘What magazines do | write for?’ (They were unfamiliar with Focus on Scugog), and ‘where was | travelling to and coming from?’. The cross- examination lasted about an hour and everything | said was recorded. Finally, satisfied that | was not a threat to national security, | was released, but not until they searched every comer of my suitcase. Allin all, | would recommend a visit to Cuba’s capital city. Three days is enough, unless you want to spend endless hours in café's dreaming of Emest Hemmingway and enjoying hand-rolled cigars. The people are extremely friendly and the environ- ment is very safe. Police presence is visible, but | saw no crime. Driving is slow and rules are obeyed. The cui- sine is excellent and the atmosphere charming. A visit to Havana is like a journey back in time. Free Installation on Softeners, Ultra Violet & Reverse |@eoceeeats Low Monthly Payment Plans Sales + Rentals * Rent-to-Own VISIT OUR SHOWROOM! ES FOCUS - MARCH 2010 41