Travel To Cuba

Not sure I care for the imagery conjured up in the article, but good news nonetheless.

(05-21) 09:15 PDT HAVANA, Cuba (AP) --

The forbidden fruit of American travel is once again within reach. New rules issued by the Obama administration will allow Americans wide access to communist-led Cuba, already a mecca for tourists from other nations.

Within months or even weeks, thousands of people from Seattle to Sarasota could be shaking their hips in tropical nightclubs and sampling the famous stogies, without having to sneak in through a third country and risk the Treasury Department's wrath.

Essentially, we are talking about more travel groups being able to obtain licenses to operate in Cuba.  The Bush administration clamped down in 2004, and began denying State Department licenses to many tour operators, under the guise that they violated the ban on tourism that is part of the U.S. embargo.  And Miami-based elected officials are beginning to come out against the plan.

Not so sure about the shaking hips and salsa dancing stuff, but I am particularly excited about the opportunities for educational exchanges.  They especially, are a win-win situation.