I have been travelling regularly to Cuba since 1982. It has changed since then (mostly not for the better).
What I found over the years is more beggars (back in 82 there were none). Canadian and European tourist and American tourist travelling through a third country were bringing down gifts to hand out willy nilly to Cubans at the resorts they were staying at or many times just to strangers on the street. This has resulted in the once proud Cuban people developing a culture of expectation and entitlemnt when it comes to their encounters with tourist. The tourist corupted the Cuban people with their well-meaning generosity. As someone once said, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions".
I'll agree that you do not go to Cuba for the food, however, it is still possible to find mostly pristine beaches in Cuba that are totally undeveloped and on which you can walk for miles without seeing another soul. That is why I go. Nothing to listen to but the birds, the wind and the sound of the waves crashing up against the shore. That will all change with increased American investment, but for the moment those types of places still exist in Cuba for me to enjoy.
What I found over the years is more beggars (back in 82 there were none). Canadian and European tourist and American tourist travelling through a third country were bringing down gifts to hand out willy nilly to Cubans at the resorts they were staying at or many times just to strangers on the street. This has resulted in the once proud Cuban people developing a culture of expectation and entitlemnt when it comes to their encounters with tourist. The tourist corupted the Cuban people with their well-meaning generosity. As someone once said, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions".
I'll agree that you do not go to Cuba for the food, however, it is still possible to find mostly pristine beaches in Cuba that are totally undeveloped and on which you can walk for miles without seeing another soul. That is why I go. Nothing to listen to but the birds, the wind and the sound of the waves crashing up against the shore. That will all change with increased American investment, but for the moment those types of places still exist in Cuba for me to enjoy.