Destination at a Glance
Date of Trip	September 2010
Destination Good for	Sightseeing, Adventure/Hiking, Pictures
Best Time to Go	Always hot – though winter (Dec-Feb) is most comfortable
Currency/Conv. Rate	Brazilian Real & Argentinean Peso
Good Way to Get Around	Rent Car: Yes	Public: Yes	Taxi: Yes	Walking: No
Appox. Trip Cost	Fairly Inexpensive
Speaks English?	Many
Entry Requirements	Passport and Visa for Brazilian side (must already have)
Do it	Every inch of both sides of the park Parque das Aves Bird Sanctuary(Brazilian side) Helicopter Tour (Brazilian Side) Waterfall boat tour & St. Martin Island (Argentinean side)
Skip it	Not bringing Mosquito Repellent
Didn’t get to do	4×4 safari
Would I Recommend	Absolutely Yes
Overall Trip Rating

Trip Review (Click Thumbnails to see Full-Sized Images)

Although situated between Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina, the falls themselves only exist in Brazil and Argentina. I’m not aware of any international flights originating outside of South America that flight directly to the falls, so the most popular connection points are from Rio, São Paulo, or Buenos Aries. From these spots, you can take domestic flights which are around the 2 hour mark. If in Brazil, you would fly into Foz do Iguaçu – the city that lines the Brazilian border of the falls. If coming from Argentina, you would fly into Puerto Iguazu – city that lines the falls on the Argentinean side. A bridge separates the two sides with each country’s flags painted along the bridge up to the midway point. Allow at least 30 minutes for your first border crossing, though subsequent crossings take less time to complete (you are still at the mercy of the lines to get to the checkpoint – which can be long).

Since I flew in from Rio into the Brazilian FOZ airport and drove across the border into Argentina, I did not have to pay the $130 reciprocal fee (it is only charged to US citizens on international arrivals at Buenos Aires’ EZE airport). There are also no visa fees for US citizens visiting Argentina. Special note to Americans attempting to visit the Brazilian side of the falls – you will need a visa. The visa is $140 for US citizens and cannot be paid at the border (there is a ridiculously long process that must be completed at one of their embassy/consulates in the US – either in person or by mail). There are stories on the web of the Brazilian border agents looking the other way and allowing entry – I wouldn’t base my vacation on the hope you find the ‘right’ agent to put their job on the line for you. Don’t ruin your plans by showing up with no visa, they will likely turn you away and even if they don’t; I suspect you’ll still need to cough up the $140 US and wait who knows how long for them to process the application. Since I was coming from Rio and already had my visa, this was a non-issue. You have been warned!

Regardless of whether you stay on the Brazilian or Argentinean side of the falls, there are only three hotels that are really close to the park (two are actually in the park itself). Just understand you will pay dearly for this convenience – $500 a night isn’t unheard of. The remainder of the hotels are around a 15-25 minute drive to the falls and many of them are complete dumps (at least from the outside as I drove by). Use Trip Advisor to find a highly rated boutique hotel; if someone says the property looked rundown or grimy – believe them. In terms of transportation, both airports have the usual Avis, Eurocar, etc. rental car agencies.

Finally the weather – it’s hot. And humid. And hot. With a shit load of mosquitoes. And hot! Even in the dead of winter – the temperature is still around 80-85 degrees so you’ll need plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. In addition, head to toe bug spray is a must, as well as, synthetic clothing that wicks moisture away and dries quickly. The absolute worst thing you could do is wear denim/cotton jeans and cotton tee-shirt – once you get wet, you’ll never dry off. Did I mention it was hot???

The Falls

Here is a brief history of the falls mostly taken from Wikipedia:

Iguazu Falls (Iguaçu Falls in Portuguese) are waterfalls of the Iguazu River located on the border of the Brazilian State of Paraná and the Argentine Province of Misiones. The name “Iguazu” comes from the Guarani or Tupi words meaning “water”, and ûasú [waˈsu], meaning “big”. Legend has it that a god planned to marry a beautiful woman named Naipí, who fled with her mortal lover Tarobá in a canoe. In rage the god sliced the river, creating the waterfalls and condemning the lovers to an eternal fall. The largest waterfall in the entire park Devil’s Throat – is a U-shaped, 82-meter-high, 150-meter-wide, and 700-meter-long waterfall with its primary views being on the Brazilian side. Approximately two-thirds of the remaining waterfalls are on the Argentinean side.

You can visit both parks in a single day without rushing even in the winter when it gets dark earlier – you will just have to make two concessions. The first is you will need to hire a cab or rent your own car. I hired a driver for the entire day for 300 Argentinean Pesos (about $75) – not too expensive. You can certainly take the public bus system, however this is a considerably slower method. The second thing you’ll have to accept is you will be at the mercy of the weather. Neither of the parks will close unless there is severe lightening – but it’s difficult to take pictures and enjoy one’s self in a thunderstorm. Obviously if you have more than one day this is a non-issue.

If you are going to do both parks in a day, I’d suggest starting on the Brazilian side because it is the shorter experience due to the trail essentially being in a straight line. The Argentinean side is more expansive – meaning multiple falls, multiple levels, and more walking. Unfortunately, the two park’s entrances are not close to each other. It takes about 20 minutes to drive between the two entrances excluding the time it takes to cross the border (which can be anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour). The entrance fee to Argentinean side is 100 AR$ per person (half off 2^nd consecutive day) and 37 R$ to enter the Brazilian side.

The Brazilian Side

By far, the key attraction on the Brazilian side (and perhaps the entire falls) is Devil’s Throat. Several color coded buses are lined up just after the entrance to the park and all follow the same route; however each color indicates where that bus will stop. I forget the color bus I took (Blue I think), but get on the one that takes you to the very end of the route (the one with the gift shop, restrooms & first aid center). This will put you beyond Devil’s Throat where the rivers come together before the falls. Going this route has a few advantages, one – most people get off on the previous stop which is a direct line to Devils Throat’s platform. Going to the next stop eliminates most of that traffic. Secondly, starting at the top of the maze means you will be walking against traffic (particularly if you go in the morning). When everyone is walking in the same direction, it almost becomes like standing in line for hours. Going against this traffic usually means there are fewer people in front of you making your viewing faster and a little less annoying. Finally, following this tip means most of your walk on the Brazilian side will be slightly downhill (obviously a little easier than going in the other direction).

Similar to the Grand Canyon, pictures of Devil’s Throat (or any part of the falls) just doesn’t do it justice. You really can’t comprehend the scale and massive power of millions of gallons of water blasting over the edge of a cliff unless you are standing right next to it. Devil’s Throat’s lower viewing platform is by far the most exhilarating viewing platform in the entire park. From the end of the platform, you stand literally just yards away from the aforementioned millions of gallons of water splashing down with such intensity that a constant spray (nearly a shower) of water blankets the platform. You will get drenched! I strongly suggest using a parka (cheap ones are available in the gift shop) to provide some shelter for your camera/camcorder. As for the view itself, it’s just stunning!!!

I was able to get through the Brazilian side of the park at a leisurely pace in about two hours as going early and against traffic really helped. There is also a Jungle Safari and ATV tour offered on the Brazilian side. Looking at the park, there’s not an abundance of giant animals (there’s a few birds and plants) and the online reviews weren’t so hot, so I skipped them both. Just outside of the Brazilian side of the falls are two very good attractions worthy of consideration:

• Pacquo Bird Park – Less than a 5 minute walk from the park entrance is this fascinating zoo with over 50 species of birds – everything from ostriches, flamingos, parakeets and toucans. Entrance was only $R18 and definitely worth an hour of your time.
• Helicopter Tour – Literally across the street from the bird park, this is a great way to get pictures/video of both sides of the falls from a completely different perspective. The 8-10 minute flight around the entire falls is only $R150 per-person.

The Argentinean Side

Upon entering the Argentinean side of the falls, you’ll be directed to the train that will take you to the Upper and Lower levels that departs about every 20 minutes or so. Free maps of both levels are available at the entrance of the park.

The Lower Level

The lower level is certainly the most rewarding section of the Argentinean falls – but also the most challenging. There is significant walking – up and down stairs/hills – you must be physically fit to do this section. There are literally signs stating pregnant women, people with heart/breathing conditions and/or other physical limitations are prohibited. This section is certainly not wheelchair accessible. If you are able to successfully navigate the maze, you will find some of the most amazing natural views on the planet.

In addition to walking over, under and around several waterfalls, the bottom of the lower level opens up an entirely different experience – a boat adventure. This high-powered jet boat takes around 40-50 passengers for a thrilling ride up and down the river and almost under one of the giant waterfalls. While it’s too dangerous to actually go under any of the waterfalls, you will get close enough to feel the thunder and power of millions of gallons of water crashing down just feet from the boat. And you will get totally drenched – a perfect way to cool off on a hot summer day. Tip: if you want to get more wet (like drenched down to the under garments) – sit on left side of boat since it continuously makes right turns causing the left side to be closer the current waterfall. You will be significantly less wet if you sit on the right side of the boat – but like I said, it’s relative – everyone will get wet. The company does provide a waterproof wet bag for your camera and personal belongings. Due to the amount of water, you really need a waterproof camera if you want to take pictures during the ride – though the company is filming the entire adventure and will sell you a copy of the event (I don’t know that cost since I used my own camera).

Once finished with the boat ride, I took a 60 second ferry across the river to St. Martin Island. The ferry and admittance to the island is free and you’ll land right on shore which has about 100 yards of sandy beach. If you have the stamina, there’s a steep walk up a ridge that will expose you to eye level and downward facing shots of one of the Argentinean side’s largest waterfalls (the same one I went under on the boat ride). There are several more observation decks on the island – many close enough to the falls that water splashes right over the viewing platform. Be mindful of the time; the last ferry departs from St. Martin at 4pm and I have no idea what happens if you miss that boat. There’s no walkway and trying to swim across is the fastest way to earn a spot in the local obituaries.

The Upper Level

The upper level offers the best panoramic views of the entire national park – meaning almost all of the Argentinean side’s falls, as well as, Devils Throat itself. The Argentinean Devil’s Throat viewing platform certainly isn’t as awe-inspiring as the Brazilian side’s near sea level perspective – but it’s an interesting vantage point nonetheless. The Brazilian side’s Devil’s Throat observation deck is at the bottom of the massive fall – the Argentinean side’s platform is a few hundred feet above the falls – looking down on the platform at other tourists getting drenched from the mist.

I can’t remember the Brazilian side having more than 5 or so official viewing platforms (I’m sure there’s more) but the Argentinean side’s Upper Level has over 20 extremely beautiful observation decks. One of the cool things about this side of the falls is the number of rainbows to be found against the backdrops of the many falls. There were so many rainbows it got to the point where it was like, “oh yea, another rainbow”.

Which Side is Better?

Some may prefer the Brazilian side, which offers the largest/tallest single collection of falls (Devils Throat), as wells as, having access to the Pacquo bird park and the helicopter tour. The Brazilian side is also slightly easier to get around as the buses are color coded, depart with greater frequency and overall is easier to understand than the Argentinean side (because it’s a straight line with no connections or turns). On the other hand, while the Brazilian side may sport the largest, the Argentinean boosts significantly more waterfalls (most of them huge) with several more vantage points. In addition, the Argentinean side has a beach and boat ride that takes you near one of the giant waterfalls. I can see some people not being thrilled at the physical activity required of Argentinean side; if you are pregnant, have leg or back pains or just plain out of shape/lazy – you can forget the full Argentinean experience – particularly the Lower Falls. At the end of the day, it’s certainly a matter of choice. I strongly suggest visiting both sides of the falls; it’s the perspectives and vantage points of the water/cliffs that make all of the difference.

In closing

This is one of those places where the phrase ‘pictures just don’t do it justice’ is 100% accurate. The size and scale of this behemoth can only truly be experienced in person. Certainly worthy of a trip – in fact – it was the highlight of my South American tour. No offense to Rio’s Christ the Redeemer – but to me Iguazu Falls is the real New Wonder of the World in Brazil. If you are already visiting Rio, São Paulo, or Buenos Aries, I’d strongly suggest adding a few more days to your itinerary to make this trip – even if it’s just for a single day. Simply awe inspiring!!

Next, off to Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay – a UNESCO world heritage site.



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Destination at a Glance
Date of Trip	September 2010
Destination Good for	Beach, Party, Picture Taking
Best Time to Go	Always hot – though winter (Dec-Feb) is most comfortable
Currency/Conv. Rate	Brazilian Real / 1 BRL = .60 USD – Favorable
Good Way to Get Around	Rent Car: No	Public: Yes	Taxi: Yes	Walking: Yes
Appox. Trip Cost	Moderately Expensive
Speaks English?	Some, tourist areas mainly
Entry Requirements	Passport – $140 Visa fee for Americans
Do it	The Beaches – Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon Sugarloaf Christ the Redeemer/Tijuca National Park Hang Gliding off of Corcovado Mountain
Skip it	Walking around with expensive jewelry/electronics
Didn’t get to do	Wasn’t able to attend my first in-person Soccer (Futbol) match. Party with the locals Samba school / Carnival rehearsal
Would I Recommend	Yes
Overall Trip Rating

Trip Review (Click Thumbnails to see Full-Sized Images)

If you are a US citizen, unfortunately you will have to go through a somewhat laborious and expensive Brazilian visa process. The expense is mostly due to the US State Department’s insistence on charging Brazilian citizens the equivalent of $140 US for visa/entry fees to visit this country. The Brazilians (and many other South American countries) have imposed a ‘Reciprocal Fee’ in response. To make matters worse, the Brazilian tourist visas are controlled by regional agencies, e.g., the Boston consulate handles parts of the northeast, Los Angeles would handle Southern California and I’m stuck with the Atlanta consulate – which to be kind – has the worst website ever. Half of the content is in Portuguese the other in English with no conversion utility, some content lives on Brazilian servers (which some browsers deem as a security threat) and no way to telephone anyone if you have a question. Assuming you can navigate this mess of a portal; you complete the application online, schedule a face-2-face visit, turn over your passport photos, current passport and 160 bucks and return in a few hours to pick-up your visa. The most important thing to understand is that unlike many other countries, you cannot get the Brazilian visa on arrival; you will be turned away and put back on a US bound flight at your own expense (most airlines won’t even let you board the plane without the visa).

Getting In and Around

To me, the best season to visit Rio is during its winter (June through August) where the average temperature is around the 80s F. Summer temperatures (90s-100s F) along with the humidity may be a little unbearable for some – especially if you are in a crowded area like during Carnival celebrations. Rio is a fairly large city of 6 million residents within over 450sq miles – though most visitors will stay downtown (if traveling for business) or in the Zona Sul (South Zone) if you are doing the tourist thing. Unfortunately, there isn’t a train from Rio’s Galeão International Airport (GIG) into Zona Sul so you’ll either need to take a bus/shuttle, taxi (expensive) or rent a car – all of which will take you 45min to an hour depending on traffic. ‘Depending on traffic’ is really a misnomer – traffic is always bad in Rio from what I can tell and what the locals have said. If you intend on visiting the city during any of the upcoming large events (Carnival, Olympics, etc.) – keep in mind the traffic is likely to be exponentially worse than normal since there are only 2 train stops for the entire Copacabana and Ipanema beach areas – limiting the ability for the city to accommodate the extra crowds.

In terms of navigating the city once in from the airport, Rio’s train system will drop you within walking distance of most attractions or within a short bus ride (Rio has an excellent public transportation system). Interestingly, many/most of the buses don’t have automatic card readers or cash acceptors – they have human cashiers. They literally have one person to drive the bus and another who sits at a cashier’s desk next to a turnstile that takes your money. Wow – now that’s a jobs plan! There are tons of taxis in Zona Sul should you need them, just beware they can turn out to be expensive due to the time just sitting in traffic.

My suggestion is not to worry about staying in a beachfront property. You won’t be able to step out of your hotel’s door and onto the sand; the beaches are separated by 4 lane avenues (almost expressways) – so there’s really no reason to pay more for a beachfront hotel unless you are dying to have an ocean view from your room. Even if your hotel is 10 blocks from the beachfront – we are talking about a 5-10 minute walk at the most. Officials say don’t drink the tap water and most locals have filters in their home faucets or drink bottled water (something to do with the sewer system).

One last note, it was election season while I was in Brazil and I learned it is compulsory (required) for every eligible citizen to vote. In fact, Brazilian citizens cannot renew their passports, get a job, leave the country and a host of other things if they do not prove they have voted in the last election. Imagine how the US political system would be different if everyone was required to vote. Ponder than for a moment. In any case, it was fairly interesting to witness that politicians are the same no matter where you go.

The Sites

• The Beaches – There are several beaches in and around Rio; the most popular for tourists are Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon which are within walking distance of the Zona Sul. Copacabana is the largest and probably the most famous; followed by Ipanema and Leblon. On Sundays, many of the main arteries that line the beaches are closed to street traffic. Two piece bikinis and Speedo boxers are all the locals wear – anything else and you are immediately tagged as a tourist. The turquoise to light blue water is simply stunning to look at, though sometimes the beaches are closed due to fecal runoff after heavy storms (Yuk). You’ll see everything from volleyball and soccer matches, surfers, ad-hoc beach parties, workout stations and plenty refreshments stands selling fresh coconut water.
• Sugarloaf Mountain – During the time when sugar cane was Brazil’s primary export, the refined sugar was packed into bread like loaves for shipment – which is where the mountain got its name. The mountain itself is a combination of granite and quartz and is one of Rio’s most popular attractions. Getting to the top of the mountain is a two stage cable car ride. The first leg takes you to 700 feet to Urca Hill where you’ll find a few restaurants, exhibits, Helisight’s helipad and several vantage points of the city for those unable/unwilling to ascend to the next stage. A glass egg-shaped 360-degree view cable car takes you to the second stage of the mountain at 1,300ft. Facing the city at this point, you can clearly see Copacabana beach on the left, Christ the Redeemer straight ahead, the downtown skyline to the right and airplanes takeoff/land from the small airport (Santos Dumont I think) on the far right. The cable car ride is R$30 per person to the top roundtrip. I suggest going an hour or so before sunset, as you can start off with a helicopter tour on stage one then ascend to stage two to take pictures while the sun is still up, wait 20min or so and start taking night pictures. Rio’s skyline really comes alive after dark.
• Tijuca National Park – The largest urban national park/rainforest in the world – it literally spans over 12 miles smack dab in the middle of the city (over the city actually). They say that the rainforest actually pulls heat away from the rest of the city – lowering the temperature by up to 9 degrees. Inside of the rainforest, there are dozens of nature trails, exotic birds, a few animals (many not native to Brazil) and over 35 waterfalls. You can take public transportation to the park; however, at least 3 people (the concierge at the hotel strongly advised against it) stated the neighborhood around the park entrance isn’t the safest. So I booked a tour with Jeep Tour which conducted a 4 hour tour of the park complete with hotel pickup/drop-off for R$80 per person. Corcovado (“hunchback” in Portuguese) Mountain is technically part of the park and is the giant granite hump that holds the Christ the Redeemer statue.
• Christ the Redeemer – At over 130ft tall and another 30ft wide, it is probably the most photographed landmark in all of Brazil. Sitting atop the peak of Corcovado Mountain, on a clear day you can take excellent panoramic photos that include the Tijuca Rainforest, Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon beaches, Maracanã stadium, downtown Rio, the lagoon and Sugarloaf Mountain. The monument has been voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. No need to pay for a tour, take the train to Borafogo station then bus #422 to the Cable Car/Tram entrance. The trams costs R$36 roundtrip and takes about 20 minutes to get to the top.
• Forte de Copacabana – Built right before World War I, the Copacabana Fort was built to protect the city from invading navies. In addition to the giant overhead cannon, there’s a museum with a few relics including the barracks and ammunition storage areas (no pictures inside); as well as, a number of artillery guns scattered across the grounds. The excellent views of the Copacabana beach and its skyline alone are worth the R$4 admission.
• Santa Teresa Historic District – A neighborhood in Rio that is popular with the artist and tourist crowds due to the architecture originating as far back as the 17^th century. The primary draw however is the Santa Teresa Cable Car/Tramway that starts downtown and passes over the Carioca Aqueduct (Aqueduto da Carioca). I read there was a mudslide that ruined some of the tramway’s tracks, so I skipped it during my visit; but it should be repaired by now.

Next Page: Things To Do

Design

Unlike my Nemo 200, the HD320 doesn’t take any more space than a regular scuba mask – so there’s no need for me to bring along (and pay for) an additional piece of luggage. Even though the build quality of the HD320 feels sturdy, the fact that it’s mostly plastic may not make it suitable for extreme cold water dives. The HD320 comes in two sizes – medium and large and you can get it in any color you like – so long as it’s blue. I don’t personally have a problem with this, but I know several divers who believe looking good (read: color coordination) is just as important as actually diving well – and blue may not go with that day’s outfit. SMH….

On the front of the tempered viewing glass are two crosshairs designed to help you line up shots underwater. I will talk about how well the crosshairs do/don’t work in the performance section, but I can say that once the mask is on your eyes automatically focus past the crosshairs and you don’t notice them. Each side of the unit stores two of the 4 required AAA batteries – which should provide around 2 hours worth of video recording. I initially thought the use of AAA batteries instead of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries was pretty lame – but the concept has grown on me and I’m actually glad Liquid Image decided to go this route (no doubt cost had something to do with it as well). If I ever forget my rechargeable AAAs or one of them becomes damaged – I could just run to any supermarket and pickup replacement alkaline versions – something I couldn’t do with Lithium batteries. The top of the mask includes the water tight compartment with a microSD card slot and a mini-USB jack for playing videos onto a HDTV. The cap to this compartment also serves as the holding space for the optional blue/green water filters while not in use.

The top-right side of the unit holds a single rocker lever that powers the device on/off, as well as switches the mode between ‘Picture’ and ‘Video’ modes. I don’t generally use the picture function – simply because there’s no way you can tell if you got the shot with the mask on underwater. It’s easier to just take video and create snapshots from it using software. To turn the mask on, you press and hold the left side of the rocker until you hear the beep. The inside of the mask contains an LCD status panel which displays the remaining battery life, number of videos/pictures recorded and the SD card status. Once the mask is on, pressing the left side of the toggle will switch it between video to picture modes. Even though you cannot see any of the LCD information while the mask is on, you’ll know what mode it’s in because there’s a giant light inside of the mask. Red means it’s in picture mode and Blue means it’s in video mode. To start recording or to take a picture, press the right side of the rocker lever and the mask light will flash red once if taking a picture or continuously flash blue when shooting video.

Features

Using a camera housing underwater can be annoying as it tends to affect your buoyancy control and make your arms tired from holding them out in front to film. Other times, you want (or need) your hands to be free for safety reasons or to pick something up – like a shark’s tooth (never touch the coral). A video camera embedded in your mask eliminates all of these problems – freeing you up to enjoy the dive. Just press the record button and every direction your face is pointed the unit will record. When you have finished your dive, you can transfer the video manually to your computer or connect the included component video cable directly to any HDTV and watch the video from the mask. The HD320 also has a built-in microphone – though it records a mono soundtrack – not stereo or simulated surround sound. To me, this is not that big of deal since there’s very little to record underwater except the gurgling of your own regulator. Here’s the roundup of the Liquid Image HD320’s features:

Captures 720p 16:9 HD video as well as 5MP digital still images Waterproof down to recreational diver limit of 130ft Stores video/pictures to micro-SD cards (up to 32GB accepted) Built-in microphone and can connect to TV for direct playback Blue/Green water filters and side torch lamps available

The HD320 records to h.264 .mov format at 30 frames per second standard NTSC video. The resulting video is 1280×720 progressive scanned in 16:9 aspect ratio; there is no option to downgrade recording quality to fit more video on a microSD card. The HD320′s 5 megapixel camera creates images that are 2592×1944 pixels. You can record one hour of video for every 2GB of SD Card space you have available – so an 8GB SD Card will allow you to record about 4 hours of video. The HD320 supports up to 16 GB micro-SD cards and comes with the Windows® only ArcSoft video editing software (something I admit I never bothered even using it since Cyberlink PowerDirector does such a good job producing videos for this site). Keep in mind in order to play the HD video produced by the HD320 on your computer, it will need to be a relatively recent dual-core machine – most Netbooks will struggle to play these files correctly.

Performance

The first thing you notice when you put on the HD320 is that you really don’t notice it; which is to say it doesn’t feel any different than most any other scuba mask. It is not heavy or unbalanced – nor does it feel cheap or overly plastic. I’ve taken the HD320 down to 85ft and there was no indication of leaking in the battery/memory card compartments whatsoever. Assuming you get the correct size for your face – you shouldn’t experience any in-mask leakage either.

All of these features sound pretty good on paper, but none of this matters if the camera embedded in the mask doesn’t work, leaks, takes awful recordings or you can’t line the shot up properly. If the resulting video is overly dark, pixilated, choppy, stutters, has sound/action sync errors or cannot properly or quickly focus on the subject in front of it – using it is a complete waste of time and money. Luckily, the HD320 was more than adequate in each of these categories – at least in optimum lighting conditions. In well lit conditions (near surface dives or external light source), the HD320’s automatic white balance does a good enough job not to overexpose most shots. Even in caves, the recorded video was somewhat grainy due to lack of light – but no pixilation or choppiness.

One accessory I strongly suggest is blue/green water filters. Attaching the $50 accessory adds the lost red back into the video and overall just makes all the colors in the video pop. Warning: the color filters require two adhesive stickers to mount onto the camera – the second is hidden inside of the base. Since there’s no instruction manual included with the filters, not attaching both plates will make the filter become unattached from the base while in the water – guaranteed. I lost one filter while in Thailand and almost another in Nassau. Liquid Image could do a better job with instructions and/or pointing this out in a FAQ section on their site. If you are going to a depth beyond what a color filter can do for you, then you can add the optional side torches at $80 apiece (I have not used the side-torches). Even though the aspect ratio of the video is widescreen 16:9, the depth of field is only 54 degrees – making the resulting video appear slightly narrow. Here is some footage from my Phuket, Thailand, Cape Town, South Africa, Coco Beach, Costa Rica and Portobelo, Panama dives taken with the Liquid Image HD320 scuba mask.

The major drawback to an on-face camera is you can’t adjust the video settings underwater like you can with some dedicated camcorders in housings, such as zoom, white balance, etc. while underwater. This puts you in the position of filming everything and ‘hoping’ the resulting video turns out okay. For the most part, everything did – but I had a difficult time lining up shots using the crosshairs on the front of the mask; in many of the shots I was filming too high. My suggestion is to practice with the mask in a pool or even just walking around the house to better gauge the recording angles. Another thing you have to account for is the mask may vibrate every time you exhale. I’ve found that I can alleviate most of this by remembering to ‘breath’ out through my regulator – not ‘blow’. Another tricky situation you have to manage is the bubbles that float to the surface from your regulator as you exhale. If you are looking down, your exhaust will likely rise to the surface from around your neck. On the other hand, if you are looking straight ahead or up – the bubbles will likely rise right in front of your face – possibly obscuring whatever it is you are filming. Some high-end regulators route the bubbles behind you – otherwise, you’ll need to make sure whatever it is you are filming is in frame while you are inhaling (never hold your breath while diving). Finally, the mask will record the direction your head is pointed – not your eyes. During my first several videos, I was still relatively new to scuba diving – so my head jerked back and forth so often during the dives that watching the resulting video made me nauseous. Obviously, your mileage may vary.

Final Thoughts

The HD320 along with the Drift x170 are my two favorite travel gadgets. There is simply no reason for me to use my Nemo 200 anymore, the HD320 is just a better fit for my diving in every way – whether that’s decrease travel costs, keeping both hands free during diving or overall portability. Nothing is perfect – the sheer nature of the mask is not suited for extreme diving conditions or professional Videography/Photography. Also, the occasional mask vibration and bubbles from exhaling can sometimes impact recordings. That said, this is one of the coolest tech gadgets on the market – not just in terms of paper specs – but real-life execution. I understand Liquid Image will be introducing a new version of this scuba mask – this time with expanded recording angle and in any color you want – so long as it’s charcoal (something I’m sure the need to look good crew will appreciate). I can’t wait to see how they will improve on this excellent underwater gadget; until then…

Happy Travels!!

What some say is a valid way to learn about one’s self, another culture and possibly contribute in some way to that community’s plight; others see as an almost evil form of voyeurism in which the supposed benefits can be derived from direct contribution – either via money or labor – without the dignity robbing picture taking.  To add insult to injury, there are plenty of for profit businesses that make money providing organized ‘tours’ of these locations – some have been accused of not giving any money back to the communities they are taking advantage of.

So is Slum Tourism a Bad Thing?

First off, such a negative term is bound to cause a disapproving reaction when first hearing it.  Of course those who go on these excursions or promote and make money off them don’t use this terminology and feel they are unfairly targeted.  Even if you prefer the more diplomatic “Impoverished Areas Tour”, I’ve listed a few reasons why some choose to go on these types of excursions:

1. Social Awareness – Understanding how other parts of the world live allows you to put your current situation into perspective.  Throwing a hissy fit when the waiter puts the wrong dressing on you salad seems a bit silly when others are eating out of the public dump or sleeping in dirt floor huts with no inside plumbing.  In addition, getting first-hand knowledge about any subject is always better that someone else’s interpretation.  You can’t talk about changing the world if you’ve never actually been to the part of the world you are trying to change (it’s a credibility kinda thing).
2. Help That Community – Whether visiting on your own or as part of an organized tour, the money you spend may end up in the community.  Buying crafts from a local vendor or eating at a restaurant puts money directly into the hands of those that need it the most.  Obviously, direct contributions such as building homes, teaching at the local school, etc. are excellent ways to help the community – but that’s generally called “Volunteerism” e.g., you are staying for a bit – not leaving after you’ve gotten enough pictures.
3. Feel Better About One’s Self – Allows one to feel better about their relatively good lives and thank whomever they pray to for not been born in such conditions.  I know that sounds harsh to say, but we all know people who are not happy unless they feel superior to others.
4. Spreading the Word – Slums aren’t something that’s generally on the news or on television unless there have famous advocates, ala Sally Struthers in the 80s or George Clooney.  There is a strong correlation between those who’ve personally seen some of these conditions and have become advocates with the amount of monetary support received for that cause from individuals, communities and nations.
5. Historical Significance – While South Africa’s Soweto community just outside of Johannesburg is nowhere as bad as it used to be, it is slowly emerging from the oppression of the Apartheid era and the years of neglect, poverty and crime since its fall.  In my opinion, you really have to ‘see’ the bullet holes in Mandela’s house and dirt floor homes to truly understand how far they’ve come and how far the community has to go.

Now, reasonable people can debate the validity of the statements above but those are the driving forces as I see (have heard) them.  The most popular of the so called “Slum Tours” are conducted in Mumbai, India (think Slumdog Millionaire). Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Soweto/Johannesburg, South Africa and very recently Port a Prince, Haiti and New Orleans, USA.  The counter arguments as to why one should skip these kinds of tours are as follows:

1. No Human Zoos – Perhaps the most damming reason not to do participate in so-called slum tours is to think of how the person you are ‘viewing’ feels about your presence.  What if someone walked into your house and took pictures of your dirty closest and posted them on their blog/Facebook for all of their friends to see, laugh and feel better about themselves?  There is no such thing as a Human Zoo – so taking snapshots of people struggling in their everyday lives is just awful.
2. Can’t Truly Understand – The world is an increasing small place – pick up a book, watch TV or research on the Internet if your goal is to learn something.  By all means, volunteer if you really want to help someone.  But at the end of the day – you can’t truly understand what it’s like to be in their position by taking any kind of tour.  Taking a tour to understand the plight of struggling people is like watching the Special Olympics to understand what it’s like to be a paraplegic.  You can certainly conceptualize and have strong feelings about their plight – but you can leave – they can’t.
3. Not a fair trade – What exactly do the subjects get out of these tours?  Many of these so called tour companies have been accused to making money off of human poverty but not doing anything to help those who are the source of their revenue.  You can see the conflict of interest right – if there was no slum, there be no slum tour business.   If you aren’t directly contributing in some way then you are participating in a human zoo.

This isn’t cable news; I’m not going to tell you whether you should or shouldn’t do something – my goal is to provide a little perspective so you can make your own decision.  My opinion is – you can’t really know (or talk about it) if you haven’t seen it yourself.

Some rules please

If you decide to visit an impoverished area, I think you have to follow some minimum levels of respect and decency while you are engaged.  In addition, poverty breeds crime – so watching out for your own personal safety is key.

1. You aren’t at a zoo!  Don’t take pictures of people or their property without their permission.  If in doubt, ask yourself before you take that picture if you were the person on the other end – how would you feel.
2. Try not to go alone.  Every person you encounter in the world isn’t decent; there are robbers, rapist and murderers in every walk of life and social economic class.  A “tour” isn’t necessary, but there is strength and safety in numbers.  Also, going into these areas at night is generally a bad idea.
3. If you can’t blend in (admittedly a difficult thing to do in many cases) – at least try not to be obnoxious in flaunting your relative wealth.  Lose the jewelry, designer fashions and the annoying electronic gizmos.
4. Even better – contribute to the situation – either volunteer or buy something directly from a street vendor.  This way, you know your time spent there has garnered some tangible benefit to someone’s life – albeit fairly small in the scheme of things.
5. If you go the “tour” route, try to choose a company that purports to re-invest at least some of the proceeds of their tours back into the community you are viewing.  Of course there’s little way you can validate these types of claims – but at least go for the ones that have done the bare minimum of claiming they do.
6. Have a reason to go beyond you just can.

So What About My Experiences

I have personally been to 3 places some would call “slums” – though only one of them was an actual tour.  For me, I wanted to see these areas that had either been talked about so frequently in news/commentary or had some kind of special meaning to me.  I visited the Favelas (Portuguese for “Slums”) in Rio, Soweto in South Africa and New Orleans exactly two years after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

• Rio de Janeiro – I wanted to see if the city was truly all sunshine and bikini clad women we frequently see in advertisements or whether the other side as depicted in the movie “City of God” was more in-line with the reality.  I took an organized tour to two local Favelas which purported to return portions of each tour’s proceeds to the construction of a school – amongst other things.  What I found were working class folks who were very prideful and determined to make the best of a trying situation.  As my guide put it – very few people are living in ‘misery’ – there aren’t many people begging on the streets – but there are plenty of people willing to sell you arts/crafts/food they made themselves – of which I was happy to oblige.  Buildings on top of buildings, the most ingenious splicing of wires and what felt like a ‘make a way’ attitude where pleasant surprises – but didn’t obscure the very dangerous environment of one of the Favelas essentially being run by drug dealers.  For me, taking this tour provided me with a different perspective on the city; the beaches and bodies are what’s primarily pushed by the tourism industry (for obvious reasons) – but the reality is it can be a very dangerous place for those who are not aware and not constantly on guard.
• New Orleans – I know some people would take offense to calling a US city a slum – but it’s the conditions in the wake of Hurricane Katrina that made it so.  Everything from the homelessness and displaced citizens, people dying of disease and starvation and even slum tours of the hardest hit areas.  My reason for going was I wanted to see what progress had been made since the disaster.  A common refrain from many US citizens is the government has lost its way – that it can no longer do big things or cares to do anything for certain classes of people.  At the time of my visit two years after the disaster, the recovery was moving fairly slowly.  There were still a ton of FEMA trailers throughout the affected areas, abandoned/unrepaired homes and garbage/debris in the streets.  While there was certainly some progress (specifically the new & improved levies) – it seemed most of the visible progress had been made by non-government entities and ordinary people taking matters into their own hands – like the Musician’s Village.
• Soweto – When I was child, there were calls to boycott US businesses that did business in South Africa due to Apartheid – a concept I didn’t even understand.  It wasn’t until many many years later that I gained a better understanding of this evil system affecting people who look like me in the ‘Motherland’.  I wanted to see the conditions (at least what’s left of them) native South-Africans were forced to endure from the hands of the Dutch, how far the community has come since the fall of Apartheid and how far it has to go in giving its citizens a decent quality of life.  Much of South Africa’s history as it relates to Apartheid can be found in and around the community of Soweto – from Mandela’s first house, the Apartheid Museum and the still standing ‘Shantytowns’.  An Apartheid leftover, many of these Shantytowns have dirt floors and no inside plumbing.  For me, I wasn’t much interested in the Shantytowns themselves (I never entered one) – but the community as a whole.  Soweto is often depicted as a giant dangerous eye sore – but is this really the case? Well – yes and no.  Yes – there is still a ways to go and it can be dangerous at night.  No – in that there are tons of thriving businesses and many of the shantytowns have been replaced by homes that look no different than those on the block I grew up on in the south side of Chicago (window bars and all).

In short, I wanted to have firsthand experience with the subject matter to truly understand the issues at hand.  One destination was about exposing the true (at least more nuanced) identify of a culture, another was about progress my government has made to fix its own neglect and the other an historical journey into a dark period of history (I was not aware of the US’ involvement in Apartheid until this trip).    These were my reasons, others may agree or disagree as to their validity; no matter – I implore you to think for yourself but be mindful of how you approach the situation.

As a side note, having these personal experiences may make you think about the perspectives you have about your own environment.  Here are a few perspectives I have gained/changed due to my travels:

1. It always tickles me (not in a good way mind you) when I hear dudes in the US talk about  how grimy and rough their ‘block’ is – as they stand on the corner wearing $100 Timberlands and sport jerseys.  Please.  Don’t get me wrong, poverty is a bitch and exists in full force in the US – but nowhere on the scale as some of the destinations listed above.  Just saying most of these dudes need a little perspective.
2. How resilient the human spirit is.  In all three of my experiences, people continue to strive to make the best out of whatever life throws their way.  It’s hard to watch these so called reality TV shows where 10 idiots are thrown into the most contrived situations, whine and complain about the silliest shit and form ad-hoc teams to vote each other out until a winner (I use this term extremely loosely) is determined.  It makes me want to drag these assholes off the set of these fake ass shows and throw them in a real 10 person one-room house with no inside plumbing.
3. Whenever I see someone touting a “hand-made rug” – the first thing that comes to my mind isn’t “that looks wonderful” – it’s “Slavery”.  Though certainly not confined to Egypt – my time spent on the outskirts of Cairo while visiting a rug factory was nothing more than a warehouse full of 6-13 year olds manning various rug making contraptions.  You see, little fingers are necessary to properly work the loom and position the material properly.  A quick Google search will turn up tons of articles where parents have sold their children into slavery to pay off debts – usually medical bills for the very child sold off.  Without seeing this myself, I doubt my reaction to the concept of a rug would be as it is today – even if I’d read it somewhere.  Seeing something like this with your own eyes has a more profound effect on one’s psyche – at least I think so.

In Conclusion

Child Carpet Workers

Will I go on another trip to an impoverished area? Maybe, but certainly not just for the sake of going. I plan on going to India but I don’t have any desire to visit the slums of Mumbai – no matter much Slumdog Millionaire romanticizes it. Actually seeing this particular environment won’t make me feel any better (worse actually), I have no personal or historical connection to the region and I’m not in a position to provide long-term volunteerism. As such, I won’t be talking about the region as if I’m some sort of credible resource on the subject.

The fact is I don’t see Slum Tourism going anywhere anytime soon.  As long as there are people willing to pay to see these environments, there will be some operator willing to offer the tour – whether they give back to the community they are making money off of or not.  As I said earlier, this isn’t cable news; I’m not going to tell you whether you should or shouldn’t do something – you’ll need to understand the different perspectives, do additional research (if necessary) and decide if it’s the best thing for you.

Happy Travels!!

This is the third and final part of my traveling to Cuba series. Part One of the series focused on the history of the embargo, how the embargo is portrayed in the US and my opinions on why every American should visit the island. Part Two detailed how a US citizen can qualify/travel to Cuba and a few tips on what to expect once they arrive. Part Three is about my personal experiences in Cuba’s capital city of Havana including the usual pictures and video.

Destination at a Glance
Date of Trip	April 2010
Destination Good for	Culture, Learning
Best Time to Go	Always hot – though hurricane season is June-November
Currency/Conv. Rate	Cuban Convertible Currency / 1 CUC = 1.20 USD – Unfavorable
Good Way to Get Around	Rent Car: No	Public: No	Taxi: Yes	Walking: Yes
Appox. Trip Cost	Fairly Expensive
Speaks English?	Some
Entry Requirements	Passport & Medical insurance. 25 CUC departure tax
Do it	Havana Club Rum Tour Stay in a Casa Particular Catch a show at the Tropicana Smoke a fine Cuban cigar!
Skip it	Coco taxis – at least more than once
Didn’t get to do	Lack of Spanish prevented in-depth conversations with Afro-Cubans Party with the locals
Would I Recommend	Strongly Yes
Overall Trip Rating

Trip Review (Click Thumbnails to see Full-Sized Images)

As I discussed in Part 2, getting to Cuba from the US is best done via a 3^rd party country – even if you have a license. Since I live in Atlanta, the easiest (and cheapest) method for me was to fly to Cancun then directly to Havana on Cuba’s national carrier – Cubana Airlines. I’d already purchased my airline tickets and tourist visa when I was in Cancun a few months earlier. The way some folks talk about Cuba, everything is tied together with duct tape and wires. While that’s a serious exaggeration, there has been an issue with supplies/spare parts ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Why do I bring this up – the Cubana Airlines plane I flew on from Cancun was a 1970s Soviet made jet – which is over 40 years old. I wasn’t worried so much about the safety of the plane itself (both inside and out appeared extremely well maintained); I was more concerned about a maintenance issue delaying or canceling the flight to Havana or returning to Cancun causing me to miss my connecting flight back to the US. Arriving at Havana’s airport was a breeze; the Cuban customs officials processed me through in a matter of minutes. Off to the currency exchange to get some money and catch a cab to my Casa Particular.

Unlike most countries you’ll travel to, Cuba actually has a dual currency system. The Cuban Peso (CUP) is the original government tender and what locals are paid in from their government jobs. The Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) is what all foreigners are issued to make purchases in Cuba that is artificially pegged to the US Dollar at $1.08 plus a 10% conversion tax when converting from US Dollars. To avoid this 10% tax, I ordered a bunch of Euros from Bank of America before I left Atlanta and converted those to CUC in the Havana airport. Keep in mind – the CUC cannot be converted back any currency once you leave Cuba – so be sure to spend it all or convert them back at the airport when you leave. The fact that the CUC is artificially pegged to the dollar and Americans cannot use credit/debit cards makes traveling to Cuba very expensive. Get a least 5 CUC worth of CUP (1 CUP equals .03 CUC or 3.3 cents USD) to save a little when purchasing from street vendors or if you plan to take a local bus.

Once I got my cash, it was time to obtain transportation into the city. Buses are the cheapest option and catching a taxi is the easiest. If you decide to go the taxi route, you should know you will encounter three types during your stay in Havana – official metered, unmetered and Coco Taxis. The CubaTaxi is the official metered taxi in Cuba. Metered taxi rates are very cheap in Havana – but you must make sure the driver uses the meter (he may just quote a price that is usually higher than what the meter rate would have been). Coco Taxis are 3 wheeled open air scooter looking contraptions similar to the Tuk Tuk Taxis I used while in Bangkok. Coco Taxis can be fun to ride around town for very short distances and/or just to experience the ride, but they are fairly expensive when compared to a metered taxi. Unmetered taxis are popular with locals and are frequently the 1950s era cars you see in pictures. Understand it is common for locals to share a taxi – 3-4 different groups heading to multiple destinations is not uncommon. Unmetered taxis also take CUP so I’ll likely save even more (not sure if they also accept CUC).

Speaking of cars, you may have heard there are a ton of 1950s American cars roaming around Havana; which is true, but it’s isn’t like those are the only cars in the country. Although US companies and its foreign subsidiaries are prevented from doing business in Cuba, the Chinese have no such problem – thus Havana’s streets are filled with late-model Chinese imports. As for the 1950s era vehicles, they are very cool to look at and a wonderful experience to ride in the first few times; but that quickly wears off in the heat & humidity as they generally don’t have air conditioning.

Like I talked about in Part Two, I decided to stay in a Casa Particular instead of a hotel. Using WikiTravel’s Havana page, I reached out to a number of Casa owners with questions about per night fees, room/property pictures, additional fees for breakfast/dinner and if anyone spoke English. I settled on a casa in the Vedado neighborhood and we agreed on the price of 35 CUC per night and an arrival and departure date via email. Whichever Casa/hotel you choose, be sure to write/print the address to provide to the taxi driver. Old Havana, Vedado and Playa/Miramar are the best areas to find either a Casa or a Hotel – Frommers has a pretty good ‘Neighborhoods in Brief’ explaining each.

The Impact of the Embargo

It’s not fair to compare Cuba in terms of economic status and the wellbeing of its citizens to the United States – very few countries in the world compare favorably to the US. The more accurate comparison is to neighboring countries in the Caribbean and Central America. Under that light, in many ways Cuba is most prosperous country in the region. As I alluded to earlier, unemployment is under 2%, homelessness is almost non-existent, all citizens are guaranteed healthcare, a literacy rate that is 2^nd highest in the world and a GDP higher than Costa Rica, Jamaica and the Bahamas – combined. Whether you’d benefit in Cuba is directly based on your economic status elsewhere; I have a job & live in the US – so there’s no place I’d rather be. On the other hand, if I was jobless, homeless and/or without healthcare in almost any US city (particularly during the brutal winter season) – I would clearly be better off in Cuba.

That said, Cuba has to deal with circumstances no other country in North America has to deal with – namely the economic embargo imposed by the 800lb gorilla 90 miles from its border. This manifests itself in a number of ways – the most glaring of which are shortages. Shortages of food, medicine, mechanical parts, and supplies – you name it. Those 1950s era cars aren’t all over Cuba because they have an affinity for 60 year old gas guzzlers with no AC; they are there because until China’s very recent global presence in the automobile industry, no one else would trade with them. Lack of agricultural trade with the largest economy in the world further impacts the supply chain. It’s not uncommon for restaurants to simply run out of menu items (2 restaurants I tried to eat at ran out of chicken!) or pass on the increased cost of importing rice all the way from Vietnam on to the general public. Finally, Cuba can’t fall back on US tourism when global import costs rise as the other Caribbean nations can. Yes Canadians, Europeans or those from neighboring Latin American countries do visit Cuba – but who are we kidding; that revenue stream doesn’t begin to compare to the opportunity lost from restricted US tourism.

Since I was staying in a Casa Particular, I figured I’d query Marie and her husband Jose (names changed to avoid any reprisals against them) on their thoughts on the embargo, the US and the Castros.

What do you think of the Embargo?
Jose - It needs to end!
Me - But doesn’t Castro have something to do with that – can he do anything?
Jose - Why would he; using the US as an enemy makes him strong.

What do you think of America and Americans?
Jose – We don’t have any problems with Americans – we appreciate you visiting and staying with us – it helps us tremendously.
Marie – No problems with America visitors, but the way things are (the embargo) just makes things difficult for everyone.

What do you think of Castros?
Jose – I don’t personally have a problem with the Castros. I really don’t care who’s in power, I just don’t want everything to be so expensive. Things our visitors take for granted are very expensive here as many Cubans are paid in Pesos – but most everything is priced in CUC. So, embargo, no embargo, Castro, no Castro, whatever – I just don’t want everything to be so expensive.
Marie – Things were bad under Batista. I remember when I was a child my neighbor was dragged into the middle of the street and executed. The Revolución changed that – things were much better for everyone for years. Then in the 90s, everything started to go bad. (Jay’s Note: The Soviet Union collapsed in the 90s and with it its subsidies of Cuban industry).

I would be remise not to point out that Marie & Jose have it relatively ‘good’. They are fortunate enough to own their own house and be able to rent it out for additional income. In fact, they were well off enough to hire a maid!! A little Capitalism within the Socialist model if you will.

Sex tourism (aka Prostitution) is a big problem in Cuba. Conceptually, I don’t have a problem with consenting adults selling their bodies if that’s what they want to do; so long as they are not forced or coerced. Unless the prostitute is part of some slavery ring – there is a consensual and equal exchange. They choose the life – you chose to pay and both agree to services to be rendered before the event. In Cuba – the person you are dealing with isn’t on equal footing. In the US, one has freedom of movement to locate better opportunities, there is a correlation between better education and a better standard of living, and it is possible for you to win the lottery. None of that is true in Cuba – the lack of choice eliminates the ability of an equal exchange. It is not uncommon to hear of a doctor, engineer or lawyer who is also a prostitute – both men and women. When I was in Miami, a friend of mine mentioned on his trip to Cuba he paid $20 US to be with two women for the entire evening. Now, I’m not the paying for naa-naa type, but even if I were I can’t imagine taking advantage of someone in this way (now that I’m better educated on the Cuban plight). If you Google the issue, I’m clearly in the minority. If you really want to help someone without degrading them in the process, I suggest bringing clothing or everyday household items – such things are in great need and will be greatly appreciated.

These are just a few examples of the embargo’s overall impacts. Certainly the Cuban government (namely the Castros) have some responsibility in this issue – but they don’t have the power to truly affect its change. The embargo doesn’t hurt the government so much as it hurts the people who have to live under it; I assure you Castro and his inner circle aren’t hurting for the daily necessities, running out of supplies or turning to prostitution as some their citizens are. The US government’s general position on the issue is that the Cuban people will rise up, overthrow government and implement western style capitalism is just fucking stupid. You’d think after 50 years – we’d have a better plan of attack.

Next Page: The Havana Sights

So, here are my top five cemeteries I’ve experienced in my travels so far in alphabetical order.  Click the blue links to see full travel review of that city and click the images to see larger versions of the cemetery.

Tomb of the Unknowns

Cementerio de Colón

La Recoleta Cemetery

Lafayette No. 1 Cemetery

Tomb of Nefertari

Honorable mention goes to Savannah’s Bonaventure cemetery.  The above ground offerings in this costal town’s cemetery do not compare to the other cemeteries on this list – but in terms of shear creepiness, it can’t be beat.  Even in broad daylight, the way the trees are situated throughout the cemetery creates an eerie feeling.  Throw in the fog that commonly blankets the city and it’s no wonder “Ghosts Tours” in the cemetery are conducted almost every day of the year.

Tips for visiting cemeteries:

1. Wear comfortable shoes and long clothing; snakes and insects are fairly common in cemeteries – particularly those near water.
2. Be respectful; don’t leave trash anywhere in the cemetery, bring food to feed animals (or yourself) and try to keep the noise to a minimum.
3. Don’t touch – don’t move grave stones or family items (flowers, tokens, etc.) for any reason, especially to improve your shot.
4. Stay away from funerals in progress.  Even if you are viewing the New Orleans version, stay far enough away not to interrupt the proceedings.

I know it sounds a little crazy, but if you expand your horizons and give it a chance, I’m sure you’ll see why these can be one of the best parts of your vacation.  Someone once said “how you respect the departed is how you will treat the living”.  These five cemeteries are a good indication of how those societies felt and treated their populations.

Which cemeteries have you visited????



Travel Bloggers I Dig

	A View to a Thrill http://aviewtoathrill.net Where a strong desire to travel is merged with the reality of limited funds. Our goal is to help you sample the world at a fraction of the price.
	African American – Latino World http://ahorasecreto.blogspot.com I was born in St. Louis, MO, raised in New York City; studied at the State University of New York at Albany before serving on the U.S. Naval aircraft carrier USS Ranger in the Communications Division. Now, I live in Oakland, CA and work in San Francisco as a bilingual counselor.
	Around the World ‘L’! http://www.aroundtheworldl.com/ Lillie is a 29 year old, six foot tall Boston high school teacher who embarked on a nine month voyage around the world. Stop by to read her interesting takes on travel in far flung places like Laos, Ghana, Thailand, Spain and Cambodia – just to name a few.
	BlackAtlas http://www.blackatlas.com A unique online community that offers travel insights from an African-American perspective. Much of our content is from the African-American community itself. Members are business-focused, family oriented, socially active and explorers at heart. If you love traveling and have a sense of discovery, BlackAtlas may be for you.
	American Black Chick in Europe http://americanblackchickinlondon.blogspot.com Well, I’m American. And a black chick. In Europe. Join me as I contemplate whatever’s on my mind: interracial relationships/dating, the state of the black community, politics, my (pseudo) expat life, those crazy Europeans, whatever.
	BrownGirlsFly http://www.browngirlsfly.com HBrownGirlsFly (broun gûrlz flī) n., pl. – Two sisters, Chelle & Crystal, who are passionate about the art of travel and who obsess over languages & cultures, great deals, stretching our travel budget to the max, and inspiring others to start their own travel adventures.
	Fat Juicy Oyster http://www.fatjuicyoyster.com Have sass. Will travel!!!
	Fly Brother http://www.fly-brother.com I don’t experience the world via a culturally “neutral,” “color-blind,” “American” matrix. I live life in full color, just like I travel”. Pretty Fly!
	Haute Travels http://hautetravels.blogspot.com In this blog, I’ll take you along to haute destinations and boutiques that will make you forget all about your budget. I’ll also tell you about must-have beauty products for your travel bag that make you smile. It’s my way of leaving a global footprint around the world… and a little part of me with everyone that I meet.
	I’m Black and I Travel http://imblacknitravel.com For a long time, I wasn’t sure what to call this blog, until the day my wife told her co-workers how we go “wherever” and independently plan our own trips. They were stunned. “Is your husband white?” one asked. Just like that, I had a title. It’s your world. It’s time you had a look at it.
	Kiratiana Travels http://kiratianatravels.com In conjunction with the book, I decided to start a travel blog: Kiratiana Travels: Let a Black Girl Show You the World. I don’t just want to show people how to travel every other year….I want to do it EVERYDAY!
	MoTravels http://www.motravels.com/ From Amsterdam to Zanzibar on romantic rendezvous, family vacations, girlfriend getaways, solo sojourns or everyday expat experiences. Join her on her journeys!
	Oneika the Traveler http://www.oneika-the-traveller.blogspot.com High school teacher who loves to travel!! Lived for two years in France before moving to Monterrey, Mexico to teach for a year. Taught in Toronto for a year after that, then moved to Hong Kong to teach in August 2009. Read about my travel adventures!
	Outdoor Afro http://outdoorafro.com/ Outdoor Afro is a community that reconnects African-Americans with natural spaces and one another through recreational activities such as camping, hiking, biking, fishing, gardening, skiing — and more.
	Solo Friendly http://solofriendly.com I created this website so I could share my experiences on the road and what I’ve learned during my solo travels, provide useful links to online travel resources and generate some interest in solo travel among people who haven’t yet taken the plunge.
	Urban Travel Girl http://urbantravelgirl.com Ciao, and welcome to UrbanTravelGirl, a blog featuring my thoughts on black women living globally through international travel. I’m a passionate believer in the ability of travel to not only transform the way we see the world, but ourselves. I don’t believe in letting other folks define ME — and you shouldn’t, either!.

So there you have it – my Blogroll so far. If you think there are other excellent travel blogs that should be on this list, please let me know by adding a comment below. In the meantime, take a look at my Best Sites to Find Travel Deals, How to Avoid Scams and Travel Planning Sites I Like (save money) articles. As always, happy travels!

Design

This was actually one of Canon’s first High-Definition camcorders available in the US and I believe the first based on hard drive technology.  You might be asking yourself why am I reviewing a 3 year old camera and the answer would be I got it off of overstock.com for $300 instead of the $1,200 list price.  More importantly, this review will touch on some of the pros/cons of hard drive based camcorders that may be helpful with any upcoming camcorder purchase.  The first thing that drew me to the HG10 was it had a color viewfinder – something that’s nearly extinct in Consumer camcorders these days.  Using the color viewfinder instead of the pull out LCD screen saves battery life – sometimes up to 20%.  Unfortunately, the weirdly shaped viewfinder eye socket prevents my eye from getting close enough to the viewing pane to see images properly.

The big selling point of this camera is it is a “Full-HD” camcorder – a term that means absolutely nothing.  The HG10 has a 1080i sensor – meaning the lens can capture 1920×1080 pixels at 30 frames per second.  Unfortunately, HG10 doesn’t actually record the footage in 1080i; in fact it only records to 1440×1080.  This is something to keep in mind if you intend on producing HD video (whether online or Blu-ray discs) as your editing program will need to correctly stretch the footage to mimic a true 1080i display.

The second selling point of the HG10 is 40gb hard-drive that stores recorded AVCHD formatted video in one of 4 quality/compression settings on the right.

Mode	Bitrate	Recording Time
HXP	15mbps	5hrs 30min
XP	9mbps	9hrs 30min
SP	7mbps	11hrs 30min
LP	5mbps	15hrs

While eliminating the need to swap tapes is definitely a good thing, there are a few cons to the HG10’s hard drive.  First, although the HG10 is not large it feels like a small brick in your hand due to the extra weight of the hard-drive.  Also, if you damage the HG10 in some way, all X hours of your footage may be lost forever.  With tape based cameras, the most you can lose is the video recorded on that single tape.  The HG10 does have an auto-drop sensor which disengages the hard drive from the unit when its sensors detect a fall.  This means you might damage the case but you won’t lose your video.  Lastly, if you run out of tape during your trip, you just put in another one; whereas running out of hard drive space necessitates deleting or copying files to your computer.

The HG10 comes with a USB cable for transferring video to your computer, composite video cable for connecting to a TV and a remote control.   Note that the AC adapter must be used when transferring video to a computer making it impractical to transfer video to a friend’s laptop when out and about.

Features

The HG10 includes all of the connections you’d expect to find in a high-end consumer camcorder including composite video connectors, headset/microphone jacks and a Mini HDMI port (cable not included) that allows you to connect it directly to any HD television.  Each recorded scene (a scene is every time you start and stop recording) is saved as a separate two-channel stereo AVCHD *.mts formatted file.  This means I no longer had to have my video editing software determine where one scene stops and the next one begins.  In addition, transferring video from tape takes as long as the source video; 1 hour’s worth of tape takes 1 hour to transfer to the computer.  Since every scene is already its own file, coping video from the HG10 is as easy as dragging the .mts files over to your computer – about 10x faster.  mts files can be played by default in Windows Media Player 12 and can be edited by just about every current HD video editing program.  Finally, YouTube now supports directly uploading HD videos in .mts format eliminating the need to resize/convert the video prior to uploading – a real time saver.  Managing recorded scenes is also much simpler with a hard drive based camera than tape since you can jump back to watch yesterdays video in seconds – while you need to swap and ‘rewind’ the tape based cameras.  The HG10 also allows you to easily delete individual clips, an entire day or the entire hard drive should you begin to run out of space.

1080i HD AVCHD Format 40GB drive stores over 5 hours of footage at highest setting Optical image Stabilization and 10x Zoom 24p Cinema Mode 2.7″ Multi-Angle Widescreen LCD

The HG10 can also take still pictures like a regular camera by pressing the Photo button.  The 2.9 megapixel still pictures are stored on the included 40gb hard drive or on a separate MiniSD card. In terms of quality, they are in line with the video taken by the HG10 – but well below what even the cheapest dedicated camera can produce.  My preference is to use my video editing software to extract still frames from the video because it allows me to carry one less item and I have a better chance catching that ‘right’ moment if the camera is always rolling (how many pictures of closed eyes have you taken???).   Rounding out the HG10’s feature set is a hot accessory shoe, meaning it will power most external accessories such as a larger flash or a dedicated microphone.  The accessory shoe cover is not permanently attached, so there is a distinct possibility of losing it during normal use.

Performance

The first thing you notice when you turn on the HG10 is how long it takes to ‘boot’, e.g., get ready to record.  It takes about 5 seconds after you hit the Power On switch to begin recording; which may not seem like a long time but when you are on safari and a Zebra jumps out of nowhere, 5 seconds is all it takes for it to scamper out of frame.  Even more maddening is if you push the record button before it’s ready, you’ll get an error message for 2 seconds and have to wait another 3-4 seconds to begin shooting.  The point here is this camera is not good for quick or unplanned shooting if isn’t already turned on.  This brings me to my second gripe about the HG10 – the poor battery life.  The HG10 is a battery sucking fiend.  The hard drive requires more power than with a tape based system so the battery only lasts for about an hour (the same battery lasted 1hr 45min in my old camera). What good will being able to record 5 ½ hours worth of footage if the battery only last 60 minutes?  The HG10’s standby mode allows you to somewhat save the battery life while also being able to record in less than a second.

In terms of video quality, the HG10 produces awfully good results if your subject isn’t moving.  The colors and contrast are great for scenes where the camera is relatively still; however quickly panning can display a good deal of choppiness (likely due to the AVCHD format’s compression)  For that reason only the top two quality settings are worth using; the bottom two are basically unwatchable.  In addition, the 24p film mode produces extremely choppy video so I can’t recommend its usage either.  Say what you want, recording to tape can give superior performance over hard drive/flash based recorders because the content is not as compressed.  The resulting video is also easier to edit once you get it on your computer.  On my 64-bit Windows 7 machine with an Intel i7 processor and 6gigs of ram, I often experience periods of slowness while editing and rendering the AVCHD video.  How painful an experience you have will greatly depend on your editing software (whether it supports shadow files) and the speed of your computer.

Another area of annoyance was the HG10 optical zoom.  My old zr930 camera had a 25x optical zoom while the HG10 only has a 10x zoom.  This lack of zoom really impacted me during my African safari where animals were sometimes over 100 yards away.  The HG10’s 10x optical zoom just couldn’t get close enough to make out any detail or properly get the animal in frame.  Having to turn on the HG10’s 40x digital zoom meant the video wasn’t as sharp while zoomed in and the optical stabilization turns off in while in digital zoom – making the video extremely wobbly.  Finally, most hard-drive based camcorders will not work in high elevations (8,000ft and up) and the HG10 is no exception.

Conclusion

The HG10 is very much a 1^st generation product, hard drive recorders have gotten smaller and lighter since the HG10 was introduced in 2008.  The real benefit to me is the ability to spend an entire vacation filming without having to worry abound swapping tapes. I got tired of going to the store to stock up on $15 packages of DV tapes, carrying them around and swapping them in and out during my trips.  Yes, the HG10 usually takes better video than my old Canon zr930, but much of the detail is lost when the video is down converted for the web so this is a non-issue.  Since I’m not creating HD discs, the fake 1080i formatting issue isn’t that much of an issue for me – but is something you should be aware of if you will be producing high definition content.  The fact that I can use the same accessories from my old zr930 camera also makes the switch a win for me.  That said, the Canon HG10 is really just an okay camera, it works for based on how I use it. Your mileage may vary.

The first part of solo travel is actually being solo – or perhaps more accurately not married.  Traveling for work can strain even the best relationship, but consistently traveling for vacation without your spouse I would imagine would cause some issues.  Being single in the first place gives you ‘options’.  I’m frequently asked by folks at work; “how do you have the money to travel all over the world” or “Dude, I need to get on your compensation package”, etc.  Well, the simple fact is I don’t have the two biggest expenses most of my co-workers have – a spouse and kids.  I’m certainly not suggesting I’m better off than they are, it’s just that I can devote all of my discretionary income to one person – me.  The takeaway here is if this is your situation, take advantage of it while you can.

Tiger Temple

Good Things

• You won’t have to wait for anyone else to secure vacation time, save the money or argue about where to go or what to do.  Friends don’t want to jump in the water with sharks, no problem – hang out with the folks who do once you arrive.
• Once at your destination, you don’t have to wait for anyone to get dressed, complain they are tired or worry they don’t want to do what you want to do.
• Much more likely to meet new people when traveling solo as you’ll have the freedom to talk to anyone you want for whatever reason.  Being on a trip with someone typically involves giving most of your attention to that person.
• It’s usually easier to book last-minute tours/events as there is almost always space for 1 extra person.
• It’s almost impossible to get into an argument with yourself during your vacation.
• Unless it’s a fellas outing or the person you are with is okay going “Dutch” for everything, then paying for two people can get a little expensive.

Challenging Aspects

• Certain aspects ‘can’ be more expensive – usually when buying air + hotel packages.  Operators price these deals to attract two or more travelers – thus a ‘single supplement’ is charged to all solo passengers.  This additional fee can be anywhere from 5-30% of the price – in many cases negating the so called sale.
• Can get lonely – but that depends on where you are and why you are there.  If partying is your thing, you will only be as lonely as your game takes you.  If you are there to see the sites (museums, artifacts, etc) – it can get lonely in the evening.
• Unless you are a loner, humans generally need some form of social interaction.  There are varying levels of work involved with striking up conversations with strangers.
• Singles only events are sausage factories.  The steady feedback I get from male travelers on these ‘singles cruises’ is the odds are usually 45 men to 5 women.
• Constant or long-term travel can cause a little friction for the significant other left behind.

From my perspective, the advantages of solo travel outweigh the challenges.  Going solo certainly isn’t the best method for every trip; trips that are generally considered romantic in nature (Paris) or those geared towards children (Disney) are best left for couples and/or families.  For most other adventures, traveling by myself meant I could go wherever, whenever and with whomever I wanted.  That may sound a bit selfish, but the truth is it is quite liberating.

My Experiences

Here are a few of my solo travel experiences from the last year and my thoughts during those trips.

	Belgium – Brussels My first solo trip.  All of the concerns I’d held prior to the trip vanished almost immediately.  I was never lonely and there must be something about a guy with a video camera that sparks the craziest conversations.
	Las Vegas, NV Of all of the places in the US that are friendly to solo travelers, I’d think Vegas is somewhere near the top of the list.  With tons of day and nighttime activities, I was never bored in Vegas.
	Thailand – Bangkok, Phuket Due to the rioting in Bangkok and the amount of walking I did in Phuket, it was probably a good idea I was by myself.  Though I have to admit – the tiger temple tour and cooking classes were probably best experienced with someone else.
	Costa Rica – Liberia, Arenal and San Jose Traveling with someone wouldn’t have made the adventure any better/worse; my Liquid Image Scuba Mask and my Drift x170 head camera ensured I captured every zip-line, white water rafting and horseback adventure.  Still, I was almost a victim of robbery by two hot-chicks.
	South Africa: Johannesburg, Kruger National Park & Cape Town The only bad thing was the unusually cold night in a tree house in the middle of Kruger National park (could have really used a belly warmer).  The Table Mountain repelling, Shark Dive and innocent flirting with hotel front desk staff were right out of the solo traveler’s playbook.
	Panama – Panama City Traveling solo really helped with booking tours at the last minute.  Both my Atlantic Ocean scuba diving excursion and tour of Old Panama were sold out, but both operators made space for one more person.

I’ve met some interesting people traveling solo – both in person and virtually; that I would not have met if I were traveling with someone.  A few travel bloggers I’ve encountered who also do a good deal of solo travel include Gray from Solo Friendly, the Fly-Brother Ernest and Lillie from Around the World L.  The fact is there are tons of solo travelers at every destination who are looking to connect with like minded travelers like you.

Some Solo Travel Tips

Here are some travel tips which are unique to solo travelers (or are of greater importance);

• Solo travel for women can be safe, so long as you follow a few simple rules such as avoiding unwanted attention, avoid talking to strangers, not accepting drinks from anyone your don’t completely trust and staying in well-lit areas.  Solo travel for men is also getting much more dangerous, at least in terms of nightclub drugging robberies.
• Use Facebook, Twitter and TravelBlogExchange to meet new solo travelers in-route and at your destination.
• Hostels are an excellent way to meet like minded travelers, especially in the common areas.  While my free stays on the Hilton’s executive floor had every creature comfort one could desire, they were generally filled with old rich folks.  CouchSurfing is also an excellent way to meet people – though the lack of privacy may be a little off-putting to new solo travelers.
• Always carry identification – preferably a color copy of your passport.  Watch out for scammers.  Don’t tell your life story to complete strangers, feel free to omit or lie about specific details. In fact, don’t talk about personal information such as your last name, hotel room number, etc.
• Start a conversation.   Looking like a tourist is a double edged sword; while it certainly makes you more of a target – it also lets others know you may be in need of assistance – whether that be directions, help with the language or just someone to talk to.
• Remember to enjoy yourself – this is about living your life to the fullest!

Closing

Don’t let the fact you don’t have a partner influence where you want to go – properly prepare and go enjoy yourself!  As long as you follow the safety tips unique to solo travelers, you should be fine. Not waiting on someone else to go with you, doing whatever and whenever you want and the decreased travel costs are just a few of the benefits of going at it alone.  I’m not suggesting traveling by yourself is any better or worse than with someone else – it’s just different; call it liberating!!

» Part 1: History & Why You Need to Go
» Part 2: Getting There By Any Means Necessary
» Part 3: Through My Own Eyes

Part One of the series focused on the history of the embargo, how the embargo is portrayed in the US and my opinions on why every American should visit the island. Part Two focuses on how a US citizen can qualify/travel to Cuba and a few tips on what to expect once they arrive. Finally, Part Three will detail my personal experience on the island in the familiar trip review format – including pictures and video.

Part Two assumes you have decided to take the plunge and visit the forbidden island but aren’t sure how to go about it and how to avoid the pitfalls. Information about how a US citizen can qualify for travel to Cuba, actually getting to the forbidden island, where to stay, what to expect on arrival and returning to the US safely and without incident are included in this article. If you are not a US citizen, this obviously doesn’t apply to you – but it may be a good read nonetheless. As you read through this article, I want you to keep in mind of one important fact – I am not an attorney. You should take my experiences (as well as anyone else’s) with a grain of salt – your mileage may vary. Showing the US Customs Agent a copy of this blog article is unlikely to help with any situation you may encounter. If you are in any way uncomfortable with the steps I’ll outline, I suggest you visit a Visa attorney with experience in these matters.

Qualifying for Travel

It’s important to understand that it is against US law to contribute to the Cuban economy – it is not against Cuban law.  The big misconception is the Cuban government doesn’t want or in some way makes it difficult for US citizens to visit the island.  This couldn’t be further from the truth.  In fact, your presence off the plane in Havana is likely to be greeted with… a shrug.  The Cubans welcome all visitors with open arms.  There are two ways of getting to Cuba – legally and illegally, both of which I will outline below.  I warn you, except for the “I’m gonna wing it” approach, the process to legally get to Cuba is fairly time consuming and difficult (because you must qualify).  To that point, here’s an overview of your options;

• Legal: Specific License – Specific Licenses must be applied for and are approved on a case-by-case basis by the US State Department.  Specific licenses are primarily granted to those who have immediate family living in Cuba, are freelance journalists, those participating in international sporting events (like the Olympics), teaching/enrolled in a recognized university, religious activities and humanitarian causes (hurricane relief).   In most cases, the traveler will not have to engage in the complete licensing process themselves; their Job/School/Organization will likely complete most of the paperwork on their behalf.  To be clear, any visit to Cuba for the purposes of conducting business (including nonprofit) is strictly prohibited.  Once you have been granted the Specific License, you may legally purchase a direct charter flight ticket to Havana from Miami, New York or Los Angeles.  Many of the US based travel agencies authorized to book flights to Cuba will not do so unless you have a Specific License.
• Legal: General License – A General License differs from the Specific License in that the traveler does not have to obtain prior approval from the US State Department but they must still qualify and document the license in order to legally travel.  Areas where a General License would be issued are professional journalists on assignment, full-time professionals doing research/agricultural activities, those on official government business and members of international originations.  Tourism is not an acceptable reason to visit Cuban under the General License provisions.
• Illegal – By far the easiest and riskiest way to get to Cuba.  If you simply feel “the hell with it, Da Man can’t keep me down and ima go where I wanna go”, then this is this a common if not precarious way of traveling to Cuba.  In fact, most US citizens who travel to Cuba do so without a Specific or General License (read illegally) and for the most part – nothing happens to them.  Before you stop reading to pack your bags for your danger filled jaunt to Havana, I’d suggest you take a moment to read the ‘Getting Back’ section to understand the consequences of this action.

Steps for documenting a General License:

Should you determine that the General License is the most appropriate license for your circumstance, these are the high-level steps you’ll need to take to properly document your status.

This last bullet is critical because not every Customs Agent knows the General License rules specific to Cuba.  You can assist in your re-entry process by highlighting the relevant sections of the law (the section stating General Licenses do not require prior approval).   Don’t let an uninformed Customs Agent impact your re-entry.  A more detailed explanation, as well as a few document templates can be found here.

Getting Into Cuba

Keep in mind that just because you have been approved for travel to Cuba, Delta airlines still can’t fly your there; you’ll need to charter a flight if you want to fly directly into Havana from the US.  Charter flights are not cheap; I’ve heard of $1,000 tickets for the 45 minute flight from Miami.  For this reason, many people go through a 3^rd party country even if they have a Specific License.

Using a 3^rd party country allows US citizens to get to Cuba using airlines not beholden to the US embargo – usually national carriers of the 3^rd party country.  The most popular 3^rd party countries are Canada, Bahamas, Jamaica and Mexico.  If you live in the upper Midwest or Northeast, Canada is likely your easiest and least obstructive option of getting to Cuba.  If you live in Florida, particularly South Florida, the Bahamas is a good option since that flight is only about 45 minutes from Miami.  Jamaica will certainly work, but it’s not the most efficient option since you have to fly past Cuba to get to Kingston and then fly back north to land in Havana.  For everyone else, the best option is probably Cancun as it is only 50 minutes flight time from Havana and is served by two carriers Mexicana and Cubana Airlines.  Remember, flying into Cuba via a 3^rd party requires a little patience, faith and cold hard cash.  Your US based credit/debit cards are completely useless.  Also, since you must pay cash for the tickets and you can only do that at the airport – you will be at the whim of market conditions, e.g., supply-demand may push the $200 ticket a month before takeoff to $500 the day of the flight. One other thing, purchasing a ticket the same day of travel opens the possibility that there may not be seats available when you arrive at the airport.

An alternate method of getting into Cuba is via your own boat (no cruise or charter boat will take you there).  Technically speaking, if you visit Cuba without putting any money into that country’s economy – you haven’t broken any laws.  Again, it is not illegal to be in Cuba, it is illegal to contribute to its economy.  If you have a boat big enough to make the roundtrip without refueling, swim to shore (docking your boat in the marina requires payment), fished over the side of your boat for food and brought your own water – you are good “technically”.  Unfortunately, Uncle Sam is fully aware of this little loophole boaters in South Florida have tried to use in the past and considers any time spent inside Cuba longer than a single day to be prima facie proof of violating the embargo.

Regardless of how you get into Cuba, the Cuban immigration control agency is fully aware of the embargo and will not stamp your passport.  You will be issued a temporary visa card which you keep with you throughout your stay.

Finally, as of May 1, 2010, tourists, foreigners with temporary residence in Cuba and Cubans living abroad who visit Cuba will have to purchase medical insurance.  The insurance can be purchased from foreign companies approved by the Cuban government or by Cuban firms at the ports of entry.  Diplomats and representatives of accredited international organizations do not have to be insured.

…Continued on Next Page

Destination at a Glance
Date of Trip	November 2009
Destination Good for	Sightseeing, Shopping, Dining and Outdoors
Best Time to Go	Summer – June-August
Currency/Conv. Rate	NA
Good Way to Get Around	Car: Yes	Public: Yes	Taxi: Yes	Walking: Yes
Appox. Trip Cost	Somewhat Expensive
Speaks English?	NA
Entry Requirements	NA
Do it	Pike Place Market Bainbridge Island Ferry Chittenden Locks
Skip it	Rainy season – anytime not in June-August Underwhelming Harbor Stairs
Didn’t get to do	Hike/climb Mt. Rainier
Would I Recommend	Yes
Overall Trip Rating

Trip Review (Click Thumbnails to see Full-Sized Images)

I got the opportunity to spend a weekend in Seattle as part of one of my good friend’s wedding festivities.  I’m not necessarily the biggest fan of weddings, but as these things go it was pretty nice.  I used the one and a half days surrounding the event to get to know the largest city in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.  I drug along my boy Eric Kimbrough – who is about to turn the corner into stardom as a stand-up comedian – along for the ride during most of the fun.

Getting Your Bearings

Many people believe all it ever does is storm in Seattle, but that’s not actually true.  In fact, Seattle’s annual rainfall is less than Atlanta, Miami and Houston.  This is one of those cases where the phrase “Numbers don’t lie; but liars use numbers” turns out to be completely accurate.  While Seattle may not experience the torrential downpours like in Miami, the number of days a year where it’s cloudy – as Eric has says “makes you wanna kill yourself”.   No joke, the entire time we were in Seattle it seemed to drizzle every 30 mins – never a strong rain, but consistently overcast.  I know November is rainy season, but I was feeling a serious bout of depression coming over me.  The best time to visit Seattle is June through August as that timeframe historically has the least amount of rainfall in the year.

Even though Seattle is further north than Chicago and New York City, it rarely receives any snowfall due to the way it is positioned between the water (Pacific Ocean/Puget Sound) and the mountains (Olympic/Cascade range).  This also means Seattle’s temperature is fairly consistent throughout the year – with average summer temperatures between 75°/55° F and 45°/35° F in the middle of January.  I dated a girl from Tacoma who stated she never owned a car with Air Conditioning until she moved to Atlanta.  Interesting.  One note about driving – Seattle has a number steep hills in the downtown area and with the constant light rain makes for some fairly difficult driving.  Also, parking can be a serious bitch in the downtown area as it is both limited in availability and expensive.

The Sites

I freely admit a day and a half is not enough to see an entire city, but with some excellent planning – we were able to see a good deal of Seattle’s tourist attractions.  Here are the ones we hit;

• Seattle Needle – The most recognizable landmark in Seattle sits over 605ft above the ground.  While certainly not the only observation deck, I think it’s the best place in Seattle to get panoramic pictures of the city and the surrounding mountains.  The Needle is excellent for both day and night pictures but you should be aware that the constant rain/fog may affect your visibility of the mountains and Puget Sound.  Tickets to the observation deck & restaurant are $18 for a day-only pass and $24 that includes day and night access.
• Pike Place Market – Perhaps the second most famous landmark in Seattle, the 100 year old Pike Place Market is the home of farmers/fishermen selling their fresh catch, arts and crafts and fruits and vegetables.  If you get to the market early in the morning, you can watch the local fishermen put on a ‘show’ as they toss the day’s fresh catch from the boat into the stalls for sale.  If you are lucky, one of the workers will even let you attempt to catch a fish like I did (2 salmon thrown – 2 salmon caught by ya boy!)  You can even take an hour long Market Heritage Tour that walks through the history and daily operations for only $10.
• Chittenden Locks – A Lock is manmade canal system that allows boats to navigate between water sources that are at two different elevations – the most famous being the Panama Canal.   Seattle’s Chittenden Lock provides a means for boats coming from/to the Pacific Ocean (lower elevation) to continue inland via Lake Washington (higher elevation).  Watching giant boats being lifted and lowered 30ft in either direction using nothing but gravity is something you just have to see in person.  A modern engineering feat in my book!  If you come in June, you’ll be treated to an extra show of Salmon literally jumping out of the water (called a ladder) as they swim upstream to spawn.  Admission is free.
• Downtown Panoramic View – This has to be easiest and least expensive way to get panoramic photos of downtown Seattle.  The Bainbridge Ferry takes you on a 35 minute ride across Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island.  While there are a few things to do on the island, the main attraction for me was being able to capture the entire Seattle skyline in a single frame.  If you take one of the afternoon ferries over, the sun will be at your back as you leave the downtown shore (best for pictures) and if in winter, the 6pm ferry back allows you to get nighttime skyline pictures.  Ferry tickets are only $7.
• Harbor Steps – I got the idea of visiting the Harbor Steps after reading Frommer’s suggested itinerary for Seattle.  According to the outline, they are similar (though possibly not as beautiful as) Rome’s Spanish Steps.  Since my opinion of Rome’s attraction is utterly unimpressive (it’s just a bunch of steps), the Seattle version was equally easily forgotten.  As Eric was fond of saying the rest of the entire trip, “Wow, we just saw some stairs.  Did you see those stairs???”  Couldn’t agree more – skip it.
• Olympic Sculpture Park – I’m not a big museum dude, but this giant sculptured art was pretty decent.  Exhibits – which ranged from 5ft to 100ft tall are scattered both inside of the main building and outside on the park grounds.  Not too far a walk from the Pike Place Market and admission is free.
• Seahawks Game – Though Seattle has lost its professional basketball team, the Mariners and Seahawks are still around. In the case of the Seahawks, their brand spanking new Qwest stadium is super nice.  Though I have to wonder why the 3^rd richest man in the US didn’t spring for a retractable roof on the stadium that sits in an extremely drizzly city.  Anyway, the game between the Detroit Lions and the hometown Seahawks was pretty good – right up until the point I left because it was wet and I was starting to freeze my ass off!!  Tickets range from $20 to $500.

If I had the time, I would have also spent a little time at the Seattle Art Museum, the Museum of Science Fiction & Hall of Fame and the Music Experience – all in the downtown area.  I would have probably spent a little more time in Belltown, Seattle’s hip neighborhood full of restaurants and clubs.  But the real reason I want to go back to Seattle is to do something I’ve never done before – climb a mountain.  With Mt. Rainier omnipresent over the Seattle skyline, it represents the ability to conquer one of my remaining fears – the fear of falling.  This is something I definitely have to do before I kick the bucket!

In Closing

There’s no way I would write a review on the entire city after spending a day and half walking through it; but I feel I visited enough of the tourist attractions to get a good ‘taste’.  Though my time in the wedding activities kept me from really indulging in the food scene, I felt we really maximized our time in this city.  I recommend the Needle, Pike Place Market and a trip on the Bainbridge Ferry.  Finally, it’s worth repeating that the best time to visit Seattle is during the summer months.  I know it is peak season and prices nearly double, but the constant gloomy days in the fall were nearly too much for this brotha to handle (I admit living in Atlanta makes me a little biased).  From what I can see, Seattle perfectly balances a community engaged in high-tech business (home to Starbucks, Microsoft and Amazon), outdoor life (hiking, fishing) and sophisticated local vibes.

Happy Travels

» Part 1: History & Why You Need to Go
» Part 2: Getting There By Any Means Necessary
» Part 3: Through My Own Eyes

Part One of the series focuses on the history of the embargo, how the embargo is portrayed in the US and my opinions on why every American should visit the island.  Part Two will focus on the number of ways a US citizen can visit Cuba and a few tips on what to expect once you arrive.  Finally, Part Three details my personal experience on the island in the familiar trip review format – including pictures and video.

Each part of the series will include several facts, my interpretations of those facts and my personal opinions.  I am not advocating a particular governmental or economic philosophy nor am I assigning ‘Good Guy/Bad Guy’ status to any of the players; my only goal is to encourage critical thinking of my readers so that they may form their own opinions.  To that end, I am completely upfront and unabashed about advocating that US citizens visit the island prior to the embargo being lifted.  On to Part 1: History and the Need to Go…

Brief History of Embargo

I was amazed at the wildly varied responses I got when I uttered the phase ‘I’m going to Cuba”.  I heard everything from “Don’t they hate us?”, “dude, that’s awesome!”, “you can’t support that evil empire?” to “why do you want to go there?” – just to name a few.  The most common response though was “isn’t that illegal?” The takeaway for me is even after being in place for over 50 years, the US/Cuban relationship is still shrouded in mystery and perhaps more importantly propaganda from both sides.  To that end, a think a brief timeline of the US’ Cuban embargo is in order.

The ‘Economic’ embargo applies to all US government agencies, businesses, its foreign subsidiaries and any individual living in the US, including natural born citizens, naturalized citizens (even those with dual-citizenship) and legal residents.   Technically, it is not illegal to visit Cuba – it is illegal to contribute to the Cuban economy in any way.  Whatever amount spent on plane tickets, gas for a boat, food, hotel – whatever, contributes to the Cuban economy and therefore violates the embargo.

US/Cuban Propaganda Relations

Because it is fairly difficult for US citizens to travel to Cuba and we are not privy to much if any of their locally produced news content, the US public is left with information that is filtered, massaged and/or manipulated to advocate a particular cause.  If all you knew about Cuba was the media’s and the US politician’s depiction of the country, it would be difficult to think of it as more than a nation of people virtually imprisoned by an evil dictator, living in poverty/dilapidated conditions and resorting to elicit enterprises just to get by.

Let’s provide a little reality shall we; from no less than the US government.  According to the CIA’s World Fact Book, Cuba has an Adult Literacy Rate of 99.8% (that’s 2^nd highest in the world).  The unemployment rate in Cuba is 1.7%*** (8^th in the World).  Though it’s hard to find official numbers for Cuba’s homeless rate, it is generally accepted as the lowest in this hemisphere since housing is guaranteed in the country’s constitution (note: there is homelessness in Cuba, it’s just significantly less than other countries).  And let’s not forget healthcare is free and guaranteed for every citizen in the country.  Cuba has the largest economy, GDP and population in all of the Caribbean and Latin America dwarfing Jamaica, Costa Rica and the Bahamas combined.  To sum it up, in Cuba you are very likely to be well educated, have a job, access to free healthcare, food to eat (state rationed) and a place to sleep – something an alarming number of Americans cannot claim.

Another media fallacy is ‘everyone’ in Cuba is waiting for the next cardboard box to float by to risk their lives navigating the Atlantic Ocean in hopes of reaching Florida’s “freedom”.  While it is certainly true many Cubans have lost their lives attempting this, the numbers aren’t even close to the thousands of Mexicans to have died attempting to cross the desert and/or the Rio Grande.  The coverage of these two events is disproportionally skewed towards the relatively few Cubans who have tried and failed.  The fact is many more Mexicans die in a week than Cubans have died in the last year attempting to get into the US.  Think about this for a second; the immigration issue is generally framed as Mexicans taking jobs (jobs some say no American wants) and living off of social services without paying for them.  What if we allowed immigration of the most educated country in this hemisphere and they began taking the white collar jobs we do want??  Food for thought, but I digress.

Speaking of out of whack, former Cuban exiles living in Tampa and South Florida have a disproportionate impact on our immigration policy and national politics.  Many national elections have been swayed by the Cuban American constituency which represents less the 1% of the US population.  I suspect you remember the Elan Gonzolas debacle; at the core of the entire episode is the “Wet Foot, Dry Foot” policy.  The short version of this immigration law is Cubans who successfully put their feet on dry land of any US territory are automatically granted asylum and US Citizenship.  Cubans who are captured at sea (Wet Foot) are returned to Cuba.  Seriously, I couldn’t make this bullshit up.  When I lived in Miami, I would often pass one of the US immigration offices that had giant outdoor fenced prisons full of black people.  Primarily from Haiti or Jamaica, these folks were denied economic asylum and were awaiting deportation back to their country.  So, for no other country in the world do we allow someone to magically become a citizen by – breaking the law no less – like we do for Cubans;  but Haitians – who were trying to escape the very definition of economic hardship before the earthquake – are herded into awful makeshift prisons while awaiting the boot out of the country.  There’s no other word for it – Bullshit!

Finally, the embargo is frequently justified as “we shouldn’t do business with evil people”.   Of course this is the height of hypocrisy as the US does business with evil regimes every single day.   This issue is more accurately described as “the US shouldn’t do business with evil people it doesn’t need anything from”. Saudi Arabia has a flat out awful human rights record and most of the 9/11 hijackers were from its borders.  But we need oil – thus we do business.  Don’t get me started on India’s near slavery, US’ support of Apartheid and Saddam Hussein as an ‘ally’ right until the point he messed with Kuwait’s oil.  We don’t do business with Cuba because we don’t need anything from them – pure and simple.  We can get Cuba’s primary exports – sugar, rum and cigars – from several other regions around the globe (at least “good enough cigars”).

Why I Think You Should Go

I’d like you to think about the following as your read through the remainder of this series.  The United States has implemented sanctions/embargos against 15 countries and/or regions (mostly terrorist states) and of the 15 countries on that list, Cuba is the only one US citizens cannot travel to. That’s right – if you wanted to, you could travel to Iran, Somalia, and North Korea – but Cuba is just too evil for the average American to stomach.

As stated by the US government, the embargo was supposed to make the Cuban population rise up and throw the Castros out of office.  Whether you think the embargo was/is a good idea or not, I think we can all agree that it’s not working.  Fidel Castro has outlasted 10 US presidents and is working on number 11 – that’s 50 years!!!  The end result is the government still rules and the people are paying the price due to the country’s inability to trade with the largest economy in the world.  Eventually the embargo will be lifted; likely coinciding with the death of the original “el Presidente” Fidel Castro.  After all, he is 84 years old and the only thing the US has to gain is the symbolic victory of outlasting the constant thorn in its side sitting only 90 miles from Florida.

The two primary reasons I believe every American should visit Cuba prior to the embargo being lifted are:

1. In order to make an informed decision (e.g. vote) on the issues like Trade Agreements, Health Care and Immigration Reforms that are currently affecting our country – it may be helpful to know a little about these subjects.  All of these issues will play a prominent role in US politics in the near future – particularly as the “Socialist” rhetoric starts to increase as we get closer to the ‘political silly season’.  One way of acquiring knowledge on these issues is to actually travel to a real Socialist country and formulate your own opinions.  The reality is if you rely on others to tell you what to think on these matters you can’t blame anyone else for your ignorance or the likelihood you will be manipulated into voting against your own interests.
2. These sanctions are being imposed in your name.  As a US citizen you pay taxes and have the right to know how your government is spending that money – whether it is on the battlefield, diplomatic table or an economic sanction.  Furthermore, the specific travel ban is illogical and possibly unconstitutional; restricting citizen’s right to travel to single country on the planet is as un-American as apple pie.  The point isn’t whether the embargo is good or bad – it’s whether you should be able to see the results of your government’s actions for yourself.

While those are my two primary reasons, I would be remiss if I painted the picture that the only reason to go to Cuba is for some sort of political science exercise.  Havana is a beautiful place full of culture and some of the most pleasant people you’ll ever meet.  It’s just that due to the complexity and expense involved, tourism may not be a good enough reason to go by itself.  Of course that’s just my opinion – you should formulate your own so long as you don’t approach this voyeuristically or as some sort of Slum Tourism escapade.

Final Thoughts

If it sounds like this article is painting a somewhat unflattering picture of US policy, you would be correct – it does.   This part of the series shouldn’t be taken as me promoting the Cuban government in any form or fashion.   Make no mistake about it, much of the ill will towards Castro both in and outside of Cuba are of his own making.   There are two sides to every coin and I will speak to some of the things I witnessed while in Havana in Part 3, including what felt like an open air prison for the Cuban population, their inability speak and move freely, the secret police, the fact that some Cubans are more ‘equal’ than others, rampant underground black market/prostitution and Cuba’s very own propaganda machine.

That said, at best much of the US media’s coverage of the Cuba issue is very one sided; at worst utter propaganda.  Unlike in the movies, there aren’t any well defined ‘good’ or ‘bad’ guys – no one is innocent in this 50 year old stalemate.  What seems clear is the embargo hasn’t destroyed the Castros and the Cuban people are paying the price.

Perhaps the most important advice I can give is for you to decide for yourself.  Don’t let anyone else unduly influence your opinion on this subject – whether the US media, politicians, the Cuban propaganda machine or opinionated bloggers (present company included).  The ability to gain insight on how these issues impact your life and to understand the effects of what your government is doing in your name are available once you decide to visit the forbidden land.

Next: Cuba: Part 2 – Getting There By Any Means Necessary

*** In September 2010, the Cuban government announced it was laying off over 500,000 government workers; a figure sure to make 2009’s 1.7% unemployment rate skyrocket.

Netbooks are significantly smaller, lighter and generally have much better battery life than their larger cousin the Laptop. The tradeoff for the increased portability is the lack of processing power. The difference between a good Netbook and a bad one is how well it balances the portability requirements with the need to have a computer that’s fairly responsive. This review will focus on how well the HP Mini 210 series of Netbooks successfully manages these two seemingly contradictory requirements.

Design

The premise computer manufacturers use is some customers are willing to trade the larger screen and faster processor of a Laptop for less weight and longer battery life generally found in a Netbook. All Netbooks have similar configurations; less than 3lbs., at least 2 USB ports, Wi-Fi B/G connectivity, VGA output, SD card reader, integrated Webcam and mini-qwerty keyboards. On the positive side, the HP Mini 210 comes in 4 colors (matte black, silver, blue and red) which isn’t something you see very often in a line of Netbooks. HP also decided to use Windows 7 Starter instead of Windows XP Home as the operating system, something I consider a small plus. While it is true Windows XP runs much faster on 1gig of RAM than does Windows 7, the better battery management, much improved UI, Homegroup connectivity and the fact that Microsoft no longer supports XP are compelling reasons to use the latest OS.

Unfortunately, all Netbooks are not created equally and that’s about where the positives end for the HP Mini 210. Once you pick up the Netbook, it becomes pretty obvious how HP is attempting to achieve the claimed 8 hour battery life – I giant 6-cell battery literally hanging off the back of the Netbook. This very strange design makes for some rather difficult packing in your suitcase/pack. While the extra 2 inches on the back of the device is somewhat helpful when typing, it is so large and dense that it adds another 2-3 pounds to the Netbook. This extra weight means the HP Mini 210 fails at one of its supposed basic benefits – being lightweight.

The next of the poor design decisions is the mini-qwerty keyboard HP has decided to install on the Mini 210 series of Netbooks. Unlike other manufacturers, HP has decided to omit the Page-Up/Down, Home and End keys entirely – making it impossible to edit large Word documents without using the small track pad. In addition, primary function keys are reversed, so you have to press the special blue FN key to get a function key to work. Simple things like F1 (Help), F5 (Page Refresh), Alt+F4 (Close App), etc. are amazingly and unnecessarily difficult. You shouldn’t need two hands to press a hot key.

Probably the most bizarre design decision is the combo Microphone/Headset jack HP implemented on the HP Mini 210. A combo jack forces the user to find a headset that combines the microphone jack and the headset jack into a single wire; which is fine except that they don’t appear to exist – not even on HP’s own site!! In order to use any program that requires you to talk and listen simultaneously (like Skype) you’ll need to purchase a rather expensive USB headset or a USB soundcard. That’s just dumb!

Features

HP’s QuickWeb functionality is one of the few shining points on the HP Mini 210. The QuickWeb tool allows you to use the device almost instantaneously without waiting for Windows to boot. Though the claim is dubious that Windows Starter takes so long to load this type of program is even necessary, it is never the less a neat feature. Turning on the power to the HP Mini 210 displays the QuickWeb dashboard that lets you launch Skype, Pidgin (multi-platform IM client), configure Wi-Fi, use Firefox to browse the Internet, read your email, play your music and more all without booting to Windows. The interface is clean and easy to understand – but there are two drawbacks. The first is battery management isn’t as good in QuickWeb mode as it is if you booted to Windows. The supposed time you saved not booting to Windows is squandered by decreased overall battery life. Secondly, QuickWeb is fairly slow. The interface runs on a small Linux kernel and is written in Flash – something not known for being speedy.

Intel Atom N455 single core processor 10.1 LCD screen with integrated Webcam/Microphone 160gb Hard Drive and combo SD card reader Up to 8 hours battery life Integrated Wi-Fi B/G adapter HP Quickweb & QuickSync applications

HP’s QuickSync application allows you to wirelessly sync files between two computers. While the other computer does not have to be made by HP, you can only sync two computers. If you want to sync more than two (like a Netbook, Laptop and Desktop), you’ll need to purchase a full $60 license from HP. Kinda lame and frankly unnecessary – as all versions of Windows 7 include HomeGroup connectivity and the free Microsoft SyncToy can sync as many computers as you wish. If you need to sync Windows XP/Vista machines or you only need to sync two computers, HP QuickSync is a decent if not slow way to get the task done.

Performance

Like I said earlier, the tradeoff of using a smaller device with greater battery life is you lose processing power. The weak Intel Atom processors excel at limiting power consumption not achieving great processing power. As most new Netbooks come with the somewhat bloated Windows 7 and only 1gig of RAM, they are really intended for email, web surfing and light document editing. That said, HP has seemed to go out of its way to make this the slowest Netbook on the planet. The list of utter garbage pre-installed on this already limited Netbook borders on criminal. Playing video from both my Drift x170 (standard def) and my Liquid Image Scuba camera (HD) exhibited choppiness and dropped frames – especially the 720p video.

Although HP claims the Mini 210 will get over 8 hours of battery life on a charge – I was never able to get over 6^1/2 hours in my own tests. Much better than a standard laptop, but almost 20% less than advertised. Another annoying thing about the HP Mini 210′s configuration is the battery life meter only shows the percentage remaining while most other vendors display the percentage, as well as the time remaining in hours and minutes. Not a big deal, but it’s somewhat annoying when you have to gues-timate how long in minutes “26% remaining” means.

I couldn’t find any dual-combo jack in Microcenter, Frys, Best Buy, Brandsmart or online, so I settled on a mini-USB sound card adapter from Amazon for $8. That worked well but I shouldn’t have to purchase an adapter to use the headset of a Netbook. The lack of page-up/down and home/end keys really made working with large word processing documents a pain in the ass. The integrated Webcam took pretty good video without excessive pixilation or dropped frames. Though Skype consistently claimed the Netbook was too slow to run the program, I found it worked just fine with minimal stuttering or out of sync conditions as long as a decent internet connection was used.

The last annoyance worth mentioning was the stupid blue standby light. I prefer to place my computer in Standby instead of turning it off as it allows me quicker access to my documents. HP decided to implement an extremely bright blue LED light that indicates the Netbook is in standby mode. This stupid flashing blue light is actually bright enough to light up an entire room; I literally had to place it under the hotel bed so it wouldn’t keep me up all night. It was like sleeping in a discotheque.

Conclusion

Small and underpowered is something you have to deal with when working with Netbooks, but heavy and poorly designed goes against its very purpose. This has to be one of the most frustrating computers I’ve ever used – and I’ve used a few. The goofy combo mic/headset jack, terrible keyboard layout and overall weight are just a few of the reasons I cannot recommend the HP Mini 210 under most any circumstances. I eventually had enough with the unit and sold it to someone who thought “it looks sooooo cute” when they first laid eyes on it. Hope they never actually have to – you know – use it!!