The U.S, policy re Cuba has been and is bankrupt even moreso today.

I have been there, in Havana and nearby and in the countryside, 90-110
miles west of Havana.

I wanted to go to see for myself, and not depend entirely on
fragmentary and, as it seemed to me, somewhat slanted news reports
about, conditions in that island country.

First to be noted -- no water birds in Havana harbor. None. I waqs
told all have been eaten.

Second, Havana is largely a picture card city, with much restoration
work on old buildings, surounding large open sqaures, large and small,
completed and underway, except for churches, where exterior niches are
devoid of any figures and interiors are almost empty. Other areas are
multi storied slums, with men collecting water from a constantly
running hydrant in an alley and young children on wooden chrates used
for carts that had skate wheels.

Third, police in Havana seemed tired and disinterested, listless and
bored. Standing on a few street corners, they shuffled a few feet,
back and forth, dressed in light blue shirts and dark blue trousers,
armed with pistols. I almost felt sorry for them.

Fourth, countryside was beautiful, except for patches of small wood
and unpainted shacks with no windows or doors. Next door, often, were
new houses, freshly painted, with windows and doors. Water buffalo
were plowing a small rice paddy. One town, we drove through twice, was
crowded with pedestrians and no grass anywhere, but few cars or
trucks. Highway to the area was 4 lane and divided, policed by smart
looking motorcycle cops with new cycles and shiny black helmets.

Fifth, uniformed children walking to, in and walking home from
elementary and high schools. They seemed to be adequately fed and
freshly maintained.

Sixth, mountains in west were unlike any I had seen before, anywhere
in the world, or have seen since. They come straight out of the ground
to a height of several hundred feet and have evenly domed tops.

Once I was approached in Havana by a mid thirties man, dressed in
white shirt and black trousers, and he asked me if I wanted a "snort."
My instant response: "No, gratias." We both kept on walking in
opposite directions.

Cuba seems not be hurting too bad with U.S. embargo. European tourists
are filling resorts to east of Havana, bringing in many U.S. dollars.

I am now waiting for opportunity to return to see more of the island
and its people -- when and if the U.S. government sees the folly of
its bankrupt travel policy.