In the News: Cuba, Disability Travel, and Pub Dogs

From Cuba  to London, here’s a quick look at this week’s travel news!

Political

US signs agreement with Cuba–Pres Obama to visit

For the first time in half a century, the US and Cuba okayed US commercial airlines to offer direct flights to Havana and nine other Cuban cities. Good news for anyone planning a trip to the Rome of the Caribbean.

President Obama intends to kick off the newly-budding romance with his own Cuban excursion sometime in March.

The downside? Many critics point out that lifting sanctions and rekindling US relations with the Communist nation rewards a government known for squashing free speech and infringing on human rights.

Hmmm.

Culture Guilting, Patriotism, and Indifference

There’s something magical in exploring the world. Visiting other countries, continents, even just cities can widen a person’s outlook on the world. It helps to draw people away from the self-focused mania in the US. It removes the traveler from their sense of normal and can grant a better perspective on the world. And yet, this thing which provides escape from normal has itself become normal. Everyone travels, be it international or across state lines. It’s thanks to travel that America is overflowing with enlightened and wise people with a balanced view of the world.

Hah.