[trap]

I have been to Cuba - there are no horned people there, either - none that I saw anyway. Nor was there anyone controlling what I could and could not see - but then again, we didn't try to find secret bases/prisons/etc. We traveled freely in Havana - although I could believe someone was around to occasionally to keep an eye on things. But no horned devils were seen.

Poverty - yes, very much so. In some places dirt floors, exposed wires, etc. Some of the peso shops are in pretty bad shape - not much there. The dollar stores, however, were a different story. Walking around downtown Havana, however, is much like walking around any other world city. It has a distinct European feel. Other countries are investing - and, of course, the U.S. has an extremely nice building there in a extremely nice location. As opposed to many of the buildings on the embassy row, the U.S. building is fairly new (90s, I think) - it's also huge in comparison.

I met some of the nicest people imaginable there. The whole thing - from communism to the embargo - is extremely unfortunate, in my opinion.