This one has good and bad experiences, we like to put up all sides we hear about:

Note, they end by saying:

 I cant wait for the next time. You have to experience the feeling of being there for yourself-its one of the most unique places in the world

Hi, I decided I'd write one letter to everyone instead of repeating the same thing over and over. I had the most incredible trip to Havana! I was only there 6 days since i went alone. I stayed in a private room in a house in Old Havana with a couple who are professional tango dancers! I got to watch them practice almost everyday when i was there. They had a huge performance on the 24th, the day I was leaving, but at least I got to see them practice. The chemistry between them was breathtaking to watch. Silvia is from Spain but has lived there for 4 years. She's white and Raimon black, and they have a beautiful 3 year old daughter. I took 2 private lessons from Raimon(salsa) and 3 from a guy at a theater where  (name) and I studied dance 9 years ago. It was $12 an hour(in LA it's now about $100 for a private lesson!). I also went to clubs twice to dance. And i walked and walked all over everywhere the whole time. In Old Havana is where the most tourists are and there are salsa bands on at least every block in restaurants playing. There are people everywhere milling around, locals and tourists. I saw very few people asking for things, in old or central Havana. And I wasnt hassled much at all, which surprised me. I remember (name) and I were constantly asked if we wanted to buy cigars, but only one guy asked me this time. And the guys would say hi to me, and obviously want to talk but I kept walking and they didnt bother me more. I was perfectly safe walking the streets, even very late at nite, with very few street lights. People live in all the buildings. The buildings are still from the 50's, its amazing they are even standing. They're beautiful, but they look ready to fall down, some of them. And of course you still have the old cars from the 50's, and they actually run!!! Dont ask me how, since they cant get materials from the states. I couldnt get enough of the cars, they're so beautiful. I always feel like I"m in Happy Days there! The people are materially poor, but so generous in spirit. I saw at least a dozen friends. They all seem to be doing well. All Cubans are so resourceful in trying to make extra money. One friend told me, "we are very creative, b/c we have to be. You Americans have everything so you dont have to use your minds so much!"

I saw local performances at the theater where I'd studied before, with mainly locals. For me it was a fraction of the price of going to the tourist shows, and fun to be with local people. And i got to see one of the best dance performances I've ever seen, free to all, in the cathedral sqaure in Old Havana. It was a national dance troupe called "Ballet Hispanola" and was a cross between flamenco and ballet and they had 3 performances Fri., Sat., and Sun. for locals and tourists. It was incredible. I went twice! I could have seen the national classical ballet troupe for $20, but i'm not into classical much, and i saw them the last time. Local people can go to ballets and any concerts for only a few pesos. But of course they make so little money. But i think its wonderful they can get almost free entertainment, unlike us-we all pay $63 for Disneyland, rich and poor. They get very little money(except the lucky ones who are subsidized by relatives in Miami), and they all get rations, its not much, but better than nothing.  and they get free medical care. There are clinics in every neigborhood-i gave the medical supplies my friends had given me to a doctor in the clinic 1/4 block from Silvia and Raimon's house, and she was so appreciative. And all Cubans are highschool educated, and those who have good grades,can go on to university.(i met several Europeans who are here for several months studying at the university too) The men have to do military service for 2 years after highschool, but not the women. Silvia's 3 year old, Paula, goes to preschool 5 days a week, free, with breakfast and lunch, from 8-4. But most people who work are only making about $12 a month, that's why they all try to do whatever they can to make more somehow. I could buy little pizzas or sandwiches from street vendors for very little, but i usually ate in China town, where ... and  i had gone many times before. I'm not a fan of cuban food, its too bland for me, but i like China town. I could eat there for around $3-10. There are tourist police everywhere, but as our coordinator from Global Exchange told us last time, we tourists are walking around with a years' worth of salary in our pockets.  The police dont seem threatening. They are definitely watching the people, they dont want them fraternizing with us too much. But i noticed so many locals stopping to chat with them, shake hands, or clap them on the back. At my one friends' house, the 2 police from their corner, often come up to drink coffee, and sit around and talk. I saw people here and there who had been stopped and questioned, but i never saw anyone being arrested. I only had one negative experience all week and i still feel so bad about it-tourists are not supposed to ride in bicycle taxis-only locals-we're supposed to take the regular taxis, but the last 4 times, i always did with no problem, and they always ask us if we want a ride and its a fraction of the cost of a taxi, so i had probably taken one, with no problem, usually at nite, 4 or 5 times. Well, my last nite, i'd just said goodbye to 2 friends that i'd eaten with in china town-an American guy and a japanese young woman that i'd been hanging out with a couple days-and i decided i'd take a bicycle taxi to the square to see the last performance of the Ballet Hispanola, so i got in, and suddenly, 2 police came up to us and asked him for his I.D, and i felt soooo bad.  So in my not so great Spanish, i implored them not to make problems for him, that it was my fault, that i knew tourists weren't supposed to use them, but i didnt have enough money on me to take a taxi, etc., etc., but they didnt listen to me!-and they talked to him and i think they might have written a ticket to him-but then they let him take me!!!! I asked him what would happen and he said he'd have to pay a  fine. I gave him the little money i had and a bunch of things i'd planned to give away anyway that nite, but i felt so bad. I guess next time, i'd better not risk it. I asked silvia and raimon what kind of fine he would get and they didnt know. But i guess my bad experience was nothing compared to the couple i sat next to on the plane from cancun back to the states-they had rented a car the whole week on their honeymoon in cancun, and had had no problems, until their drive to the airport that morning-they were pulled over by the police-they had not been speeding or anything, and were asked to pay $135-for speeding!!! Luckily,they had almost zero cash  on them, and were let go. The wife said she had never seen so many armed police on the roads around Cancun.

Well, i've rambled on and on. I cant wait for the next time. You have to experience the feeling of being there for yourself-its one of the most unique places in the world.  Love,