Customer Reviews

Living and Investing in the 'New' Cuba: A Guide to Inexpensive Living and Making Money in the Caribbeans Most Beautiful Tropical Paradise

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This book is merely a tourist guide, and a bad one. The author makes asumptions like in the future things will change, and things are bound to get better, hardly an investment guide. I have been to Cuba over 30 times, and everyone knows that it is almost impossible to buy property, the few condos that were available to the public were highly overpriced, over $350,000. and any other kind of transaction either rent or sale of housing is illegal and banned.

The author talks about the excellent health care system, but forgets to mention that medicines and first class services are only accesible to tourists, and none of them compare to the services in the US; if you ever go to regular hospitals, you have to bring your own sheets, syringes swabs and have to look for the prescribed drugs in the black market, since public hospitals cannot afford them.

The author talks about the affordability of the country, and that's a lie, since everything is available through the black market, everything is overpriced, restaurants and bars of average quality are overpriced,take the Tocororo restaurant where your bill might go as high as $50.00 per person without wine and the restaurant is of average quality compared to those in the US or Mexico, drinks are expensive in the clubs, take the one in the hotel Comodoro where one beer costs 8.00 dollars and one mojito costs 10.00

The author talks about some cracks having appeared in the political system due to a poor economy, but it still has a stable government. There was famine for Gods sake in 1994, those are not cracks and the governments stability is due to repression of its own people, sure as a foreigner you are treated nicely and courteously, but the repression of the beautiful Cuban people is a fact hard to overlook.

When the author talks about the people he says that they prefer the urban lifestyle, about 70% live in cities. That's because there is no access to dollars in the country, and therefore no access to black market goods like milk, beef or cheese, and farmers risk being jailed by going to the city to struggle to make a living and get some dollars for their families, that's why we see the prostitution of the "Guajiras".

In another chapter the author writes about "Finding Companionship" and the fame of Cuban women's "Derires" maybe he tried to say derrière. Pathetic. He also states that these women tend to be more devoted to the North American males than to Cuban males since they find them (Cubans) too macho, I'd like to see Mr Howard's credentials in order to make that statement that seems derogatory from all sides.

When he talks about investments his ignorance shines, making business in Cuba is one of the hardest things to do given the bureocracy, sure he gives a list of good bussines ideas, what he doesn't tell you or he doesn't know is that most of these ideas are forbidden by the Cuban government. Cuba's government wants you doing business directed to exportations or tourist services, he doesn't want you meddling with the local consumer, and if you invest in tourism they only want you to invest in big projects with them as an equal partner, they don't want you setting up a small restaurant or bar or cafe, the government wants you there only if you mean big business, and that means anything over a million dollars, otherwise visit as a tourist.

I don't mean to criticize Cuba, I mean to criticize a book that seems like a ... leaflet. Cuba even with all its shortcomings is still to me one of the greatest destinations in the world, and I wouldn't give it up for any of the other great resort projects of the world, its charm and style are unique as well as its people, but this book will only confuse and deceive and form an opinion in its readers of a country that has nothing to do with what is described inside its pages, investment wise and living wise. Really it has nothing to do with it.

Look carefully at the reviews extolling the virtues - note a similiar style between the Miami Man and the Costa Character...hmmm?

I would be inclined to believe the middle one from Mr Angry.

Methinks the author doth try a tad too hard to defend his thinly disguised rip-off.

Shame...interesting subject....someone should tell Amazon...

and someone should write a proper book

xx

Was this book even edited? I can't believe how many errors there are. "revolaution", "gettting", "myraid" (myriad?)... This is in the first 5 pages! Plus bizarre statements like "In Cuba there is plenty to do - something for everyone and everything for someone." None of this builds my faith in the author or in his knowledge of the subject. His discussion of the investment climate includes 26 pages (in a 200 page book - over 10% of the book) verbatim copy of the Cuban foreign investment law - which can be found easily and for free on the internet. I am returning the book and I advise against buying it.

If the book didn't read like a high school term paper I would have given it five stars. The information contained in the book is very insightful. I just had a hard time with the poor grammer and spelling. I'm no english professor, but this was really bad. I felt like I was reading something written by a fifteen year old. Not only did the editor not run a spell check he didn't even proof read it.

If you can get past the poor writing style this book will be well worth your money if you are thinking of moving to Cuba. It is obvious though that the author was not a business major. So don't expect too much about investing in Cuba.

"Travel Tips and News Newsletter" by Jens Jurgen July/August 1999

The first edition of "Living and Investing in the New Cuba" is an interesting new book by Christopher Howard. In it the author describes Cuba's colorful history, its flora and fauna, customs, foods, health care, transportation, learning Cuban-style Spanish, Cuba's amazing people and much more. There is not too much about the many disadvantages of living under the current oppresive regime. However, many people anticipate a change soon.

The investment portion of Howard's book (published in Costa Rica) is written for a worldwide audience. Europeans as well as Canadians can already invest in Cuba (Americans can't legally as of now but there will be lots of opportunities in the future). As with lesser known travel and investment opportunities, one should do a lot of homework in advance. Don't wait until the U.S. Teasury eases or drops its regulations prohibiting Americans from trading with Cuba. This handy guide provides a two-page list of possible start-up business in Cuba to pique your imagination. BUY and READ Christopher Howard's book now to get a head start.

This book gives the reader a lot of food for thought about what will happen once Cuba opens its doors to the world. The author is a visionary. The author uses his 30 years of experience of living in Latin America to create an excellent book. I recommend it to anyone who would like to live in Cuba. This guide is the perfect compliment to Moon Publication's "Cuba Handbook."

I just visited Cuba with the idea of doing business there someday. One of the guidebooks I took with me was "Living and Investing in the New Cuba." I found it to paint a true picture of the current investment scene and possibility of living there someday. I was shocked to read the comments by an obviously disgruntled nit-picking Amazon customer in a review from 6/18/99. It's apparent the reviewer is myopic and can't recognize a good guide. The real strength of this book lies in the many tips it gives for living in a Latin American culture, descriptions of the country and rich culture, learning Cuban-style Spanish and information for doing business south of the border. The fact that the author included the verbatim 36-page Cuban Investment Law is really a valuable asset. The writer would be doing a disservice to his readers by excluding it. True it may also be found on the Internet, but it is much more practical to have it in book form together with the other pertinent information about the subject. Despite any shortcomings this book may have, it is still a visionary work which provides an accurate glimpse of what the future will probably hold for Cuba and what opportunites are around the corner for future residents and savvy entrepreneurs.

I have travelled to Cuba about fifteen times and have lived there on one occasion for almost a year as a foreigner. The author of this guidebook has really done his homework. This is not surprising since he has lived in Latin America for the last fifteen years. Eventually the U.S. will drop the embargo and make peace with Fidel Castro or his successors. Cuba will become a prime retirement and investment haven due to its proximity to the United States. The country is rich culturally and will once again become the playground for many Americans. Business opportunities will abound since there is a consumer market of 11,000,000 people and the country has been cut off from the mainstream for so long. The capitalistic revolution and winds of change have already begun: The dollar is legal currency, investment is permitted and tourism is flourishing. This one-of-a-kind guide really provides a lot of food for thought about how to take advantage of all of the opportunities which exist now and in the future in Cuba. It even tells how to learn Cuban style Spanish before you move there, find companionship, lists start-up business ideas, activities to stay busy and happy and suggests the best places to live. There are a series of colorful vignettes by other authors who have lived in Cuba. One article in particular by Christopher Baker, the award winning travel writer of Moon Publication's best-selling "Cuba Handbook," really stands out. Don't leave home without this great guidebook if you go to Cuba to check out the investment scene and the possiblity of living there.

The author is definitely ahead of his time. This guide will come in handy as soon as things open up in Cuba. It will give anyone interested in living or investing there a head start. It's only a question of time before the embargo ends and the moment comes for people to take advantage of all of the "golden" opportunities Cuba will have to offer. This book or an updated version in the same format will be exactly what one needs to make the move and succeed. Bravo! Bravo!

I have travelled to Cuba about fifteen times and have lived there on for occasion almost a year as a foreigner. The author of this guidebook has really done his homework. This is not surprising since he has lived in Latin America for the last fifteen years. Eventually the U.S. will drop the embargo and make peace with Fidel Castro or his successors. Cuba will become a prime retirement and investment haven due to its proximity to the United States. The country is rich culturally and will once again become the playground for many Americans. Business opportunities will abound since the Cuba has the Caribbean's largest consumer market of 11,000,000 people and the country has been out of the mainstream for so long. The capitalistic revolution and the winds of change have begun: The dollar is now legal currency, limited foreign investment is permitted and tourism is flourishing. This one-of-a-kind guide really provides a lot of food for thought tells about how to take advantage of all of the opportunities which exist now and in the future. It even gives short cuts for learning Cuba style Spanish before you move there, tells where to find companionship, lists start-up business ideas, activities to stay busy and happy and suggests where to live. There are a series of colorful vignettes by other writers who have lived in Cuba or have visted there. One article in particular comes to mind. It is by Christopher Baker, the award winning travel writer of Moon Publication's best-selling "Cuba Handbook." In short, don't leave home without "Living and Investing in the New Cuba" if you plan to visit the country to check out the investment climate and the possiblity of eventually settling there.