Goodbye Fidel Castro

Now that winter really kick in with the ugly snow, slush and rain, the idea of going back to Cuba with my mom suddenly felt like a good idea. I was lucky enough to book a cheap one week getaway at $899 somewhere in Cuba with Air Transat sometimes later on this winter. Its with Air Transat that I also book my Cuba trip last year at Mercure Playa de Oro and it went well. 

Things won't change overnight in Cuba even if Fidel Castro died, but it open the door to change. Once again, the little Justin Trudeau with just no brain - so typical of Quebecker - had made a fool of himself, this time by giving too much good words to the late Castro and celebrating him. Cubans don't have freedom of speech, they cannot travel. Many Cubans that left their country cannot go back - and that is probably all of them. Its very sad to see how Cubans are living. Many of them are very poor. They depend very much on tourists.

Donald Trump has the right attitude toward Cuba. The world shouldn't open to Cuba when Cuba doesn't open itself to its own people. Its quite outrageous. They don't even have access to a proper Internet connection. 

On my first trip to Cuba in Varadero last year, I was curious about Cubans and their culture. I spend sometimes in their markets, trying to catch what they have, what was expensive, what wasn't. They don't have any "discount" stores. They have stores that are managed by the government. Sunscreen was very expensive. Cigarettes are not expensive at all. Cubans smoke everywhere. They don't have many clothes in their stores. Shoes are very expensive, even basic beach flippers. I didn't see any nail clippers - it could seem strange but I tried to find nail clipper after reading online that it was a rare item in Cuba. Last year, I brought many items, including a big bag of beauty samples that I gave to one of the barista at the coffee bar who was nice. It seem to be appreciate. 

Among other items, I gave away Tylenol, soap bars, toothpaste, toothbrush, kitchen linens, nail polish, shampoo, body cream, big white candles, pencils. Since my trip cost $899, I can easily spend $100 on gifts. I have so many nail polish and beauty products at home, I can certainly pick a bit on my own stuff. This is what Fidel Castro did to his people, this his legacy to Cuba. Castro made them live in poverty and make them live an existence of beggars, like if the Cuban nation wouldn't deserve more than cheap gifts coming from tourists. That's something very sad that I cannot handle but I going back only for my mother who beg me to travel.

Since I already book my trip using my credit card, I decided not to make any new investment for the year 2016. I will do my best to stand by the decision and not to invest. My so wanted super investment in TFI will have to wait.

 

But no matter what, these days, the TSX is treating me like its favorite princess. I am still pretty close to the 180k net worth without new investments. At this time, its exactly what I need. I may calm down at a point and leave some money in my bank account. Its a strange thing being me. A 180k net worth, but NO saving. This had been going on forever now. Its the challenge of my life.

180k is no big deal money. But holding on to a net worth of 180k is something inaccessible to most Cubans. Not giving the opportunity to its own people to accumulate richness is a crime.