Posted on 07/06/2006 10:48:21 AM PDT by DigitalVideoDude
CAIMITO, Cuba (Reuters) - They do not come to Cuba for the beaches and tropical mystique that draw more than 2 million other visitors each year.
Instead they come to spend their vacations working in the countryside under a blazing sun, eating rice and beans and sharing a room without air-conditioning or toilet with seven others.
They are so-called revolutionary tourists who arrive each year from about 50 countries for a "total immersion" in one of the world's few remaining socialist countries.
"I call it a revolutionary vacation. I dedicate my free time to doing something concrete for the Cuban revolution," Carlo Sarpero, a 26-year-old shop keeper from Genova, Italy, explained, as he repaired a school.
Cuba will receive more than 1,200 foreign "brigadistas" this summer for its "social-political" tourism program.
The Caribbean island's government does not measure the program's impact in monetary value, like that of sun and beach tourism which brings in more than $2.5 billion a year, but in political terms.
"A big majority of those who participate become activists in Cuban solidarity groups in their countries," said Gabriel Benitez of the Cuban Institute for Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), the program sponsor.
Fine post.
And I don't have a problem with Castro fleecing idiots for free labor.
Very useful idiots.
Sounds almost like a Holiday in Cambodia.
Can I get these morons to come over and clean my yard for the revolution? Shoosh, you really have to be stupid to spend your own money to pick fruit for free. These guys had to go to college to be this stupid, you can't get that stupid naturally.
Why is this image not working for me?
2300-something years ago one Aristotle taught that both the number and the variety of idiots are infinite. AND HE WAS RIGHT!
Good post. I wondered where all the democrats went...!
Carlo Sarpero sounds like a pendejo especial.
Simple. You're not mentally deranged.
At least he does not claim to be doing anything concrete for the Cuban people! That, of course, would require deposing Fidel!
Interesting that they only want to vacation in the people's paradise - and then go home. Why not move there permanently?
I'm thinking it's more like every 1.3 seconds.
Ya done good, DVD.
The astounding and brazen lunacy shown here by these "turistas" is that they spend a goodly sum getting to Cuba to help the poor when these goobers could stay home and help the poor and needy in their own cities or towns. But, as usual with leftists, that would not satisfy their everlasting itch for self-serving false piety and sanctimony.
Do they have African slave nostalgia trips too?
Manual labor the tropical sun, oh joy.
Mrs VS
They do it in America too. They mingle around a homeless shelter or soup kitchen, like they're visiting a zoo.
Then it's back in the limo to the air-conditioned penthouse to tell their friends about their adventure amongst the poor.
This twist just adds that "associated with mass murderers" tinge of danger which really wows the wine and brie audience.
But they still aren't getting the full Cuban Revolution experience. They are missing the part where "Che" selects a few of them and has them shot for insufficient dedication to the cause.
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