Very nice photos, Mick. I see you also got some shots of the Riviera, the hotel Lansky built (and lost nine months after opening it in March 1958). I envy you going to Cuba--I can't.

Ironically, we were in Miami Beach until today. One of the highlights of our visit was a concert held at a synagogue formed by Cubans who left in 1960. The concert featured a plethora of Cuban musicians, who are among the finest in the world.

The US government badly screwed up its initial relationship with Castro. But Castro screwed up, too. Plenty of Third World dictators with far fewer brains than he has were able to play off Uncle Sam against the Soviets and Chinese to their people's benefit. Castro took an inimical position, to his disadvantage. Cubans are among the most accomplished people on this planet. Too bad Castro regarded his substantial middle class as a threat, called them "guzanos" (worms) and invited them to leave. They've been building the US, not Cuba, ever since.