NATION, AS ERIKA TARANTAL DISCOVERED ERIKA: BEGIN VENETO’S --
LOCATED JUST 100 MILES FROM KEY WEST, FLORIDA, IT IS A QUICK TROPICAL TRIP MANY AMERICANS NEVER TAKE BECAUSE OF THE CONTENTIOUS POLITICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO
COUNTRIES.
INTIMIDATING, BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE, SA CUBA EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL PRESIDENT.
IT JUST TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF FILM WORK -- OF HOMEWORK.
THERE’S A LOTTA GOOD MATERIAL.
-- LOT OF GOOD MATERIAL.
>> IN TH NIGHT, MANY PEOPLE WALK AROUND.
ERIK THERE ARE FEW MORE ICONIC CUBAN EXPERIENCES THEN A DRIVE DOWN HAVANA IN A CLASSIC CAR.
>> EIGHT KILOMETERS BEGINNING HERE AND FINISHING THERE.
ERIKA: IT STRETCHES NEARLY FIVE MILES LONG WITH THE FLORIDA STRAITS SWIMMING ON ITS SIDE.
AND SOMETIMES THE WATER COMES?
YES.
THE FAST AND FURIOUS.
ERIK OUR DRIVER HAS BEEN DRIVING THIS GOVERNMENT-OWNED 1957 DODGE FOR 18 YEARS, A PERIOD I WHICH AMERICAN TOURISTS HAVE COME AND GONE.
DECEMBER 17, 2014, RAUL CASTRO AND BARACK OBAMA ANNOUNCED -- IT WAS AMAZING.
PEOPLE WERE HANGING AMERICAN FLAGS OFF THE BALCONIES.
TEAR IT WAS VERY EMOTIONAL, BECAUSE HUMANS -- CUBANS FINALLY FELT THEIR FUTURE WAS GOING TO GET BETTER.
ERIK HOWEVER, THAT RESTORATION WAS SHORT-LIVED.
AND THE RULES ON TRAVEL IS WHEN THE U.S. AND CUBA ARE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF FLUX.
C IS ONE OF MANY GROUPS THAT SPECIALIZE IN ORGANIZING AUTHORIZED TRIPS TO THE ISLAND.
>> YOU AND UPCOMING WITH A TOUR COMPANY OR TRAVEL AGENT THAT CAN SET SOME THINGS UP AND GIVE YOU SUPPORT ON THE GROUND, REALLY DOING SOME HOMEWORK ABOUT WHAT APPLICATIONS TO DOWNLOAD AND DO
SOME PLANNING, BECAUSE IT CAN BE A TOUGH PLACE TO NAVIGATE IF YOU JUST SHOW UP AND EXPECT YOU’RE GOING TO USE YOUR PHONE TO FIGURE THINGS OUT.
ERIKA: YOU’RE SMART PHONES MAY NOT WORK LIKE YOU EXPECT, BUT THE PAST DECADE HAS ASSURED IN USHERD IN SOME SIGNIFICANT ADVANCES.
WE NOW HAVE INTERNET AND SOME THINGS THAT MAKE IT EASIER.
THE FOOD HAS GOTTEN BETTER.
A LIVELY CULINARY SCENE.
IT IS DIFFERENT THAN FIVE OR 10 YEARS AGO.
ERIKA: ONE THING CUBA HAS NEVER BEEN SHORT ON HIS HOSPITALITY.
IT IS TELLING ABOUT THE CUBAN PEOPLE THAT DESPITE THE CHALLENGING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BOTH GOVERNMENTS, THEY LOVE AMERICANS.
I DO NOT THINK THAT THERE IS ANOTHER COUNTRY THEY CHERISH MORE.
ERIKA: IN019, HAVANA CELEBRATED ITS 500TH ANNIVERSARY.
THE CITY’S ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY HAS BEEN WELL PRESERVED IN MANY CASES, LIKE THE UPPER HOUSE - T HE OPERA HOUSE, AND HOTEL SARATOGA.
>> WE ARE IN OLD HAVANA.
IT IS A WALKING MUSEUM EVERYWHERE.
ERIK ANTONIO IS THE HOTEL’S GENERAL MANAGER.
>> THIS DESIGN LOOKS LIKE A SPANISH PATIO.
ERIKA: THE HOTEL WAS BUILT IN 1879.
ORIGINALLY JUST THREE STORIES TALL.
SINCE, DEVELOPERS HAVE ADDED ANOTHER TWO FLOOR RENOVATED THE INTERIOR, AND ADDED A ROOFTOP POOL WITH A VIEW.
ALL OF THESE CHANGES HAVE GOT THE ATTENTION OF SEVERAL AMERICAN CELEBRITIES.
WHO HAD STAYED IN THIS ROOM?
WHERE ARE WE?
FIRST, MADONNA WITH HER ANNIVERSARY.
THEN BEYONCE, JAY-Z, ASHTON KUTCHER, SUSAN SARANDON.
ERIKA: BEYONCE A JAY-Z CAME TO CUBA IN 201 GREETING FANS BELOW AND SNAPPING PICTURES THEMSELVES.
>> HAVANA HAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
IT IS A MATTER OF THE HISTORY THE CULTURE, THE MUSIC.
IT IS SAFE.
YOU CAN WALK AROUND HERE AT 2:00 IN THE MORNING, NOBODY IS GOING TO BOTHER YOU.
IF YOU ARE LOST THEY ARE GOING TO HELP YOU.
THAT IS THE CUBAN HUMANITY.
ERIK THE SARATOGA WELCOMES VISITORS FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE, BUT HIT ITS PEAK FROM AMERICAN OCCUPANCY FROM 2014 TO 2017.
THE TRUMPET PLAYS.
THE UNSUNG LYRICS, PLEA FOR A KISS THAT COULD BE THE LAST.
PONDERING THE QUESTION, WHAT DOES THE RELATIONSHIP HOLD BETWEEN THE U.S. AND CUB