I thought it was illegal for americans to travel to cuba ?

[Sir X]

The power couple heads down south to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary ... See gallery


The Associated Press
HAVANA (AP) - Beyonce and Jay-Z caused a big stir in Havana as they marked their fifth wedding anniversary Thursday.
R&B's power couple was mobbed by dozens of well-wishers at the renowned restaurant La Guarida on Wednesday night, and police had to step in to keep the crowds at bay.
La Guarida staffers showed The Associated Press pictures of the two dining on typical Cuban creole favorites -- fish, chicken, black beans and rice -- accompanied by their mothers.
The privately run restaurant is famous as the filming location for the hit movie "Strawberry and Chocolate," and is a mainstay on Havana's tourist circuit.
Waitress Silvia Fernandez said Beyonce toured the eatery and looked at photos of past celebrity clients: Jack Nicholson, Jodie Foster, Danny Glover, Will Smith, James Belushi and more.
Their bodyguards' presence outside set the gritty, bustling neighborhood of Center Havana abuzz, and a crowd gathered downstairs shouting Beyonce's name until she went to a balcony and waved.
Police arrived and made sure she was able to exit without incident.
"She was beautiful, without a drop of makeup, very natural," Fernandez said. "What happened with the people was incredible."
On Thursday the couple toured colonial Old Havana wearing dark glasses and surrounded by bodyguards and excited fans. Beyonce posed for pictures with local schoolchildren while Jay-Z puffed on a Cuban cigar, and then they popped into another restaurant that boasts a rooftop terrace with a sweeping view of the harbor.
Beyonce and Jay-Z declined to speak to reporters, and it was not clear why they traveled to Cuba. State-run website CubaSi called it a tourist trip.
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[Mosiah]

What's America going to do?

[MdmeX]

Well them have political clout with the White House! Yuh nuh see how much $$$ plate dinner Jay Z did throw fi Obama; yuh think he did it for nothing

[OJ]

you just need permision or fly from canada.

[Historian]

Easily Bypassed

This restriction has been easily bypassed for years. All you need to do is enter Cuba from a third country.

As OJ correctly says, you can go across the border to Canada and then fly to Cuba (a huge percentage of the tourists to Cuba is from Canada). What some others -- spring breakers, etc. -- do is fly to a destination close to the US, for example the Bahamas, and then simply fly to Cuba.

[Muadib]

You believe an American Government can tell its citizens where they can and cannot go in the World ?

Think about it now....

[Gamma]

When you are illuminati ........

[Mosiah]

When you are illuminati ........

[Islandman]

All true but it is still illegal for Americans wherever they fly from.

Does not seem to be enforced much these days but I saw a news item this morning that the Feds are looking into it. I don't expect much to come out of it though, maybe a fine at best.

[Mosiah]

Dem know who fi frighten.

[Hortical]

Republican congressmen are going after dem cause dem are Obama supporters. There are exceptions for cultural & educational exchanges for Americans.

[Mosiah]

But what are they going to do?

Cyaan do a damn ting!

[Karl]

Noticed how the couple were listed as going to celebrate their anniversary...and in the same article there is wondering on why they visited.

btw - I thought that US citizens were free to go visit Cuba years past...

[Karl]

There were Cubanna Airline flights from MoBay. ...and there was a water shuttle service also from MoBay.

http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/gui...a/cuba/havana/

[Hortical]

Also, I have been getting notifications fi a few years regarding trips approved by the Treasury Dept. Travel agencies have received licenses that authorize "People to People programs to Cuba" with flights departing from Miami. Not cheap $2,300 for 6 days.

In order to comply with Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) rules for visiting Cuba, travelers should keep a travel journal as a record of the trip. This journal will serve as proof that you have traveled to Cuba for educational purposes and should be kept for a period of five years as proof of the educational nature of your trip.