tourism and being a tourist

I write this to be funny, but there is some truth, or at least background, to it.

I’d like to go to Cuba again, this time to go cycling in Havana and birding in the countryside (as well as some side political learning, etc.). There are groups there that can be contacted to arrange both in advance.

I suspect that one could just show up in Havana, mention these, and within the hour, something would materialize. A van would pull up, “get in for the birding trip!”

This feeling comes from our trips to Cancun where there is a travel agency almost on every block. You could walk into any of them, mention anything from a car rental to a trip around the world, and they’d whip it up. “Trip around the world? Come back in an hour. Bring your luggage.” lol. Tourism is serious business there. There are degrees available in it.

We walked into a travel agency in Cancun one time and mentioned wanting a rental car. In FIVE MINUTES, a car screeches up, the driver gets out and holds the door open.

I said, “well, that took entirely too long!”