世界文化与旅游论文.docxVIP

课名：世界文化与旅游THE CUBA CULTUREThe Republic of Cuba is an island country in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the countrys capital.Cuba is home to over 11 million people and is the most populous island nation in the Caribbean. Its people, culture, and customs draw from diverse sources, such as the aboriginal Taíno and Ciboney peoples, the period of Spanish colonialism, the introduction of African slaves and its proximity to the United States.Havana, the capital city, can veer between inspiring and depressing. The inspiration comes from Havanas people, whose friendliness and hospitality seem boundless. But Old Havana is falling apart, and attempts at putting it back together have quite a ways to go. To walk its narrow cobblestone streets is to encounter sections that occasionally resemble earthquake zones. The government cant afford paint that resists salt air, so the color peels off the exteriors. For many buildings, maintenance is long overdue: Sagging balconies are supported by planks, and the facades of once-beautiful buildings are etched by huge cracks. Old Havana is still very interesting, however. Dilapidated as they are, the buildings really conjure up the earlier times. It has an authenticity that is missing in some other countries overly refurbished historic districts, which can seem more like living museums than neighborhoods. In the past few years, renovation has accelerated, at least in the streets that tourists see, with construction crews working on entire blocks at a time. But buildings that cant bring in tourist dollars as hotels, restaurants, shops or museums are left to crumble. In the Central area of Havana, very little work has been started yet. One of the areas under renovation thats generated the most interest is Plaza Vieja, which is lined with colonial baroque mansions that will be converted into galleries, little museums