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15 Facts About Cuba

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Cuba is now experiencing a tourism boom impulsed by Obama's recent restoration of full diplomatic relations with the Caribbean country. Here are 15 facts you most likely didn’t know about Cuba. Stay tuned for part two, coming soon!

Number Fifteen: It Snowed on the Island Once

Reports show that March 12, 1857 was the only time it has ever snowed in Cuba in recorded history. The improbable phenomenon took place in Cárdenas, to the North of the island. Cuba is a tropical country, which makes the weather warm and humid year round. Although it never snowed again, the mercury dropped dramatically to 35.9 F (1.9 C) in 2010 in Matanzas, located right next to Cárdenas.

Number Fourteen: It Looks Like a Crocodile

Cuba is sometimes referred to as “el caimán verde” (“the green alligator”) or …show more content…

The Beatles weren’t welcome at all in Cuba. Flash-forward 47 years and Castro unveiled a bronze statue of John Lennon in Havana Park during a ceremony held on the 20th anniversary of his death. Castro confessed to admiring the musician, whose outlook on life she claims to share.

Number Eleven: Owning a Computer Used to Be Illegal

Up until 2008, it was illegal for Cuban civilians to purchase computers, which they could only use inside official buildings with a proper permit. Internet activity is tightly controlled still today. Emails are monitored and most webpages, especially foreign ones, are banned altogether.

Number Ten: Coca-Cola Can’t Be Sold There

Coca-Cola is one of the many products that are prohibited within Cuban territory, although executives of the popular brand have expressed their desire to return to the beautiful island. Cuba was one of the first countries to get their own Coca Cola bottling plant, which was then shut down by Castro’s regime.

Number Nine: Cuba Libres Have a Different Name

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