We are looking forward to today’s itinerary. We will be meeting with a representative from the Ministry of Health to hear the government’s perspective. The health care system has many strengths and weaknesses. If you select certain articles from various writers, you can “prove” that it is an effective, efficient system. You can also “prove” that it has many flaws. Ultimately, your perspective and world view will determine how you feel about it.

Today Cuba is celebrating the 495th-year anniversary of the island’s capital, Havana. There are many large-scale restoration projects aimed at rejuvenating the city’s UNESCO-listed architecture.

The coastal city was founded by Spain in 1519 but the centuries have taken their toll and many buildings have been in urgent need of restoration.Over 350 buildings have been restored using money generated by the country’s tourist industry.

Havana’s historic center known as ‘the Old City’ was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 for its mix of Baroque and Neoclassical architecture.

One item on my bucket list is to be here on November 10, 2019–the 500th anniversary of Havana. It will have been a functioning capital city for half a millennium.