Author: Jim Ogden

Jim is an information technology strategy consultant who has traveled extensively for client projects. Despite having logged many miles for business, it is the personal travel he most values. When traveling for pleasure, Jim prefers to seek out the authentic soul of the places he visits. His favorite travel memories are not of the tourist-friendly areas but rather the places off the beaten-path. As an expat and foodie, Jim brings a perspective of writing based on maximizing the experience of traveling.
ATC Privatization Shouldn’t Be A Political Decision
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ATC Privatization Shouldn’t Be A Political Decision

Last week, Trump proposed fast-tracking the NextGen air traffic control system (or ATC abbreviated) for managing commercial flights over US airspace. Some airlines have taken to goading their members to support the bill. However, you should make your own decision and it should be an apolitical one. Advocates of the privatization measure say moving air traffic…

A Snapshot of Old Havana and A Forgotten Cuba – Buena Vista Social Club and Afro-Cuban Music
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A Snapshot of Old Havana and A Forgotten Cuba – Buena Vista Social Club and Afro-Cuban Music

The Buena Vista Social Club is a remarkable ad-hoc group of performers in Cuba who light up Havana’s nightlife with their classic Afro-Cuban sound. Revisit a long forgotten grand age of Cuba nightly at the Sociedad Cultural Rosalia de Castro in Havana.

How to Make a Return from Vacation Pain-Free (Almost)
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How to Make a Return from Vacation Pain-Free (Almost)

Yesterday was our return from vacation after a week-long trip to the Bahamas and Cuba. After being gone for that long, there are always the inevitable household tasks to take care of before the next business trip and regular life kicks in again soon. Is there anything important in that giant stack of mail on the…

Common Cultural Foods: Beans or No Beans?
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Common Cultural Foods: Beans or No Beans?

Food is the great equalizer. Or so you would think. Everybody has to eat. And the list of common cultural ingredients is fairly lengthy.  Rice, wheat, beans, fish, meat, poultry, legumes, oils, dairy, fruits, vegetables – at some point in time, it all begins to cross-pollinate. And yet every person in every corner of the globe…

Are Communism and Safety Fears Keeping Americans Away From Cuba?
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Are Communism and Safety Fears Keeping Americans Away From Cuba?

A year after the US eased travel restrictions to Cuba, Americans are actually less willing to visit the island. In 2017, only 40% of Americans are interested in taking a trip to Cuba. That’s down 2% from last year. As a result, major airlines are already pulling out of the market or reducing the number of flights to the island.  And many…