Cuba has been a forbidden fruit to U.S. citizens since the Communist dictatorship overthrow that happened in 1959. Recently, 14 earth scientists from the U.S.-based Association for Women Geoscientists traveled there to explore its geology and, being academics, predictably gush about its culture, not realizing the people there won't be able to read what they write, since computers for non-elites are forbidden.
The expedition is chronicled in EARTH Magazine. While Cuba is an intriguing destination to Americans, its presence on the global political stage is only noted when they do things like hand off weapons to North Korea. Academics can be a little more objective about its geological history.
While there, the scientists studied rocks that captured the extra-terrestrial impact attributed to the demise of the dinosaurs — including shocked quartz and tsunami deposits. The scientists also learned about how local limestone was used to build forts intended to protect Cuba's harbors from pirate attacks.
Their guide even took them to sites that represent the breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea. The rocks observed in Cuba have been shown to be closely related to the Mediterranean.
They also visited miles of underground cave networks and risks posed by a San Andreas-like fault.