This little fuzzball of sweetness is the Cuban Tody, and earlier today when R and I were Skypeing, we came across his picture and fell in love. He's a teeny little bird, smaller than your first, who is completely insectivorous and he nests in the ground. How cute is that? Some brief research on the web told us that he's only found in Cuba, but he has 4 different types of Caribbean cousins, including the Jamaican Tody and the Puerto Rican Tody, neither not quite as cute as Mr. Cuban Tody. The others have the green and the red, but only the Cuban Tody has the splash of pink, making him absolutely the cutest little bird ever, don't you think?

"See? This is why we have to visit Cuba!"

I told R I don't think as an American that I can, that it's illegal for me, unfortunately.

She said that I should look into it, that maybe it won't matter if I'm visiting from a country other than the US. That didn't make much sense to me, though, as my passport is still US no matter my trip origin.

Anyway, I looked it up, and found this horrifying article about the woman who was fined over $7500 for buying $18 worth of souvenirs during a day trip to Cuba. So it's legal for me to go to Cuba, but illegal for me to spend any money there (including visa fees). Not loving our government. Not feeling like I live in the land of the free. Not feeling like I have freedom of anything these days. Will probably have FBI wiretap because of this blogpost.

Are there other places I cannot go?

I just want to see a Cuban Tody.