My journey to Cuba, which took place Feb. 27 through March 6, began in mid-November with an informal conversation in Mancos with Richard Ballantine, whose family owns The Durango Herald and the Cortez Journal.

At some point in the conversation, the topic of Cuba came up. Richard had visited there two years ago with a tour group from his alma mater, Stanford University. He noted that with the country's totalitarian leader of 45 years, Fidel Castro, showing his age, radical change could take place in Cuba at any time. Now is the time to visit, he said.

I recognized the opening.

I'd go in a second, I said, but travel restrictions, imposed just months before by the Bush administration, make that difficult.

Working journalists are allowed to go.

Did the Herald and/or the Journal need a firsthand report?

Six years ago, the Herald sent its editorial page editor, Bill Roberts, and he produced a fascinating series of articles about the trip and the country.

Was it time for an update?

Turns out it was, but my boss, Journal Publisher Suzy Meyer, had first refusal. She had just been promoted to publisher and, in addition, was about to assume the role of president of the Colorado Press Association, a position that would keep her on the road to Denver and in other parts of the state during much of 2004.

She left the door open for me.

I didn't have to be asked twice.

The Inland Press Association, a nonprofit support organization with 864 member papers in all 50 states and Canada, was planning a study mission to Cuba. If I hurried, I could "get on board."

There's a bit of a Catch 22 involved for journalists heading to Cuba. Full-time journalists are authorized to travel under a general license issued by the U.S Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control. Licensed travelers can take charter flights directly from Miami to Havana.

The Cubans, however, are suspicious of foreign journalists and require them to obtain special entry visas - a process that, in our case, took three months.

Other U.S. citizens, who risk substantial fines and possible criminal prosecution traveling to Cuba as tourists in violation of U.S. restrictions, must first travel to another country, usually Canada or Mexico, before going to Cuba. The Cubans make it easy for them. A tourist visa can usually be obtained at the airport while waiting for a flight to Havana. While an American passport is required, the Cuban customs officials are careful not to stamp it and give evidence of the illegal visit.

We journalists were eager to get the Cuban passport stamp, but we had to ask.

Our trip leader, Ray Carlsen, Inland's director, handled the paperwork, though the delays with the visas kept the trip in doubt until the last minute.

Most of the 14 travelers met the night before departure at the Miami International Airport Hotel. My connections (Durango-Phoenix-Miami) took awhile, and I missed the group dinner, but met John and Meredith Sullivan, newspaper executives from Livingston, Mont., in the elevator. They led me to Ray in the lobby.

The trip was on.

Security screening in Miami was the closest thing to a full body search I've experienced. It was shoes off, belt off, arms out, legs spread, bags open and wands probing. We weren't carrying banned goods or extra cash to aid the regime, so, finally, we were good to go.

There was no hassle at the José Martí Airport upon our arrival in Havana. There was a bit of a wait for a customs officer to show up, but once that happened, our entry visas were checked and stamped (passports, too, upon request). We collected our bags, met our Cuban government guide and headed downtown to the five-star Parque Central Hotel, perfectly situated on the edge of Old Havana, in easy walking distance of museums, galleries, restaurants, nightlife, the Capitolo (the former capital building) and the waterfront street known as the Malecon.

Mixed in among all that are some of the most decrepit buildings you'll find in a capital city dating back some 489 years - faded glory.

Still, the city of more than 2 million inhabitants can overwhelm the senses, and not in a bad way. The same is true of the rest of the country of 11.2 million people.

It is the Third World but so much more. It is unique.

We saw only a tiny bit of the island and met only a few of its people. The people were warm and welcoming, especially when they learned we were Americans. Their food was tasty, their music rhythmic, sometimes touching the soul, their smiles infectious.

Forget politics. Enjoy Cuba.