2011 Cuban Arts and Culture Tour | Cuba Education Tours


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2011 Cuban Arts and Culture Dream Tour
Sunday 26 June to Sunday 03 July

THIS TOUR IS open to all interested in witnessing Cuban arts and culture, and its vibrant society and people. While abroad in this Caribbean paradise, you'll experience Cuban visual arts, dance and music directly. You'll get a rare glimpse into Cuba's acclaimed education system, plus insights into its history, architecture and ecology.

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Earn graduate level credits for research conducted and curriculum plans developed on this Tour.

Tour spots filled. All tours proceed with a minimum of ten travelers.

Theme :: Ultimate Cuban Culture Dream Tour

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	Eight days and seven nights of learning, fun and friendship in Cuba. Want to stay longer? We assist!

	Seven nights in the historic four star boutique Hotel Telégrafo in the heart of Habana Vieja [Old Havana].

	An up close highly personal examination of Cuba's renowned arts and culture scene.

	Be part of the authentic daily life of Cubans in La Habana province.

	Tour museums, meet artists and performers, revel in the best nightlife in the Caribbean.

	Experience island history, social and ecological achievements first hand.

	Glean insights into dynamic citizen engagement in all aspects of urban and rural development and national policy.

	Establish enduring personal and professional relationships with your Cuban counterparts and North American tourmates.

EDUCATIONAL, SAFE, fun, economical travel. Your tour is fully escorted from the minute you touch down in Havana until you return home. You're in the conscientious care of our fulltime multilingual Cuban guide together with a professional bus chauffeur.

Jose Marti International airport in Havana

José Martí International airport in Havana – a festive welcome.

TRAVEL FOR CHANGE. Cuba Education and Explorer Tours is an American and Canada based organization dedicated to green, ethical travel that benefits Cubans and our guests. Read what other educators say about this tour.

Cuba Education and Explorers Tours bus.

YOU ROVE CUBA in a new air-conditioned tour coach with a fulltime professional chauffeur from arrival to departure. Havana is one of the oldest and most architecturally stunning cities in the New World. During your many excursions in the capital, and beyond, your guide provides ongoing historical commentary for all points of interest. We want you to learn everything about our beautiful island.

Among site highlights are Modern Havana, the Capitol building, the Grand Theatre, Central Park, Prado promenade, Plaza de la Revolución, Coppelia Ice Cream Park, Plaza José Martí (in front of U.S. Interests Section), Malecón seawall, Monument to the Battleship Maine, Hotel Nacional, University of Havana, Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón, and the Miramar, Central Havana and Vedado neighborhoods.

Tour highlights :: An elaborate day-by-day itinerary follows.

	Enjoy a performance of the Nacional Ballet of Cuba.

	Dine with famed ceramist José Fúster at his Havana studio.

	Visits to three important art galleries: La Casona Centro de Arte Galería, Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Wifredo Lam, and La Galería Habana.

	Visit the Museum of Modern Arts exhibiting 300 years of Cuban masterworks.

	Institute for Superior Arts (ISA) from which the island's best music, dance, design, and visual arts talents emerge.

	Guided coach tours spanning old to new Havana, and environs.

	Walking tour of Old Havana and a coach tour of Modern Havana.

	Explorer the exhibits of the House of Africa and tour the Afrocuban community of Regla in eastern Havana.

	Salsa, Cha Cha Chá, and Rumba dance lessons by Cuban pros.

	Visit Finca La Vigía, the house and museum of Ernest Hemingway.

	Tour and dine at an urban organic farm that produces tons of herbs, vegetables and fruit for its local community.

	Dine at the Hotel Nacional's outdoor restaurant La Barraca followed by the famed musical review at the Cabaret Parisién.

	Tour the Museum of the Decorative Arts displaying riches of colonial art, architecture and furnishings.

	Guided tours of the National Museum of Music and the Museum of Dance in Havana.

	Visit the schools attached to the Nacional Ballet of Cuba and meet the next generation of Cuba dancers.

	Enjoy the very best evening entertainment venues and delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners at fine eateries in the capital.

MEALS INCLUDED IN TOUR PACKAGE	DAY 1	DAY 2	DAY 3	DAY 4	DAY 5	DAY 6	DAY 7	DAY 8
SEVEN BREAKFASTS	IN AIR
FIVE LUNCHES	IN AIR							IN AIR
FOUR DINNERS								IN AIR
Apple indicates meals included in tour cost at hotels and fine eateries.

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OFFICIAL Cuban medical insurance is included in tour cost.

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Students can major in dance and ballet at Havana's Institute of Superior Arts (ISA).

Rooftops in Old Havana.

Cuban girls perform folk dance.

Day 1

Sunday

Hello Cuba

The city of Havana as seen from the fortress El Morro, across the harbor

The city of Havana as seen from El Morro lighthouse and the Fortress of San Carlos de la Cabaña, across the harbor from your hotel.

Welcome mojito.

	Arrival at Havana's José Martí International Airport. Collect your bags and go through customs. You're welcomed at the airport lobby by your Cuba Education Tours guide and professional bus chauffeur.

	Your guide will direct you to a bank or exchange bureau (CADECA) to purchase Cuban Convertible Pesos.

	Private transfer to your Hotel Telégrafo located in the heart of Habana Vieja [Old Havana].

	Private check-in with assistance from your guide. Followed by a welcome cocktail with hotel directors and staff.

	Free time to settle in and rest up.

	This evening you'll enjoy a group welcome dinner with your guide and tourmates.

One-in-ten cars in Cuba are pre-1959. Click photo to enlarge.

TIME AND CLIME IN HAVANA

LONG RANGE FORECAST HERE

Most common tour questions 1 Is Cuban food good? It's healthy and simple but not spicy. 2 Am I free to ask any question? You'll insult your island hosts by being less than candid. 3 Is the water safe? Yes, but we suggest bottled water for peace of mind. 4 Are vaccinations needed? No. 5 Can Americans join legally? They are especially welcome to do so! We help with licenses. 6 Can I stay in Cuba after the tour? Absolutely and we are glad to assist. 7 Do Cubans like tips? Yes, please see our gratuities guidelines.

Marching grounds of the sprawling Fortress of San Carlos de la Cabaña, the best-preserved Spanish colonial garrison in the world.

La Divina Pastora Restaurante.

Restaurante La Divina Pastora, located in the Parque Histórico Morro y Cabaña overlooks Havana harbor with an incredible view of the city.

Soldiers fire the 9PM Cannon.

Cuban students watch the firing of the 9PM cannon.

Students watch the blast of the 9PM Cannon.

Day 2

Monday

Arts education and arts in the community

Havana's Institute of Superior Arts (ISA). Its facilities are considered amongst the most unusual and best examples of architecture globally.

Morning meeting with Sonia Ortega, Director of International Relations for the Institute of Superior Arts (ISA). We'll tour this architecturally stunning campus and talk with its students – the next generation of Cuban artists, musicians and dancers.

Afterwards we'll feast on a delicious lunch hosted by José Fúster, one of Cuba's most important ceramists and painters, at his whimsical studio in Jaimanitas just outside of Havana.


Entrance to La Casona Gallery.

La Casona Centro de Arte Galería in Old Havana was beautifully restored in 1979. Under the direction of art entrepreneur Luis Miret Pérez, La Casona is devoted mainly to solo exhibitions, but also has catalogues of leading contemporary Cuban artists. Artwork is sold here for anywhere from CUC 100 to CUC 5,000. Its facilities also house the Tienda de Ediciones Artísticas (a small serigraphy shop) and the Galería Diago, specializing in Afrocuban folk art. Located in the splendid former mansion of Count and Countess of Jaruco in the Plaza Vieja, this gallery focuses on the works of the younger generation of island artists.

Return to your hotel to freshen up.

Now for a special group dinner at Restaurante La Divina Pastora. This seafood palace sets just behind the big cannons below Fortress of San Carlos de la Cabaña where Che Guevara established his headquarters after the Revolution came to power in 1959 – four hundred years after it was built on the backs of African slaves and endentured European laborers. La Divina is noted for its cocktails, good service and live music. You'll eat near the water on the north side of Havana Harbor overlooking Old Havana to the south.

Highlight We witness a most dramatic ceremony – El Cañonazo – the Firing of the 9PM Cannon at the Fortress of San Carlos de la Cabaña. This enchanting colonial reenactment dates back to 1519 when the city of Havana was enclosed by a tall thick rock wall to ward off attacks from pirates and the English. The cannon firing signaled the closing of the city gates for the night. If you were outside at the time, you were in "vedado" or the forbidden zone. Today Vedado is an important cultural hub and beautiful section of modern Havana.

La Casona Centro de Arte Galería.

Giant mosaic of crab by José Fúster. Click photo to enlarge. Photo Richard Harris.

Lunch item at the home of Cuban artist José Fúster.

José Fúster's lunch dishes are as colorful as his sculptures.

Fantasy garden and studio of acclaimed artist José Fúster. Click photo to enlarge. Photo Richard Harris.

Left Electrifying Central Havana and Vedado as seen from San Carlos de la Cabaña fortress.

Restored houses on Havana's Paseo del Prado between Parque Central and the Malecón. Click photo to enlarge.

Entrance to Palacio de Bellas Artes in Havana.

Entrance to the Palacio de Bellas Artes.

Sculpture in front of the Museum of Fine Arts in Havana.

Modernist sculpture by noted Cuban artist Rita Longa stands outside the entrance to Palacio de Bellas Artes.

Afrocuban inspired folkdance.

Why is this photo of John Lennon here? Click it to find out.

Sunset on the Malecón seawall.

Sunset on the Malecón seawall near your hotel – a place for relaxation and new friendships. Havana is an endless palette of drama, emotion and color.

Day 3

Tuesday

Education, arts and dance in the capital

Morning visit to the Escuela Nacional Cubana de Ballet [Cuban National Ballet School]. Directed by Ramona de Sáa, its 4,300 students make it the biggest ballet school in the world and the most prestigious in Cuba. Over 52,000 students apply annually. The school was founded in 1931, where the prima ballerina assoluta, Alicia Alonso and former husband Fernando Alonso received their first ballet classes. Tuition is fully covered by the Cuban people, but students must conform to a rigorous program of physical training and aim towards perfection. Many of the school's graduates are today eminent professionals recognized and performing internationally. We'll tour the facility and learn about its methodology.

Group welcome lunch at Restaurante El Templete. This bayside fish joint is the latest newcomer to the city’s list of upscale eateries. Basque chef Arkaitx Etxarte does delightful things with seafood. It sits near its namesake temple that marks the spot where the city of La Habana was founded in 1519. Overlooking the harbor, it features two dining spaces: an outdoor alfresco area accommodated under a large awning, and a pleasant indoor dining room with starched tablecloths, expensive-looking wine glasses and cutlery. The quality of the food lives up to its pretentious decor. Seafood specialties are spearheaded by shrimps and lobster. Many tour participants return to this eatery during their free time.


	Island artist Víctor Manuel's Gitana Tropical, known as the Cuban Mona Lisa, was painted in Paris in 1929.

Followed by a private guided tour of the Palacio de Bellas Artes [Palace of Fine Arts] dedicated exclusively to housing Cuban art spanning three centuries. Sections are devoted to landscape, religious subjects and narrative scenes of Cuban life. A gallery devoted to the 1970s displays the latest generation of Cuban artists whose works reflect the strong symbolic imagery prevalent in recent decades. Together the exhibits account for the richness of the island's Spanish, French, Chinese, African and Aboriginal cultural roots. Notable works include those of René Portocarrero and Wilfredo Lam.

Return to your hotel. Explore local eateries for dinner. Your guide will make suggestions for every taste and budget.

Evening highlight Tonight we have a Cuban band playing for us. You'll learn how to perform and dance to Salsa, Son, Rumba, Mambo and other popular Cuban rhythms from the band members of Grupo Dulce María.

Escuela Nacional Cubana de Ballet.

Ballet student loosen up.

Student practicing at the Cuban National Ballet School. La Escuela Nacional Cubana de Ballet

Musician and dancers in Havana.

Cuban school kids by Henk van der Leeden.

Cuban students in Havana say, "Welcome. Come down and meet us!" Photo Henk van der Leeden.

Life-sized metal sculptures of elephants in Havana's Plaza Vieja by island artist Fonseca. Cuba's capital is an effervescent creative art space – a visceral feast for art lovers worldwide.


An Afrocuban dance performance. Photos Barbara Fudge.

Decorative mail drop box in Old Havana.

Inside view of the dome of El Capitolio.

Plaza Vieja in Old Havana.

Exterior and interior of the Cathedral of Havana initiated by Jesuits in 1748 and completed in 1777. Click photos for larger view.

Streets are alive with music.

Example of restoration in Old Havana.

Street pantomime in Old Havana.

Havana's former capitol building is today home to the Academy of Science, and an internet cafe.

Interior of former capitol building.

Cubans come in all colors and are proud of it!

Museo Nacional de la Música.

Casa de Moda Cuban La Maison plaque.

Evening fashion show and dinner at Casa de Moda Cuban La Maison.

Model at Casa de Moda Cuban La Maison.

Day 4

Wednesday

Exploring Old Havana and Museum of Music

Ornate filigree and statuary adorn Havana's Gran Teatro where the Ballet Nacional de Cuba performs. Click photo for view of interior.

	Morning walking tour of Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We'll visit four of the five historic plazas that make Havana unique in the western hemisphere. It contains the largest collection of remaining colonial-era architecture. This is a private tour led by your Cuba Education Tours guide.



	Cathedral Square, the most beautiful and private 18th century colonial plaza on the island. Named after the masterpiece of Cuban baroque architecture: the Catedral de San Cristóbal de la Habana built by the Jesuit order. Special visit Located in Old Havana's Cathedral Square, Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Wifredo Lam is housed in the former 18th century mansion of Count and Countess de Peñalver. The gallery's permanent collection includes a significant number of Lam's paintings, drawings, engravings, and sculptures. The institution dedicated to the study, research and promotion of contemporary visual arts from developing countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Caribbean. It was founded in 1983 in homage to Wifredo Lam, the great Cuban artist (1902–1982). The building has offices, spacious exhibition rooms, a library, a video library and areas for other cultural activities. An extensive and valuable collection of contemporary Cuban visual artworks allows the Center to exhibit regularly around Cuba and abroad. The Center is the sponsor of the famed Bienal de La Habana.

	Square of Arms, an ancient military parade ground for Spanish soldiers, surrounded by impressive buildings such as: Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, former seat of colonial government. Today the building houses the Museum of the City. Palacio del Segundo Cabo [Palace of the Second Lieutenant], dates from 1770. Today it houses the Instituto Cubano del Libro [Cuban Book Institute] and the Galería Raúl Martínez (famed poster artist). Museo de Artesanía at Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the oldest remaining fortress built by the Spaniards in the West Indies.

	We continue onto San Francisco Square, one of the oldest plazas in the historical quarter. The square is named after magnificent Iglesia y Monasterio de San Francisco de Asís dating from the 16th century. The basilica is a striking example of Cuba baroque architecture.

	And later to Plaza Vieja, the only civic square of colonial times. Absent are churches and government buildings, and is in contrast surrounded by opulent aristocratic 17th century residences. We'll visit an important center for the visual arts.

	Set within a beautiful colonial mansion, El Santo Ángel Restaurant enjoys the magical atmosphere of Plaza Vieja. Its stately inner courtyard is lined with plants to which many birds flock. Its menu features nueva Cubana cuisine and superb international dishes. There is always fab live music to accompany your meal.

	Next we visit the National Museum of Music [Museo Nacional de la Música] established in 1971. Its collection is as eclectic as the small palace that houses it. Built in 1905 for merchant Francisco Pons, the house became the residence of the Pérez de la Riva family until 1936 (afterwards it was home to the Secretary of State). Many famous opera stars and poets spent time in residence including Federico Garcia Lorca, Vicente Blasco Ibañez, Eduardo Zamacois, Maria Guerrero and René Dumesnil. The museum's focus is the development of Cuban music and the musical instruments over the centuries. Its exhibits include the world's largest collection of African drums, folk instruments, original scores, old editions of musical documents, disks, strange or curious music-related objects, musical mechanical equipment, works of art and books. The museum store sells Cuban music, instruments and souvenirs.

	Return to your hotel. Explore local eateries for dinner. Your guide will make suggestions for every taste and budget.

	Evening entertainment suggestion Get down at Casa de la Música in Centro Habana featuring some of Cuba’s top salsa bands such as Los Van Van, La Charanga Habanera, Puppy y los que Son Son, and more (entrance fee is between 10 and 25 CUC depending upon the group performing and is not included in tour cost).

	Evening entertainment suggestion Fashion show at Casa de La Maison! This beautiful facility offers a whole range of services – several clothing stores, a jewelry shop, and piano bar – in an atmosphere of distinction and elegance. It was built in 1946 by architect Manuel Gamba Alvares de la Campa, as the residence for a wealthy family. We'll dine at its open-air restaurant and watch the 9:30pm fashion show complete with live music and modest cabaret (entrance fee is 10 CUC and dinner 10 CUC and is not included in tour cost).

Wifredo Óscar de la Concepción Lam y Castilla (December 8, 1902 to September 11, 1982) was a Cuban artist who sought to portray and revive the enduring Afrocuban spirit and culture. Inspired by some of the most renowned artists of the 20th century – he spent 18 years in Europe and was a pal of Pablo Picasso – Lam melded his influences and created a unique style, which was ultimately characterized by the prominence of hybrid figures. Though he was predominantly a painter, he also worked with sculpture, ceramics and printmaking in his later life.

Courtyard of Centro Wifredo Lam.

Wifredo Lam. The Jungle, 1943. Gouache on paper mounted on canvas. 94 1/4 x 90 1/2" (239.4 x 229.9 cm). Museum of Modern Art.

Wifredo Lam. Zambezia, Zambezia, 1950. Oil on canvas. 49 3/8 x 43 5/" (125.4 x 110.8 cm). Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

Musicians perform at your restaurant.

Musicians at Restaurante Santo Ángel.

El Santo Ángel Restaurant.

Performers at Casa de la Música.

Orchid. Exotic and unique plants and animals thrive in Cuba.

Eggshells are affixed to tips of medicinal aloe vera plant to thwart bird attack.

Cuban organic gardening triumphs


	There are over 7,000 organopónicos across the island. This number increases daily.

	More than 200 gardens in Havana supply its citizens with more than 90% of their fruit and vegetables.

	Since 1994, yields have increased from 4 to 24 kg per sq meter (8.8 to 53 lbs per 1.2 sq yard).

	Over 900 million kilograms (one million tons) of food per year is produced on organopónicos: about 82 kg (180 lbs) per person.

	Today, 35,000 hectares (85,500 acres) of land is being used for urban agriculture in Havana.

	The urban agricultural workforce in Havana has grown from 9,000 in 1999 to more than 44,000 in 2006.

	Chemical pesticides and fertilizers are banned in the city of Havana.

	Urban gardens build communities resulting in jobs, better health, greater food supplies, urban beautification, reduction in fuel, energy and chemical use, improved safety, and ecological diversity locally.

Merchant at a farmers market offers organic pineapple and papaya.

Day 5

Thursday

Hemingway house, organic agriculture, dance

War reporter, activist, man of letters, journalist and titan author Ernest Hemingway.

War reporter, activist, man of letters, journalist and literary titan Ernest Hemingway.

Now we're off to visit Finca Vigía [Lookout Farm] where North America's literary giant Ernest Hemingway spent twenty-one of his most important and productive years penning building blocks of English literature. Claimed by both the United States and Cuba as their son, it was Hemingway himself who declared the island his true home. The house has been preserved just as it was when Hemingway lived there. You'll see his personal objects, thousands of books and photographs, as well as some "trophies" bagged on his frequent safaris.

In preparation for this afternoon's activity, watch this riveting British Broadcasting Corporation feature from Around the World in 80 Gardens on urban organic farms in Havana including a walk-through of Vivero Organopónico Alamar by fab host Monty Don.

We'll visit the UBPC Vivero Organopónico Alamar, 15 km (9.3 miles) east of Havana. It's one of the most successful urban organic farms in Cuba raising ornamental plants, medicinal herbs, and millions of seedlings for neighboring residential and collective farms. Established in the early 1990s, the Alamar cooperative has over 20 members and provides a range of healthy, organic vegetables to the community. Produce is raised employing the practice of permaculture: no chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Instead, natural biological methods are used to nourish the soil, frustrate pests and conserve water. The result is an increased rate of yield and reduced costs.

Highlight Special lunch prepared by members of Vivero Organopónico Alamar – a chance to dine with your new Cuban friends.

Visit to the House of Africa. This museum and gallery focuses on the cultures of sub-Saharan African cultures. It exhibits a wide variety of Afrocuban religious artifacts. Its centerpiece is the collection of late great Cuban ethnographer Fernando Ortíz. It also displays gifts given to Fidel Castro by African presidents over the last fifty years. The Casa de Africa is devoted to research and the promotion of African culture and how it has shaped and defined Cuban culture.

Dinner tonight is not included. You are free to explore different eateries. Your guide will advise on restaurants for every taste and budget.

Evening entertainment suggestion Casa de la Amistad is one of the best settings to listen to great traditional music in a welcoming friendly atmosphere. You'll enjoy the classical son group, La Peña del Chan Chan perform up-tempo salsa and bolero. Dance with Cubans and foreign visitors on the veranda or in the beautiful gardens of Casa de la Amistad's spectacular mansion facilities (entrance fee is 3 CUC and is not included in tour cost).

Havana youth sells fresh organic garlic on Havana street.

Havana youth sells organic onions from urban gardens on Havana street.

Delicious Cuban lunch at Vivero Organopónico Alamar.

Fresh from the farm. We have lunch at the Vivero Organopónico Alamar.

Cuban youth.

Youth are key to making it happen. New urban farms in the Metropolitan Park of Havana are producing an abundant harvest of a wide variety of crops, including tomatoes, green beans, lettuce, spinach, cassava, guava, papaya, bananas, carnations, zinnias, snapdragons and marigolds.

Welcome sign at Vivero Organopónico Alamar.

Welcome sign at Vivero Organopónico Alamar.

Vivero Organopónico Alamar welcome sign reads: We sell high quality seedlings, grafted fruits, fresh vegetables, and ornamental and medicinal plants as well as other agricultural products. (UBPC is Unidad Básica de Producción Cooperativa / Basic Unit of Cooperative Production).

Entrance to the Casa de la Amistad.

Many staples are grown organically in Havana: Bananas, coffee, cucumbers, pineapple, sweet potatoes, eggplant, and avocados.

FIRST HERO OF THE CUBAN PEOPLE
Taíno Indian Chief Hatuey from the island of Hispanolia traveled to and warned his Cuban counterparts about the horrific dangers of the impending Spanish invasion in the year 1511. Read about his legendary struggle – that of the premier independence and resistance fighter in our Americas who staked his life for freedom from foreign occupation and thralldom.

Cuban Trogon (Tocororo), Priotelus temnurus, is Cuba's national bird.

Cuban Trogon (Tocororo), Priotelus temnurus, is Cuba's national bird.

Cuban Trogon [Tocororo locally], Priotelus temnurus, is Cuba's national bird – its colors match the red, blue and white of the national flag. It is endemic to the island.

La jutía, the largest endemic island mammal, is a rodent the size of a cocker spaniel. These gentle tree-dwelling vegetarians are the preferred breakfast of the fierce Cuban crocodile.

Island billboard reads: 200 million kids in the world sleep in the streets, none of them are Cuban.

Day 6

Friday

Museums, writers and artists, fashion show

Be a special guest at the Hotel Nacional's colorful dramatic Cabaret Parisién show, a favorite of island visitors for decades. Click photo for large view.

Morning guided tour of Havana's Museo Nacional de la Danza [National Museum of Dance]. Its new facilities were inaugurated as the Jean-Georges Noverre Conference Hall, in tribute to this prominent eighteenth century French theoretician, dancer, choreographer and professor. Opened in 2005 by prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso, the museum also offers spaces for theoretical discussion on dance. Exhibits include costumes and props, manuscripts, photographs and original prints, documents, paintings, sculptures and instruments. Periods and regions divide displays: the Romantic Era, the Ballets Russes, dance-modern, Spanish dance and visual arts related to dance.

La Galería Habana in the Vedado district is one of the city's oldest and respected art establishments displaying installations, paintings and sculpture. Founded in 1962, it specializes in contemporary Cuban art. Recently it has shifted its focus to promote the latest trends in visual arts. Its halls have exhibited the works of Wifredo Lam, René Portocarrero, Mariano Rodriguez and Amelia Pelaez. La Galería Habana currently represents a selection of internationally acclaimed Cuban artists from Manuel Mendive and Roberto Fabelo, to Carlos Garaicoa, Los Carpinteros and Roberto Diago.


Fabio di Celmo.

Tasty Italian lunch at Restaurante Fabio de La Havana. This beautiful two-story mansion in Vedado has been transformed into a popular pizzeria and place to enjoy authentic Roman dishes. It's a delicious break from heavenly but ubiquitous Cuban fare. History: The eatery is named after Fabio di Celmo, a young Italian island visitor killed by a bomb set off in the Hotel Copacabana in 1997 by hostile Cuban expatriates in Miami. The restaurant is run by the father of Fabio di Celmo, a lifelong friend of the Cuban people (not included in tour cost).

Visit to the Museum of Decorative Arts [Museo de Artes Decorativas] located in a spectacular manor in Vedado. The house is the former residence of the Maria Luisa Gómez Mena viuda de Cagiga, Countess of Revilla de Camargo, sister of Jose Gómez Mena, the owner of the Manzana de Gómez (the first shopping mall in Cuba from 1910). The mansion was designed in Paris by architects P. Virad and M. Destuque, inspired in French Renaissance and was built between 1924 and 1927 in a neo-classical style. Its spacious rooms exhibit valuable works of European and Oriental art from the 19th and 20th centuries. Among its collections are very carefully preserved furniture, ceramics, porcelains, paintings, and sculptures as well as works of applied arts.

Return to your hotel to freshen up.

Special dinner and dance show We'll dine at the outdoor barbecue Restaurante La Barraca on the paradise-like grounds of the Hotel Nacional de Cuba atop a bluff overlooking Havana city and the Caribbean. Afterwards we'll attend a musical review at the Cabaret Parisién and relish this colorful dance extravaganza (included in tour cost).

An exhibit hall at La Galería Habana.

Boy in Central Havana with his new puppy.

Cuban cane cutters dance from the 1930s.

1930s photo of a Cuban sugar cane cutters dance. Island music and movement has its origins in labor combined with the admixture of African and Spanish cultures known as syncretism. Below Youth rehearse modern machete dance.

Baby sea turtle. Cuba protects its coastlines from exploitation of marine life.

CUBA IS recognized as the global leader in environmental sustainability. It has 300 ecologically protected areas encompassing 30 percent of its territory. Six of these areas are UNESCO World Biosphere Reserves. Over half the island's diverse flora and fauna is indigenous – existing nowhere else – and is guarded from exploitation. In 2006, the World Wildlife Federation named Cuba the only nation to achieve a sustainable planet friendly economy.

Farewell dinner at El Patio Restaurant.

The Ballet Nacional de Cuba is acclaimed around the world. Click here to view a pictorial history.

Scenes from performances of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba.

Interior of the Gran Teatro, headquarters for the Ballet Nacional.

Day 7

Saturday

Afrocuban dance and culture, and the ballet

Scene from a performance of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba.

Morning visit to the Municipality of Regla. We'll cross Havana harbor to the Municipality of Regla. This Afrocuban community has a long, rich and still active tradition of African-inspired religions. We'll visit Regla's church dedicated to the black "Virgen de Regla" Yemayá, the African goddess of the sea in the Yoruba religion and the patron saint of sailors. We'll tour the Museo Municipal de Regla and learn of the origins of this unique community and its Afrocuban cultures.

Visit the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba. Founded in 1962 to examine and recover traditional Cuban dance, the company has a current repertoire of over 70 productions. Many focus on Afrocuban dance and music, especially those that represent the Yoruba, Congo and Abakuá deities. They also specialize in rumba and comparsas, Cuban country music, and popular dance. The company is run by graduates of the Institute of Superior Arts and directed by Manolo Micler. The ensemble has travelled widely to the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia on more than 90 tours and 2,000 performances abroad. It has won a significant number of national and international awards. Every Saturday, loyal fans and the public get together at the courtyard attached to the Teatro Mella, the company's home, to rumba away the afternoon.


Restaurante La Torre.

Fabulous lunch Now we dine atop the tallest building in Cuba, and one of Havana's best and most expensive eateries. Restaurante La Torre specializes in international cuisine (one drink included).

Return to your hotel to freshen up.

Farewell group dinner at the popular El Patio Restaurant. Located in the Cathedral Square, in the heart of Havana's colonial district, El Patio is housed in a beautiful 18th century residence, the former Palace of "Marqués de Aguas Claras." Construction began in 1751 and ended in 1755, with distinguishing elements that makes the house one of the most interesting among Cuban architecture of that era. El Patio's menu will please the most diverse tastes. It offers stellar service and tasty international cuisine.

Evening highlight Ballet Nacional de Cuba performance of El camarón encantado (the enchanted shrimp). This one act, eight-scene event is presented by graduating students of the Taller Vocacional de la Cátedra de Danza [Dancing Vocational Workshop]. Choreography by Eduardo Blanco; Music by Giaccomo Rossini, Benjamin Britten, Serguey Prokofiev, Joseph Luigini, Jules Massenet and Léo Delibes. Design by Eduardo Romero and Luis Carlos Benvenuto. Script adapted from a tale written by French author Laboulaye and once published in José Martí's La Edad de Oro [The Golden Age].

Hotel Nacional as seen from La Torre Restaurant

Tour highlight View of Vedado and Central Havana as seen from Restaurante a Torre Restaurant. This fine eatery occupies the rooftop of the 39-storey FOCSA Building – the tallest in Cuba. When completed in 1956 FOCSA was the second highest steel and concrete building in the world.

Carefree pre-Revolution days. 1958 Coca-Cola advertisement features Americans lounging on Cuba's famed beaches. Ad copy reads: "Colorful Cuba, too, enjoys… 'The favorite of the world.'" Click photo to enlarge.

Old car in front of the Museum of the Revolution

Hip Hop is popular with Cuban youth.

Regla's church honors a black goddess who protects fishers and sailors.

Ferryboat traversing Havana harbor to the municipality of Regla.

Details from two stone monuments in Havana honoring US civil rights heroes Malcolm X and Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.

Some among hundreds of orchids and flowers found in the provinces of La Habana, Mayabeque, Artemisa and Pinar del Río.

KEEP IN TOUCH with your new Cuban friends – exchange email addresses! Bring some business cards to pass out on the island. Take pictures and keep a journal. Upon your return, we'll post them on this website for all to see and enjoy.

Day 8

Sunday

Goodbye Cuba

We'll miss you and hope you return soon!


Old Cuban saying, "a true friend remembers the song in your heart when you have forgotten the lyrics."

	Morning transfer to Havana's José Martí International Airport for your return home. Don't forget to save 25.00 CUC for your Cuban airport departure fee and some money for meals on the airplane.

	Want to stay longer in Cuba following your tour? Contact us and we will help make it happen at a price you can afford.


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