Cuba Education and Culture Tour | Saturday 18 August to Saturday 25 August 2012


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Cuba Education and Culture Tour
Saturday 18 August to Saturday 25 August 2012

FOR EDUCATORS and their companions, and all other people keen on learning about Cuba's stellar achievements in free universal life-long education, its society, culture, natural history and ecology. Join us on this most popular Cuba introduction and overview tour. Services are comprehensive and costs nearly all-inclusive. We encourage you to shop and compare. Past participants praise this program.

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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 eight travelers.

Tour theme :: Connect with Cubans from all walks of life

Concierge Cubana Means Five Star Service on Cuba Education Tours.

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Witness the island on Official Cuba Education Tours.

	Eight days and seven nights of learning, fun and friendship in Cuba. Want to stay longer? We assist!		Euphonium player. Click photo to enlarge. Bananas grow upside-down. Spaniards brought them to Cuba in 1516.

	Five nights in the historic four star boutique Hotel Telégrafo, and two nights in the mountain top Resort Hotel Los Jazmines.

	An up close highly personal examination of Cuba's renowned education system and island culture.

	Be part of the authentic daily life of Cubans in La Habana, Artemisa and Pinar de Río provinces.

	Experience island history, social and ecological achievements first hand from Cubans.

	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.

Cuba Education and Explorer Tours guide.

SAFE, FUN, people-to-people cultural travel. Your tour is fully escorted by Cuban experts from the minute you touch down in Havana until you return home. They are there for you.

You're in the conscientious care of our fulltime multilingual guide together with a professional bus chauffeur. They're eager to assist in everyway.

Cuban teachers with their students in the Artemisa province.

CUBAN TEACHERS and their students in Artemisa province. They say, "Welcome. Come down and meet us!" Photo Henk van der Leeden.

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.

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

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

	Visit Convento Belén, an ecumenical community project providing local people with healthcare, meals, vocational training and volunteer opportunities.

	Dine with famed ceramist José Fuster at his whimsical Havana studio spanning several city blocks.

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

	Private guided walking tour of the main historical sites of Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

	Tour the House of Africa display sub-Saharan arts and crafts and objects from Cuba's rich African influences.

	Museum of Literacy tour led by curator Luisa Campos.

	Live music and dance lessons with the Afrocuban Grupo Dulce María.

	Excursion to Viñales Valley in the province of Pinar del Río where we'll explore caves, nature, art and a tobacco plantation.

	Attend a rumba performance at the Callejón de Hamel that sports hundreds of Afrocuban inspired murals.

	Visit a community run school for K-8 students in the Cayo Hueso neighborhood of Central Havana.

	Las Terrazas eco-community in the Sierra del Rosario mountain range west of Havana in the new province of Artemisa.

	Visit the house and farm of literary titan Ernest Hemingway, today a museum exhibiting his untouched library, manuscripts and personal effects.

	Explore the Afrocuban community of Regla. Its rich African influenced traditions span centuries.

	Tour and dine at the largest urban organic collective farm in Havana, employing 600 people and producing millions of pounds of vegetables, fruits and herbs.

	Witness the largest collection of colonial-era architecture in the Americas and learn about restoration and preservation efforts.

	Visit a scale model of Old Havana used for social development and planning.

	Attend a regal cannon firing ceremony dating from 1519 at one of the best-preserved Spanish colonial fortification in the Americas.

	Dine at delicious restaurants serving authentic Cuba cuisine and international menus, and imbibe in pulsating Latin entertainment, music and dance.

	Group welcome dinner with your guide and tourmates to get to know one another, and farewell trip dinner to cement friendships and relish trip memories.

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
SIX LUNCHES	IN AIR							IN AIR
FOUR DINNERS								IN AIR
Apple indicates meals included in tour cost at hotels and fine eateries.

WE ENSURE Americans travel to Cuba legally. We've helped thousands. Not one has had problems. Discover how you can go to Cuba now.

OFFICIAL Cuban medical insurance is included in tour cost.

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CLUB CUBANO membership offers cash rewards and discounts.

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CUBA TRAVEL WORRIES

	Is Cuban food good? Yum. It is organic and tasty, but not spicy. If you like hot, bring Tabasco sauce.

	Am I free to ask all questions? You'll insult your island hosts by being less than candid.

	Is the water safe to drink? Yes, but we suggest bottled water.

	Are vaccinations needed? No.

	Can Americans join legally? Yes. They should do so now while the island is pristine and before it is overrun. We license for free.

	Can I stay in Cuba after the tour? Absolutely! We encourage this and assist sans commission and fees.

	Do Cubans like tips? Mucho! See our gratuities guidelines.

Rooftops in Old Havana near your hotel.

Cuban girls perform folk dance.

Day 1

Saturday

Hello Cuba!

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

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

Welcome mojito.

	Arrive 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 an airport exchange bureau (CADECA) to purchase Cuban Convertible Pesos, or you can do this at your hotel to save time.

	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.

Jose Marti International airport in Havana

José Martí International airport in Havana – a festive welcome.

TIME AND CLIME IN HAVANA

LONG RANGE FORECAST HERE

Panoramic view of Plaza Vieja [Old Square] not far from your hotel.

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.

Example of restoration in Old Havana.

Street pantomime in Old Havana.

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

Cuban soldier guards Carlos de la Cabaña fortress.

Left Contemporary Cuban soldier in 18th century British military attire guards the Carlos de la Cabaña fortress (click his photo to enlarge). Right Cabaña turret.

British map from 1763 shows plan of the original walled city of La Habana (founded in 1519). The city was occupied by British and Canadian colonial troops from 1762 to 1763. Spain ended the dispute by trading Florida for Havana. Click here for another British occupation map. You stay in this section of Havana. Try to identify it on this interactive Google Map of Cuba.

See how Cuba ranks amongst its neighbors on the United Nations Human Development Index.

Click to graphic to learn more.

Day 2

Sunday

Exploring Old Havana, our common heritage

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


	Casa del Niño y la Niña logo.

Morning visit to the Casa del Niño y la Niña [House for the Boy and Girl], a Central Havana neighborhood sponsored learning facility for young Cubans seeking to expand their academic options following the regular school day. We'll meet with headmistress María del Carmen Espinosa for a presentation on her outreach work for kids in the community of Cayo Hueso. We'll also have exchanges with teachers and students.

We'll visit the Callejón de Hamel, an alley where all the buildings display murals inspired by Afrocuban culture and religions. While there we'll take in an incredible rumba performance enjoyed by the community every Sunday.

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.

Followed by a 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.

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. Here we'll visit an important center for the visual arts.

Return to your hotel to freshen up before dinner.

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.

Casa del Niño y la Niña director Maria del Carmen Espinosa.

Casa del Niño y la Niña directora María del Carmen Espinosa center and her two teaching assistants.

Havana's Malecón seawall near your hotel – a place for relaxation and new friendships. Click photo for alternate view.

Musicians perform at your restaurant.

Community Rumba performance in Havana's Callejón de Hamel.

Traditional Afrocuban dance.

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.

Cuban students watch the 9PM Cannon blast.

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

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

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.

Youth at a Cuban baseball game, the island's national sport and pastime. Click photo to enlarge.

Day 3

Monday

Hemingway house, organic agriculture, dance

Cuba high school students in Havana.

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

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

This morning 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.

Next we'll visit Cojímar, a small costal fishing village northeast of Havana where Ernest Hemingway kept his boat during the decades he lived in Cuba. Cojímar was the inspiration for Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea.

La Terraza restaurant and bar in Cojímar.

We'll stop and have lunch at Hemingway's favorite bar and diner La Terraza. Our suggestion is a glass of ice cold "Cristal" cerveza, or lemonade, and camarones al ajillo [garlic shrimp] fried in olive oil, and seasoned with garlic and parsley – delicious! The young boy in the novel "Old Man and the Sea," Manolin, was based on the young son of the original owner of La Terraza, Manolito.

Return to your hotel and freshen up. Dinner tonight is not included. You are free to explore different eateries. Your guide will advise on restaurants 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 the Afrocuban Grupo Dulce María.

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)


An Afrocuban dance performance. Photos Barbara Fudge.

Ferryboat traversing Havana harbor to the municipality of Regla.

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

Yoruban "Virgen de Regla" Yemayá is paraded across the community on the Day of All Saints.

Cuban youth snake dance in the island's annual Festival – a Latin America tradition, also with strong Afrocuban influences.

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. Modern machete dance below based on sugar heritage.

Modern Cuban machete dance.

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

Day 4

Tuesday

Discovering Cuba's African roots

Primary students at Angela Landa school.

Primary students stand at attention as they listen to their national anthem on their first day back to school at Angela Landa elementary school in Old Havana.

Morning visit to the Casa de África. Established in 1986, this museum and cultural center is located in an old tobacco warehouse in Habana Vieja. It focuses on the continent of Africa and Cuba's African heritage, reflecting in a simple, but deep way, history, religions, art, wisdom, and emancipation battles. The Casa de África is devoted to research and the promotion of African culture and how it has shaped and defined Cuban culture. The Casa conducts workshops for youth, hosts theoretical events, special exhibits, and music and dance performances. Cuba claims both Africa and Europe as its mother continents. The museum reflects the traditions, customs and celebrations comprising the ancestral wealth of Africa for the enjoyment and knowledge of new generations.


	Fernando Ortíz, master Cuban ethnographer.

Gallery collections include initiation and fecundity masks, big wooden sculptures carved, wardrobes, musical instruments, and paintings. It also holds a vast library for use by academicians, researchers and university students interested in acquiring knowledge of the African culture. Among the most significant objects is the library of Fernando Ortíz, master Cuban ethnographer.

Visit the Maqueta de La Habana Vieja. It's a 1:500 scale model of Old Havana complete with an authentic soundtrack meant to replicate a day in the life of the city. It's incredibly detailed and provides an excellent way of geographically acquainting yourself with the city’s historical core. The model is used for social development and planning.

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'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.

Return to your hotel and freshen up. 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).

Entrance sign to the Casa de África.

House of Africa museum courtyard.

Women perform Afrocuban dance.

The House of Africa supports traditional and contemporary music and dance.

Incredible detail hallmarks the Maqueta de La Habana Vieja. It's a great way to get a sense of the city.

El Santo Ángel Restaurant.

Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo (1819-1874).

Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo (1819-1874) was a Cuban plantation owner who freed his slaves in 1868 and made a declaration of Cuban independence. Click here to learn more about this fascinating personality.

Entrance to the Casa de la Amistad.

Doña Flora, a 102-year-old resident of the Belén Convent.

Left Doña Flora, a 102-year-old resident of the Belén Convent. Right Tower and entrance to the Convent of Our Lady of Belén.

Restoration of Belén Convent began in 1991 and continues today. It serves as a public health facility for the elderly in the neighborhood and a permanent residence for 50 retirees. Eventually a section of the facility will house a small hotel.

"Yo Si Puedo" means "Yes I Can" learn to read

2006 commemorative stamp issued on 45th anniversary of the Literacy Campaign.

Left Plaque at Literacy Museum: "Yo Sí Puedo" means "Yes I Can" learn to read. Right 2006 commemorative stamp issued on 45th anniversary of the Literacy Campaign known in Cuba as "Alfabetización."

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

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

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

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

Boys on the Malecón.

Boys take a dip in the ocean at the foot of Havana's Malecón seawall.

Day 5

Wednesday

Literacy, arts and education

Youth fishing on Havana's Malecón seawall.

Fresh from the sea. Youth on Havana's Malecón seawall hope to bring home dinner.

Visit to the Convento de Nuestra Señora de Belén [Convent of Our Lady of Belén], a humanitarian health project in Old Havana. Construction on the Convent was begun in 1712. It was expanded and remodeled several times over the centuries. Finally abandoned in 1925, it fell into grave disrepair. In 1991 restoration began and continues with amazing results. Today the Office of the Historian, local Public Health authorities and the Order of the Sisters of Charity jointly manage the Belén Convent. It is home to fifty elderly people and provides physiotherapy and ophthalmological services to many more elderly in the community. Other activities include exercise classes, board games, cognitive rehabilitation, films, crafts workshops, and "love among the elderly" lectures. We'll meet with project Director Nelson Águila and tour the facility.

Note on transportation 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. Please don't be shy to ask any question about what you see while on the bus.

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


Literacy rates in Cuba are highest in the Americas.

Morning visit to the Museo de la Alfabetización [Museum of Literacy] that exhibits relics of the 1961 literacy campaign. We'll meet with museum director Susana Morejón, who will in addition to explaining the literacy campaign, talk about how Cuba's literacy model is now used in Venezuela, Bolivia and other Latin American countries.


Museum of Literacy in Liberty City near Havana.

Prior to the Revolution a quarter of adult Cubans were illiterate and another million were semiliterate. Ten thousand teachers were unemployed and 70% of the rural population had no schools. After 1959 all private schools were nationalized and education became free and universal. Former military garrisons were turned into schools. In 1961 all schools were closed for eight months and some 250,000 students and teachers volunteered to go to rural areas to teach reading and writing, laying the foundation for Cuba's stellar literacy rate today. This campaign brought tens of thousands of city youth into contact with the country people, breaking down racial barriers and instilling a spirit of national cohesion.

Return to your hotel and freshen up. 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 Shake your booty to the best Afrojazz, Cubajazz and Sonjazz at Club La Zorra y El Cuervo [The Fox and the Raven] featuring astonishing performances by island bands and soloists. It's a popular haunt for Cubans and foreign guests (entrance fee is 10 CUC and is not included in tour cost).

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

Lunch item at the home of Cuban artist José Fuster.

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

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

"TO KNOW how to read is to know how to walk. To know how to write is to know how to climb." – José Martí, hero of Cuban independence. Click here to learn more about the life of José Martí.

Cuban kids at play.

Havana kids horsing around.

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.

Day 6

Thursday

Ecology, history and rural education

Once completely deforested as a result of charcoal production for coffee processing, and mired in poverty, Las Terrazas today is a self-sustaining eco-community.

	Morning departure to Las Terrazas eco-community in the Sierra del Rosario mountain range spanning the provinces of Artemisa and Pinar del Río. We'll tour the rural village called Rancho Curujey and enjoy a welcome cocktail while learning about this self-sustaining community's successes in reforestation, historical preservation, environmental balance, and a good life.

	Next, we'll meet with local artists and craft workers in their homes and studios.

	We'll visit a local school, talk with its teachers and students.

	Later we'll walk the incredible ruins of a French Coffee Plantation built in 1801 worked by African slaves.

	We have lunch at an open air restaurant specializing in traditional country cuisine – La Casa del Campesino – ever popular with tour participants.

	You'll have free time to swim in the fresh waters of the Río San Juan and explore the surroundings of this lush tropical paradise. Don't forget your swimming suit.

	We'll meet the environmental scientists and technicians responsible for the restoration of the jungles and forests of Las Terrazas. We'll learn the principles, approaches and practices that combined serve to sustain the region.

	Continue on bus drive to Viñales Valley and check in at your Resort Hotel Los Jazmines, resting atop a mogote.

	Evening is free to rest up, enjoy your hotel, or partake in local entertainment options. Your guide will keep you posted on activities.

Lake and camping huts for locals in Las Terrazas.

We'll swim in this heavenly pool at Las Terrazas. Don't forget your suit.

Exotic and unique plants and animals thrive in Cuba. The island has more protected areas than any other country.

Young person staffs farmers market.

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

Consider climbing to the top of a mogote!

Gundlach's hawk is endemic to Cuba.

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.

Restaurante El Palenque de los Cimarrones is located in the mouth of a cave at the base of a mogote.

Restaurante El Palenque de los Cimarrones slave dance.

In the countryside many youth are engaged in organic agriculture combined with rigorous academics. Animal partners help out on the farm. Eco-friendly practices result in tasty produce and high productivity.

Day 7

Friday

Nature and agriculture in western Cuba

A view of the spectacular Viñales Valley. Your Resort Hotel Los Jazmines is to the far left in this photo. The smallest bird in the world lives in this region, click here to learn more.

	Viñales village is a picturesque town in the heart of Cuba's prime tobacco-growing region. The town itself sits in the center of a flat valley surrounded by stunning karst hill formations known locally as mogotes. Mogotes are irregularly shaped steep-sided hills that can rise as high as 300m (985 ft) and have bases ranging from just a few hundred yards in diameter to as much as a couple of kilometers in length. The mogotes comprise part of the Sierra de los Organos mountain chain, and were formed by eons of erosion. Many consider this the most beautiful nature spot in Cuba.

	We take a magical walking and boat tour through the Cueva del Indio used by Guanahatabey Amerindians as a burial site, and later as a refuge from Spanish slavers. Within you'll witness earth's natural and social history from the Jurassic to the Paleolithic era and beyond.

	Lunch at Restaurante El Palenque de los Cimarrones. It is located in the mouth of a cave at the base of a mogote. A palenque was a place of refuge for escaped slaves. We access the eatery on a path that takes us through another narrow cave. At the end of the path we're met by a re-creation of a nomadic home used by runaway slaves who hid and lived here. We'll enjoy a brief Afrocuban music and dance performance typical of the slave era. Now at the restaurant we'll dine on slow-roasted entrées and side dishes reflecting the food of the cimarron [runaway slave.] In the evenings, the restaurant doubles as a popular disco.

	Four kilometers from Viñales village, on one side of the Dos Hermanas [Two Sisters] mogote, stands the Mural de la Prehistoria [Mural of Prehistory], an impressive 120-meter high fresco painted in 1961 by Cuban artist Leovigildo González, a student of the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. Depicted are the animals and other creatures that lived in the valley in prehistoric times. The mural pays tribute to the Darwinian perspective of evolution. We'll dine on traditional cuisine and the mural.

	Meet with local farmers on their small tobacco plantations. Learn first hand the complexities of growing and harvesting the best quality tobacco leaves in the world.

	Free time in Viñales village to explore at your leisure the open-air craft market, the Parque Martí, the Church, and other interesting sites of this charming colonial town.

	Return to Havana and check-in to your hotel.

	Group farewell dinner at your hotel – a chance to recap the trip and cement friendships with your tourmates. Your guide will suggest evening entertainment options.

Mural de la Prehistoria [Mural of Prehistory] in Viñales.

Mural de la Prehistoria [Mural of Prehistory] commissioned by Fidel Castro in 1961. Artist Leovigildo González was a student of Mexican great Mexican muralist Diego Rivera.

We'll learn about the cultivation and processing of tobacco from seed to leaf culminating in the world's most famous cigars.

Downtown Viñales. The village is an historic 19th century agricultural settlement. Colonnaded red-tiled houses in the neo-colonial style flank its main street. The valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Inside the Cueva del Indio Pinar del Río.

A river runs through the Cueva del Indio used by the Guanahatabey Amerindians as a burial site and a refuge from the Spaniards.

Some among hundreds of orchids and flowers found in the province of 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

Saturday

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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