The Traveling Professor Presents a Preview Tour
WELCOME TO CUBA
Wednesday, January 20 to Thursday, January 28
TENTATIVE ITINERARY
Day 1, Wednesday, January 20: Miami Overnight & Pre-Tour Introductory Briefing
An unforgettable journey to Cuba begins today with an overnight stay in Miami,
Florida. Upon arrival at Miami International Airport, complimentary hotel shuttle
service to the Crowne Plaza is available every 20 minutes. This evening at 7:30pm,
participate in an introductory briefing to meet The Professor and get acquainted
with your fellow travelers to review documents and the program itinerary. Details
on next morning’s departure time will be provided. Shuttle service to airport is
included.
Accommodations: Crowne Plaza Miami Airport.
Day 2, Thursday, January 21: Miami/Havana
Transfer to the Miami International Airport to board the non-stop flight to Havana, Cuba's capital city and designated UNESCO World
Heritage Site. Be welcomed by a private Cuban people-to-people representative outside the arrivals terminal at the Havana Airport.
Board an air conditioned coach, and jump right in. Enjoy a leisurely guided orientation walk through the vibrant cobblestone streets
to be immersed in the colors of Cuba. Now that you've had a taste of what lies ahead, it's time to check in to the hotel. Afterwards,
enjoy a welcome dinner at the hotel.
Accommodations: 5-Star Parque Central Hotel. Dinner provided.
Day 3, Friday, January 22: Old Havana
Begin the day with a visit to the Angela Landa primary school (ages 5-12) located in Old Havana. Interact with the children in their
classrooms and participate in a discussion session with some of the school's administrators and teachers about Cuba's education
system and how it compares to the United States. Then continue on to the private studio
of one of Cuba's talented independent artists such as Eduardo Roca, affectionately
known as "Choco". During the visit learn different techniques of printmaking, sculpture
and other art forms from innovative and internationally acclaimed Cuban artists and their
teams.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. This afternoon, visit the Vocal Leo, a group of 14
talented singers who perform under the direction of Corina Campos, general and musical
director of this unique, award-winning group known internationally for its distinctive
interpretation of choral music. Afterwards, talk about the professional music scene in
Cuba and the USA. Later, meet in our pre-reserved meeting room at our hotel and engage in a discussion with an English-speaking
Cuban expert on the history of U.S./Cuban relations in the 20th & 21st centuries with the opportunity to ask questions in an
uncensored format. Enjoy dinner on your own this evening. We recommend dining at a paladar. Feel free to choose one from the list
we provide or ask our Cuban guide for alternative recommendations.
Breakfast & lunch provided.
Day 4, Saturday, January 23: Havana & Las Terrazas
Depart for Las Terrazas in Artemisa Province, a "must see" in Cuba and known worldwide for its magnificent, scenic beauty. Las
Terrazas was founded shortly after the Cuban Revolution in 1959 as a model community, where local farmers, known as campesinos,
moved closer together in order to help each other overcome the hardships of sleeping in huts with thatched roofs, living without
electricity, local schools or medical services. First, stop briefly at the Clinica Las Terrazas† to learn how medical services are handled
in rural Cuba. Locals visit this small, multi-purpose center for medical advice.
After a tour of a local school, discuss early childhood education in Cuba and
the USA with school staff. Then, enjoy a brief presentation by the children. At
our next stop, we'll visit the town's only coffee shop, Café Maria. It has been
welcoming visitors for years. Enjoy the "best coffee in the country." Discuss
coffee culture in Cuba and throughout the world and how cafes act as places
for social interaction. Las Terrazas is now part of UNESCO's Biosphere Reserve,
much of it reforested coffee plantation. Real reforestation began in the late
1960s by the local farmers who were concerned that their land had been
degraded by former French coffee barons.
Visit the art studio of Lester Campa (when in residence). Get ready for an authentic, country-style lunch prepared and served
outdoors at a local farmhouse near Las Terrazas. On the way back to Havana after lunch, visit the Clave Sol community project. This
neighborhood project was established by parents in the San Augustin neighborhood, in an effort to provide safe, wholesome
afterschool activities for their children. Children select among various string instruments and then learn to play them, to perform not
only Cuban but international music. During our visit, meet the children, their teachers and hear them rehearsing for upcoming
performances. Return to the hotel and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure.
Breakfast & lunch provided.
Day 5, Sunday, January 24: Havana & Callejon de Hamel
After breakfast, visit the colorful Callejon de Hamel, one of the shortest but most
interesting streets in Havana. Discover how the African Cuban religion of
Santeria, a fusion of African belief systems like spirit worship and Christianity, is
portrayed in the street art and music.
Meet with artists, including Salvador Gonzalez Escalona (when in residence),
whose prolific murals that adorn the neighborhood reflect the culture and
religious beliefs of this area. Our next visit, the Martin Luther King Center in
Havana, is at the forefront of promoting social responsibility and progressive
change through application of the core Christian values. Meet the staff, view a
PsychoBallet session and learn more about the center's work in distribution of medicines, HIV prevention, housing projects, and care
of the young and the elderly. The MLK Center reaches Cubans of every denomination and across all walks of life. Then travel to the
Centro Pro Danza de Cuba, created in 1994 by Laura Alonso, the daughter of Cuba's legendary ballet royalty, Alicia and Fernando
Alonso.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Afterwards, we have the distinct pleasure of visiting "Fusterlandia", the home and surrounding
neighborhood of "The Picasso of the Caribbean", Jose Fuster. Starting with a small wooden home as his canvas, Mr. Fuster has
turned his dream into reality and transformed not just his own home but the entire neighborhood into a unique and colorful artistic
landscape. Using the money he makes from selling his artwork, Jose adorns the community with sculptures and mosaics. Explore the
Used Booksellers Market, a cross-cultural treasure trove for readers of every genre. Meet local independent booksellers and engage
in friendly conversation with Cuban readers about popular Cuban and American literature. Enjoy dinner on your own.
Breakfast & lunch provided.
Day 6, Monday, January 25: Havana, Alamar & Cojimar
This morning, drive to Finca Vigia, Hemmingway's retreat. Later, go to the district of Alamar on the outskirts of Havana. Started as an
expansive social housing project in the 1970's, these Soviet-style pre-fabricated concrete apartment blocks are now home to
hundreds of thousands of Cubans. Among the buildings in Alamar are community gardens, called Organoponicos, where residents
grow fruit, vegetables and herbs for their own consumption and local sale. Similar to coop and community gardens in the United States, these Organoponicos facilitate
community development and offer Alamar's residents access to fresh produce.
Enjoy a visit to one of these Organoponicos, which few visitors to Cuba have the
opportunity to do. Visit Cojimar, the fishing village that was the setting for
Hemmingway's book, The Old Man and the Sea and enjoy lunch at a local paladar. This
afternoon, visit Lazaro Salsita, a wonderful art project for children in Central Havana.
Here, children learn not only how to create art, but how to create art from just about
anything. The project has received national recognition as a "neighborhood leader" for
their community-based projects. Meet the young students and maybe try your own
hand at creating a sculpture made out of old newspaper or discarded string. After some well-deserved 'down time' at the hotel, join
fellow travelers for the last dinner in Havana, served in a privately owned restaurant. Be sure to wear dancing shoes to enjoy live,
traditional Cuban Buena Vista-style music and salsa dancing.
Breakfast, lunch & dinner provided.
Day 7, Tuesday, January 26: Havana, Santa Clara, Sancti Spiritus & Trinidad
Depart Havana and drive along Cuba's "autopista" highway. Visit the town of Santa
Clara. Enjoy a special visit to the Santa Clara Music and Performing Arts School,
with dance, theater and music performances by students. Participate in a
discussion with faculty and students about the role of music and education in the
USA, and the impact of music on Cuban life.
Lunch will be served buffet style in the Los Caneyes Hotel. Continue on to the
picturesque town of Sancti Spíritus, one of the original seven cities founded in
Cuba by the Spanish, and home to Cuba's oldest church, the Parroquial Mayor.
Later, we drive to the charming old Spanish colonial town of Trinidad. Designated a
UNESCO World Heritage site, Trinidad is one of the best preserved towns in all of Latin America. Check in to your hotel before dinner
this evening.
Accommodations: 5-star Iberostar Trinidad. Breakfast, lunch & dinner provided.
Day 8, Wednesday, January 27: Trinidad
After breakfast, visit the Casa del Alfarero, a pottery house that was founded and has been managed by the Santander Family for
generations. Learn the process of ceramic production and have the opportunity to create a piece of your own. Next, we go to one of
Trinidad's many "casas particulares" or bed and breakfasts, to enjoy a tour and a discussion
with the owners. Learn how bed and breakfasts are one of Cuba's new entrepreneurial
opportunities in a society where the state typically owns most enterprises. Continue to
Templo de Yemaya, where a Santeria Practitioner along with some of the religion's
devotees explains the basic principles of Santeria. Discuss the role of religion and religious
organizations throughout both Cuba and the U.S.
Lunch today is at the beautifully restored Hacienda de Manaca Iznaga, located in the heart
of the Valley de los Ingenios, a series of valleys once known as a center for sugar
production. Built in the late 1700s, the mansion displays an exhibition of paintings depicting
the lives of slaves on sugar plantations. After lunch, learn about the region's harsh past,
where great fortunes were made on the backs of African slaves, and where many
descendants of the Afro-Cuban slaves still reside.
After time to rest at the hotel, enjoy dinner on your own. We recommend dining at a privately owned paladar. Feel free to ask your
Cuban guide for recommendations. After dinner, join Cubans at either Casa de la Musica or Casa de la Trova for a community block
party, a celebration where locals from all walks of life and generations come to eat, drink, build friendships, and discuss
neighborhood matters. Enjoy the celebration, regarded as one of the best experiences of the trip, and engage in discussions with the
locals about community life in Cuba and the US.
Breakfast & lunch provided.
Day 9, Thursday, January 28: Depart Cienfuegos/Arrive Miami
Today, bid farewell to Cuba. Transfer to Cienfuegos International Airport and check-in for your charter flight back to Miami. Adios
Cuba!
What’s Included:
 Non-stop round trip flights from Miami to Havana via U.S. Government-licensed charter service
 U.S. Treasury Department license and letter of authorization
 Cuba Entrance Visa
 All land transportation, transfers & porterage in Cuba
 1st night Crowne Plaza Miami Airport Hotel with pre-tour introductory briefing
 7 nights’ 5 star deluxe hotel accommodations in Cuba – Parque Central Hotel in Havana and the Iberostar Hotel in Trinidad
 16 meals: (7 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 3 dinners)
 Comprehensive educational exchange program, including entrance fees
 Escort provided by licensed agency
 Professional, English-speaking local guide, who will facilitate the educational exchanges with Cubans
 Health insurance in Cuba (mandatory)
What’s Not Included:
 Trip Cancellation Insurance
 Transportation to/from Miami
 Personal Expenses
 Meals Other than Specified on the Itinerary
 Tips for Guides
 Fees for Individual Activities not on the Itinerary
Notes:
 We will only be taking 16 travelers on this trip. Some places are already spoken for
 The Traveling Professor, Steve Solosky, will be on this tour
 This is a preview tour of Cuba. The Traveling Professor has not been to Cuba previously. We will be accompanied by an escort
who has experience in bringing groups to Cuba
Cost and How to Book
 Cost is $5,725 per person, double occupancy. Have your own room for $1,392 more.
 To hold your spot, send a $600 deposit per person, made to TRAVELING PROFESSOR, LLC and send to STEPHEN SOLOSKY,
TRAVELING PROFESSOR, PO BOX 747, GREAT BARRINGTON MA 01230.
 Due to the nature of this trip and the deep discount offered, deposits are not refundable. Trip cancellation insurance is strongly
advised. Two sources for trip cancellation insurance are http://www.allianztravelinsurance.com and
http://hthtravelinsurance.com