Seattle Peace Chorus Cuba 2016 Trip Information (v1.2)

Transcription

1 Seattle Peace Chorus Cuba 2016 Trip Information (v1.2) This document has been compiled by Doug Balcom & the SPC Travel Committee (Joe Knight, Martha Cohen, Helen Nissani & Dale Rector) to provide all trip participants with the latest details about SPC s upcoming 2016 Cuba Tour. It is likely to answer many of the lingering questions you may have about the trip so please read it. The document will be updated (along with the version # in the title above) when/if details change. Table of Contents: Part A: Preparation... 2 A1: Repertoire... 2 A2: Equipment... 2 A3: Costumes... 2 A3.1: Women s Costumes... 3 A3.2: Men s Costumes... 3 A4: Money and documents... 4 A5: Cell phones... 5 A6: Electrical appliances... 5 A7: Immunizations and medications... 6 A8: Cuban weather... 6 A9: General packing... 7 Part B: Getting There... 8 B1: Getting to the airport... 8 B2: Checking in for flights & getting flight documents... 9 B3: Checking bags B4: Boarding the flight from Seattle B5: Boarding the flight to Havana Part C: In Cuba C1: Arriving in Havana C2: Roommates C3: Staying Together as a Group While in Cuba C4: Ayúdame! C5: Itinerary in Cuba C6: Heading Home

2 Part A: Preparation A1: Repertoire SPC s travel repertoire for Cuba will include the entire program from the Fall 2016 concerts, plus perhaps a few additional selections to be rehearsed at the Cuba-group-only rehearsal on Mon Nov 21 (7pm, Keystone church). Here is the current list of pieces known to be included in our travel repertoire (subject to change by Fred): Where There Is Unity How Can I Keep from Singing Down to the River to Pray Every Night When the Sun Goes In Love Will Guide Us No Time* Coro de Paz Take the A Train* Mood Indigo* His Eye is on the Sparrow Battle of Jericho* Orin Odara (at least Cuba Linda from that) And So It Goes (for quartet) Hallelujah (Jubilee) (for trio) Thula Sizwe/I Shall Be Released Oh How Glorious/It Takes a Whole Village Storm is Passing Over All traveling performers are expected to bring a black music folder containing the above pieces. If possible, all performers should obtain original commercially-printed sheet music (from the SPC music library) for the pieces marked with an asterisk above, to use while on tour in Cuba (instead of photocopies). The SPC music librarian will try to supply everyone with these commercially-printed scores at the Nov 21 rehearsal. A2: Equipment Our tour coordinator Antony Gullick has secured a portable electronic piano for us to borrow while in Cuba (a Roland EP7), which Kent or Fred can play during our tour to provide piano accompaniment for the pieces that require it. To go with it, Fred will bring a 110V amplifier, a jack-to-jack lead, a piano stand and a piano stool. A3: Costumes For both men and women, SPC has established 2 sets of costume standards for performances in Cuba: formal and informal costumes. (SPC relies on each traveler to self-identify the gender they wish to align with for costume purposes.) Travelers have already been fitted for, and provided with, the most design-specific pieces of each costume, and are expected to acquire certain other more generic pieces. 2

3 A3.1: Women s Costumes From Sue Hurley Rector (women s costume coordinator), the following are details about the women s costumes: Chorus women s travel dress for Cuba For formal performances we will wear our Goddess Blue tops with Teal necklace and earrings and black black slacks, closed toe shoes with black stockings. The overall look of the chorus including the men in white shirt, black vests and dark black pants and shoes will be impressive. Macy s wants a picture of the full chorus as we purchased the tops there and they gave us some price breaks. For less formal appearances and other times when we want to appear as an easily identifiable group, we will wear the Hawaiian patterned shirts with the same black slacks and shoes as we will wear for performances. Jewelry is optional and your choice. We may be wearing the Hawaiian shirt outfit the first day we are there... when we go to Papito's community and sing for them. Note: A few more details: It is imperative to pack your jewelry both necklace and earrings. We will have two extra sets and tools to repair anything that breaks. But you should be careful and have someone else help you with the clasp when you put the necklace on. Jewelry set earrings are for pierced ears. Rosalyn Schiller agreed to convert earrings for those who don t have pierced ears. If there are questions about this, contact Ros at As has been emphasized previously, make sure your slacks are dark black, not charcoal or light black. They should not be jeans, bell bottoms or cargo. Thrift stores usually have many dark black slacks at a very reasonable price. Shoes should be dark black and be close toe. No sandals please. Sue Hurley will bring one travel iron. This will not accommodate everyone before a performance, so it would be great if someone else could bring one. Please call Sue at if you can bring an iron. If you have questions, contact Sue Hurley Rector at suzanne.43@hotmail.com or A3.2: Men s Costumes Men s formal costume: Black vest (which you should all have received from Markos Weiss), long-sleeve white dress shirt, dark black slacks, black socks, black dress shoes. Notes from Fred about the white dress shirt: For the men: No tux shirts, no ruffles, no emerald or crimson highlights, no scarves, cravats, bow ties, lariats or special Renaissance waistcoats. Plain white dress shirts, long sleeve, ironed and crisp. Did I say long sleeve? Cuff links, however, could be worn; and single ear ring stud is encouraged! Echoing Sue s guidelines about the black slacks and shoes: As has been emphasized previously, make sure your slacks are dark black, not charcoal or light black. They should not be jeans, bell bottoms or cargo. Thrift stores usually have many dark black slacks at a very reasonable price. Shoes should be dark black and be close toe. No sandals please. 3

4 Men s informal costume: Special Hawaiian patterned shirt (which you should all have received from Martha Cohen, unless you already had one from Venezuela 2007); below the waist, same as the formal costume: dark black slacks, black socks, black dress shoes. A4: Money and documents For safety, it is highly recommended that each traveler carry your travel documents and money in a money belt, or travel document pouch, strapped to your body under your clothes at all times while in Cuba. Although financial accommodations may be changing rapidly in Cuba, we are told that you should not expect to be able to use any US credit cards, debit cards or ATM cards there. Therefore, you must carry cash for all your personal expenses in Cuba. We will be purchasing most lunches and many dinners on our own while in Cuba (not included in the tour price). Between the cost of those meals, local taxi fares for personal exploring, tips, and various optional entertainment opportunities, we suggest that each traveler bring at least $ (US) worth of cash or more if you intend to buy many souvenirs. To play it safe, you might want to bring $500 worth, to have a buffer. (Those of you who are extending your stay in Cuba past the end of the SPC tour will obviously need to bring additional cash as needed for your extended travels.) Cuban currency is generally not available in the US, so you ll need to bring a different currency and then convert it once we re in Cuba. Note that when changing your money into Cuban convertible currency (known as CUC s, pronounced kooks ), the Cuban government imposes a 10% surcharge if you re changing from US dollars, but not from other foreign currencies. So if you can find a low-fee way to purchase Canadian dollars or Euros here in the US before the trip, your money will go farther in Cuba if you bring it in one of those currencies. You will need to have the following documents with you at all times while in Cuba: Your passport o This must have an expire date later than your scheduled return from Cuba. We have already confirmed that you all have passports that meet this requirement; just be careful not to bring an outdated/expired one by mistake. A Cuban visa o Antony is acquiring a special public performance version of this visa for each of us in Havana, which we will receive at the airport there when we land. Meanwhile, he has ed Doug Balcom a color scan of each person s visa, to use as proof-of-visa when we each check-in at the Cuba Ready desk in Miami or Charlotte before our flights to Havana. Doug will print these out and hand-deliver them to each traveler flying from Seattle after Thanksgiving; for those flying out early, or from St. Louis or Charlotte, Doug will you your visa scans by Nov 21, with instructions on how to print them out yourselves. Proof of Cuban health insurance o Your Cuban health insurance for the duration of your stay has already been paid for, as a fee American Airlines included in your airfare to Havana. When we all check-in at the American Airlines Cuba Ready desk in Miami or Charlotte prior to boarding our flights to Havana, the airline will provide each of us with written proof that we have valid Cuban health insurance. We will then carry that proof with us while in Cuba. You should expect to keep all of the above documents in your money belt or document pouch, along with your cash. We suggest wrapping the documents in a Ziploc bag to protect them from moisture. 4

5 A5: Cell phones All 4 major US cell phone carriers now offer roaming service in Cuba, but it s expensive. You must also have a phone that communicates using the GSM protocol. Note that data service is particularly expensive about $2/MB, and most smartphone users typically use MB per day! If you re going to carry a smart phone, to avoid getting a gigantic cell phone bill after the trip, I strongly recommend you turn off data roaming on your phone before we leave the US, and leave it off while in Cuba. You can use wi-fi internet there by buying time at a public wi-fi station, for a few dollars per hour. You can also buy or rent a Cuban SIM card in Cuba and put it in your (GSM-capable) phone, or you can buy or rent a Cuban cell phone there; but from what I ve seen, in either case, the rates they charge aren t that different from the US carriers anyway. Here s the latest info I ve gleaned from the US cell carrier websites: Carrier How to get Cuba roaming Type of phone required AT&T Automatic Any AT&T phone (they all use GSM already) Sprint Contact Sprint, add Open Internationalcapable World service (free) phone (one T-Mobile Verizon Automatic for T-Mobile ONE and Simple Choice Plan customers; otherwise, contact T-Mobile & add World Class service Contact Verizon, add Pay- As-You-Go International Travel option with GSM capability) Any T-Mobile phone (they all use GSM already) World Device (one with GSM capability) Cost of Cost of text messages voice calls $3/min SMS: $0.50 MMS (photo message): $1.30 $2.49/min SMS send: $0.50 SMS receive: $0 $2/min SMS send: $0.50 SMS receive: deducted from your home texting plan allotment (if no texting plan, $0.20) $2.99/min SMS send: $0.50 SMS receive: $0.05 MMS send/receive: $ additional data charges Cost of data service $2.05/MB $1.99/MB $2/MB $2.05/MB A6: Electrical appliances 110V AC electric power (the standard we re used to in the US) is also in widespread use in Cuba. The exception is that some hotel outlets supply 220V power instead. But many modern appliances (including most cell phone, laptop & toothbrush chargers) can run on either voltage, so check the fine print on the appliances/chargers you intend to bring. If they say something like V, then you re fine using either type of outlet. Some high-power appliances (like hair dryers) have a switch you can manually flip between 110V & 220V mode. As for the plugs: most Cuban power outlets are similar to those that were common in the US in the early-to-mid 20 th century: either 2- or 3-hole (many are 2-hole), that look like modern US outlets except that they generally aren t polarized the left vertical slot isn t taller than the right one. This is only a problem if the plug on your appliance is polarized (has one blade that s wider than the other one), in which case it won t fit into a non-polarized outlet. Most phone and toothbrush chargers are 2-prong non-polarized, so they ll work just fine. 5

6 Another issue to keep in mind: Cuban electric power is known for being rather flaky, so voltage spikes and surges are not uncommon. So if you re powering delicate electronics, it s highly recommended that you use a surge protector. Note that these are often built for one specific voltage (usually 110V), in which case you ll need to avoid using it in a 220V outlet. If you have 3-prong or polarized appliances you want to use, hardware & travel stores carry travel adapters. Look for one with a 2-prong non-polarized blade-style plug (like the blades on your cell phone charger), that has slots that fit a polarized or 3-prong plug. Finally, some Cuban hotels have European-style outlets (2 round holes, rather than slots). So if you want to be equipped for every possible challenge, you can also get a travel adapter with a European plug (2 round prongs) just in case, that has slots to accept US-style 2- and 3-prong polarized plugs. A7: Immunizations and medications Before any travel, we should all make sure we re up-to-date on routine vaccinations (like MMR, DTaP, Chicken pox, Polio & annual flu shot). In addition, the CDC recommends that most travelers to Cuba be vaccinated against Typhoid and Hepatitis A. They also recommend Rabies vaccine if your activities will put you at risk of animal bites (unlikely during the main SPC tour, but those staying afterward for adventure travel should take note); and Hepatitis B vaccine if your activities will risk blood-to-blood contact with locals. Since some of these vaccines only become fully effective 2 weeks after the shot, by the time you re reading this it ll be kind of late to get started but as I understand it, it s still better to get the shots late than not at all. For more info, visit If you visit a travel physician before the trip, they will probably prescribe a round of Cipro antibiotic to carry with you, so you can treat yourself promptly if you contract a bad case of traveler s diarrhea. It s also a good idea to bring some Imodium tablets (loperamide), to treat lesser cases of diarrhea. Besides these things, and sufficient quantities of any prescription drugs you take regularly (properly labeled), you should carry a variety of standard over-the-counter remedies for common ailments you re accustomed to treating at home as they arise (pills for headache, congestion, cough, allergies, stomach upset, etc.). While Cuba has an excellent system of medical care, basic medications that we take for granted can be in short supply there. So plan ahead & bring your own. A8: Cuban weather When planning attire for the trip, think fairly hot (by Seattle standards) and quite humid, but often with a breeze. Here s the typical Havana weather during early December: Temperature: Daytime highs in the upper 70 s to low 80 s; nightly lows in the 60 s. Humidity: Peaks at % each day, and never gets below about 50%. Cloud cover: Typically 30-50%. Wind: Averages 8 mph, varying daily from calm to gusts of about 15 mph. Rain: Averages about 25% chance of getting any rain on a given day, mostly light rain this time of year. Sunrise will be just before 7 am, and sunset around 5:45 pm. In case you get a chance to take a dip in the ocean: the average sea temperature is 81F. 6

7 A9: General packing As a general rule, try to pack light, but keep in mind that laundry machines per se may not be readily available when you need them. So if you aren t bringing enough clothes to avoid doing laundry (or you expect to need to wash certain costume pieces that we ll be wearing on multiple hot days), bring a small amount of hand-wash laundry detergent so you can wash things out in a sink. The carry-on & checked baggage rules for our American Airlines flights to/from Cuba are similar to what you re used to within the US: you can either limit your baggage to one carry-on-sized suitcase and a smaller personal item (briefcase, day pack or purse) and carry them on, or you can pay a fee (at the airport) to check a suitcase. The checked bag fee when heading toward Cuba is $25 for the first bag, $40 for the 2nd bag. However, here s a nice bonus for the return flights: when returning from Cuba (on American), both the first and 2nd bag can be checked free of charge. (I don t know for certain whether that includes free forwarding of those checked bags on to our connecting flights from Miami to home after we go through Miami customs, but I think it does.) Bottom line when deciding how light/heavy to pack: Whatever bags you pack, you will have to carry them, into and out of many accommodations and vehicles, over our entire 13-day tour, probably in 80-degree heat. So keep that in mind. Just a reminder: TSA regulations still require that all liquids, aerosols, gels, creams & pastes that are being taken onto a flight in carry-on luggage must be packaged in containers no larger than 3.4 ounces each, and must all be contained within one clear quart-size Ziploc bag. Larger containers of such items must be transported in checked baggage. Note about food: For those flying with the Main Group, we ll have less than an hour in Miami airport from when we arrive (just after 8am local time) to when we board the next flight, and much of that time will be spent in line at the airline s Cuba Ready desk having our Cuba documents verified. So we probably won t have time to buy breakfast before boarding the flight to Havana, and that flight is too short to offer food service. Therefore, I strongly suggest you each pack a sack breakfast to carry with you from Seattle consisting of foods that won t spoil in the sack overnight. Don t include things that would qualify as a liquid under TSA rules if you want to make sure you have a beverage with breakfast, you can bring an empty water bottle, fill it after SeaTac security, and maybe you ll have some left by Miami, or you can refill it there. Or wait to eat your sack breakfast until we re on our flight to Havana, which should have beverage service. The following packing and travel tips were provided by Martha Cohen and Connie Coffman at the Nov 5 meeting: HANDY TRAVEL TIPS SPC IN CUBA 2016 (These are only suggestions) TRAVEL LIGHT! Lightweight suitcase or backpack We will be moving frequently. 2-4 days of clothes lightweight clothing no ironing Laundry soap, string, small hand towel, microfiber towel Rain poncho / lightweight jacket Shoes (3) walking, dress, flip-flops Sun hat & sun screen 3 oz. containers for liquids Small TP, handkerchief, bandana, etc. 220 converter for electronics, etc. Music folder 7

8 TRAVEL SAFETY! Money belt or pouch for 1 credit card and $. To be with you at all times. Passport copies several in several places in your suitcase and one for someone at home Don t take anything you can t afford to lose: jewelry, etc. Prescription drugs List and dosage, if not in labeled container Immunization card Glasses prescription Small amounts of over-the-counter drugs Imodium, Pepto, acidophilus, etc. Flashlight Avoid heavily scented products i.e. perfume, etc. Hand sanitizer Limited first aid, band aids, Tylenol, etc. Sunglasses Don t leave your purse or bag on the back of a chair when out in public. Be aware of your surroundings TRAVEL FUN! Spanish phrase book Photos, postcards of Seattle to share and initiate conversation Lightweight, small gifts for homestays One airplane book to read and trade! Part B: Getting There B1: Getting to the airport Each traveler is responsible for their own transportation to/from the airport. For those flying from Seattle on the Main Group flight on 11/29, you are encouraged to organize carpools to save on gas & parking costs (and carbon emissions), especially if you re parking at an airport lot. 2 weeks of airport parking can be quite expensive, even at the discount lots; so if a friend or family member can transport a carpool to/from the airport and avoid long-term parking costs, so much the better. For departing Seattle on the Main Group flight, Link Light Rail is a handy (and environmentally friendly) option; you could have your carpool drop you all at a Light Rail station, rather than driving all the way to SeaTac. In order to arrive in the SeaTac terminal by 9:20 pm (2 hours prior to flight time) taking into account the walk from the airport light rail station into the terminal you should, at the latest, catch the 8:21 Link train departure from UW Station (or 8:24 from Capitol Hill, or 8:53 from Rainier Beach). Yes, it means schlepping your luggage onto and off of the train, but remember you need to pack light enough to haul that same luggage on & off of buses all over Cuba, so if carrying it onto the train seems too burdensome, you need to pack lighter. If you don t have an Orca Card to use to pay the Light Rail fare, arrive at the station early so you can buy a single-ride ticket from a vending machine. If you re flying both ways with the Main Group, and you take Light Rail to the airport at the start of the trip, do be aware that our return flight will arrive after midnight, past the time when Link stops running for the night. So plan ahead and arrange for a night-owl friend to pick you up at the airport (maybe along with a whole carpool of fellow travelers) when we return. 8

9 B2: Checking in for flights & getting flight documents In order to board our flights, we will need to have the following documents in hand: Domestic flights to Miami: Boarding pass Photo ID (passport works fine for this) International flight from Miami (or Charlotte) to Havana: Boarding pass Passport Cuban visa (or a color copy of it) American Airlines lets passengers check in online 24 hours before the departure of their originating flight. At that time, they can print out boarding passes for all connecting flight legs, including international legs like our flight from Miami to Havana. (Main Group, don t worry about doing this see below.) As for the visas, our travel organizer Antony has obtained them in Havana, and has ed color scans of them to Doug Balcom, who will distribute them to all travelers. For travelers departing Seattle on the Main Group flight on 11/29, Doug will print out your visa copy and give it to you at the airport. If you re flying from Seattle on a different day or time, I ll give you your visa copy at the Nov 21 rehearsal if you attend it (please do!). For all other travelers, Doug will e- mail you your visa scan by Nov 21, with instructions so you can print it out and bring it with you. Here's how you get your boarding passes & visa: Main Group: For the 24 people who let SPC buy their plane tickets for them as part of the Main Group : Doug Balcom will check in online in advance for all Main Group travelers, and obtain & print your boarding passes for both flights (SEA-MIA and MIA-HAV). Doug will then arrive at SeaTac airport on 11/29 by 8:20 pm, 3 hours prior to our 11:20 pm flight, and will be waiting to distribute boarding passes & visas, on the departure level of the airport, directly opposite the American Airlines ticket counters. If you are in the Main Group, please arrive at the airport no later than 9:20 pm (2 hours prior to our flight), and find Doug at the above location, where he will give you your boarding passes & visa copy. Doug will also give you printed seating charts for both flights at that time, so you can see where our group seating chart process has placed you on each flight, and so you can find your agreed-upon seat when we board. Remember: for Main Group travelers, the seat assignment printed on your boarding pass will not be correct after the Main Group reserved blocks of seats with American (by assigning them to names quickly without regard to preferences), we went through a group process to produce equitable seating charts for each flight using those blocks of seats. So please refer to the printed seating chart you will receive, to see where you should sit on each flight. If you can t find Doug at the airport, please text (or phone) him at Independent Travelers flying from Seattle with the Main Group: Since you re not in the Main Group itself, you will need to check in online (or at the airport) individually and obtain your own boarding passes. But still, please plan to arrive at SeaTac no later than 9:20 pm (2 hours prior to flight time). When you arrive, find Doug Balcom on the departure level, across from the American Airlines ticket counters, where he will give you your visa copy. As an Independent Traveler, the seat assignment you got from American Airlines will be your actual seat. But if you d like one of the printed seating charts to see where Main Group folks are sitting, feel free to get one from Doug when he gives you your visa copy. Independent Travelers not flying with the Main Group from Seattle: You will need to check in online (or at the airport) individually and obtain your own boarding passes. Meanwhile, Doug will have ed you a color image of your visa in advance (by Nov 21), with instructions on how to print it out; you must bring that printed visa copy along to present at 9

10 the Cuba Ready desk in Miami or Charlotte airport (details about the Cuba Ready desk are in another section below). (Note for the two travelers from Seattle who are leaving on different flights from the Main Group: Doug will try to give you your printed visa copy at the Nov 21 rehearsal. If you can t attend that, he ll you an image of it to print out.) B3: Checking bags Unlike some airlines, American doesn t ask you to pay your baggage check fees in advance when you check in online. Rather, they have you wait until you arrive at the airport, and if you have bags to check, you then pay the fee in-person at a baggage check counter. So you can play it by ear as you re packing, and see whether you need to resort to a big enough suitcase to require checking (or more than one suitcase). As mentioned before, when flying from the US to Cuba, American charges $25 for the first checked bag, and $40 for the 2nd one; but for the return flights from Cuba, up to 2 bags can be checked free of charge. When checking bags at your originating airport (Seattle, for most of us), your bags will be checked straight through to Havana they will be transferred between planes in Miami behind the scenes, by the airline. So do NOT put any of your international travel documents (passport or visa) in your checked baggage you will need to have these in-hand in Miami to board the 2nd flight. And if there are any medications or toiletries that you will want access to in the Miami airport between flights, make sure they re in a carry-on item before you check your suitcase. B4: Boarding the flight from Seattle For those flying with the Main Group, after you ve gotten your documents from Doug, and checked any bags you need to, please proceed through Security and to the flight gate. We ll all meet up there, and probably do a little singing to entertain our fellow passengers waiting at the gate. Who knows Doug Balcom might even have sheet music to pass around, for another little original song we can learn on the spot. B5: Boarding the flight to Havana Once we re in Miami (or Charlotte, for two of you), American Airlines requires that each passenger heading for a flight to Cuba stop by a special Cuba Ready desk, so they can confirm that you have the international documents required to enter Cuba: (1) your passport, and (2) your Cuban visa, or at least a color copy of it. For most of us, this means we ll be hurrying to one of those desks as soon as we land in Miami on the morning of 11/30. For those of you not flying from Seattle with the Main Group, you must arrive at Miami or Charlotte airport with enough time not only to check any bags & get through Security, but also to wait in line at a Cuba Ready desk as well I d recommend arriving 2.5 hours before your flight, just to play it safe. In Miami, the Cuba Ready desks are reportedly at the following locations: Near one of the security checkpoints (no doubt the checkpoint heading toward the concourse with the Cuba flights, which I believe is Concourse D not sure whether this desk is outside or inside the Security perimeter) Near gates D12/D14 Near gate D37 At the Cuba Ready desk, airline personnel will confirm we have the appropriate documents, stamp our boarding passes (I believe) to prove we ve passed that document check, and also provide us with written proof that we have valid Cuban health insurance (which has been paid for as part of our airfare to Havana). We can then proceed to the gate, ready to board our flight to Havana. 10

11 Part C: In Cuba C1: Arriving in Havana For the 40 of us arriving in Havana with the Main Group: When we arrive at Havana airport (around 10:45 am local time), Cuban immigration will have our actual visas waiting for us there. Once we ve collected our bags & cleared customs, our travel organizer Antony will meet us, along with a Cuban tour guide. If the money-changing lines aren t too long at the airport, we may pause to change our money there. Then Antony & the tour guide will show us to our charter bus, which will take us into the city to our hotel for the first two nights, El Presidente. After we all check in there (and probably change into our Hawaiian shirts for the afternoon), we ll have lunch on our own in the area (changing money first at the hotel or in town, if we didn t do it at the airport), followed by a visit to Papito s community project (see itinerary below) and our adventures in Cuba will begin in earnest. For the 3 of you arriving separately (Tom Berry, Roo Porter & Catherine Crain): When your flight arrives in Havana, Cuban immigration will have your actual visa waiting for you there. Once you ve collected your bags & cleared customs, Antony (or a representative) will get you into a taxi to the hotel El Presidente. Tom & Roo should arrive early enough to grab lunch (after changing money either at the airport or in town) and join the tour group for the Papito s visit. Catherine, your flight is now scheduled in at 4:33 pm, so unless you re able to switch to an earlier one in Miami, you ll probably miss the Papito s visit and just catch up with us at the hotel around dinnertime. C2: Roommates The following is the latest (and probably final) list of roommate assignments for accommodations in Cuba: Betsy Alexander / Mary Wilson Doug Balcom / Jeff Carter Martha Baskin / Nikki Nichols Tom Berry / Roo Porter Meta Chessin / Mary Giordano Pat Clayton / Catherine Crain Martha Cohen / Emily Leslie Steve Ernst / Karen Ernst Lila Henderson / Helen Nissani Dale Rector / Sue Hurley Rector Dee Knapp / Art Pederson Knapp Joe Knight / John Switten Ed Markus / Jean Markus Martha Rost / Rose Tamer Rosalyn Schiller / Kelly Mak Tom Sharp / Liz Sharp John Sparks / Antonio Brugnoli-Baskin Markos Weiss / Joan Weiss Robert West / Kathy West Fred West / Kent Stevenson Marcia Bennison (single) Donna Austin (single) Miriam Blau (single) C3: Staying Together as a Group While in Cuba Group Activities: We re all traveling to Cuba to have a grand adventure with the Seattle Peace Chorus, and whether we re performers or support crew, we are each an integral part of the group. As we wend our way through our exciting itinerary of events, performances & meetings with different Cuban communities, there will be quite a bit of scheduled free time in between the group activities, when we ll each be free to find our own mini-adventures. But when the itinerary calls for specific group activities, we are all expected to participate in all of these this is part of the pledge we all made to the Chorus when we signed up for the trip. One particular example to call out: Among the group activities will be a few gospel music workshops that Kent Stevenson will be leading, for a combination of our chorus and one of the Cuban choirs we ll be engaging with. (These workshops aren t necessarily written into the itinerary at the moment, but they will happen anyway.) Attendance at 11

12 these workshops is not optional. Even if we ve heard the song he s teaching many times before, everyone is expected to attend and actively participate in these they are one of the core ways we will make musical connections with Cuban choirs. Flexibility: Please note that the group itinerary itself will continue to be slightly in flux as the tour progresses unexpected things happen, and unanticipated opportunities arise and so the written itinerary will never be considered to be the last word. So please be prepared for changes, which will always be announced to the group by Antony or the Travel Committee when they come up. Morning Meet-Up: On nearly every morning of Cuba tour, the entire group will meet up at the beginning of the day, either for breakfast (at the hotel in Havana) or just after breakfast (when breakfast is in individual Casas Particulares guesthouses in other towns). At that morning meet-up, Antony & the Travel Committee will run through the schedule for the day, so that everyone is clear about when & where group activities will happen that day, and what free time there will be. The one possible exception will be Day Eleven (Dec. 10), on which the entire morning from breakfast to lunch is currently scheduled as free time. In that case, we ll run through that day s schedule while we re together for dinner the evening before. Roll Call: Upon arrival in Cuba (or prior), each traveler will be assigned a unique Roll Call Number (between 1 & 43), which will be yours for the duration of the trip. During each morning meet-up, and whenever we need to make sure everyone is present for an activity or to depart on a bus trip, we will ask for a Roll Call: this will consist of each traveler calling out their number in numerical order. This provides a quick & handy way to make sure everyone in the group is present, and if not, to learn who is missing. (Antony & the Travel Committee will each retain an ordered list of Roll Call Numbers and the names they re attached to, so if a number is missing during the count, we ll know immediately who s not there.) Buddy System: To help facilitate keeping track of where everyone is, each traveler will be assigned a buddy, and will be asked to make a special effort to keep track of where that buddy is, particularly when we re about to gather for a group activity or to travel from place to place together. For most of us, that singular buddy will be our assigned roommate. For the 3 travelers who have been granted a Single Supplement, instead of a buddy pair, they will comprise a buddy trio, and will each try to keep track of the other two. Of course, free time activities will still inevitably scatter people from their buddies; but travelers will be encouraged to share their free-time plans with their buddies, so that each traveler will be in at least a better position than the rest of the group to know where their buddy might likely be found. When a Roll Call reveals that a traveler is missing, that traveler s buddy (if present) will be the point person who takes the lead in finding them. C4: Ayúdame! If you find yourself in trouble or in need of assistance while in Cuba, here are some resources to keep handy: American Embassy in Cuba: Location: Calzada Between L and M Streets Veldado Havana, Cuba Phone: (53) (7) Antony s Cuban cell phone: (also good as an emergency number for people back home to reach us) 12

13 C5: Itinerary in Cuba The following is Antony s write-up of our itinerary, as it stands today. Please remember that it is not set in stone, but will be subject to change as the tour progresses. DAY ONE: Wednesday 30th November - Havana Morning: Arrive into Havana airport, clear customs and collect your baggage. Meet your tour guide and manager, load the coach and head into Havana. Afternoon: Lunch in Old Havana. After lunch we visit Papito's community project. Papito was one of the first people in Cuba allowed to start a private business. He has invested his profits into the community, providing aged care facilities, artists co-ops and a hairdressing school for at risk youth and another for training deaf people in hairdressing. Performance at Papito's. Evening: Dinner on own and time to catch some much-needed rest. DAY TWO: Thursday 1st December- Havana (B,D) Morning: Breakfast as a group at the hotel. Rehearsal and workshop with Digna Guerra and the National Choir of Cuba. Afternoon: Lunch in Old Havana. Visit the Romeo and Juliet Cigar factory and the Amadeo Roldan School of Music. This is Havana's oldest music school; you will be able to see the students in action as well as speak to the teachers. Could also be a good time for an impromptu performance. Evening: Welcome dinner with live music and dancing and with members of the National Choir of Cuba. DAY THREE: Friday 2nd December - Havana (B) Morning Breakfast as a group at the hotel, then check out to move to our 2nd Havana hotel for the next two nights. (Not sure what time of day we ll be moving our luggage to the 2nd hotel and checking in there; Antony will work that out and tell us by the time we get to this point.) After breakfast enjoy a walking tour of World Heritage listed Old Havana. Performance in the Plaza De Almas Old Havana. Afternoon: Lunch in Old Havana. After lunch you have time to do some exploring on your own. You may want to take a classic car ride or wander the amazing streets of this fascinating city. Evening: Dinner on own. People may elect to go to one of the jazz clubs, the ballet or the Tropicana. Elective conference with Lisbett Meniss, a PHD student from Havana University to discuss education in modern Cuba. DAY FOUR: Saturday 3rd of December - Havana (B) Morning: Breakfast as a group at the hotel. After breakfast, we will visit the museum of the revolution, the national art gallery and have time to wander down Prado. Prado is one of Havana's most famous avenues and is a popular meeting place on weekends and also a place where artists sell their paintings. Afternoon: Lunch on own and free time all afternoon. Evening: Dinner on own and elective conference with Vicky Montesa form the UN. She will discuss the UN's role in Cuba. People may elect to go to one of the jazz clubs, the ballet or the Tropicana. DAY FIVE: Sunday 4th of December - Havana - Matanzas (B) 13

14 Morning: Breakfast as a group at the hotel. After breakfast, we pack the bus and head to Matanzas. Matanzas is one of the most culturally significant cities in Cuba. It is the home of Rumba and has one of the most highly regarded choirs in Cuba. Afternoon: Lunch in Matanzas. After lunch enjoy a rehearsal and workshop with the Matanzas choir. After the rehearsal enjoy a short walking tour of Matanzas, then book into your Casa Particular. The casas are all very central and easy walking distance to the theatre. Evening: Dinner in Matanzas. After dinner, a performance at the Jose White theatre with the Matanzas choir. DAY SIX: Monday 5th of December - Matanzas (B) Morning: Breakfast in casa. Visit to community project that teaches traditional rumba and Santeria dances. Afternoon: Lunch on own. Afternoon free to explore Matanzas. Evening: Dinner on own. After dinner enjoy an evening of Cuban music and dance with Cuba's oldest band Sonora. In their 92 years, they have only had two directors, and the 78-year-old current director is the son of the first! DAY SEVEN: Tuesday 6th of December Matanzas Santa Clara (B,L) Morning: Breakfast in casas. After breakfast pack the bus and travel to Santa Clara. Afternoon: Lunch at local restaurant. Afternoon visit to the Che Guevara Mausoleum and the Monumento Tren Blinbabdo where Che blew up Batistas arms train, changing the course of the revolution. Evening: Dinner on own. After dinner, possible evening cultural performance, elective conference with Carlos and his family. Carlos has two daughters at the local music school and has run a casa particular for many years. DAY EIGHT: Wednesday 7th of December - Santa Clara (B) Morning: Breakfast in casas. After breakfast, we visit one of the dance schools in Santa Clara. Afternoon: Lunch on own. Afternoon Rehearsal and sound check at the Gay Community Club Mejunje. Enjoy a conference with the leaders of the gay community. Evening: Dinner on own. After dinner, the choir will perform at the gay club. DAY NINE: Thursday 8th of December - Santa Clara - Trinidad Morning: Breakfast in casa. Pack the bus and drive to Trinidad. Walking tour of Trinidad. It s easy to see why Trinidad is referred to as the museum city". There hasn't been a new building added since the beginning of the 19th century, and the first road to Trinidad was opened in This meticulously preserved town offers a window into the past, from its sprawling colonial palaces and plazas to the remnants of sugar mills and slave barracks from another era. Free time. Afternoon: Free time. Evening: Dinner on own. Live Cuban music and dancing at the Cas De La Trova. DAY TEN: Friday 9th of December Trinidad - Cienfuegos (B,L) Morning: Breakfast at casas. Load bus and travel to Cienfuegos. Enjoy a walking tour of the city centre. The unique culture in Cienfuegos is attributed its ancestry as a French enclave. This is the only French city in Cuba, with many French colonists moving here after the slave uprising in Haiti in 1791 with many more coming directly from Louisiana. The French influence is reflected in the wide streets and typical 19th century French colonial architecture. 14

15 Afternoon: Lunch in Cienfuegos. Rehearsal and workshop with Haney Moriera and the Cantores De Cienfuegos. Visit to a community project in a fishing village on Cienfuegos bay. Performance at the fishing village. This village has set up its own theatre and arts centre to try and encourage young people to be involved in the arts. Evening: Dinner at the hotel. Possible evening cultural activity at the Tomas Terry Theatre. DAY ELEVEN: 10th of December - Cienfuegos (B) Morning: Breakfast in casas. Morning free to explore Cienfuegos. Afternoon: Lunch on own. Sound check and rehearsal for the evening concert with Cantores de Ceinfuegos. Evening: Dinner on own. After dinner performance with Cantores De Cienfuegos. After dinner love music and dancing with the Cienfuegos choristers. DAY TWELVE: 11th of December - Cienfuegos - Havana (B,D) Morning: Breakfast in Casas. Pack bus and return to Havana. Afternoon: Lunch on own. After lunch visit to the artisan markets where you can buy some last-minute gifts or souvenirs. Evening: Farewell dinner in Havana with live music and dancing DAY THIRTEEN: 12th of December - Havana (B) Morning: Breakfast as a group at the hotel. For those not continuing on to extended travel in Cuba, transfer to Jose Marti international Airport (in morning or afternoon, depending on your flight time). C6: Heading Home Those of us flying home on Dec 12 will check in for our return flights at Havana airport on the day of departure. Doug Balcom will once again distribute seating charts for the Main Group. There will likely be much singing on the planes. The Main Group s two-hour layover in Miami (1.5 hours from arrival to boarding the next flight) might be enough time to buy some dinner in the airport after getting through US customs. Otherwise, there should be food available for purchase on the MIA-SEA flight. 15