Cuba Trip Itinerary December 2-9, 2012

Transcription

1 Cuba Trip Itinerary December 2-9, 2012 Dec. 2: Depart Miami by charter flight to, Cuba includes 3 nights hotel Bienvenidos a! Upon arrival, after customs formalities, meet your bi-lingual Cuban host, board your air-conditioned coach and head directly to your first encounter in Cuba, a visit to the colorful neighborhood of Callejon de Hamel. Here you ll find brilliant mural paintings, stalls selling herbs for curing colds and lovesickness alike, kiosks offering beaded bracelets representing spirits of the Orisha religion and of course, music everywhere. You ll meet and exchange ideas with artists, including Salvador Gonzalez Escalona (when in residence), whose prolific murals, which reflect the culture and religious beliefs of this area, adorn the neighborhood. There are numerous community activities in the Callejon de Hamel, including art instruction aimed at educating the children in the neighborhood, and you will discover how the African Cuban religion (a fusion of African belief systems like spirit worship and Christianity), called Santeria, is portrayed in the street art. Enjoy lunch at Prado y Neptuna Restaurant located next to our hotel before we are joined by a photographer from Fototeca de Cuba who leads us on a stroll through the cobblestone streets of this vibrant area of Habana Vieja. We will find many Cubans out, taking a Sunday stroll with their families, offering you a perfect opportunity to interact with locals and immerse yourself in the colors of Cuba which surround you. Dinner at our hotel this evening. Hotel Parque Central (L, D) Dec. 3: At 6:00 am this morning (before breakfast) a Fototeca de Cuba photographer will meet us in the lobby of our hotel and accompany those of us who wish to participate on a first light photo tour of Old and the areas surrounding our hotel. We ll be back to the hotel no later than 8:15 am in order to have breakfast before our motor coach departs from the hotel for this day s touring events. After breakfast this morning we visit a cigar factory before proceeding with our extended tour of including the Plaza de la Revolucion, the Cemetery of Columbus, the Miramar area, and Morro Castle known for its magnificent views of. Before lunch today we ll venture to the village of Jaimanitas in order to view the magnificent works of Jose Rodiguez Fuster. Mr. Fuster s art has become a cherished part of Cuban culture. Lunch is included at La Mina Garden Restaurant. After lunch we visit the Museo Bellas Artes in followed by a visit to the private home of Cuba s most famous photographer, Roberto Salas. Most of the iconic pictures of Fidel Castro and Che Guevarra were taken by Roberto before, during and after the revolution. For nearly fifty years, Roberto has lived in Cuba and worked as a freelance photographer, documenting the stories of that nation, the saga of its revolution and the life of its enigmatic leader. His work is extraordinary for its perspective and its breadth. His remarkable photos include images of the famous and the infamous, including a wondeful image of Ernest Hemingway smiling with a fishing trophy in hand. Salas has also served as a UN correspondent and as a war correspondent in Vietnam, Cambodia and other parts of Southeast Asia. He continues to live and work as a freelance photographer in, Cuba. This special studio visit and talk will give us a rare insight in the Cuban culture through a renowned photographer. Dinner this evening is not included. Hotel Parque Central (B, L) Page 1 of 5

2 Dec. 4: After breakfast this morning we depart our hotel to the mansion and museum of Ernest Hemingway, Finca Vigia, followed by the village of Cojimar where the novel The Old Man and the Sea was set. Afterward, travel to the Alamar district on the outskirts of. Alamar began as a social housing project of the 70 s and 80 s. Now, hundreds of thousands of Cubans live in apartment blocks four stories high, in Soviet-style pre-fabricated concrete buildings. Community gardens, called organoponicos, are located between the buildings, where residents grow fruit, vegetables and herbs, for their own consumption and for local sale. Similar to co-op and community gardens in the United States, these organoponicos offer Alamar s residents access to fresh produce as they facilitate community building. Lunch served at the community gardens. Upon returning to this afternoon we visit Fototeca de Cuba. Established in 1986, the Fototeca de Cuba contains the widest and most valuable archive of Cuban photos, plus temporary exhibitions. Dinner this evening is at El Gijon Association Restaurant located one block from our hotel. Hotel Parque Central (B, L, D) Dec. 5: Santa Clara Sancti Spiritus Trinidad We depart our hotel this morning and drive along Cuba s Autopista Highway to the city of Santa Clara where we visit the Museum and Mausoleum of Che Guevara. Lunch is included today at the Los Cayenes Hotel in Santa Clara before we continue on for a brief stop at the delightful town square of Sancti Spiritus. Sancti Spiritus is a wonderful place to photograph with its cobblestone streets, horse carriages and local population. Later this afternoon we check into our hotel located in the heart of downtown Trinidad. Dinner is included at our hotel this evening. Iberostar Grand Hotel (B, L, D) Dec. 6: Trinidad Valle de los Ingenios Spanish colonial Trinidad s former great wealth was garnered not in the town itself, but in the surrounding verdant valley known as Valle do los Ingenios. After breakfast this morning we board the local steam train (subject to the daily operation of the train) and chug to the valley s focal point, hacienda Manaca Iznaga. This colonial mansion was built by Pedro Iznaga, a former slave trader, in We have lunch in the Hacienda before returning to Trinidad s Plaza Mayor with its historic centre of cobble stone streets and squares. We will visit the Romantic Museum and the Casa Cantero with plenty of free time to stroll the local Artisans Market. We ll be sure to take extra time today to photograph various areas of Trinidad. This evening our guide will arrange dinner in one of Trinidad s private homes known as Paladars. After dinner an optional visit to a few music cafes such as Casa de la Musica and Casa de la Trova. Feel free to join the locals in some salsa or Afro Cuban dancing on the cobblestone streets! Iberostar Grand Hotel (B, L, D) Dec. 7: Trinidad Cienfuegos After breakfast this morning we depart our hotel for Cienfuegos which is about an hour drive from Trinidad. We will have time to explore and photograph the main square of this French colonial city, including the historical Teatro Terry, before we have lunch at the magnificent Palacio del Valle which overlooks the Bay of Cienfuegos. We arrive back in around 4:30 pm this afternoon with the remainder of the day and evening at leisure. Dinner is not included this evening. Hotel Parque Central (B, L) Page 2 of 5

3 Dec. 8: After breakfast, we visit some of the most important museums in : the Museum of the Revolution and the Museum of the City, also known as the Palace of the Captains and Generals. Later this morning we will visit the Ambos Mundos Hotel where Hemingway lived and wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls, and see the room where he wrote many of his famous novels. Lunch today is at Hemingway s favourite hang-out, La Bodeguita del Medio, where the classic cocktail known as the Mojito was first discovered. This afternoon is intentionally left open in order to allow additional time to explore and photograph in small groups, or on your own.this evening our dinner is on the rooftop restaurant of The Ambos Mundos Hotel, with a live musical performance of traditional Cuban Buena Vista style music and salsa dancing. Hotel Parque Central (B, L, D) Dec. 9: Depart At leisure this morning before transferring to the airport for our return charter flight to Miami. (B) Pricing and Details Price per person in USD sharing a double room: to includes tips for hotel porterage,(1 bag per person) guides, driver, restaurants waiters. USD per person pax pax Sgl. supp 1st half of Dec., 2012 $3, $3, $ Package price includes: 7 nights double room accommodation in deluxe hotels mentioned Meals per day as noted (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner) One drink per included meal: bottle of water, coffee, glass of wine, beer, mojito, soft drink, etc. Any additional drinks can be ordered and paid for by the client in cash. These are for all restaurants. Private English speaking national guide throughout the tour Cuban professional photographer assistance provided by Fototeca de Cuba where noted All transportation as noted in itinerary by modern airconditioned bus All entrance fees to included tour sites 2 bottles of water per day per person onboard the motor coach (except transfer days) Cuban travel insurance covering medical re-patriation expenses only (required by the Cuban government) Authorization documentation allowing passengers to clear US immigrations upon returning to the United States provided by Vaya Sojourns, Inc. (USA Office of Foreign Assets Control: licensed Cuba Travel Service Provider) Package price does not include: Air transportation to or from (estimated round trip cost from Miami: $450) Cuba visa fee (estimated cost $70) More than one drink at meals which are included in the program Cuban departure tax 25CUC (approximately $30 USD per person) Expenditures of a personal nature (laundry, telephone, internet fees, etc.) Anything not mentioned in Included above Page 3 of 5

4 Payment schedule: Deposit of $ per person due June 15, 2012 Balance (full payment, October 18, 2012 ) due 45 days prior to arrival Cancellation penalty: Full refund for any reason prior to 45 days prior to departure. 10% non-refundable for any reason days prior to departure date. No refund for any reason within 30 days of arrival to OR for any reason during the actual operation of the tour. To avoid the 3% credit card surcharge fee, checks would be appreciated, payable to Protravel International For more information: Myra Orkin Protravel International N Pima Road Suite 125 Scottsdale Az Tel: direct Tel: xt 2805 Tel: xt myrao@protravelinc.com Page 4 of 5

5 Cuba Trip Reservation December 2-9, 2012 To make your reservation, please complete the registration below. Please send the completed form with your check payable to Protravel International. Your check is your reservation and must be postmarked no later than June 15. This trip is expected to fill up quickly so send in your deposit and registration materials as soon as possible! Forms and check ($500/person) should be sent to: Name(s) Address Myra Orkin Protravel International N Pima Road Suite 125 Scottsdale Az City/State/ZIP Phone My check for $ for person(s) payable to Protravel International is enclosed. Page 5 of 5