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NOTICE: This program is filled to capacity. Please sign our guestbook for announcments on future programs. Click here for other Cuba Education Tours for 2010. |
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THE THOMAS MERTON Society of Canada extends a warm invitation to journey to Cuba with us and trace Merton's 1940 footsteps of island discovery, insight and epiphany. |
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| PROGRAM OVERVIEW |
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| CITIES AND SITES VISITS |
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Ancient and modern Havana |
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Matanzas Theological Seminary |
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Santa Clara in Villa Clara province |
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The City of Camagüey |
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Bayamo, a Thomas Merton favorite |
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Santiago de Cuba and environs |
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Peaceful Ciego de Avila |
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Historic Trinidad de Cuba |
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Cienfuegos, Pearl of the South |
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| TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS |
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Old Havana's Hotel Ambos Mundos |
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Santa Clara's Villa Los Caneyes |
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The three-star Hotel Camagüey |
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Hotel Islazul Libertad Santiago de Cuba |
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The Hotel Ciego de Avila |
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Trinidad's Club Amigo Costa Sur |
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Click here to review all pilgrimage program hotels and resorts |
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| TRIP HIGHLIGHTS |
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Ten Merton reflection sessions on Days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 12 |
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A special fiesta hosted by a Havana community for Merton pilgrims |
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Attend an optional mass at the Great Cathedral of Havana |
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Dance and music lessons with Grupo Dulce María |
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Enjoy traditional music at Casa de la Trova in Santiago and Havana's best jazz at La Zorra y el Cuervo |
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Visit the Seminario Evangelico de Teologia in Matanzas |
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Visit the birth House of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, a father of Cuban independence in Bayamo |
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Splendid luxurious free time on the Playa Ancón [beach] in Trinidad |
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Welcome to Convento de Nuestra Señora de Belén, a secular/religious community center serving the elderly, orphans, and the needy |
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Visit Che Guevara's museum and mausoleum in Santa Clara |
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Climb to the top of the Escambray Mountains in Soviet Army trucks |
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Panoramic luxury coach tour of Santiago de Cuba |
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Guided walking tours of the historic centers of Havana and Santiago de Cuba |
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Tour the oldest colonial dwelling in Cuba, if not the Americas |
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Visit Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre, a sacred pilgrimage site and home of the Virgen de la Caridad |
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Visit a centuries-old family run pottery factory and ceramics studio |
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Tour the ruins of a sugar plantation once staffed by slaves
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Visit the Museo Bellas Artes spanning 300 years of Cuban art, and the Museum of the Revolution
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Learn about and celebrate the accomplishments of the Cuban people over 51 years |
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Witness the largest collection of colonial-era architecture in the Americas and inspect restoration and preservation efforts |
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No swine flu fears in Cuba. Click here for updates. |
Elder tenacity 94-year-old US Doctor Charles Grossman went to Cuba without permission in May 2009 and returned without problems. He challenged his president to normalized relations. He urges Americans to, "To go now."
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| TELL YOUR FRIENDS |
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Announce this website to your friends by email or on social networking sites. |
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Saturday 16 to Saturday 30 January 2010 on the 70th anniversary of Thomas Merton's spiritual expedition to Cuba |
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Fifteen days of companionship, awakening and intimate exploration in the safest and most friendly nation in the Americas |
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Meet, socialize and make friends with Cubans and your fellow pilgrims while learning about island life |
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Euphonium player in Havana. Click photo to enlarge. |
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Visit museums, architectural and UNESCO historical sites, and enjoy swimming, nature and Latin music |
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Stay in comfortable hotels with many amenities close to urban cultural districts in quietude. In the case of Trinidad de Cuba, your Club Amigo Costa Sur is an all-inclusive beach resort on the warm clean Caribbean Sea |
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A Cuban spiritual quest of peace, learning and camaraderie. Perhaps three inspired quotes by Merton himself best sum up the heart and soul of this once-in-a-lifetime encounter:
 The least of the work of learning is done in the classroom. 
Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone – we find it with another.
Peace demands the most heroic labor and the most difficult sacrifice. It demands greater heroism than war. It demands greater fidelity to the truth and a much more perfect purity of conscience.
Your fifteen-day Cuban odyssey spans the island from west to east following the route of the youthful Merton's 1940 sojourn and many more stops betwixt. Click here to learn more about Thomas Merton and his Canadian namesake society.
Judith Hardcastle and Donald Grayston will lead daily meditation and Merton reflection sessions. They also serve as your program leaders. Click here to get to know them better.
The Thomas Merton Society of Canada together with Cubans designed this official program for participants to candidly examine and enjoy island life. It takes place on the 51st Anniversary year of the Cuban Revolution.
The program is fully escorted from the minute you touch down in Havana until you return home. While on the island you're in the conscientious care of expert multilingual Cuban guides together with a professional bus chauffeur. The Cuban and Canadian staff of Cuba Education Tours ensures worry free island travel before, during and after your trip.
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| TIME TO COMMIT |
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This program is limited in size and fills up fast (see costs). Registration is first-come, first-served – don't miss out. Consider signing up now. Shy, budget-minded or independent? Learn the benefits of group Cuba travel. |
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| PROGRAM ACTIVITIES LEGEND |
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Merton smile icon for exclusive TMSC Cuba activities |
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Merton pensive icon for workshops and reflection sessions |
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Shoe icon for music and dance activities |
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Turret icon for history and architecture |
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Face icon for art, museum, and education visits |
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Owl icon for flora and fauna stuff |
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Fork icon for tour meals included |
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Smiling girl icon for free time and leisure |
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Ball icon for beach, sun and swimming |
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Thomas Merton in Cuba
by Margarita Engle
Counting rhythms while I try to sleep
in a cousin's house near Havana
roosters, children, radios, mothers
gossip, turkeys, soap operas, pigs
hammers, motors, laughter, bells
shouting, parrots, bicycle horns, drums
trash bins, dishes, pots and pans
questions, answers, thunder, rain
no wonder the Trappist monk
who'd lived for years with vows of silence
spoke so highly of his cacophonous visit
to the bright island where kindness
and solicitude surrounded him
island of voices
island of songs.
Hint BLUE text links across this site offer extensive details and pictures.
USA travelers This program is legal and licensable for professionals whose work is related to this tour's theme. LegalCubaTravel.com provides an easy step-by-step application kit. If you don't qualify for licensed travel, there are alternatives!
Travel for change Cuba Education Tours is a Vancouver Canada based organization dedicated to green, ethical travel that benefits Cubans and our guests.
Island transportation You travel in a private fuel-efficient luxury air-conditioned tour coach chauffeured by a fulltime professional driver.
Memories of Cuba last forever. Discover the island on routes less traveled with Cuba Education Tours.
Cubans start dancing from the time they walk and don't stop until they drop. |
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| CLICK TO VIEW TOUR DAY :: 1 :: 2 :: 3 :: 4 :: 5 :: 6 :: 7 :: 8 :: 9 :: 10 :: 11 :: 12 :: 13 :: 14 :: 15 :: |
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| Day 1 :: SATURDAY |
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HELLO CUBA |
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Rooftops in Old Havana. |
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Cuban girls perform folk dance. |
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One-in-ten cars in Cuba are pre-1959. Click photo to enlarge. |
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Streets are alive with music. |
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The capital city of Havana as seen from the fortress El Morro, across the harbor from your hotel. |
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Arrival at Havana's José Martí International Airport.
Collect your bags and go through Cuban customs. Don't sweat it, they're nice. See What to take to Cuba.
You're welcomed at the airport by your Cuba Education Tours guide and professional bus chauffeur.
Your Cuba Education Tours guide will direct you to a bank or exchange bureau (CADECA) to purchase Cuban Convertible Pesos.
Group transfer to your Hotel Ambos Mundos located in the heart of Old Havana [Habana Vieja], a historic and cultural district. Private check-in with assistance from your guide.
Special group welcome dinner at the 1830 Restaurant in the Vedado neighborhood. This eatery is considered by many as the best example of high Cuban cuisine – a gastronomical heaven. Fidel and Che were regulars in the early days of the Revolution.
Complementary hotel breakfast buffets are served daily from 7:00am to 10:00am throughout. Lunches included on Days 8, 10, 11, 12 and 13. Dinners included on Days 1, 10, 11, 12 and 14. Your guide is available to suggest eateries for every taste and budget for meals not included in tour package.
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José Martí International Airport in Havana – a colorful welcome. |
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| Most common questions 1 Is Cuban food good? It's healthy and simple but not spicy. 2 Am I free to ask any question? You'll insult your island hosts by being less than candid. 3 Is the water safe? Yes, but we suggest bottled water for peace of mind. 4 Are vaccinations needed? No. 5 Can Americans join? They are especially welcome to do so! 6 Can I stay in Cuba after the tour? Absolutely and we are glad to help. 7 Do Cubans like tips? Yes, please see our Gratuities Guidelines. |
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Colorful indigenous Cuban Tody. |
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CUBA IS THE LARGEST and least commercialized island in the Caribbean. It hosts 6000 plant species, half of which are endemic. There are 20 million palms in Cuba comprised of 30 species. Other flora includes the rare cork palm, a holdout from the cretaceous period; the jagüey, a fig with aerial roots; the palma barrigona (pot belly palm); the ceiba (sacred silk-cotton tree); and the mariposa (butterfly jasmine, Cuba's national flower). The most abundant land fauna is reptilian: crocodiles, iguanas, lizards, salamanders, turtles and 15 species of nonpoisonous snakes. The biggest land mammal is the jutía, a tree dwelling rodent the size of a cocker spaniel. The native bee hummingbird or zunzún is the world's smallest warm-blooded vertebrate weighing between 1.6 and 1.8 grams. The Cuban trogon or tocororo is the national bird – its red, blue and white plumage reflecting the colors of the Cuban flag. |
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| Day 2 :: SUNDAY |
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HISTORY, ARCHITECTURE AND DANCE |
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| Exterior and interior of the Cathedral of Havana initiated by Jesuits in 1748 and completed in 1777. Click photos for larger view. |
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Boy toasts his grandmother [abuela]. Cuban youth hold elders in high regard. The island is known as the Jewel of the Caribbean for its natural beauty and the unmatched warmth and kindness of its people. |
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Example of restoration in Old Havana. |
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Street pantomime in Old Havana. |
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View of the Capitalio from the Malecón seawall. |
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Inside view of the dome of El Capitalio. |
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Island billboard reads: 200 million kids in the world sleep in the streets, none of them are Cuban. |
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Ornate filigree and statuary adorn Havana's Gran Teatro where the National Ballet performs. Click photo for view of interior. |
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Click photo for an incredible virtual tour of Cathedral Square. |
Attend Sunday mass at the Great Cathedral of Havana. This is an optional activity.
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.
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| Square of Arms, an ancient military parade ground for Spanish soldiers, surrounded by impressive buildings such as: |
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Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, former seat of colonial government. Today the building houses the Museum of the City. |
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Palacio del Segundo Cabo, seat of the second authority of the island. Today it houses important publishing concerns. |
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Museo de Artesania at Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the second oldest fortress built by the Spaniards in the West Indies. Today it displays treasures of artistic ceramics by the most prestigious Cuban artists from the middle of the last century to present. The institution is host to the Ceramic Biennial. |
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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 Basílica is a striking example of Cuba baroque architecture.
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Plaza Vieja in Old Havana. |
And later to Plaza Vieja, the only civic square of colonial times. Absent are churches and government buildings, and is in contrast surrounded by opulent aristocratic 17th century residences. We'll visit an important center for the visual arts.
Free time in the famous open-air arts and craft market of Old Havana where you can purchase all sorts of souvenirs by local artisans.
Return to your hotel for a reflection session to be held in the Ambos Mundos conference room. Followed by dinner. Your guide can suggest local eateries for all tastes and budgets.
Program highlight Tonight we have a Cuban band playing for us. You'll learn how to play and dance to Salsa, Son, Rumba, Mambo and other popular Cuban rhythms from the band members of Grupo Dulce María. |
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| Day 3 :: MONDAY |
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SPIRITUAL AND CELEBRATIVE COMMUNITY EVENTS |
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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 small a hotel. |
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Child welfare, health care, and thwarting crime and violence are chief aims of this block watch-type institution with chapters for every several hundred residents across the island. CDRs also ensure electoral integrity and provide detailed profiles on candidates for residents. Voting booth and ballot security is entrusted to primary school students on election days. |
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Why is this photo of John Lennon here? Click it to find out. |
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Morning reflection session at your hotel led by Judith Hardcastle and Donald Grayston.
Ultra special Welcome 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 Aguila and tour the facility.
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Víctor Manuel's Gitana Tropical, known as the Cuban Mona Lisa, was painted in Paris in 1929. |
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Private guided tour of the Palacio de Bellas Artes [Palace of Fine Arts] dedicated exclusively to housing Cuban art spanning three centuries. Sections are devoted to landscape, religious subjects and narrative scenes of Cuban life. A gallery devoted to the 1970s displays the latest generation of Cuban artists whose works reflect the strong symbolic imagery prevalent in recent decades. Together the exhibits account for the richness of the island's Spanish, French, Chinese, African cultural roots. Notable works include those of Rene Portacarrero and Wilfredo Lam.
Program highlight This evening you're a special guest at a festive gathering of at a local Committee for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR). CDRs are responsible for the well-being, education, sanitation and safety of people in their neighborhoods. This event is hosted for Thomas Merton in Cuba Pilgrimage participants. Tip: Be a good guest. Plan to take snacks for the kids, and rum and coke for the adults. |
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Entrance to the Palacio de Bellas Artes. |
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Modernist sculpture by noted Cuban artist Rita Lonja stands outside the entrance to Palacio de Bellas Artes. |
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Rare personal encounters in the course of celebration. You'll meet real Cubans of all ages and colors in their neighborhoods and homes. |
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Make Cuban friends at your CDR party. |
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| Afrocuban dance in Havana. African and Spanish heritages have combines to create a rich unique culture. Photos Barbara Fudge |
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| Day 4 :: TUESDAY |
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MATANZAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY |
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The name Matanzas means "massacre." Several stories explain its origin. One says thirty Spanish soldiers needed to cross one of its rivers to attack an aboriginal camp on the other side. They didn't have any boats, and thus enlisted the help of native fishermen. Once they reached the middle of the river, the fishermen flipped the boats, and due to the Spanish soldiers' heavy metal armor, most of them drowned. Conversely, another legend, assigns the name "mass murder" to the many Indians slaughtered by the Spanish. And a third suggests the name sprung from the fact the city served as an abattoir to process cattle in the region. |
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 Old car on Matanzas street. |
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![Matanzas Evangelical Theological Seminary [Seminario Evangelico de Teologia – SET].](images/210SET_matanzas.jpg) Matanzas Evangelical Theological Seminary Chapel where Thomas Merton contemplated. |
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A view of Matanzas from the bay.
Morning trip to the city of Matanzas located on Cuba's northern coast between Havana and Varadero. It is often called the "City of Bridges," of which there are seventeen crossing three rivers that traverse the town (Rio Yumuri, San Juan and Canimar). Alternately it's called the "Venice of Cuba" and "La Atenas de Cuba" (the Athens of Cuba) for its poets and cultural vitality. Matanzas is the birthplace of the Cuban national dance Danzon and the Danzonete. Refreshingly, Matanzas is little impacted by tourism.
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Interior of the San Carlos Cathedral of Matanzas. |
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Matanzas was founded in 1693 as San Carlos y San Severino de Matanzas. It is famed for its Afrocuban folklore. Matanzas was one of the areas that saw intensive development of sugar plantations during the colonial era. Consequently, many African slaves were imported to support the industry. Matanzas was the site of several slave insurrections and plots, including the infamous 1843 Escalera conspiracy. Due to the high number of both slaves and, importantly, free Afrocubans in Matanzas, the retention of African traditions is especially strong. In 1898, Matanzas became the location of the first action in the Spanish American War – American Navy vessels bombarded it on April 25.
We'll visit the Evangelical Theological Seminary [Seminario Evangelico de Teologia – SET], a place at which Thomas Merton spent time. SET was formally established in the city of Matanzas in 1946 as an ecumenical training center. A board of directors elected from three denominations governs it: Methodist, Episcopal and Presbyterian. Representatives from the faculty and administration also serve as members of the board.
The Seminary provides high-level theological education to prepare students for full-time ministry in churches and other Christian endeavors throughout Cuba and beyond. This ecumenical project provides a diversified theological education to prepare young church leaders, either ordained or lay, to serve in existing local congregations and new churches across Cuba. Students representing more than a dozen Protestant denominations have completed studies at Matanzas Seminary. Click here to visit the Seminary's official website.
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Your Hotel Los Caneyes is built to resemble a Taíno Indian village. |
Afterwards we travel to Santa Clara in Villa Clara province. We'll settle in to our Hotel Los Caneyes. This evening we'll hold a reflection session. Afterwards your night is free. |
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| Many staples are grown organically in Cuba: From left Bananas, coffee beans, cucumbers, pineapple, sweet potatoes, eggplant, and avocados. |
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| Day 5 :: WEDNESDAY |
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CHE GUEVARA MEMORIAL, CAMAGUEY |
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Che Guevara: dad, doctor, military leader, writer, thinker, humanist and baseball fan! |
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The most famous face in the world after Jesus Christ.
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Morning departure to Camagüey – the third largest city in Cuba, and the largest province in the country. It's one of the first seven original settlements founded by the Spanish.
En route we'll stop in the city of Santa Clara and tour the Plaza de La Revolución Ernesto Che Guevara, the Che Museum and the Che Memorial containing his remains and those of his fellow freedom fighters struck down in Bolivia in 1967.
We continue by bus to our Hotel Camagüey. Following check-in and time to relax, we hold a reflection session. Yours evening is free to enjoy hotel amenities or visit the city. |
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Poolside at Hotel Camagüey. |
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Did you know Che Guevara was a doctor? His daughter, Aleida, is too. She practices pediatrics in Havana and consults on health across Latin America. |
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| Day 6 :: THURSDAY |
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GETTING TO KNOW CAMAGUEY, A MERTON STOP |
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Symbol of Camagüey A tinajón is a large round earthenware jar used to store rainwater. Its origins are from Andalusia where they were used to preserve grain, wine, oil and other liquids. Spanish potters adapted them to Camagüey's needs. They are also common in Trinidad de Cuba and Sancti Spíritus. The Incas in Peru evolved similar devices independently. Camagüey is known as the City of Tinajones. It is said that every home in Camagüey has at least one tinajón. According to legend, in 1875, a mambi soldier (independence fighter) was visiting his sick child in the city, near Plaza San Juan de Dios. He was betrayed and had no escape from the Spanish soldiers who were chasing him. He hid inside a tinajón and lived to fight another day. |
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Town hero Ignacio Agramonte y Loynáz was born in Camagüey in 1841. He became an independence fighter, and played an important part in the Ten Years War. He studied law in Havana. When the insurrection against the Spanish broke out in 1868 he played a pivotal role in the uprising in the Camagüey region. In February 1869, he was elected secretary to the provincial government, and he also became a member of the Cuban congress. He was among the signatories of the act that freed the slaves on the island. He went on to become Major-General of Camagüey district rebels and distinguished himself in many bloody contests with Spanish troops. A bullet at the Battle of Jimaguayd felled him in 1873. Camagüey's airport and central park are named after him. |
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Children on a farm near the city of Camagüey.
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Pirates attack Camagüey in 1668. |
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Private guided walking tour of Camagüey, the nation's third largest city and the capital of the Camagüey Province. After almost continuous attacks from pirates the original city (founded as Santa María del Puerto del Príncipe on 2 February 1514 as one of the first seven Spanish settlements) was moved inland in 1528. The new city was laid out in a confusing maze of winding alleys that made it easier to defend against corsairs and buccaneers. Its labyrinthine blind alleys and forked streets that lead to squares of different sizes. There was only one exit from the city – should pirates ever return and succeed in entering the city, the hope was local inhabitants would be able to entrap and kill them.
Bananas to Camagüey market. |
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In July 2008, the historic section of the city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Plaza San Juan de Dios, also referred to as Plaza del Padre Olallo, is generally regarded as the most beautiful square in Camagüey. Much of the square has undergone restoration and is remarkably well preserved. It is surrounded by pastel colored colonial architecture, which includes small single story buildings, and the Iglesia y Hospital de San Juan de Dios, a national monument. It was built as a church with attached hospital in the first half of the 18th century and is noteworthy for the original floors and ceiling and for its use of the Holy Trinity as the central image, something unique in Latin America.
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Bronze statue of Agramonte by Italian sculptor Salvatore Boemi. |
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In the southern end of Camagüey's historic city center is the Parque Ignacio Agramonte, unmistakable for the equestrian statue of Agramonte by Italian sculptor Salvatore Boemi. Marble benches line the park. Surrounding Parque Ignacio Agramonte are Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria, the Palacio Collado, El Cambio, Casa de la Trova Patricio Ballagas, and the Biblioteca Julio Antonio Mella. On each corner of this square a palm tree was planted to commemorate freedom fighters killed here in 1851.
Followed by free time to stroll the streets of this marvelous colonial city and its open-air handicraft markets.
Return to your Hotel Camagüey. Later we'll hold a reflection session. Your evening is free to enjoy hotel amenities or visit the city. |
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| Day 7 :: FRIDAY |
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EXPLORING BAYAMO ON THE WAY TO SANTIAGO |
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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 Santiago personality. |
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School kids at play during lunch. |
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The village of Bayamo is modest and free of tourist trappings. |
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Bayamo has strong Afrocuban influences. Here an artist performs traditional fire dance. |
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Revelers at Santiago's famed Carnival, which takes place every July in Santiago de Cuba. |
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Morning departure to Bayamo, the capital of Cuba's eastern province of Granma. The city has a nearly five centuries of history. It was the second settlement founded by Spanish Governor Diego Velázquez on the archipelago. Established in 1513, the village's original name was San Salvador de Bayamo. The eastern village of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Baracoa preceded Bayamo's foundation and five other major villages followed it during the conquistadors' westward advance.
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We'll visit the birth house of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo, which is today a museum in his honor. |
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The city was the birthplace of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, also known as the Homeland's Father, that Cuba's National Anthem, was composed and sung for the first time (listen to it here). Bayamo was a valuable hub in the Spanish slave trade, especially as sugarcane crops became the area's predominant economic asset. As a result, there is a strong base of Afro-Cuban culture in the area.
During the 1800s, an emerging class of Cuban-born sugar farmers became dissatisfied from their lack of representation and influence in the Spanish colonial government. They resented the governors' tactic of continually ensuring that most power, and therefore economic benefit, remained in the hands of European-born Spaniards.
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Bayamo's main street. Note the prominence of its Cathedral. |
Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, in protest, freed his slaves and declared war against colonial Spain. During the ensuing battles, Bayamo exchanged hands several times and was once burned to the ground by its inhabitants rather than allowing it to be sacked by the Spanish.
The rich history of Bayamo is complemented by beautiful examples of Spanish colonial architecture, reflected in the village's public buildings, museums and personal dwellings, which have overcome the passage of time. The town is vital and active, filled with music, art and handicraft. Tourists rarely frequent it and its people retain an openness and warmth that characterizes the Oriente. It was a stopover for Thomas Merton. We'll stop and visit too.
We continue by bus to our Hotel Villa Gaviota. Following check-in and time to relax, we hold a reflection session.
Evening highlight Dance with Cubans and your tour mates to traditional music at Casa de la Trova in the heart of the city (entrance fee and transportation included).
Vignette: Santiago, the first capital of Cuba
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Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar. |
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Spanish conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar founded Santiago de Cuba on June 28, 1514. In 1516 the settlement was destroyed by fire, and was immediately rebuilt. It was the starting point of the expeditions led by Juan de Grijalba and Hernán Cortés to the coasts of Mexico in 1518, and in 1538 by Hernando de Soto's expedition to Florida. Its first cathedral was built in 1522. From 1522 until 1589 Santiago was the capital of the Spanish colony of Cuba. French forces plundered the city in 1553, and by British forces under Christopher Myngs in 1662. Pirates were a constant menace.
Santiago experienced an influx of French immigrants in the late 18th century and early 19th century, many coming from Haiti after the Haitian slave revolt of 1791. This added to the city's eclectic cultural mix, already rich with Spanish, African and indigenous culture. It was also the location where Spanish troops faced their main defeat at San Juan Hill on July 1, 1898, during the Spanish-American War. Spain later surrendered to the United States after the destruction of its Atlantic armada just outside Santiago's harbor and Cuba became a US colony. Cuban poet, writer, and national hero, José Martí, is buried in Cementerio Santa Efigenia. The city is considered the birthplace of the Cuban Revolution. |
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| Day 8 :: SATURDAY |
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JOURNEY INTO THE HEART AND SOUL OF SANTIAGO |
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FIRST HERO OF THE CUBAN PEOPLE
Taíno Indian Chief Hatuey from the island of Hispanolia traveled to and warned his Cuban counterparts of the horrific dangers they faced from 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. |
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Santiago woman on way to work. |
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Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca, an ancient military fortress protects the entrance to the Bay of Santiago. Click photo to enlarge. |
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Today we visit Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre. See below. Click photo to enlarge. |
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Background In the early 1600s, two Indian kids, Rodrigo and Juan de Hoyas, together with their ten-year-old African slave companion, Juan Moreno, journeyed well beyond their village seeking salt necessary to preserve meat for the town abattoir [slaughter house] that supplied villagers with sustenance. En route they suffered the forces of a tremendous hurricane. As they were nearly swept into its vortex an apparition appeared before them whispering, "I am the Virgin of Charity. I save you sons of Cuba." The three boys survived. They returned with precious salt, and their epic tale. Their Black savior, Our Lady of Charity, also figures prominently in the Afrocuban religion of Santería. She's associated with Ochun, the Yoruba goddess of love and compassion. |
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Our morning begins with a private guided walking tour of Santiago's Parque Céspedes, located at the heart of the city's historical district. We'll examine several of the most important buildings and museums on the plaza's periphery. They include:
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The Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. This grand church has been rebuilt several times since 1522 as a result of pirate attacks and earthquakes. The primary façade reflects its 1922 reconstruction. Within its depths lie the remains of conquistador and city founder Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar. The Cathedral also hosts the significant Museo Eclesiastico displaying key religious art and sacred musical scores unique in the world. |
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Onward to the Ayuntamiento [city hall] erected in 1950s based on 1783 blueprints. The site was originally Hernán Cortés' (conqueror of Mexico) mayoral office. From the balcony of this edifice Fidel Castro proclaimed the victory of the people's overthrow of US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista's regime of terror. The day was January 2, 1959. Fidel's announcement sent tremors around the world and ushered in of a new era of freedom and equality for island inhabitants. |
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Next we explore the oldest colonial house in Cuba, and perhaps in all of the Americas. It was the home of Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar, a gold-seeking, mean-spirited conquistador and the city's founder. Today this cherished casa hosts the Museo de Ambiente Histórico Cubano exhibiting rare 16th century furnishings and artifacts. |
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Afterwards we'll visit the Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca, a military fortress atop the cliffs at the narrow entrance to the Bay of Santiago. The origins of the fortress date back to 1590 when the Spanish King Philip II ordered its construction. The fortress was part of the defensive system to ward off pirates and European nations coveting Cuba's wealth. In 1638 town governor Pedro de la Roca ordered it enlarged and awarded the design to Italian military engineer Juan Bautista Antonelli. It was reconstructed and expanded several times until the end of the 19th century. The fortress was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, and cited it as the best preserved and most complete example of Spanish colonial military architecture.
Lunch at El Morro Restaurant. This eatery near the Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca gets high marks by critics and diners alike.
Followed by a panoramic luxury coach tour of Santiago de Cuba and environs. We'll visit the Teatro Heredia, San Juan Hill, Plaza de La Revolución Antonio Maceo, Saturnino Lora baseball stadium, Moncada Barracks, Palacio de Justicia, the tomb of José Martí, and Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre. The Basílica is unique as it reveres a Black female saint. At the alter you'll see the Virgen del Cobre, an African Madonna decked out in lavish yellow silk and adorned with precious jewels. Each year on the eighth day of September the statue of the Virgen del Cobre is paraded on the main street for tens of thousands of pilgrims to bow before. Pope Benedict XV proclaimed her protectress of Cuba in 1916; she was raised to sanctuary status in 1936 by Pope Paul VI, and beautified by John Paul II in 1998.
Return to your Hotel Villa Gaviota. Later we'll hold a reflection session. Your evening is free to enjoy hotel amenities or visit the city.
Evening suggestions Possible Cuban floorshow, ballet or modern dance performance. Depending upon games schedule we might take in a baseball event. Your guide is glad to suggest current events in the city.
![Santiago's city hall [Ayuntamiento].](images/320stgo_cityhall.jpg)
We'll visit Santiago's city hall. Click photo to enlarge. |
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| Above Panoramic view of Santiago Bay. |
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Santiago de Cuba's Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción gracing Parque Céspedes's perimeter is the oldest extant Christian shrine in our Americas. Click photo to enlarge. |
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Revered General Antonio Maceo Grajales (1845-1896) was second-in-command of the Cuban Army of Independence [mambises]. Known as the Bronze Titan for his color, stature and strength, he was born in Santiago to an Afrocuban mother and Venezuelan father. |
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A 24-hour honor guard protects tomb of Cuban hero José Martí in Santiago's Cementerio Santa Efigenia. Click photo to enlarge. |
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"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. |
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The Moncada Barracks in Santiago was the site of an armed attack by a small group of revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro on July 26, 1953. The action sparked the beginning of the Cuban Revolution. Embracing the name July 26 Movement, the Castro brothers, Che Guevara and others successfully ousted dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959, winning freedom for their people. Note bullet holes on building surface. |
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| Day 9 :: SUNDAY |
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JOURNEY TO CIEGO DE AVILA |
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Restored cloisters. Ciego de Avila's architectural style combines Moorish, baroque and Art Deco. |
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Sugar still plays an important but diminished role in the economy. Click photo to enlarge. |
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"Bicitaxis" or pedicabs are popular in cities across the island. |
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Not a touristic place, just a little unspoiled city. While here you'll get a sense of the real Cuba and its people.
Morning departure to the city of Ciego de Avila founded in 1840. At the time it had 263 inhabitants. In 1877, its municipal government was created and the city became independent of the city of Morón. Ciego de Avila gained importance when the Spanish army built a fortified military line, known as Trocha de Jucaro a Morón, to impede the passage of independence forces to the western part of the island during the First War of Independence (1868-1878). This "trocha" that made the region famous, was thought to be strong enough to stop the Cuban rebels. However it did not stop General Máximo Gómez and several hundred of his rebel army who marched on to numerous victories before defeat by the Spanish.
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Pineapple is a major crop of the province of Ciego de Avila. |
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Angela Hernández Viuda de Jiménez, a rich socialite who battled to create a cultural mecca in her hometown, built many of the old Spanish colonial buildings in Ciego de Avila. She is sometimes credited as the founder of the city. Ernest Hemingway loved this area of Cuba and spent a lot of time at Cayo Guillermo, a place where the hotels, the bars and even the restaurants are all named after him, his home, his fishing guide and dogs.
Upon arrival we'll visit Parque Martí and surrounding historical buildings. The city is famous for its neo-classic buildings with long roofed corridors along the sidewalks. Ciego de Avila's architectural style combines Moorish, baroque and Art Deco in the city's rectangular layout.
Afterwards we'll check-in to our Hotel Ciego de Avila. The balance of the day is for relaxation. Perhaps after dinner you'll want to partake in the hotel's entertainment amenities or return to the city to visit music venues there. |
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Porticos, columns and red tile roofs are common elements in the capital city of the province, which also offers visitors art galleries, parks, and extensive gastronomic delights. |
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Mom gently introduces her tot water sports. |
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Ciego de Avila Tigers baseball champ Alien Mora. |
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| Day 10 :: MONDAY |
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EXPLORING HISTORIC TRINIDAD DE CUBA |
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Trinidad's Manaca Iznaga tower was built in 1816 to keep watch over cane-field slaves. It's 45 meters high and was for a century the tallest structure on the island. We'll climb up to its bell tower. |
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Sixth generation member of the Santander family spins decorative pots at centuries-old workshop. |
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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.
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Morning departure to the city of Trinidad de Cuba. Upon arrival we explore on foot one of the oldest cities founded by the Spaniards in the West Indies. UNESCO declared Trinidad de Cuba and its adjacent Valley de los Ingenios World Heritage Site in 1988. The town was established in 1514 on orders of the conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar in honor of the Holy Trinity. The city was a bridgehead for the conquest of the American continent. Its glorious 18th and 19th century buildings exude the wealth derived from slave-based sugar production.
Upon arrival we'll stop at a mirador (lookout) over the Sugar Mill Valley [Valle de los Ingenios], also an UNESCO World Heritage Site, where sugar barons constructed their opulent countryside mansions and huge refineries. We'll dine in the Manaca Iznaga Restaurant – a former residence of a slave-owning family.
Afterwards we'll head into town and visit the Plaza Mayor, Museum of Architecture, Museum of the Romantic Era, the main town parish and other amazing sites, some dating back centuries.
Trinidad is well known for its pottery makers. We'll meet a family that has been passing on the tradition for generations: the Santanders.
Free time to wander the streets of Trinidad's historical center and examine the oldest architecture in the Americas, and inspect local art and shop for souvenirs.
Now we check-in to your all-inclusive Cuba Amigo Costa Sur. Later we'll hold a reflection session. Your evening is free to enjoy hotel amenities or visit the city.
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Cuban reef fish. Consider snorkeling in the clean warm waters at your beach resort. |
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| Fisher returns home with catch from Península de Ancón near your beach resort. Sea life thrives in the clean ocean waters near Trinidad. Most popular dinner treats are shrimp, red snapper, tuna and lobster. |
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Sunset on Trinidad's Playa Ancón. |
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Horse and cart used to delivery fresh produce to city dwellers. |
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The Valle de los Ingenios [Sugar Mill Valley] brought untold riches to select families. You'll see their mansions and monuments.
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| Day 11 :: TUESDAY |
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CATAMARAN SAILING, SNORKELING, WATER SPORTS |
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How about joining an optional catamaran excursion? |
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Maybe you'll spot a baby sea turtle on the beach. |
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The Península de Ancón is fun, clean and safe. |
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Join in on a volleyball game. Or stroll the beach for miles in peace. |
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Morning reflection session.
Beach Day! Don't forget your swimwear and sunscreen; el sol shines stronger on the island! These beautiful white sand beaches rival the best sun destinations in the Caribbean but are without madding crowds. This is a great occasion to sunbathe, swim, snorkel, relax and spend time with your new Cuban friends and tour mates. Your beach resort offers many aquatic activities and services. Some are free, and others available for a very reasonable fee.
Evening suggestion Live Cuban popular music at the nightclub Casa de la Trova – a great opportunity to dance with Cubans and your tour companions. |
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| Musicians and kids of all ages play on the Playa Ancón. |
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Proud father in Trinidad. |
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| Day 12 :: WEDNESDAY |
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MOUNTAINTOP JUNGLE ADVENTURE |
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Today is for nature trekking and bird watching. |
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Enjoy a traditional lunch at Hacienda Codina, once a Spanish coffee plantation. |
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A Soviet Army truck is deployed to educate about nature. You'll ride in one to the top of the Escambray Mountains today. |
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Peasant hut in the high altitude jungles of Topes de Collantes. |
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This successful Cuban cow is a cross between the African Zebu and a Holstein. It's well adapted to island climes and its progeny produces an abundance of milk, meat, hide and farm help. You'll see it on country roads. |
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| Topes de Collantes national park in central Cuba's Escambray Mountains is the perfect environment to spot a Cuban pygmy owl, about the size of a robin left, Fernandina's flicker center, and the Cuban parrot right. |
This morning we board Soviet Army trucks to climb the peaks of Topes de Collantes in the Escambray Mountains. The Escambrays comprise the island's second highest range, reaching to 3,700 feet atop Pico San Juan. The Escambrays are home to small villages and a true delight for birders and naturalists alike. Dramatic slopes are swathed in Caribbean pines, ancient tree ferns, bamboo and eucalyptus.
Upon arrival at Hacienda Codina, an old Spanish coffee plantation, we'll enjoy a traditional Cuban lunch, followed by a walking tour of the area to admire the beauty of the surrounding landscape and the animals and plants it hosts. (Drinks not included.)
Late afternoon return to your Trinidad resort hotel. Followed by a reflection session. Dinner and drinks are included.
Evening is free to enjoy the beach, hotel amenities, and the lively streets of Trinidad. How about live Cuban popular music on steps of Casa de la Música – a great opportunity to dance with Cubans and your tour companions? |
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Local farmer. |
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Fresh water pool on the way to Topes de Collantes. The Escambray Mountains are located in central Cuba and form the second largest range on the island after the Sierra Maestra in the eastern province of Guantánamo. |
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Live music at the ever-popular Casa de la Trova in Trinidad. |
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| Day 13 :: THURSDAY |
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THE MAGIC OF THE CITY OF CIENFUEGOS |
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Cienfuegos also has a Malecón seawall. |
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Intricate detailing on a heritage building. |
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Cienfuegos, founded by French colonists, has a replica of the Arc de Triomphe in its central plaza. |
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Teatro Tomas Terry was built in 1889 by the sons of Tomas Terry (a Venezuelan immigrant who became wealthy via the slave trade and later mayor of the city). It is clad in Carrara marble; sports carved wooden seats, ornate ironwork, and an impressive romantic fresco on its arched ceiling. It once hosted the likes of Enrico Caruso and Sarah Bernhardt. |
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Cienfuegos' Club Náutico specializes in seafood delights. |
Morning departure to Cienfuegos founded by French immigrants at the beginning of the 19th century is renowned for its wealth of stunning historical buildings.
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Club Náutico Restaurant. |
Upon arrival we enjoy a scrumptious seafood lunch at the bayside Club Náutico Restaurant. Time to sample Cuba's famed harvest from the sea. (Drinks not included.)
Afterwards, your guide will recount the story of the origins of this beautiful cosmopolitan city, known as the "Pearl of the South." You'll walk its main Plaza Martí where the ceremony of its foundation took place, as do many important events still today.
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Construction of the Cathedral of Cienfuegos took over three decades, from 1833 to 1869. Click photo to enlarge. |
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We'll visit such neoclassical buildings as the Cathedral built with donations from wealthy slave owning families – enduring names like Lebranc, Albi, and Terry. Inside the Cathedral a marvelously rendered stained glass mural of the Twelve Apostles imported from Paris will awe you. The original machinery of the Cathedral's tower clock was also crafted in France and keeps on ticking to this day.
We'll visit the elegant art gallery Galería de Arte Maroya and review its impressively displayed collection of paintings, sculptures and antiques.
Now we journey onward to Havana and your Hotel Ambos Mundos. Your evening is free to rest up and enjoy the sights and sounds of Old Havana. Your guide will keep you current on local events and happenings. |
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| Day 14 :: FRIDAY |
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FREE DAY IN HAVANA |
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A view of Paseo del Prado not far from your hotel. Consider a visit to this area that also includes the famed Capitalio building. |
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Havana youth sells organic onions from urban gardens on the street. |
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Today is yours for contemplation, relaxation and reconnection with your new Cuban friends and fellow pilgrims. Relish these last hours on the island.
Program highlight Farewell group dinner at Café del Oriente! This elegant eatery with its beautiful patterned marble floor, high ceilings, and dark wainscoted walls is considered tops in the city. The menu is one of the more extravagant in Havana, offering exotic entrees available nowhere else.
Evening 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).
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Magnificent domed ceiling at the Museum of the Revolution. Click photo to enlarge. |
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Restored houses on Havana's Paseo del Prado between Parque Central and the Malecón. Click photo to enlarge. |
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| Day 15 :: SATURDAY |
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GOODBYE CUBA, HELLO NORTH AMERICA |
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