Cuba 2025

 We shared one last breakfast on the roof before we all boarded the van for the airport.  The airport is small but we still had to arrive early enough to go through their customs.  We waited patiently for our AA flight to arrive from Miami.  I think all of us we looking forward to a soda once on board since there had been none available during the trip. An on time arrival brought us to the hell known as the Miami customs.  After what seemed like a several mile walk, we arrived at customs only to be vomited into the haphazard security lines to re-enter the airport.  All I can saw is avoid this if you ever have the chance. It was a great trip but I think we were all ready to be home to see loved ones, sleep in a nice bed and enjoy a hot shower. Until next time.... 

 With this being our final day, we had one more critique before having most of our day open to wonder around the town or pack.  Most of us walked down the street back to St Pauli for lunch.  You could tell we were missing out pasta because almost all of us ordered it for lunch. Late afternoon we walked to an outdoor performance venue to watch a very different dance show.  There's a show in Havana called the Tropicana where nightly performances by singers and dancers draw crowds.  This group seemed like they were auditioning for that show.  There were two different singers and a drum group entertaining us.  But the real stars of the show were the dancers in their colorful costumes and headgear.  Even though the afternoon was hot, they shimmied and shook for us.  Afterwards we took portraits before returning to our rooms. We gathered early evening to watch the slideshow Kip had prepared of our work during the week.  This is also a time for...

 This morning we had our second Dawn Patrol, this time back to the port.  People gathered to take the ferry to their work, mostly at a power plant across the bay.  They crowded onto the boat for their short journey while we took photos.   We returned for breakfast and to prepare for our second critique.  We gathered in a suite where chairs were arranged around a television for our second review.  We had a pizza lunch catered in from upstairs to enjoy during the session.   Late afternoon we boarded a ferry to go to a small island for dinner.  We were greeted by several island residents that were egger to show us around, hopefully for a tip.  With a population of 1200, the island supplied everything they needed from housing, to pharmacies, to restaurants.  A fifteen minute walk was all that you need to circle the island.   For dinner we ate at a restaurant just off the beach. The catch of the day was red snapper which w...

 We rose early for our last breakfast in Baracoa and to begin our journey back to Santiago.  I should mention that several in our group brought supplies such as fishing line and pain relievers that were distributed during our trip into the country.  Not readily available, these gifts were much appreciated. The road had not gotten better during our stay, so we buckled down and either napped or visited to make the trip go by a little faster.  We stopped to have a box lunch in the lobby of a hotel.  Supplies are short in Cuba so the bartender could only offer us coffee from his stash behind the bar. Once back at our hotel we checked into our rooms and had a brief break before heading back out.  Our afternoon destination was a boxing school.  Various aged boys were going through drills while we watched.  A boxing ring had been acquired using funds that tour groups supply during these visits.  We also wondered across the street to watch a pickup g...

 We had our first official Dawn Patrol of the trip this morning.  We wondered along the Malecon (oceanside barrier wall) while the town was waking up. We then passed by a school where it became apparent that this was no ordinary day.  The school children were arriving in dress commemorating Jose Marti's birthday.  Little girls were dressed in their finest while little boys sported drawn on mustaches and straw hats.  We watched their arrival and subsequent parade down the street to join other school children for a larger parade in the park.  It was a wonderful happenstance that added to our experience. After breakfast we stopped once again and a small village to observe life.  Some of our group ascended  into the village to see a housing construction project while some of us stayed at a bus stop and watched life go by.  After awhile we were back on our bus to visit another farm. We first stopped to visit a local celebrity, 24. He acquired this...

 Similar to yesterday's start, we stopped at a village to watch the morning routines of the people.  Trucks carrying workers share the road with horse drawn wagons, motorcycles, bicycles, and people on foot.  We walked by a school where preparations were being made for the celebration of Jose Marti's birthday the following day.  White busts of Marti were scattered all over this region and served as lawn art.  After briefly watching the children we continued on our walk alongside the river. To reach the far shore of the river, we broke into two groups to sit in a covered wagon being pulled by a very reluctant horse into the stream.  Our guides resorted to pushing the cart so we could finish our river crossing.  On the other side we wondered down a path taken by locals on their daily routine.  We watched a couple of women doing their laundry in the very clear water of the river.  We also passed by a school where children were engage in soccer p...

Breakfast was served on the roof with an offering of toasted bread, cheese, fruit and juice.  Hot chocolate was served alongside coffee since cocoa is grown in this region.  Eggs were cooked to order. We drove to the small village of Jamal to watch a typical morning rush.  Rain storms are frequent on this part of the island since it is the wettest area in Cuba.  A downpour found us all seeking shelter under a porch overhang until the rains passed.  We mixed with the locals doing the same.  Apparently Cubans are rain adverse with kids skipping school if they think they might get wet.  As the sky cleared everyone started venturing off the porch back to their business.  We watched for awhile longer before going on to our next activity. When I visited Costa Rica in March we had the opportunity to visit a cocoa farm.  A slick operation, they lead us through the production of cocoa from harvest to final product.  Today, we had the opportunity ...