 |
|
|
|
| PROGRAM OVERVIEW |
 |
| CITIES AND SITES VISITS |
|
 |
Havana City and Havana Province |
|
|
Classic French inspired Cienfuegos in the province of the same name |
|
|
Legendary Trinidad de Cuba in Sancti Spíritus province |
|
| TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS |
|
|
Your Havana hotel is the Saint Johns in Vedado. It's a comfortable facility with many amenities a couple blocks from the Malecón. |
|
|
Trinidad's all-inclusive four star beach resort Club Trinidad Ancón on the white sand beaches of Caribbean Sea. |
|
| TOUR HIGHLIGHTS |
|
|
Dance lessons taught by Cuban professionals with live music, and a farewell dinner in Havana |
|
|
Private guided walking tour of the main historical sites of Old Havana |
|
|
Private guided luxury coach tour of Modern Havana |
|
|
Volunteer at a training college for architectural restoration |
|
|
Numerous evening venues where the best Cuban music is performed |
|
|
Visit Galería de Arte Maroya featuring Cuban paintings, sculptures and antiques |
|
|
Enjoy the warm clean waters of the Caribbean Sea at your hotel resort |
|
|
Visit a centuries-old family run pottery factory and ceramics studio |
|
|
Tour the ruins of a sugar plantation once staffed by slaves |
|
|
Walking tours of the central plazas and key sites of the cities of Trinidad and Cienfuegos |
|
|
Why is this photo of John Lennon here? Click it to find out. |
|
|
 |
Friday 26 February to Sunday 7 March 2010, limited enrollment |
|
|
Ten days and nine nights in the Pearl of the Caribbean |
|
|
Learn all about Cuban music, dance, art, culture and history |
|
|
Spend time with your Cuban peers and help out at an urban architectural restoration college |
|
|
Visit historic Havana, beautiful Cienfuegos, and ancient Trinidad de Cuba on the Península de Ancón, and much more! |
|
 |
|
|
THE 2010 CUBA CULTURE AND DISCOVERY TOUR is organized and led by Lord Byng English, Social Studies and ESL teacher Ms Michelle Moldowan, together with English and Social Studies teacher Mr Richard Harris. They can help with most of your questions. However, should you or your parents have any special queries, feel free to contact Cuba Education Tours directly. |
 |
|
This 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 an expert multilingual Cuban guide together with our professional bus chauffeur. Our Canadian and Cuban staff ensures worry free Cuba travel before, during and after your tour. |
|
|
Time to commit. This tour is limited in size. Register now so you can start saving up for your 2009 Spring Break Cuba trip. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Treble clef icon for special Lord Byng events |
|
 |
|
Shoe icon for music and dance activities |
|
 |
|
Face icon for art, museum, and education visits |
|
 |
|
Turret icon for history and architecture |
|
 |
|
Owl icon for nature and ecology romps |
|
 |
|
Fork icon for special tour meals |
|
 |
|
Smiling girl icon for free time and leisure activities |
|
 |
|
Ball icon for beach, sun and swimming |
|
|
|
| Hint BLUE text links across this site offer extensive details and pictures. |
|
| Notice to students This is an alcohol and drug free study abroad program. All Lord Byng good behavior rules apply while you are in Cuba. |
|
| Included in costs are all activities listed below unless noted otherwise. |
|
| Travel insurance Students and teachers have extended medical insurance coverage included on this tour. |
|
|
Island transportation You travel in a private luxury tour coach chauffeured by a professional driver. |
|
| Meals B=breakfast L=lunch D=dinner indicates meals included. All meals are included except for lunch on Day 5. |
|
 Memories of Cuba last forever. Discover the island on routes less traveled. |
|
| Travel for change Cuba Education Tours is a Vancouver Canada based organization dedicated to green, ethical travel that benefits Cubans and our guests. |
|
 Five star treatment round-the-clock from our Cuban and Canadian staff ensure worry free travel abroad. |
|
|
|
|
| CHECK OUT EACH TOUR DAY |
:: 01 :: 02 :: 03 :: 04 :: 05 :: 06 :: 07 :: 08 :: 09 :: 10 :: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| Musician and dancers in Havana. |
|
Modern dance students practice in Havana. |
|
Get ready to learn plenty of new and unusual dance moves … |
|
… and swing to lots of great music. |
|
|
 |
| The city of Havana as seen from the fortress El Morro, across the harbor from your hotel. |
|
Arrival at Havana's José Martí International Airport.
Collect your bags and go through customs. 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 the Hotel Saint Johns located at the boundary between Old Havana and central Havana.
Private check-in with assistance from your guide.
Afternoon and evening are free for you to settle in, rest up, and explore the vibrant neighborhood surrounding your hotel.
All breakfasts are complementary and served daily from 07:00AM to 10:00AM. All other meals are included except for lunch on Day 5.
|
|
|
José Martí International airport in Havana – a colorful welcome. |
|
|
Havana's Malecón seawall near your hotel – a place for relaxation and new friendships. |
|
|
|
Colorful indigenous Cuban Tody. |
|
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. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| GETTING TO KNOW THE CARIBBEAN'S LARGEST CAPITAL |
TOP |
|
|
Example of restoration in Old Havana. |
|
Street pantomime in Old Havana. |
|
View of the Capitolio from the Malecón seawall. |
|
Inside view of the dome of El Capitolio. |
|
 |
|
 |
| Exterior and interior of the Cathedral of Havana initiated by Jesuits in 1748 and completed in 1777. Click photos for larger view. |
|
One in ten autos in Cuba are pre-1959. |
|
|
Ornate filigree and statuary adorn Havana's Gran Teatro where the National Ballet performs. Click photo for view of interior. |
|
Morning 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 Cathedral of Havana built by the Jesuit order.
|
| Square of Arms, an ancient military parade ground for Spanish soldiers, surrounded by impressive buildings such as: |
|
 |
Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, former seat of colonial government. Today the building houses the Museum of the City. |
 |
|
Palacio del Segundo Cabo, seat of the second authority of the island. Today it houses important publishing concerns. |
|
|
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. |
|
We continue onto San Francisco Square, one of the oldest plazas in the historical quarter.
And later to Plaza Vieja, the only civic square of colonial times. Absent are churches and government buildings. We'll visit an important center for the visual arts.
We'll visit the Scale Model of Old Havana to learn about the history of this oldest of cities in the Americas and plans for restoration and preservation of the community and its structures.
|
Musicians perform at your restaurant. |
|
Lunch at La Mina Restaurant where you'll enjoy traditional Cuban dishes and live music!
Free time in the famous open-air handicraft market near Cathedral Square where you can purchase all sorts of crafts and souvenirs by local artisans.
Return to your hotel to freshen up for dinner.
Tonight a Cuban band plays for us. They'll teach you how to perform and dance to Salsa, Rumba, Son, and Rueda de Casino and other popular Cuban rhythms from members of Grupo Dulce María. |
|
|
|
|
|
| CUBAN DANCE LESSONS, SCHOOL VISITS, EXPLORING MODERN HAVANA |
TOP |
|
|
Spontaneous dance on the Malecón. |
|
 Cuban dance instructors. |
|
Havana street percussionist. |
|
Havana's Malecón seawall just next to your hotel. A place for relaxation and entertainment. |
|
 |
|
Click serpent photo left to see 2009 Lord Byng student playing with snakes! |
|
2009 Lord Byng teacher pet's baby crocodile. YES, they bite! Click photo to enlarge. Credit Richard Harris |
|
2009 Lord Byng students at the Plaza de la Revolución in Havana. Click photo to enlarge. Credit Richard Harris |
|
|
Morning dance lessons. You'll learn from Cuban masters and be coupled with a Cuban dance partner. Techniques and methods addressed are rhythm, movement fundamentals for women and men, and Afrocuban movement. Dance styles covered are Salsa, Rumba, Son, and Rueda de Casino.
|
|
Casa director Rosa Sardiñas. |
Morning walk to Casa del niño y la niña [House for the Boy and Girl], a Central Havana neighborhood sponsored learning facility for young Cubans seeking to expand their academic options following the regular school day. We'll meet with Director Rosa Sardiñas for presentation on her outreach work for kids in the community of Cayo Hueso. We'll have exchanges with teachers that live in the community.
We'll the Callejón de Hamel, an alley where all the buildings display murals inspired by Afrocuban culture and religions. Afterwards we'll meet alley artist Salvador Gonzales at his studio.
Lunch at ArteChef and a peer exchange with chef students. This school for young chefs who have already graduated for food prep training. At ArteChef they are traning to become master chefs. Look forward to a good time and great food!
Get ready for an air-conditioned luxury coach tour of the most important sites of Modern Havana such as the Capitol building, the Grand Theatre, Central Park, Prado promenade, Revolution Square, Coppelia Ice Cream Park, Plaza José Martí (in front of US Interests Section), Malecón seawall, Monument to the Battleship Maine, Hotel Nacional, University of Havana, Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón, and the Miramar, Central Havana and Vedado neighborhoods.
Entertainment 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). |
|
Dance lessons. |
|
Experimental dance in Havana melds hip hop and Afrocuban movement. |
|
FIRST HERO OF THE CUBAN PEOPLE
Taíno Indian Chief Hatuey from the island of Hispanolia traveled to and warned his Cuban counterparts about the horrific dangers of 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. |
|
|
2009 Lord Byng student donate school supplies to children at Casa del niño y la niña [House for the Boy and Girl]. Credit Richard Harris.
![2009 Lord Byng student donate school supplies to children at Casa del niño y la niña [House for the Boy and Girl]](images/540LB_student_donations.jpg) |
|
|
|
|
|
| CIGAR FACTORY VISIT, CUBAN DANCE LESSONS AND FUN DAY |
TOP |
|
|
Fantasy garden and studio of acclaimed artist José Fuster. Click photo to enlarge. Credit Richard Harris |
|
Giant mosaic of crab by José Fuster. Click photo to enlarge. Credit Richard Harris |
|
José Fuster's lunch dishes are as colorful as his sculptures. |
|
|
Morning dance lessons. You'll learn from Cuban masters and be coupled with a Cuban dance partner. Techniques and methods addressed are rhythm, movement fundamentals for women and men, and Afrocuban movement. Dance styles covered are Salsa, Rumba, Son, and Rueda de Casino.
Tour highlight This afternoon we'll feast on a delicious lunch hosted by José Fuster, one of Cuba's most important ceramists and painters at his whimsical studio in Jaimanitas, just outside of Havana.
|
 |
|
 |
| Left Highly skilled cigar roller at work. Right and top Partagás Real Fábrica de Tabacos building from 1845. Westerners first savored tobacco in Cuba in 1492. Cuban aboriginals had long cultivated the crop for use in rites. |
|
Morning tour of the Partagás Real Fábrica de Tabacos established in 1845. It has supplied fine cigars to connoisseurs, as well as European and Asian nobility, for over 163 years. Here some of Cuba's most famed cigars are produced including Romeo y Julietas and Cohibas among other big names. You'll witness the steps of the craft from selection of the cured leaves to expert rolling by skilled workers. It was on the island of Cuba that Europeans first savored tobacco in 1492. Cuban aboriginals had long cultivated the crop and enjoyed it in ceremonial practices. The words tobacco and cigar both derive from the Taíno Indian language. Natives gave two crew of Christopher Columbus, Rodrigo de Xerez and Luis de Torres, tobacco. They introduced the product and custom to Europe several months later. Today, aficionados consider Cuba's product the best in the world.
Return to your hotel to freshen up and have dinner.
Tonight is free to explore the neighborhood around your hotel and local entertainment options. Students will travel in groups of four or more. Don't stay up too late. We're off to the central provinces of Cienfuegos and Sancti Spíritus first thing in the morning! |
|
|
|
|
|
| VOLUNTEERISM AND CUBAN HISTORY DAY |
TOP |
|
|
2009 Lord Byng students create reproduction of architectural detail at Escuela Taller. Photo Richard Harris |
|
Here Lord Byng students work on another architectural feature based on centuries-old model at Escuela Taller. Click photo to enlarge. |
|
|
2009 Lord Byng students ready for bus tour. Photo Richard Harris |
|
This morning we'll meet with the professors and students of La Escuela Taller Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos (Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos Workshop School). This unique institution was established in 1992 in a heroic effort to train youth in the arts, crafts and theoretical knowledge to rehabilitate and preserve their architectural heritage. The school teaches young people archeological and restoration skills necessary to sustain the physical heritage and cultural patrimony of Old Havana. The Cuban capitol harbors the largest collection of colonial-era Spanish architecture in our hemisphere.
Now that you've met the students at Escuela Taller, you'll have a chance to help them out with their restoration projects. Be sure to wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty. This is a great opportunity to make new Cuban friends while learning from them at the same time. They'll have lots of questions about Canadian life for you too. Don't be shy.
Return to your hotel to freshen up and have dinner.
Tonight is free to explore the neighborhood around your hotel and local entertainment options. Students will travel in groups of four or more. |
|
![Instructor at the Escuela Taller [Workshop School] for historical restoration.](images/204escuela_taller2.jpg)
Instructor at the Escuela Taller [Workshop School] for historical restoration. |
|
Exotic and unique plants and animals thrive in Cuba. The island has more protected areas than any other country. |
|
Young person staffs farmers market. |
|
Fresh catch from the sea. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| CUBAN DANCE LESSONS AND FREE TIME IN HAVANA |
TOP |
|
|
Dance classes. |
|
Flower vendor in Havana. |
|
2009 Lord Byng student enjoy group lunch. Credit Richard Harris |
|
|
|
2009 Lord Byng students lunch at José Fuster's studio. Click photo to enlarge. Credit Richard Harris
Morning dance lessons. You'll learn from Cuban masters and be coupled with a Cuban dance partner. Techniques and methods addressed are rhythm, movement fundamentals for women and men, and Afrocuban movement. Dance styles covered are Salsa, Rumba, Son, and Rueda de Casino.
Special lunch at a Cuban vegetarian restaurant.
Free time in the famous open-air handicraft market near Cathedral Square where you can purchase all sorts of crafts and souvenirs by local artisans.
Tour highlight Farewell dinner and party with your dance instructors. Don't stay up too late. We're off to the central provinces of Cienfuegos and Sancti Spíritus first thing in the morning! |
|
Fruit stand offers local produce. |
|
Cubans enjoy lifelong free healthcare and education combined with inexpensive housing, utilities and childcare. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| CIENFUEGOS, THE PEARL OF THE SOUTH |
TOP |
|
|
Cienfuegos also has a Malecón seawall. |
|
Intricate detailing on a heritage building. |
|
Cienfuegos, founded by French colonists, has a replica of the Arc de Triomphe in its central plaza. |
|
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. Below Fresco detail.
 |
|
|
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.
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.
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. Click lion left for enlarged view of giant statue in Cienfuegos.
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 on to the historic city of Trinidad and check to your all-inclusive beach resort Hotel Trinidad Ancón. You'll have time for dinner and a swim in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea.
|
A view of the beach from your all-inclusive Hotel Trinidad Ancon. Click photo to enlarge. Credit Richard Harris.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| THE HISTORIC CITY OF TRINIDAD DE CUBA |
TOP |
|
|
|
|
| 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. |
|
 |
|
 |
|
Sixth generation member of the Santander family spins decorative pots at centuries-old workshop. |
|
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. Below Youth practice modern machete dance.
 |
|
Cuban popular dance at Casa de la Música. |
|
|
Today we explore on foot one of the oldest cities founded by the Spaniards in the West Indies, Trinidad de Cuba, declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It was established in 1514 on orders of the conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar who traveled to Cuba with Columbus in 1493.
We visit its Plaza Mayor, Museum of Architecture, Museum of the Romantic Era, the main town parish and other amazing sites, some dating back centuries.
We stop at a mirador (lookout) over the Sugar Mill Valley, also an UNESCO World Heritage Site, where sugar barons constructed their opulent countryside mansions and huge refineries.
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, examine the oldest architecture in the Americas, and inspect local art and shop for souvenirs.
Return to your all-inclusive hotel for lunch. The balance of the afternoon is free to enjoy the beach and the amenities of your hotel.
Tonight we enjoy live Cuban popular music on steps of Casa de la Música – a great opportunity to practice your newfound dance moves with Cubans and your tour companions. |
|
 |
|
Cuban reef fish. Consider snorkeling in the clean warm waters at your beach resort. |
|
| 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. |
|
 |
|
In the countryside many youth are engaged in organic agriculture combined with rigorous academics. Animal partners help out on the farm. Eco-friendly practices result in tasty produce and high productivity. |
|
 |
|
Old cobblestone steps leading up to the Casa de la Música. |
|
|
| The Valle de los Ingenios [Sugar Mill Valley] brought untold riches to select families. You'll see their mansions and monuments. |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
| BEACH EXPLORATION, WATERSPORTS, AND CDR PARTY DAY |
TOP |
|
|
The Península de Ancón is fun, clean and safe. |
|
Join in on a volleyball game. Or stroll the beach for miles in peace. |
|
|
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 tourmates. Your beach resort offers many aquatic activities and services. Some are free, and others available for a very reasonable fee.
Tour highlight This evening we'll attend a special community festivity at a local Committee for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) especially for this tour. CDRs are responsible for the well-being, education, sanitation and safety of people in their neighborhoods. Tip: Be a good guest. Plan to take some snacks, pop and juice for your new friends at the CDR fiesta. |
|
 |
|
 |
| Musicians and kids play on the Playa Ancón. |
|
How about joining an optional catamaran excursion? |
|
A perfect place for snorkeling and water sports. |
|
| Poster for a local Committee for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR). We'll attend a special fiesta tonight. |
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
| GOODBYE CUBA – HELLO VANCOUVER |
TOP |
|
|
| KEEP IN TOUCH with your new Cuban friends – exchange email addresses! Bring some business cards to pass out on the island. Take pictures and keep a journal. Upon your return, we'll post them on this website for all to see and enjoy. |
|
|
|
|
Early morning transfer to Havana's José Martí Int'l Airport for your return home. Don't forget to save some money for meals on Air Canada flights home. |
|
| Old Cuban saying, "a true friend remembers the song in your heart when you have forgotten the lyrics." |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
