For decades, Americans curious about Cuba have had to rely on the
perceptions of others. Now, you have a rare opportunity to personally
discover this island nation. Combining cultural exchange with presentations
by experts regarding Cuba's tumultuous history, it's architectural heritage,
it's unique contributions to the arts, and it's current socioeconomic
circumstances, this Humanities course offers the travel/study experience of
a lifetime.
Offered in accordance with a special license issued by the Department of the
Treasury to Cerro Coso Community College, this exclusive travel/study
program opens the door to a neighboring country long closed to
American travelers. The baroque beauty of Havana, the home of "Salsa," of
colonial courtyards, and a bevy of 1950s Pontiac and Chevy coupes
reincarnated as taxicabs, will be part of the experience.
The travel/study course will be offered during the Spring break (April 18th
through April 26th, 2003). The course is Humanities C111, Hispanic Culture,
CRN# 73962. It earns three units of University transferable credit. It can
also be used to satisfy certain requirements for graduation from Cerro Coso
Community College.
The cost of the seven day stay (plus three pre-trip class sessions) in Cuba
is $2695 per person. A detailed description of the course is available by
contacting Professor Leo Girardot at Cerro Coso Community
College, 760-384-6292 or email
lgirardo@cerrocoso.edu. Participation is limited.
Preliminary Itinerary
Cerro Coso Community College
A Week in Havana
April 18, 2003 – April 25, 2003
Preliminary Itinerary
April 18: Friday. Havana.
11.35am. Depart on Taca Airlines #9531 on a direct-charter flight to
Havana.
Upon arrival we will be greeted and taken to the Parque Central Hotel
located at the corner of Neptuno e Prado y Zuleta, right in old Havana.
Enjoy a late evening cocktail and hors d’oeuvres at the hotel. Parque
Central.
April 19: Saturday. Havana.
7.00am-8.30am. Enjoy a buffet breakfast which begins at 7.00am in the
Mediterranean Restaurant.
9.00am. Meet at 8.30am in the Antilles I room located on the
mezzanine level of the hotel for an introduction by the tour leader.
9.30am. Depart for a morning walking tour of old Havana led by a
member of the city historians office. Of all the capital cities in the
Caribbean, Havana, once the most splendid, remains the finest example of a
Spanish colonial city in the Americas. Restoration work in the old part of
the city is revealing the glories of the past. Many of its palaces were
converted into museums after the Revolution and much work has been done
since the old city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.
Restoration of the historic center is one of the city government’s
priorities and our time here will allow ample opportunity to learn about the
process.
The final stop for the morning will be at the new model of Old Havana. The
model serves as an excellent introduction to the lay-out of the city. It is
color-coded by age with the historic buildings painted in crimson,
pre-Revolution buildings in yellow and the post-revolutionary buildings in
ivory.
12.30pm. Lunch at the colorful Santo Angel located on Plaza Vieja.
2.00pm. Depart for an afternoon orientation bus tour of Havana to
include Vedado, Plaza de la Revolucion, Miramar, the Malecon, the Colon
Cemetery, and the Callejon de Hamel. The group will be joined this afternoon
by Eduardo Luis Rodriquez Fernandez, director of the well-known journal,
Arquitectura Cuba.
5.30pm. Return to the hotel. At leisure.
7.00pm. Depart the hotel by bus for a welcome dinner at the Café
Oriente Restaurant, which is located right in old Havana on one of its most
beautiful squares. B,L,D.
April 20: Sunday. Havana.
7.00am-10.00am. Breakfast served in the Mediterranean Restaurant.
9.30am. Meet in the Antilles Room 1 for a lecture by Professor Julio
Carranzas on the “Changing Forces of Cuba’s Economic Structure”.
10.30am. Morning visit to the Revolutionary Museum.
12.30pm. Lunch at Prado y Neptuno.
2.00pm. Depart for an afternoon tour of the Capital building and the
Gran Teatro de la Havana.
4.30pm. Return to the hotel.
6.00pm. Depart the hotel for dinner at La Divina Pastora followed by
a chance to watch the evening Canon ceremony. This ceremony has been
performed every evening since the early part of the last century and
represents the official “closing of the city walls.” Earlier last century
the city walls were indeed closed every night so that no one could enter or
leave the city after 9.00pm. B,L,D.
April 21: Monday. Havana
7.00am-8.30am. Breakfast served in the Mediterranean Restaurant.
8.30am. Morning visit to Ernest Hemingway’s home, which has been
lovingly preserved by the Cuban government. The house is just as Hemingway
left it, with the books on the tables and many of his favorite photographs
on display. Although one can only admire the home from the outside, it is a
fascinating visit.
10.30am. Meet at the High Institute of International Relations for a
lecture on Cuban Foreign Policy to be given by Professor Santiago Perez.
12.00pm. Lunch at El Ajibe, a traditional Cuban restaurant located in
Miramar serving excellent Cuban food.
2.00pm. Enjoy a briefing at the US Interest Section where staff from
the US Interest Section will meet the group and talk about their role in
Havana.
4.00pm. Return to the hotel.
Free evening. B,L.
April 22: Tuesday. Havana.
7.00am-8.00am. Breakfast served in the Mediterranean Restaurant.
8.00am. Depart for a full day excursion to the west part of Cuba,
with its jungle-covered summits dropping down limestone cliffs to verdant
valleys. Drive along one of the new roads in Cuba to the town of Pinar del
Rio. Stop en route at the Orchid Farm at Soroa, which is maintained by the
University of Pinar del Rio. The hilly grounds contain over 800 species of
plants, including 200 endemic to Cuba, all thriving in the humid climate.
After arriving at Pinar del Rio continue by a smaller road to the Valle de
Vinales, Cuba’s most famous landscape, located in the province of Pinar del
Rio. This area was the last refuge of the Ciboney, the hunter-gatherers who
were pushed here by the more advanced Taino. The province’s mountainous
landscape is riddled with caves, some running for many kilometers, in which
Ciboney burial and cave paintings have been found. Visit the Cuevas del
Indio, named for the Indian remains found inside.
1.00pm. Enjoy lunch at the beautiful Hotel La Ermita overlooking the
valley. It is really possible from here to appreciate the valley’s
distinctive landscape, with its steep-sided limestone mountains called
mogotes rising dramatically from fertile flat-floored valleys where farmers
cultivate the red soil for tobacco, fruits and vegetables. The terrain
resembles a Chinese brush painting.
2.00pm. After lunch, drive back to Pinar del Rio and visit the
Francesco Donatier cigar factory. It was only with the development of the
European tobacco market in the early 19th century and the perfection of the
Havana cigar that Cubans realized Pinar del Rio guarded a treasure: soil and
climate which produced the world’s best tobacco. The scenes here are
timeless and depict rural Cuba – thatched homesteads, and famers, known as
guajiros riding on oxen-driven carts with their faithful dogs trotting at
their heels. Inside the factory rows of men and women sit side by side,
tenderly rolling and pressing cigars for local consumption. A blackboard
shows production goals and achievements.
6.00pm. Arrive back at the hotel.
7.30pm. Depart the hotel for dinner at La Torre Restaurant. La Torre
Restaurant is located on the 33rd floor of Havana’s tallest building and
offers wonderful views of the city.
For those who would like to attend a music performance with Buena Vista
Social Club-like music, there will be a chance after dinner this evening.
Every Tuesday night there is a concert at the Casa de la Amistad. B,L,D.
April 23: Wednesday. Havana.
7.00am-9.30am. Breakfast served in the Mediterranean Restaurant.
Free Day.B.
April 24: Thursday. Havana.
7.00am-9.30am. Breakfast served in the Mediterranean Restaurant.
10.00am. Morning visit to the Museo de Bellas Artes: International
Collection.
11.00am. Continue on to some of the wonderful beaches just outside of Havana
and enjoy a lunch near the warm, turquoise waters!
2.30pm. Drive back to Havana .
Balance of the day at leisure.
7.00pm. Depart the hotel for a farewell dinner at La Chansonnier, a
small private restaurant located in Vedado.
For those who would like to go, we can arrange tickets for the evening
performance at La Tropicana night club. This spectacular show which is
performed in an outside setting has been playing for many years and uses
natural landscaping, lights and costumes to create a memorable evening.
B,L,D.
April 25: Friday
7.00am-10.00am. Breakfast served in the Mediterranean Restaurant.
Free morning
3.00pm. Light late lunch on the hotel roof-top.
Depart for the airport for the return flight home. B,L.
Course Costs
Based on 20-24 travelers:
Price per person: $2,695
Single room supplement: $390
Includes
Airfare on the direct non-stop charter flight from Los Angeles to
Havana.
Accommodation for 7 nights based on double occupancy at the Parque
Central in standard rooms
All meals as listed in the program. One drink is included with lunch
and one with dinner
Sightseeing and excursions as listed. (It does not include the
Tropicana which is $75).
Transportation in a deluxe motor-coach with air-conditioning
Services of a local Cuban guide
Services of a Distant Horizons escort
Trip Price does not Include
$60 in departure taxes that will be collected at the airports
Visa Fee of $50
Tips to bus driver, guide and escort.
Deposit of $300 per person holds your place on the tour. Fully refundable
till February 15th, 2003
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