Vintage pink oldtimer car driving through Old Havana Cuba
Anyone who has ever been to Havana has seen the day glo colored American 1950’s cars ferrying visitors up and down the streets. And they’ve probably wondered how in the world these cars are still running since replacement parts are probably long out of circulation and likely wouldn’t be sold in Cuba even if they were still available. The answer to this will be provided in a visit to a car restoration workshop beginning next January as one of a number of deeply immersive experiences in a new tour being introduced by veteran travel company Geographic Expeditions called “The Soul of Cuba.”
Cuban musician playing the trumpet next to a cuban flag at a street in Old Havana
Since this restricted island began opening to visitors from the U.S. following the restoration of diplomatic relations in 2015, People to People trips falling into 12 specific categories have been the way in for Americans; the “support of the Cuban people” option is usually the one selected. Visiting purely for tourism is still forbidden as is patronizing establishments owned by the Cuban government. More private residences turned into hotels and family run restaurants have proliferated, however, that are open for Americans. (Although U.S. credit cards are still not accepted but dollars are in most places.) And under new laws passed a few years ago, Cuban business owners can now import products from some other countries, enhancing the properties they own.
House of Fuster, Fusterlandia, Jaimanitas Neighborhood, Playa District, Havana, La Habana Province, ... [+]
The trips, which last eight days, will be conducted in January, February and November and go to Havana, the Colonial city of Trinidad and the coastal city of Cienfuegos. The first day in the suburb of Jaimanitas outside of Havana will be taken up with art: first visiting artist Jose Fuster’s colorful outdoor community art project Alegrias de Vivir (Joy of Living) and then going to ceramicist Beatriz Santacana’s studio to create a pottery tile under her direction.
Dancers on the street in Old Havana.
That day and the next two will be spent in Havana in residence at either La Distancia Hotel or Claxon Hotel, former Colonial era mansions with their previous grandeur restored, now transformed into boutique hotels in the city’s vibrant center. Meetings in the city will be held with several of Cuba’s entrepreneurs in architecture, fashion, restaurants and other businesses on day 2 to learn about how they maneuvered within the country’s restrictions and prospered. Afterward, participants will learn the key elements of Cuban dance forms in private lessons with professional dancers. Lunches and dinners will be in local paladares, the privately owned restaurants serving local dishes and guests will explore the streets of Old Havana which are filled with character, if sometimes crumbling, and musicians playing in the squares and in bars open to the street.
The verdant countryside outside of Havana
The next day takes participants into the world of international diplomacy with a meeting with a former diplomat to discuss the complicated relationship between Cuba and the U.S. Afterward will be a visit to a private domino club to learn the strategies of this game as tiles click. In the afternoon, guests will be transported to the large organic farm Finca Tungasuk to see the range of fruits and vegetables that are produced in the countryside. Back in Havana, they will then visit Vocal Clave de Sol, an after school music program to witness the children’s talents and then meet with a renowned musician David Faya and his bandmates to listen to the varying rhythms and forms of Cuban music.
Early morning view of streets in Trinidad, Cuba, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
On day 4, the trip leaves Havana for a musical stop in the historic town of Cienfuegos before continuing on to Trinidad and a private dance lesson. The next two nights are spent in Mansion Alameda, a manor house from the early 1800s, and the days spent in walking tours through the cobblestone streets and past the 19th century mansions of this UNESCO designated town. There will also be more music performances and a foray into the countryside to another UNESCO designated site, Valle de los Ingenios (Valley of the Sugar Mills,) three interconnected valleys that were formerly home to 50 mills.
A couple dancing salsa on the streets of Trinidad, Cuba.
On day 6, en route back to Havana, the trip stops in Cojimar, the fishing village which was the inspiration for Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. Later, a local guide also conducts a tour through Hemingway’s home Finca La Vigia outside of Havana’s center. The last day in Havana features the visit to the car restoration operation NostalgiCar Tours & Garage and then a spin through the city in one of their 30 cars; a visit to the multi space performance/art center Fabrica de Arte Cubano and a gastronomic tour gathering ingredients with the general manager of a popular paladar. A farewell dinner concludes the journey with inevitable discussions about the rich experiences and the welcoming residents encountered over the past week.
