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| Cities and sites you'll visit |
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Havana City and Havana Province |
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Pinar del Río Province and breathtaking Viñales Valley |
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| Tour accommodations |
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You stay in the elegant Hotel Telégrafo in heart of Old Havana, near the Ballet and the Malecón. |
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| Tour highlights |
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Tickets for nine world class ballet performances including the opening and closing festival events |
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Visit three ballet schools, meet instructors and the next generation of Cuban dancers |
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Visit Regla community, a vital hub of Afrocuban culture and religion |
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Tour of the Museum of Dance and a backstage visit to the Ballet Nacional at the Gran Teatro |
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Walking tour of Old Havana, visit a scale model of the district, and a coach tour of Modern Havana |
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Visit to the Partagás Cigar Factory |
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Meet painter and ceramist José Fuster at his whimsical home studio |
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Special ballet display at the National Library and a ballet exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts |
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Farewell dinner at La Guarida where the blockbuster "Strawberry and Chocolate" was filmed |
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| Cuban Ballet web resources |
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21st Havana Int'l Ballet Festival |
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Ballet Nacional de Cuba |
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YouTube: Alicia Alonso interview |
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YouTube: Alicia Alonso performs |
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YouTube: BNC's Viengsay Valdés, José Zamorano, Joel Carreño |
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Tuesday 28 October to Friday 7 November 2008 |
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Eleven days and ten nights in the Pearl of the Caribbean |
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Celebrate the 21st Biennial Havana International Festival of Ballet |
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An unprecedented ballet extravaganza including the opening and closing ceremonies plus seven evenings of performances |
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Experience beautiful Cuba, its art and history, and get to know its kind outgoing people |
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The first Havana International Festival of Ballet was first staged in 1960 and has taken place 20 times since, making it one of the most well established events of its kind in the world. Acclaimed ballet troupes from 57 countries have mounted 217 productions at the Festival, with the Cubans contributing 630 shows. This year marks the 60th Anniversary of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba with participation by its founder, artistic and technical director, prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso. What better occasion to visit Cuba? |
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This program is fully escorted from the minute you touch down until you return home. While on the island you're in the conscientious care of an expert multilingual Cuban guide together with full time chauffeur and luxury coach transportation. |
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Time to commit. This tour is limited in size and fills up fast (see costs). Consider registering now. Shy, budget-minded or independent? There are benefits to group Cuba travel.
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60 icon for Ballet Festival events |
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Shoe icon for music and dance activities |
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Face icon for art, museum, and education visits |
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Turret icon for history and architecture |
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Owl icon for nature and ecology romps |
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Fork icon for meals included in tour cost |
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Smiling icon for free time and leisure |
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| Hint BLUE text links across this site offer extensive details and pictures. |
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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! Contact us. |
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| Travel for change Cuba Education Tours is a Vancouver Canada based organization dedicated to green, ethical travel that benefits Cubans and our guests. |
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 Five star treatment round-the-clock from our Cuban and Canadian staff ensures nothing to worry about while abroad. |
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| Included in costs are all activities listed below unless noted otherwise. |
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| Meals B=breakfast L=lunch D=dinner indicates meals included. All breakfasts are complementary on this tour. Your guide is glad to suggest eateries for every taste and budget for lunches and dinners not included. |
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Getting to Cuba Check current fares or contact us for special air arrangements. |
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| Memories of Cuba last forever. Discover the island on routes less traveled. |
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| SEE EACH TOUR DAY |
:: 01 :: 02 :: 03 :: 04 :: 05 :: 06 :: 07 :: 08 :: 09 :: 10 :: 11 :: |
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Ballet Nacional de Cuba performers. |
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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 Telégrafo located between Old Havana and Central Havana, just blocks away from the Gran Teatro and the Malecón seawall.
Private check-in with assistance from your guide.
Evening Opening gala ceremonies for the 21st Havana International Festival of Ballet at the Gran Teatro!
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Havana's Gran Teatro was established in 1837 making it the oldest continuous performing arts institution in Latin America. The original building was considered one of the finest theaters in the world. Over the years it was remodeled to its current state (completed in 1915). It is considered the most sumptuous building in Cuba and is home to the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. |
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The National Theatre of Cuba was begun in 1951 and completed in 1979. In addition to two performance stages, it houses recreational facilities and art galleries. |
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The Teatro Mella was formerly a fine cinema house. In 1961 it was converted into performance hall and became headquarters for three festivals: Havana International Ballet, the Gold Boleros, and Days of Dance. |
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| Most common Cuba 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. |
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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 national flower, the mariposa (butterfly jasmine). 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 bee hummingbird or zunzún is the worlds smallest weighing between 1.6 and 1.8 grams. The tocororo is the national bird – its red, white and blue plumage reflecting the colors of the Cuban flag. |
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Scenes from performances of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. |
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Special guided tour of Havana's Museo Nacional Danza [National Museum of Dance]. Its new facilities were inaugurated as the Jean-Georges Noverre Conference Hall, in tribute to this prominent eigthteenth century French theoretician, dancer, choreographer and professor. Opened in 2005 by prima ballerina assoluta Alicia Alonso, the museum offers spaces for theoretical discussion on dance, films, art, and other exhibits and activities linked to dance.
Afternoon Backstage visit to the Gran Teatro and its art gallery. Possible attendance to a rehearsal of the Modern Dance Company.
Evening Attend a ballet performance at the Gran Teatro, the National Theatre of Cuba or the Teatro Mella. Please note: One group entrance fee is included for any one of these venues. |
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| Students can major in dance and ballet at Havana's Institute of Superior Arts (ISA). |
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Interior of the Gran Teatro, headquarters for the Ballet Nacional. |
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| CUBAN ARTS AND CULTURE DAY |
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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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Interior courtyard of the Palacio de Bellas Artes. |
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Invitational tour of a one-time exhibit at the Palacio de Bellas Artes mounted for the 60th Anniversary of the Ballet Nacional de Cuba.
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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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Followed by a 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 René Portocarrero and Wilfredo Lam.
Get ready for an air-conditioned luxury coach tour of the most important sites of Modern Havana such as the Capital 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.
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 Jaimanita, just outside of Havana.
Optional afternoon activities include either free time or attendance to the premiere of a new documentary on the Life of Alicia Alonso and the National School of Ballet.
Evening Attend a ballet performance at the Gran Teatro, the National Theatre of Cuba or the Teatro Mella. Please note: One group entrance fee is included for any one of these venues. |
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Fantasy garden and studio of acclaimed artist José Fuster. |
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Moviemaker Michael Moore visits the home of Cuban artist José Fuster while filming "SiCKO" in March 2007. |
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Kids playing at José Fuster's house. |
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Music is pervasive across the city. |
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Havana's famed Malecón seawall is just two blocks from your hotel. |
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| GETTING TO KNOW THE CARIBBEAN'S LARGEST Capital |
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Example of restoration in Old Havana. |
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Street pantomime in Old Havana. |
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Decorative mail drop box in Old Havana. |
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Inside view of the dome of El Capitolio. |
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| Exterior and interior of the Cathedral of Havana initiated by Jesuits in 1748 and completed in 1777. |
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Musicians perform at your restaurant. |
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Ornate filigree and statuary adorn the Gran Teatro where the National Ballet de Cuba performs. |
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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.
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.
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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.
And later onto 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.
Lunch at La Mina Restaurant where you'll enjoy traditional Cuban dishes and live music!
Afternoon Visit to the National Library of Cuba to view a special one time exhibit related to the history of the National Ballet of Cuba and the Cuba School of Ballet.
Evening Attend a ballet performance at the Gran Teatro, the National Theatre of Cuba or the Teatro Mella. Please note: One group entrance fee is included for any one of these venues. |
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| AFROCUBAN CULTURE AND ART |
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Callejón de Hamel, located in Central Havana's Cayo Hueso neighborhood, is an Afrocuban cultural hotspot. |
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Afrocuban inspired folkdance. |
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Afrocuban band performs in the community of Regla. |
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Morning Ferryboat ride across Havana harbor to the Municipality of Regla. This Afrocuban community has a long, rich and still active tradition of African-inspired religions.
We'll visit Regla's church dedicated to the black "Virgen de Regla" Yemayá, the African goddess of the sea in the Yoruba religion and the patron saint of sailors.
We'll tour the Museo Municipal de Regla and learn of the origins of this unique community and its Afrocuban cultures from its curator Raiza Fornaguera.
Following our return to Havana, you're afternoon is free to explore the streets of city with your tourmates and new Cuban friends.
Evening Attend a ballet performance at the Gran Teatro, the National Theatre of Cuba or the Teatro Mella. Please note: One group entrance fee is included for any one of these venues. |
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| Regla's church honors a black goddess who protects fishers and sailors. |
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Ferryboat traversing Havana harbor to the municipality of Regla. |
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Cabaret Tropicana performance. |
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| NATURAL CUBA – DAY TRIP TO PINAL DEL RIO AND VINALES VALLEY |
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Exotic and unique plants and animals thrive in Cuba. The island has more protected areas than any other country. |
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Young person staffs farmers market. |
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The world's smallest bird weighing less than a dime is called a zunzún (bumblebee hummingbird). Watch a movie clip of a zunzún. |
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Mogotes (tropical karsts) are remnants of eroded limestone sedimentary layers. The heights of these dramatic hills are generally less than 25 meters; diameters range from 10 to 200 meters. |
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| Cuba is recognized as the global leader in environmental sustainability. It has 300 ecologically protected areas comprising 30 percent of its territory. Six of these areas are UNESCO World Biosphere Reserves. Over half the island's diverse flora and fauna is indigenous – existing nowhere else – and is guarded from exploitation. The World Wildlife Federation (WWF) declared Cuba the only country with a planet friendly economy. |
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Morning excursion to the rural agriculture-based Viñales Valley. You'll be in awe of its spectacular natural landscape featuring the most interesting and varied geological formations in the Caribbean. The valley is particularly famous for its great freestanding rock formations called mogotes. Viñales is the heart of tobacco cultivation on the island.
Followed by a magical walking and boat tour through the Cueva del Indio used by Guanahatabey Amerindians as a burial site, and later as a refuge from Spanish slavers. Within you'll witness earth's natural and social history from the Jurassic to the Paleolithic era and beyond.
Four kilometers from Viñales Village, on one side of the Dos Hermanas (Two Sisters) mogote, stands the Mural de la Prehistoria (Mural of Prehistory), an impressive 120-meter high fresco painted in 1961 by Cuban artist Leovigildo González, a student of the Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. Depicted are the animals and other creatures that lived in the valley in prehistoric times. The mural pays tribute to the Darwinian perspective of evolution.
Free time to explore Viñales Village at your leisure. Examine its open-air craft market, Parque Martí, main parish, and other interesting highlights of this charming colonial hamlet.
Visit Carmen and Caridad Miranda's magical mini-paradise, known as the Viñales Botanical Garden. These two elderly widows maintain a little Eden full of fruit trees, orchids and medicinal plants nurtured lovingly and organically.
Late afternoon return to Havana.
Evening Dance to 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 is frequented by artists, students, dancers, and foreign guests (optional participation, not included in cost, 10 CUC entrance fee). |
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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. |
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The jutía, native to Cuba, is a large rodent the size of a cocker spaniel. They dwell in trees and are vegetarians. Jutías are the preferred breakfast of crocodiles. |
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In preparation for your trip, you might watch "Motorcycle Diaries," a thrilling adventure that traces the youthful origins of a revolutionary spirit who would become Che Guevara. |
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| THERE ARE NO poisonous plants, bugs or animals in Cuba. Tropical diseases are nearly vanquished. No vaccinations are required to visit the island. Visitors don't return home with mysterious maladies. |
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| Some among many Cuban staples grown organically in Pinar del Río province: Left to right Bananas, coffee beans, cucumbers, pineapple, sweet potatoes, eggplant, and avocados. |
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| DANCE EDUCATION AND HISTORY IN HAVANA |
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Museum of the Revolution and old car. |
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Ballet student. |
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Cuban commemorative coin minted in 1998 for the 50th anniversary of the Ballet Nacional. |
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Dance students and teacher. |
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Visit an elementary ballet school in Havana. You'll meet the teachers and students and learn about approaches to teaching grade school kids dance. The students are especially selected to focus on ballet and dance from an early age.
Afterwards we'll tour the Museum of the Revolution, the former Presidential Palace. Today it exhibits the history of the Cuban Revolution through documents and objects among which we find the famous Yacht Granma that returned Fidel and his 82 guerilla fighters from Mexico to Cuba to launch the struggle for liberation from the Batista dictatorship.
Afternoon is free to explore the city with your tourmates and new Cuban friends.
Evening Attend a ballet performance at the Gran Teatro, the National Theatre of Cuba or the Teatro Mella. Please note: One group entrance fee is included for any one of these venue. |
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Left Ballet practice for elementary school girls. Above Ballet students in class. Half of the students are boys. |
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The Museum of the Revolution displays a vast and fascinating journey through Cuba's hundred years' struggle for independence. |
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| VISIT TO THE CUBAN NATIONAL SCHOOL OF BALLET |
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Alicia Alonso in the year 2005. |
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Ballet practice. |
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Alicia Alonso teaching. |
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Morning visit to the Escuela Nacional Cubana de Ballet [Cuban National Ballet School]. Directed by Ramona de Sáa, its 4,300 students make it the biggest ballet school in the world and the most prestigious in Cuba. Over 52,000 students apply annually. The school was founded in 1931, where the prima ballerina assoluta, Alicia Alonso and former husband Fernando Alonso received their first ballet classes. Tuition is fully covered by the Cuban people, but students must conform to a rigorous program of physical training and aim towards perfection. Many of the school's graduates are today eminent professionals recognized and performing internationally. We'll tour the facility and learn about its methodology. Anticipate a possible meeting with Alicia Alonso.
Afternoon is free to explore the city with your tourmates and new Cuban friends.
Evening Attend a ballet performance at the Gran Teatro, the National Theatre of Cuba or the Teatro Mella. Please note: One group entrance fee is included for any one of these venue. |
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Escuela Nacional Cubana de Ballet. |
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Warm up. |
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| CIGAR FACTORY TOUR AND FREE TIME IN HAVANA |
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| Left Highly skilled cigar roller at work. Right Partagá Real Fábrica de Tabacos building from 1845. Westerners first savored tobacco in Cuba in 1492. Cuban aboriginals had long cultivated the crop and enjoyed it in ceremonial rites. The words tobacco and cigar both derive from aboriginal terms. It is no surprise that Cuba remains the chief supplier of the world's best leaves and cigars. |
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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 secrets of the craft.
Afternoon is free to explore the city with your tourmates and new Cuban friends.
Evening Attend a ballet performance at the Gran Teatro, the National Theatre of Cuba or the Teatro Mella. Please note: One group entrance fee is included for any one of these venue. |
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Student practicing at the Cuban National Ballet School. |
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Detail from the 19th International Festival of Ballet in 2004. |
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| BALLET FESTIVAL GALA CLOSING CEREMONIES |
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You'll walk the tree-lined terrazzo inlaid Prado Avenue when going from your hotel to performances at the Gran Teatro. |
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Alicia Alonso chatting with Pablo Picasso in 1961. |
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Morning and afternoon are free to explore the city with your tourmates and new Cuban friends.
Farewell dinner at La Guarida paladar, location for Oscar-nominated film "Strawberry and Chocolate."
Evening We'll attend the closing ceremonies of the 21st Biennial Havana International Festival of Ballet at the Gran Teatro. You'll be among honored guests from dozens of countries – a most fitting finale to this once-in-a-lifetime tour. |
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Entrance to Restaurant La Guarida. |
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Intimate interior of La Guarida: It is considered one of the best restaurants in Cuba. |
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| GOODBYE CUBA – HELLO NORTH AMERICA |
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| 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. |
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Early morning transfer to Havana's José Martí International Airport for your return home. Don't forget to save 25.00 CUC for your Cuban airport departure tax.
Want to stay longer on your own? Contact us and we will help make it happen. |
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| We'll miss you and hope you return soon! |
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Old Cuban saying, "a true friend remembers the song in your heart when you have forgotten the lyrics." |
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