California State University, Long Beach Study Abroad

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California State University, Long Beach Study Abroad Explores

Cuba in Transition: Education, Innovation and Deprivation

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PROGRAM OVERVIEW

CITIES AND SITES VISITS

Havana City and Havana province

Bay of Pigs in Matanzas province

Legendary Trinidad de Cuba in Sancti Spíritus province

TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS

Havana's Hotel Saint Johns has many amenities in the city's cultural hub adjacent to the Malecón.

Trinidad's all-inclusive beach resort Club Costa Sur on the white sand beaches of Caribbean Sea.

ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS

Tour the University of Havana and meet with professors and students to understand Cuba's education system

Guided walking tour and coach tours of the main historical sites of Old Havana and Trinidad de Cuba

Visit a secular/religious-run community center serving the elderly, orphans, and the needy

Visit the Museums of Literacy, Revolution, Rum, and Chocolate

Learn about urban agriculture which supplies 40% of Havana's produce

Travel to jungle mountains and find out what Cubans are doing to protect and conserve the natural environment

Visit a centuries-old family run pottery factory and ceramics studio

Learn the history and workings of sugar cane and the role slave labor played in this key commodity

Explore the origins of Afrocuban culture and its contemporary music and art

Review the history of the Bay of Pigs invasion and examine the museum dedicated to this event

Witness the largest collection of colonial-era architecture in the Americas and inspect restoration and preservation efforts

University of Havana Alma Mater statue. Click to enlarge.

	In Cuba from Wednesday 24 June to Friday 3 July 2009

	Ten days on the grand island of the Caribbean, five nights in Havana, four nights in Trinidad de Cuba

	Explore education, urban and community development, social justice, ecology and sustainability, art, history, and culture

	CSU Long Beach Credit Course includes lectures, meetings, museums and site visits, and many more exclusive activities

	Examine tropical nature from remote jungle mountaintops and rural agricultural villages to marine environments

Bananas, plantains and vegetables for sell on Baracoa's malecon.

CSU faculty lecturer Timothy Titus is the inspiration for this program and will serve as tour leader. Read his invitation to join this special Summer 2009 CSU Study Abroad trip, and his objectives and goals.

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 our 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. Please register now so you can start planning for your Summer 2009 Cuba Education Tour.

Travel tips for your Cuba Education Tour

Check out our travel planning page: what to take, packing tips, gifts, gratuities, local customs, clothing, and free Spanish primers.

TOUR ACTIVITIES LEGEND

		U of H Alma Mater for special CSU events				Shoe icon for music and dance activities

		Turret icon for history and architecture				Face icon for art, museum, and education visits

		Owl icon for nature and ecology romps				Fork icon for tour meals included

		Ball icon for beach, sun and swimming				Smiling icon for free time and leisure

Hint BLUE text links across this site offer extensive details and pictures.

Included in costs All activities listed below unless noted otherwise.

Meals All breakfasts are included. Some lunches and dinners are not. Your guide is glad to suggest eateries for every taste and budget.

Travel insurance Please read about health coverage while abroad.

Island transportation You travel in a private luxury tour coach chauffeured by a professional driver.

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 with Cuba Education Tours

Five star treatment round-the-clock from our Cuban and Canadian staff ensure worry free travel abroad.

Rooftops in Old Havana.

CLICK TO REVIEW EACH TOUR DAY :: 01 :: 02 :: 03 :: 04 :: 05 :: 06 :: 07 :: 08 :: 09 :: 10 ::



Day 1 :: WEDNESDAY	HELLO CUBA	To Top


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.

African children who benefit from the assistance of Cuban doctors.

Cuban girls perform folk dance.

The capital 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 your Hotel Saint Johns located in Vedado – Havana's cultural and entertainment district.

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. Many meals are included in Havana. All meals are included in Trinidad.

José Martí International airport in Havana – a colorful welcome.

TIME AND CLIME IN HAVANA NOW

Island-wide annual averages
Summer temp average: 81F | 27C
Winter temp average: 72F | 22C
Ocean temp average: 78F | 25.5C

Havana's Malecón seawall near your hotel – a place for relaxation and new friendships.

Most common 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. 7 Do Cubans like tips? Yes, please see our Gratuities Guidelines.

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.



Day 2 :: THURSDAY	DISCOVERING OLD HAVANA	To 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.


*Left* Doña Flora, a 102-year-old resident of the Belén Convent in 2008. *Right* Tower and entrance to the Convent of Our Lady of Belén.

Restoration of Belén Convent began in 1991 and continues today. It serves as a public health facility for the elderly in the neighborhood and a permanent residence for 50 retirees. Eventually a section of the facility will house small a hotel.

We'll learn the history of cacao at the Museo del Chocolate… and indulge!

Ornate filigree and statuary adorn Havana's Gran Teatro where the National Ballet performs.

Morning visit to the Convento de Nuestra Señora de Belén [Convent of Our Lady of Belén], a community center in Old Havana housed in an ancient convent. Construction on the Convent was begun in 1712. It was expanded and remodeled several times over the centuries. Finally abandoned in 1925, it fell into grave disrepair. In 1991, restoration began and continues with amazing results. Today the Office of the Historian, local Public Health authorities, and the Order of the Sisters of Charity jointly manage the Belén Convent. It is home to fifty elderly people and provides physiotherapy and ophthalmological services to old folks in the community. The Convent also houses an orphanage, storm shelter, pharmacy, daycare, eye and medical clinic, computer workshop, museum, art gallery, and services for handicapped and disabled kids. We'll meet with project director Nelson Aguila and tour this world famous project.

Musicians at La Mina restaurant.

Lunch at La Mina Restaurant where you'll enjoy traditional Cuban dishes and live music!

We'll tour the Museo del Chocolate and learn the history of cacao, its harvesting, production and commercialization – and indulge! The museum exhibits ancient texts, chronicles the use of chocolate by the native population before the colonization, and displays artifacts and posters from different eras related to chocolate consumption and enjoyment. Visitors can taste candies and delicious drinks prepared in either contemporary form or in the Aztec way.

Followed by a 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 Catedral de San Cristóbal de La Habana 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. The square is named after magnificent Iglesia y Monasterio de San Francisco de Asís dating from the 16th century. The basilica is a striking example of Cuba baroque architecture.

	Plaza Vieja in Old Havana.

And later to Plaza Vieja, the only civic square of colonial times. Absent are churches and government buildings, and is in contrast surrounded by opulent aristocratic 17th century residences. We'll visit an important center for the visual arts.

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 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.



Day 3 :: FRIDAY	MUSEUMS AND THE UNIVERSITY OF HAVANA	To Top

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.

Youth at a Cuban baseball game.

University of Havana is an esteemed institution of higher learning.		Plaque at Literacy Museum: "Yo Sí Puedo" means "Yes I Can" learn to read.

Grand hallway of the Museum of the Revolution.

Dr Delio Carreras' sense of humor is infectious.

Visit to the University of Havana, led by its distinguished official historian and professor of law Dr Delio J. Carreras Cuevas, we'll tour the campus, the beautiful Aula Magna where opening ceremonies for conferences and other important functions are held, the law library and meet students from that faculty. Dr Carreras has hosted world leaders such as Hugo Chavez, Pope John Paul II and Jimmy Carter, among other luminaries. The University of Havana, founded in 1728, is an esteemed institute of higher learning with academic ties to venerable universities in Canada, Europe and Latin America.

Followed by visit to Fábrica de Ron Bocoy (Bocoy Rum Factory). Good Cuban rum is treated as a liquor for special occasions. Its origin dates back to when Columbus introduced sugarcane to Cuba just after his "discovery" of the island.

Lunch at one of Havana's most popular restaurants: El Aljibe (not included in program cost).

Museum of Literacy at Liberty City near Havana.

Afternoon visit to Museo de la Alfabetización (Museum of Literacy) that exhibits relics of the 1961 literacy campaign. Prior to the Revolution a quarter of adult Cubans were illiterate and another million were semi literate. Ten thousand teachers were unemployed and 70% of the rural population had no schools. After 1959 all private schools were nationalized and education became free and universal. Former military garrisons were turned into schools. In 1961 all schools were closed for eight months and some 250,000 students and teachers were sent to rural areas to teach reading and writing, laying the foundation for Cuba's stellar literacy rate today. This campaign brought tens of thousands of city youth into contact with the country people, breaking down racial barriers and instilling a spirit of national cohesion.

	Museum of the Revolution was the former presidential palace of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista prior to 1959.

Afterwards we'll explore 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.

Depending upon the playoff schedule, we'll attend a baseball game in Havana – always a rousing, friendly experience. Baseball is Cuba's national sport.



Day 4 :: SATURDAY	LAS TERRAZAS ECO-COMMUNITY	To Top

Las Terrazas waterfall.		Gundlach's hawk is endemic to Cuba.

Cubans enjoy lifelong free health care and education combined with inexpensive housing, utilities and childcare.

Cuban red-legged honeycreeper.

Eggshells are affixed to tips of medicinal aloe vera plant to thwart bird attack.

Morning departure to Las Terrazas eco-community in the Sierra del Rosario mountain range west of Havana in the province of Pinar del Río.

We'll tour its rural village called Rancho Curujey and enjoy a welcome cocktail while learning about this self-sustaining community's successes in reforestation, historical preservation, environmental balance, and a good life.

Next we'll meet with local artists and craft workers in their homes and studios.

Later we'll walk the incredible ruins of a French Coffee Plantation built in 1801 worked by African slaves.

We have lunch at a traditional Cuban restaurant.

You'll have free time to swim in the fresh waters of the San Juan River and explore the surroundings of this lush tropical paradise. Don't forget your swimming suit. Afterwards, we'll return to Havana.

Evening is free to rest up, enjoy your hotel, or local entertainment opportunities. Your guide will keep you posted on local activities.

In the countryside many youth are engaged in organic agriculture combined with rigorous academics.

We'll swim in this heavenly pool at Las Terrazas.

Learn about the cultivation and processing of tobacco from seed to leaf culminating in the world's most famous cigars.



Day 5 :: SUNDAY	ORGANIC AGRICULTURE AND CULTURE	To Top

We'll meet Salvador Gonzales, founder of the Callejón de Hamel rehabilitation project, and its main muralist.

Afrocuban dance at Callejón de Hamel.


Cuban hip hop.		Havana street percussionist.

Above Soldiers fire the 9PM cannon. Below Students watch the blast.

Cuban students watch the firing of the 9PM cannon

This morning we'll visit the Vivero Organoponico Alamar, 15 miles east of Havana. It's one of the most successful urban organic farms in Cuba raising ornamental plants, medicinal herbs, and millions of seedlings for neighboring residents and farmers. Established in the 1990s, the Alamar cooperative has about 25 members and provides a range of healthy, organic low-cost food to the local community. We will visit a farmers market and urban organic garden en route. Get ready for a yummy organic lunch prepared and served by cooperative members.

Next we'll explore 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.

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.

Tonight we witness a most dramatic ceremony – El Cañonazo – the Firing of the 9PM Cannon at the Fortress of San Carlos de La Cabaña. This enchanting colonial reenactment dates back to 1519 when the city of Havana was enclosed by a tall thick rock wall to ward off attacks from pirates and the English. The cannon firing signaled the closing of the city gates for the night. If you were outside at the time, you were in "vedado" or the forbidden zone. Today Vedado is an important cultural hub and beautiful section of modern Havana.

Fresh from urban organic gardens: farmers market in Havana.

Members of the Organoponico Alamar cooperative at work.

Organic oranges to market.

Colorful Cuban Tody.

Some among many staples grown organically in Havana and Pinar del Río provinces: Left to right Bananas, coffee beans, cucumbers, pineapple, sweet potatoes, eggplant, and avocados.



Day 6 :: MONDAY	BAY OF PIGS MUSEUM	To Top

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 and the biggest endemic island mammal.

Cuba Crocodile The endangered Crocodylus rhombifer is found only in Cuba's Zapata Swamp and the Isle of Youth. It jumps to feed by thrusting its powerful tail and can leap up to four-and-a-half meters (15 feet) from the water to snatch arboreal animals such as jutías from overhanging branches. Today, barely 4,500 Cuban crocodiles remain in the wild. Photo Dan Macintosh.

Playa Girón [Bay of Pigs] in located in the province of Matanzas on the Zapata Peninsula.

	Exhibit at entrance to the Museo Playa Girón.

Morning departure to Trinidad de Cuba. En route we'll stop at Playa Girón and visit its famed Museo Playa Girón detailing and exhibiting the victory of Cubans over US-backed invasion forces – the battle of the Bay of Pigs invasion that took place in 1961.

Now we journey on to the historic city of Trinidad de Cuba and check to your all-inclusive beach resort Club Costa Sur. You'll have time for dinner and a swim in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea.

Pot Belly or Pregnant Palm center on the beach at Trinidad's Playa Ancón.

Beautiful beaches of Trinidad's Playa Ancón



Day 7 :: TUESDAY	TRINIDAD DE CUBA	To 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.

Cuban cane cutters dance from the 1930s.

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 rehearse modern machete dance.

Trinidad de Cuba, declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO

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.

Your evening is free to enjoy the beach, hotel amenities, and the lively streets of Trinidad. How about 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?

		*Above* Reef fish. *Left* Sea slug, Nudibranch.

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.

Building in Trinidad's main plaza.

Cloistered walkway in Trinidad.

The Valle de los Ingenios [Sugar Mill Valley] brought untold riches to select families. You'll see their mansions and monuments.

Trinidad's Sugar Mill Valley [Valle de los Ingenios]



Day 8 :: WEDNESDAY	EXPLORING TROPICAL NATURE	To Top

		*Left* Cuban youths ride horse on beach. *Above* A boy and his prize piglet.

A bumblebee hummingbird called a zunzún (actual size), gets its name from the sound of a bumblebee. It weighs less than a dime. Watch a short zunzún film clip.		Orchid. Exotic and unique plants and animals thrive in Cuba. The island has more protected areas than any other country.

CUBA HAS MORE than 30 types of palms, including royal palms. Other indigenous plants are mahogany, ebony, lignum vitae, cottonwood, logwood, rosewood, cedar pine, majagua, granadilla, jagüey, tobacco, papaya trees, and the sacred ceiba tree.


Topes de Collantes National Park in central Cuba's Escambray Mountains is the perfect environment to spot the Cuban parakeet *left, Fernandina's flicker center, and the Cuban parrot right*.

This morning we board Soviet Army trucks to climb the peaks of Topes de Collantes in the Escambray Mountains. The Escambrays comprise the island's second highest range, reaching to 3,700 feet atop Pico San Juan. The Escambrays are home to small villages and a true delight for birders and naturalists alike. Dramatic slopes are swathed in Caribbean pines, ancient tree ferns, bamboo and eucalyptus.

Upon arrival at Hacienda Codina, an old Spanish coffee plantation, we'll enjoy a traditional Cuban lunch, followed by a walking tour of the area to admire the beauty of the surrounding landscape and the animals and plants it hosts.

Late afternoon return to your Trinidad resort hotel. Dinner and drinks are included.

Your evening is free to enjoy the beach, the all-inclusive amenities of your hotel, and the lively streets of Trinidad. Your guide will keep you posted on local entertainment options.

Entertainment suggestion Live Cuban popular music at the nightclub Casa de la Trova – a great opportunity to dance with Cubans and your tour companions.

Peasant hut in the high altitude jungles of Topes de Collantes.

A Soviet Army truck is deployed to educate about nature. You'll ride in one to the top of the Escambray Mountains today.

Fresh water pool on the way to Topes de Collantes. The Escambray Mountains are located in central Cuba and form the second largest range on the island after the Sierra Maestra in the eastern province of Guantánamo.

Rural middle school students.



Day 9 :: THURSDAY	STUDY AND REFLECTION	To Top

The Península de Ancón is fun, clean and safe.

Join in on a volleyball game. Or stroll the beach for miles in peace.

Reflection 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.

Evening is free to enjoy the amenities of your all-inclusive beach resort or go into the city for some farewell music and dance. Don't stay up too late, we depart super-early in the morning.


Musicians and kids play on the Playa Ancón.

How about joining an optional catamaran excursion?		Baby sea turtle Playa Ancón is a perfect place for snorkeling and water sports.



Day 10 :: FRIDAY	GOODBYE CUBA	To 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.

Youth at play on a Cuban dock at sunset.

Early morning transfer to Havana's José Martí Int'l Airport for your return home. Don't forget to save 25.00 CUC for your Cuban airport departure tax and some money for meals during flight home.

Old Cuban saying, "a true friend remembers the song in your heart when you have forgotten the lyrics."