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Learning Cuban history, culture and volunteerism
Saturday 4 March to Saturday 18 March 2006
15 days and 14 nights in safe student-friendly Cuba! |
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Quinte Secondary faculty tour leaders are Mr. Adam Watson and Ms. Rosanne Duke. You'll also be traveling with a full-time expert bilingual Cuba Education Tours guide, a professional driver, and chaperone from the Cuban Movement for Peace. Your transport is a luxury air-conditioned tour coach. Your hotels have many amenities including swimming pools, private baths and internet cafes. To learn more about your tour's educational goals see tour overview. Parent participation on tour is not possible. All meals and activities are included in tour cost unless noted as optional. Click blue links for more details and pictures. |
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This trip's theme is volunteerism and philanthropy. You'll be helping out the Proyecto Almendares in Havana and the agricultural cooperative Moncada in Pinar del Río province. |
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View a route map for this tour. |
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Your flight departs on the morning of Saturday 4 March 2006 for an afternoon arrival in Havana. A meal is served each way. |
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B=breakfast L=lunch D=dinner indicates meals included while in Cuba. |
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Go to Day | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | |
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| DAY 1 |
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HAVANA |
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Welcome to Cuba!
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Lunch served on airplane flight from Toronto.
3:30PM arrival at Havana's José Martí International Airport to a welcome by your Cuba Education Tours guide and bus driver. Transfer to Hotel Saint Johns for a private group check in.
Take a refreshing swim in one of two pools at your hotel.
Enjoy a welcome dinner at your hotel.
Evening is free to rest up or check out the area around your hotel with your classmates and teachers.
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| DAY 2 |
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HAVANA |
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Get ready for Salsa, Son, Rumba and Mambo lessons.
Check out the AfroCuban folk art at Callejón de Hamel. |
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Panoramic air conditioned coach tour of the most important historical sites in the Modern Havana neighborhoods of Vedado, Centro and Miramar including Plaza de La Revolución, University of Havana, Habana Libre Hotel, Coppelia Ice Cream Park, Plaza José Martí (in front of U.S. Interests Section), Monument to the Battleship Maine, Hotel Nacional, Malecón seawall, Prado promenade, Central Park, Grand Theatre of Havana, and the Capitol building.
Lunch – your guide is available to suggest eateries for every taste and budget.
Guided walking tour of the four main squares of Old Havana, which together comprise an UNESCO World Heritage Site. We'll tour Cathedral Square, Square of Arms, San Francisco Square and Plaza Vieja. In each we'll witness their historic buildings and landmarks.
Dinner – While in Havana your guide is available to suggest dinner spots for every taste and budget.
This evening we have a Cuban band playing for us: Grupo Dulce María. You'll learn to perform and dance to Salsa, Son, Rumba and Mambo from band members – a great way to get into the swing of Cuban culture. |
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| DAY 3 |
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HAVANA |
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Havana's seafront.
Playing around on the steps of the Capitolio. |
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Gathering with your island host the Cuban Movement for Peace (MOVPAZ) for a presentation and discussion on the current social, political, economic and cultural situation in Cuba today.
Followed by meeting with young members of Proyecto Almendares for an exchange of ideas and briefing on work to be done in the comings days.
Lunch with members of Proyecto Almendares.
We begin our assistance to the Almendares river project this afternoon.
Evening is free to rest up, swim at your hotel, or walk the Malecón seawall with your classmates and new Cuban friends. |
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| DAY 4 |
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HAVANA |
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| Thousands of families reside on the banks of the Río Almendares. You'll help make their lives better. |
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Full day work exchange with Proyecto Almendares.
Lunch with members of Proyecto Almendares.
Evening: Enjoy popular salsa band playing live at Casa de La Música. A great opportunity practice your newly acquired dance steps (optional). |
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| DAY 5 |
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HAVANA |
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Hardy Cuban meal. |
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Morning tour of other environmental and social improvement projects along the Almendares River.
Your afternoon is free.
Early evening dinner with your new Cuban friends at Proyecto Almendares.
Evening concert at the Teatro Almendares! |
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| DAY 6 |
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HAVANA |
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| This day is yours to explore the city with your classmates and faculty leaders. See 64 Things to Do in Havana. Can't decide? Your guide is available to suggest activities. |
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| DAY 7 |
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HAVANA – LAS TERRAZAS – PINAR DEL RIO |
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San Juan River cascades and pools.
Jungle orchids.
Bathing a friend. |
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Departure to Las Terrazas eco-community in Sierra del Rosario mountain range. We'll visit the rural hamlet of Rancho Curujey for a welcome beverage, and explanation and tour of this eco-based community and its environs.
Lunch at a traditional Cuban barbeque by the river (optional).
How about a refreshing swim in the warm cascades and pools of the San Juan River?
Later we'll explore the ruins of a French Coffee Plantation called Buena Vista, dating from 1801.
We'll also visit the homes and studios of local artists and artisans.
Continue on to Hotel La Moka, an ecological building with trees growing up through its balconies and ceilings.
Bus ride to your beautiful hilltop Hotel Los Jazmines in Viñales Valley in the province of Pinar del Río.
Dinner at your hotel.
Tour highlight! This evening we attend a festivity at a local Committee for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR). CDRs are responsible for the well-being, education, sanitation and safety of people in their neighborhoods. |
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| DAY 8 |
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VINALES VALLEY – PINAR DEL RIO |
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Mogotes are unique to Viñales Valley.
Cuban tobacco is considered the best in the world.
Santo Tomás cave. |
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Meeting with members of agricultural cooperative Moncada in Pinar del Río. This is a relaxing time to get to know cooperative members informally before your volunteer work exchange begins.
Lunch together with cooperative members at the entrance of Cueva de Santo Tomás followed by visit to the cave.
Excursion to Viñales Valley containing the most spectacular scenery in Cuba and some of the most interesting and varied geological formations in the Caribbean. The valley is famed for its dramatic freestanding rock formations called mogotes.
Time to wander Viñales village and explore at your leisure its open-air craft market, Parque Martí, Church and other interesting sites of this charming colonial town.
Tour Carmen and Caridad Miranda's little paradise known as Viñales Botanical Garden containing many exotic fruits, orchids, herbs and medicinal plants.
Dinner at your hotel.
Free evening. Your guide will keep you updated on optional activities and venues. |
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| DAY 9 |
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PINAR DEL RIO |
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Free day for horseback riding, trekking, hiking and other outdoor activities to be arranged at hotel individually (optional). |
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| DAY 10 |
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PINAR DEL RIO |
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Full day volunteer work exchange at Moncada agricultural collective.
Lunch with cooperative members.
Dinner at hotel (included).
Free evening. Your guide will keep you updated on optional activities and venues. |
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| DAY 11 |
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PINAR DEL RIO |
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Full day volunteer work exchange at Moncada agricultural collective.
Lunch with cooperative members.
Dinner at your hotel.
Farewell party with members of Moncada cooperative. |
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| DAY 12 |
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PINAR DEL RIO – VARADERO |
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Departure to Varadero.
Visit the city of Pinar del Río on the way.
Check in to Hotel Acuazul.
Beach time! |
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| DAY 13 |
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VARADERO |
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| Free day to enjoy Varadero beaches, dig nature and kick around with your friends or explore the parks, caves and nature around the peninsula.
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| DAY 14 |
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VARADERO |
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| Free day at the beach!
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| DAY 15 |
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TRINIDAD – HAVANA – VANCOUVER |
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| Hop onto your bus and head to Havana's José Martí International Airport for your return flight to Toronto. Dinner is served on airplane. |
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| Keep in touch with your new Cuban friends – exchange email addresses! 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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