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| Official 2010 Afrocuban Festival of Fire Tour from July 1 to 11 |
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| La Casa del Caribe sponsors the festival, and Cuba Education Tours, the island's premier education and cultural journey provider organize the program. |
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Witness and revel in the profound influence of African culture on the social fabric of our Americas. Attended by thousands, the annual Fiesta del Fuego is held in the island's second biggest city of Santiago de Cuba. It's the largest global event geared to the contributions of African decedents in the western hemisphere. This weeklong spectacular features dance, music, seminars, workshops and lectures led by prominent Afrocubans and African focused scholars from scores of other nations. Come be part of it! |
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| PROGRAM OVERVIEW |
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| CITIES AND SITES VISITS |
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Ancient and modern Havana |
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Santiago de Cuba and environs |
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| TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS |
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Former Havana Hilton, now Hotel Habana Libre An upscale luxurious respite during an action packed itinerary at this historic five-star facility.
Hotel Santiago de Cuba Eastern Cuba's most exquisite lodgings, best dining, amenities, recreation and services. |
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| TOUR HIGHLIGHTS |
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| All activities are included in tour costs unless noted otherwise. |
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Read a special welcome message and program preview from Festival of Fire Organizer, Casa del Caribe |
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Academic exchanges with leaders of the Casa del Caribe focused on Afrocuban and Afrocaribbean culture |
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Ample free time to spend with tour mates and your new Cuban friends |
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Enjoy musical performances at the Casa de Las Tradiciones |
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Attend the Opening Parade and Closing Ceremonies of Festival del Fuego, and explore over fifty festival venues |
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Dance and music lessons with Grupo Dulce María |
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Delicious lunches and dinners featuring Cuba's best cuisines |
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Experience an evening performance by Conjunto Folklorico de Oriente |
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Enjoy traditional music at Casa de la Trova in Santiago and Havana's best jazz at La Zorra y el Cuervo |
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Ferryboat ride to Cayo Granma, a picturesque little island and meet its inhabitants |
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Visit the studios and meet the best contemporary artists in Santiago |
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Guided walking tours of the historic centers of Santiago de Cuba and Havana |
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Panoramic luxury coach tours of Havana and Santiago de Cuba |
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Private guided tours of museums, historic sites and UNESCO landmarks in Havana and Santiago de Cuba |
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Tour the oldest colonial dwelling in Cuba |
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Tour the Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Cobre, Cuba's sacred church housing its Black patron saint, the Virgin of Charity |
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Attend a regal cannon firing ceremony dating from 1519 |
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See the incredible scale model of Havana detailing every building and learn the ethnology of the city spanning nearly five centuries |
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Walk the San Pedro de la Roca Morro Fortress, an XVII century military installation to ward off pirates |
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In Cuba from Thursday 1 to Sunday 11 July 2010: Eleven incredible days in the Pearl of the Caribbean |
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Hint Click BLUE text links across this site for activity details and more pix.
![Official 2010 poster for the 30th Edition of the Festival of Fire [Fiesta del Fuego].](images/100fire_fest_poster.gif)
2010 poster for the 30th Edition of the Festival of Fire [Fiesta del Fuego]. Click here to learn about the festival's history. |
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Yes. It's legal for Americans. Click here for details |
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Join hands with the peoples of the Caribbean for an unparalleled celebration of African American heritage, culture and scholarship. Preview the program |
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Learn about Cuban advances in education, health care, historical preservation, ecology, culture and gender and race equity |
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Three days in Havana and seven days in Santiago de Cuba during which you'll experience the best of island dance, music, art, nature and history |
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A journey without comparison offering precious opportunities for reflection, rejuvenation, enjoyment, and to make new friends with Cubans and tour mates |
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Who should attend? Educators and scholars keen on African heritage, influences and cultures in the Americas, dance and music aficionados, Latin American historians and advocates, anthropologists and sociologists, healthy living proponents, cultural pilgrims and explorers, people who seek to experience the real Cuba, and travelers who want to have a great time in the safest, most friendly destination anywhere!
The 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, Cuban and American staff ensures worry free Cuba travel before, during and after your trip.
This is an official tour is designed by Cubans for North Americans to candidly examine and enjoy island life as is only possible on Cuba Education Tours. It happens on the 51st anniversary year of the Cuban Revolution and the 30th Edition of the Fiesta del Caribe.
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| MEALS INCLUDED |
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| Delicious complementary breakfast buffets are served daily from 7:00am to 10:00am at your hotels. Lunch is included on Days 2, 3, 5 and 6, and dinners on Days 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Your guide is available to suggest eateries for every taste and budget for meals not included in tour package. |
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| TIME TO COMMIT |
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Tour is size limited and fills up fast (see costs). Registration is first-come, first-served – don't miss out. Consider signing up now. Shy, budget-minded or independent? Learn the benefits of group Cuba travel. If you want to stay longer in Cuba following the tour we gladly help with accommodations and air arrangements. |
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| TOUR ACTIVITIES LEGEND |
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Fire Festival smile icon for activities unique to this tour |
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Shoe icon for music and dance activities |
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Turret icon for history and architecture |
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Face icon for art and museum visits |
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Owl icon for ecology exploration and nature romps |
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Fork icon for tour meals included |
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Ball icon for beach, sun and swimming |
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Cuban girl icon for free time, fun and leisure |
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| TELL YOUR FRIENDS |
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Announce this website to your friends by email and on social networking sites. |
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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.
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 round-the-clock from our Cuban and Canadian staff ensures worry free travel abroad.
Island transportation You travel in a private fuel-efficient luxury air-conditioned tour coach chauffeured by a fulltime professional driver.
Getting to Cuba Call 1-877-687-3817 toll free or email us. We can help.
Memories of Cuba last forever. Discover the island on routes less traveled with Cuba Education Tours.
Cubans start dancing from the time they walk and don't stop until they drop.
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Meet a giant of Caribbean anthropology, ethnology and history. Click pix to learn about the Cuban thinker and scholar, Fernando Ortiz who developed the theory of syncretism. |
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Why is this photo of John Lennon here? Click pix to find out. |
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| Day 1 :: THURSDAY |
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HELLO HAVANA |
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Rooftops in Old Havana. |
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Cuban girls perform folk dance. |
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One-in-ten cars in Cuba are pre-1959. Click photo to enlarge. |
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Streets are alive with music. |
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Cuba's capital city is Havana. This is the fortress El Morro across the harbor from your hotel. |
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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 Habana Libre located in Vedado, the heart of Havana's cultural and entertainment district.
Private check-in with assistance from your guide.
Meet and greet Welcome gathering at the Habana Libre's Bar Las Cañitas to meet your travel mates and tour guide.
Evening is free for you to settle in, rest up, explore Vedado's vibrant music milieu or stroll the Malecón seawall next to your hotel. |
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Havana's Malecón seawall near your hotel – a place for relaxation and new friendships. |
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| Most common questions 1 Is Cuban food good? It's healthy, simple and 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. |
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Colorful indigenous Cuban Tody. |
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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 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. |
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| Day 2 :: FRIDAY |
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DISCOVERING HAVANA, DANCE LESSONS |
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Example of restoration in Old Havana. |
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Street pantomime in Old Havana. |
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| Exterior and interior of the Cathedral of Havana initiated by Jesuits in 1748 and completed in 1777. Click photos for larger views. |
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Cuatro Caminos merchant offers pineapple and papaya. |
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Havana's former Capital building is today home to the Academy of Science, and an internet cafe. |
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Magnificent domed ceiling at the Museum of the Revolution. Click photo to enlarge. |
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Boy toasts his grandmother [abuela]. Cuban youth hold elders in high regard. The island is known as the Jewel of the Caribbean for its natural beauty and the unmatched warmth and kindness of its people. |
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| CUBA IS RECOGNIZED as the global leader in environmental sustainability. It has 300 ecologically protected areas encompassing 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. In 2006, the World Wildlife Federation named Cuba the only nation to achieve a sustainable planet friendly economy. |
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Ornate filigree and statuary adorn Havana's Gran Teatro where the National Ballet performs. Click photo for view of interior. |
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We'll meet with renowned architect and urban planner Dr Miguel Coyula, director of the advisory agency "Group for the Comprehensive Development of Havana." Coyula is a dynamic speaker whose lectured in the US and Europe on Cuban architecture and sustainable integrated urban development. |
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Morning visit to the Maqueta de la Habana [Scale Model of Havana] and a private meeting with distinguished architect and urban planner Dr Miguel Coyula, director of the Group for the Comprehensive Development of Havana. His organization maintains a scale model – every building, street, tree and lamppost – of Cuba's capital and largest city. The Maqueta took eleven years to build and is the third largest in the world after in New York City and Shanghai. The model depicts 144 square kilometers (55.6 square miles) of Havana in intimate detail. City planners use this visual tactile tool to preserve and sensitively develop Havana. At stake is five centuries cultural patrimony. Havana, founded in 1519, was the site of native villages for centuries prior. It was the launching pad for the conquest of the Americas. Today, with 2.4 million inhabitants, it is the Caribbean's largest city, port and hosts greatest collection of Spanish-era colonial architecture.
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Small section of the incredible scale model of the city of Havana is used for comprehensive humanistic urban planning. Multiculturalism and gender equity are priorities. Click photo to enlarge. |
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Historical periods of construction are displayed through the use of different colors. Brown represents the colonial period, ochre the republican period, ivory the revolutionary period, and white represents new projects, sculptural monuments and cemeteries. With the use of textures and colors similar to the natural ones, the vegetation, parks, beaches and plazas are distinguished. This virtual tool enables city planners practical and realistic planning. They experiment by placing miniature buildings in the peewee metropolis to see how they fit within a specific area and architectural context. If planners don't like a proposal, they can move it somewhere else, demand a design change, or nix it. You'll learn how each part of the city has developed historically, and the tough challenges each district faces today.
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, Plaza de la Revolución, 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.
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Musicians perform at your restaurant. |
Group welcome lunch at La Mina Restaurant where you'll enjoy traditional Cuban dishes and live music!
Afternoon 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 initiated by the Jesuit order in 1748.
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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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Castillo de la Real Fuerza – Castle of the Royal Army – is 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 Museo de Artesania is host to the Ceramic Bienal |
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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 1608. The basilica is a striking example of Cuba baroque architecture.
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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 arts and craft market of Old Havana where you can purchase all sorts of souvenirs by local artisans.
Tour highlight Tonight we have a Cuban band playing for us. You'll learn how to play and dance to Salsa, Son, Rumba, Mambo and other popular Cuban rhythms from the band members of Grupo Dulce María. |
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| DAY 3 :: SATURDAY |
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HELLO SANTIAGO DE CUBA |
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FIRST HERO OF THE CUBAN PEOPLE
Taíno Indian Chief Hatuey from the island of Hispanolia (modern day Haiti and Dominican Republic) traveled to and warned his Cuban counterparts of the horrific dangers they faced from 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. |
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Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca, an ancient military fortress protects the entrance to the Bay of Santiago. Click photo to enlarge. |
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Ciego de Avila Tigers champ Alien Mora. Baseball is Cuba's national sport. |
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Desi Arnaz (1917-1986) was born Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III in Santiago de Cuba. His father was Santiago's youngest mayor and then served in the Cuban legislature. His mother, Dolores Acha y de Socias, was considered one of the most beautiful women in Latin America, and her father, Alberto, was one of the three original founders of the Bacardi Rum Company. The 1933 coup, led by Fulgencio Batista, that overthrew president Gerardo Machado, landed Arnaz's father in jail for six months, and stripped Desi's parents of their wealth and power. Upon the father's prison release the family fled to Miami. In 1951, Arnaz produced the premiere of I Love Lucy. He played Cuban bandleader Ricky Ricardo. His co-star wife, Lucille Ball, was Lucy. Two generations of Americans were transfixed by comedic episodes of I Love Lucy. |
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Festival of Fire partiers. |
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Early departure from José Martí International Airport to catch a modern jet plane to Santiago de Cuba's Antonio Maceo International Airport. Flight time approximately two hours.
Vignette: Santiago de Cuba, Rebel Town
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Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar introduced African slavery to the Americas. |
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Spanish conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar founded Santiago de Cuba on June 28, 1514. In 1516 the settlement was destroyed by fire, and was immediately rebuilt. It was the starting point of the expeditions led by Juan de Grijalba and Hernán Cortés to the coasts of Mexico in 1518, and in 1538 by Hernando de Soto's expedition to Florida. Its first cathedral was built in 1522. From 1522 until 1589 Santiago was the capital of the Spanish colony of Cuba. French forces plundered the city in 1553, and British forces under Christopher Myngs in 1662. Pirates were a constant menace.
Santiago experienced an influx of French immigrants in the late 18th century and early 19th century, many coming from Haiti after the Haitian slave revolt of 1791. This added to the city's eclectic cultural mix, already rich with Spanish, African and indigenous culture. It was also the location where Spanish troops faced their main defeat at San Juan Hill on July 1, 1898, during the Spanish-American War. Spain later surrendered to the United States after the destruction of its Atlantic armada just outside Santiago's harbor and Cuba became a US colony. Cuban poet, writer, and national hero, José Martí, is buried in Cementerio Santa Efigenia. The city is considered the birthplace of the Cuban Revolution.
After arrival we'll visit the Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca, a military fortress atop the cliffs at the narrow entrance to the Bay of Santiago. The origins of the fortress date back to 1590 when the Spanish King Philip II ordered its construction. The fortress was part of the defensive system to ward off pirates and European nations coveting Cuba's wealth. In 1638 town governor Pedro de la Roca ordered it enlarged and awarded the design to Italian military engineer Juan Bautista Antonelli. It was reconstructed and expanded several times until the end of the 19th century. The fortress was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, and cited it as the best preserved and most complete example of Spanish colonial military architecture.
Lunch at El Morro Restaurant. This eatery near the Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca gets high marks by critics and diners alike.
Afterwards we'll check-in to the luxurious Sol Meliá Hotel Santiago de Cuba with assistance from your guide. Your group is greeted by hotel staff and a welcome cocktail. This five-star facility is tops in eastern Cuba. Scrumptious breakfasts and dinners are included during your stay.
This evening we participate in the opening ceremonies and parade of the 30th Anniversary Fiesta del Fuego [Festival of Fire]. This year's event AfroCaribbean Festival is dedicated to the peoples of African descent and culture in the island nation of Curaçao and the Brazilian State of Pernambuco. Dress light and sharp, and get ready to shake your booty! |
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| Above Panoramic view of Santiago Bay. Islet in the center is Cayo Granma. We'll take a ferry there and meet its inhabitants. |
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Revered General Antonio de la Caridad Maceo y Grajales (1845-1896) was second-in-command of the Cuban Army of Independence [mambises]. Known as the Bronze Titan for his color, stature and strength, Maceo was born in Santiago to an Afrocuban mom and Venezuelan dad. His mother, Mariana Grajales, a rebel too, is considered the mother of the Cuban independence struggle. Click photo to enlarge. |
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Museo Municipal Emilio Bacardí Moreau. The second oldest museum on the island was established by Emilio Bacardí (of rum fame) over a 100 years ago. Its exhibits span the period between the Spanish conquest and the Wars of Independence (from Spain), and feature impressive Cuban and European paintings and as well as archaeological displays. Click photo to enlarge. |
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Cuban fire dancer. |
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Festival participants are adorned with fabulous costumes. |
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| Afrocuban folk dance in Cuba. African and Spanish heritages have combines to create a rich unique culture. Photos Barbara Fudge |
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| DAY 4 :: SUNDAY |
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SANTIAGO HISTORY AND FIRE FESTIVAL CEREMONIES |
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Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo (1819-1874) was a Cuban plantation owner who freed his slaves in 1868, enlisted them in the flight against Spain, and wrote a declaration of Cuban independence. Click here to learn more about this fascinating Santiago personality. |
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Santiago de Cuba's Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción gracing Parque Céspedes' perimeter is the oldest extant Christian shrine in our Americas. Click photo to enlarge. |
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Revelers at Santiago's Carnaval that takes place every February (not to be confused with the Festival of Fire). |
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Display of drums at the Museo del Carnaval. |
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Dance performance at the Museo del Carnaval. |
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Proud dad hoists daughter above the crowd for her to witness Fire Festival events from bird's eye perspective. |
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| CUBA FOR EQUALITY |
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Details from two stone monuments in Havana honoring US civil rights heroes Malcolm X and Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. |
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Our morning begins with a private guided walking tour of Santiago's Parque Céspedes, located at the heart of the city's historical district. We'll examine several of the most important buildings and museums on the plaza's periphery.
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Sketch of Parque Céspedes by UK artist Michael Gage, 2007. Left Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, center Diego Velázquez House, right Ayuntamiento [city hall]. |
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The Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. This grand church has been rebuilt several times since 1522 as a result of pirate attacks and earthquakes. The primary façade reflects its 1922 reconstruction. Within its depths lie the remains of conquistador and city founder Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar. The Cathedral also hosts the significant Museo Eclesiastico displaying key religious art and sacred musical scores unique in the world. |
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![Santiago's city hall [Ayuntamiento].](images/210Ayuntamiento3.jpg)
We'll visit Santiago's city hall. Click photo to enlarge. |
Onward to the Ayuntamiento [city hall] erected in 1950s based on 1783 blueprints. The site was originally Hernán Cortés' (conqueror of Mexico) mayoral office. From the balcony of this edifice Fidel Castro proclaimed the victory of the people's overthrow of US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista's regime of terror. The day was January 1, 1959. Fidel's announcement sent tremors around the world and ushered in of a new era of freedom and equality for island inhabitants. |
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Next we explore the oldest colonial house in Cuba, and perhaps in all of the Americas. It was the home of Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar, a gold-seeking, mean-spirited conquistador and the city's founder. Today this cherished casa hosts the Museo de Ambiente Histórico Cubano exhibiting rare 16th century furnishings and artifacts. |
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El Museo del Carnaval, (not to be confused with the Festival of Fire) housed in one of the oldest buildings in the city, offers a glimpse of the traditions around this event first held in February 1669. Carnaval in Santiago de Cuba is different than celebrations in other parts of the country due to its strong Afro-influences. The combination of African and Franco-Haitian traditions are mixed with Spanish heritage. The museum aims to give visitors an historical perspective. It displays old costumes, black-and-white photographs, huge papier-mâché masks, and hand-painted and embroidered mamarrachos (capes) including many hand made music devices. Percussion instruments show how popular the celebration is: they include old car parts and simple wood instruments. The final room exhibits the most recent winning garments of the costume contests – elaborate, colorful and huge affairs. Sometimes folk ensembles can be enjoyed performing in the courtyard.
This afternoon you're free to wander among the scores of festival venues and enjoy activities happening in Santiago de Cuba. Your guide will gladly point you to events and seminars catering to your interests. As always, dress light and sharp.
Return to your hotel to freshen up and enjoy the best international dinner buffet in eastern Cuba.
Special evening activity Dance with Cubans and your tour mates to traditional music at Casa de la Trova in the heart of the city. This entertainment institution is perhaps one of the most popular on the island. It is filled with locals and international guests (entrance fee and transportation included). |
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| Day 5 :: MONDAY |
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LIFE ON A SMALL ISLAND COMMUNITY, FIRE FEST |
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A view of the Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca as seen from Cayo Granma. |
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"Take me on!" signals Cayo Granma boy who mocks fisticuffs in lieu of a welcome embrace. |
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Life on the islet of Cayo Granma is modest and simple. |
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The island's only eatery, Restaurante Cayo Granma, serves excellent seafood dishes. |
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Delicate and intricate representation of a grasshopper woven in five minutes from a palm frond by a youth on the islet of Cayo Granma, see right. |
This morning we depart from our hotel, after a delicious breakfast, to the tiny fishing island of Cayo Granma, in the center of the bay of Santiago de Cuba. The island village is isolated from the big city. Its people and their community operate on a different level – removed from the bustle and commotion of the metropolis. These are some hundreds of fisher people. Parents of Cayo Granma raise their kids to see the world beyond their islet. And, they instill in them an indelible sense of community and camaraderie. Each adult on the island is a mentor and guardian, every parent a maestro who aspires for their child to become all that is possible.
We'll enjoy a delicious seafood lunch at the only eatery on the island, Restaurante Cayo Granma.
Followed by a panoramic luxury coach tour of Santiago de Cuba and environs. We'll visit the Teatro Heredia, San Juan Hill, Plaza de La Revolución Antonio Maceo, Saturnino Lora baseball stadium, Moncada Barracks, Palacio de Justicia, the Tomb of José Martí, and other key sights.
Return to your hotel to freshen up and enjoy the best international dinner buffet in eastern Cuba.
You're evening is free to return to the city and wander among the scores of festival venues and enjoy local happenings. Your guide will gladly point you to events and seminars catering to your interests. As always, dress light and sharp. |
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Cayo Granma youth, who wove the grasshopper at left. He also dives in bay for shells and sunken treasures. |
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Cayo Granma preschoolers are among the first emissaries to greet island guests. |
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Cayo Granma primary students are uniform grade 'A' students. |
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| Day 6 :: TUESDAY |
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VISIT THE CHURCH OF CUBA'S BLACK PATRON SAINT |
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Classical Cuban musicians perform at Restaurante Zunzún. |
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Afrocuban inspired folkdance. |
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Women feature prominently in Festival events. |
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Cubans come in all colors and are proud of it! |
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Folk dance costumes often mimic those of Cuba's black goddess Señora de la Caridad del Cobre. |
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Teatro Heredia is a huge open-air space for musical performances. The atmosphere is sensational. Locals dance like mad to the beat of son, salsa and reggaeton. |
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Flamboyant Festival of the Caribbean participant. |
Academic exchanges This morning we visit the Casa del Caribe, the originator and sponsor of the annual Fiesta del Caribe, also known as the Festival of Fire. The Casa is dedicated to strengthening ties between peoples and nations in the region and highlighting common cultural elements. The Casa del Caribe, founded in 1982, has been offering programs in Latin American and Caribbean culture for more than three decades. It provides an important venue for research by writers, artists, musicians, dramatists and others, through exchanges among institutions and individuals.
Restaurante Zunzún This is one of Santiago's best restaurants in terms food and ambience, and attentive service. This elegant eatery occupies a handsome 1940s house in Santiago's Vista Alegre neighborhood. With soft lighting, marble floors, and period furnishings – some original to the house – Zunzún is tops. It cuisine is well prepared and professionally presented. Anticipate as well live classical music.
Afterwards we jaunt 19 kilometers (12 miles) by coach beyond Santiago to witness the Basilica de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre [Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre]. We explore the village of Cobre hallmarked as the oldest open pit copper [cobre] mine in the western hemisphere. The highlight of this journey is the viewing of the most sacred religious spot on the island. The church is unique as it reveres a Black female saint. At the alter you'll see the Virgen del Cobre, an African Madonna decked out in lavish yellow silk and adorned with precious jewels. Each year on the eighth day of September the statue of the Virgen del Cobre is paraded on the main street for tens of thousands of pilgrims to bow before. Pope Benedict XV proclaimed her protectress of Cuba in 1916; she was raised to sanctuary status in 1936 by Pope Paul VI, and beautified by John Paul II in 1998. See right sidebar.
Return to your hotel to freshen up and enjoy the best international dinner buffet in eastern Cuba.
Tonight we suggest a visit to the Teatro Heredia to enjoy Fiesta del Fuego musical performances (optional). Your guide will gladly point you to events and seminars catering to your interests. As always, dress light and sharp. |
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Today we visit Basilica de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre. See below. Click photo to enlarge. |
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Background In the early 1600s, two Indian kids, Rodrigo and Juan de Hoyas, together with their ten-year-old African slave companion, Juan Moreno, journeyed well beyond their village seeking salt necessary to preserve meat for the town abattoir [slaughter house] that supplied villagers with sustenance. En route they suffered the forces of a tremendous hurricane. As they were nearly swept into its vortex an apparition appeared before them whispering, "I am the Virgin of Charity. I save you sons of Cuba." The three boys survived. They returned with precious salt, and their epic tale. Their Black savior, Our Lady of Charity, also figures prominently in the Afrocuban religion of Santería. She's associated with Ochun, the Yoruba goddess of love and compassion. |
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Detail of the black goddess and patron saint of Cuba. |
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| Day 7 :: WEDNESDAY |
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TUMBA FRANCESA, MONCADA, AND FOLKLORICO |
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Tumba Francesa is distinguished from other African dance, in part, by clothing. The discretion and elegance with which they wave and swoosh their garments is a key element. |
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Tumba Francesa art by Albery, 1969, from Jorge Ben album cover. |
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Tomb of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo (1819-1874) in the Cementerio de Santa Ifigenia. Céspedes is considered the father of the nation for having freed his slaves in 1868 thus sparking the movement for independence from Spain. |
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Tomb of revered General Antonio de la Caridad Maceo y Grajales (1845-1896). This Afrocuban founding father boycotted a cease-fire agreement during the war for independence from Spain because he disagreed with a provision that allowed for the continuation of slavery. |
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Academic and cultural exchange This morning we attend a Tumba Francesa performance by the Society of Tumba Francesa. The organization has been declared a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Immaterial Patrimony of Humanity. French Tumba is one of the most ancient and important music and dance expressions of island culture. It combines music from West Africa and traditional French music. "Tumba" derives from "tambours," French for drums. The origin of La Tumba Francesa begins with the arrival of Haiti slaves brought to Cuba by their masters following the Haitian Revolution of 1791. Most of them settled in Santiago de Cuba, Baracoa and Guantánamo.
Next will visit the Cementerio de Santa Ifigenia. It is home to the remains of some of Cuba's most famous military figures, as well as people of wealth and notoriety. Some of the monuments marking the tombs are spectacular works of art. One of the most impressive features in the cemetery is the Mausoleum of José Martí. This huge structure towers over the surroundings and was designed to allow a stream of light to enter in throughout the morning hours. The Cementerio de Santa Ifigenia also contains the tombs of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, Emilio Bacardi, and Frank País. Famous Cuban's are still being buried here, including musician Compay Segundo (of Buena Vista Social Club) who was laid to rest here in 2003.
Then we are off to visit the Moncada Barracks. On the morning of July 26, 1953, one hundred years after the birth of José Martí, young Fidel Castro and some 119 of his youthful companions attacked US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista's troops in Moncada Barracks. It was the second most important military garrison in Cuba. Fidel Castro had hoped the attack would spark a general uprising in Cuba. The attack was crushed and of the 119 young freedom fighters involved in the action, six were killed immediately and 55 were captured by Batista's police and hideously tortured to death. Fidel was apprehended shortly after the attack, and following a lengthy trial and imprisonment, he was exiled to Mexico. There he regrouped with Che Guevara and Raul Castro to return later. His movement for Cuban liberation was called M-26-7 or the 26th of July Movement, named for the date of the famous action on Moncada. Today the Barracks have been converted into a school and a museum dedicated to the history of Cuba from the independence wars of the mid-19th century until present.
Return to your hotel to freshen up and enjoy the best international dinner buffet in eastern Cuba.
Tonight we attend a festival performance by the acclaimed Conjunto Folklórico de Oriente! The company established in Santiago de Cuba in 1959 in what was then the province of Oriente, the easternmost region of the island, to research and preserve traditional cultural roots through dance, especially those particular to this region, which exhibits a strong French-Haitian influence uncommon in other places in Cuba. Directed today by dancer, choreographer and teacher Milagros Ramírez, the company's works reflect African ancestors in productions dedicated to the orishas or gods from the Yoruba pantheon, to Haitian rites and celebrations, and to popular Cuban dances. |
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 A 24-hour honor guard protects tomb of Cuban hero José Martí in Santiago's Cementerio Santa Efigenia. Every thirty minutes there is a changing of the guard ceremony. Click photo to enlarge. |
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"To know how to read is to know how to walk. To know how to write is to know how to climb." – José Martí, hero of Cuban independence. Click here to learn more about the life of José Martí. |
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The Moncada Barracks in Santiago was the site of an armed attack by a small group of revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro on July 26, 1953. The action sparked the beginning of the Cuban Revolution. Embracing the name July 26 Movement, the Castro brothers, Che Guevara and others successfully ousted dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959, winning freedom for their people. Note bullet holes on building façade.
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Conjunto Folklórico de Oriente reflects the nation's African and Spanish heritage via highly stylized folk dance. |
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Conjunto Folklórico de Oriente performance. |
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| Day 8 :: THURSDAY |
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CASA DEL CARIBE, CUBAN ART, SALSA DANCE |
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Fun at La Casa de Las Tradiciones. |
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La Casa de Las Tradiciones showoff. |
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More academic exchanges This morning we visit the Casa del Caribe, the originator and sponsor of the annual Fiesta del Caribe, also known as the Festival of Fire. The Casa is dedicated to strengthening ties between peoples and nations in the region and highlighting common cultural elements. The Casa del Caribe, founded in 1982, has been offering programs in Latin American and Caribbean culture for more than three decades.
Especial Next will tour the studios of and meet with some of Santiago de Cuba's best contemporary artists.
Return to your hotel to freshen up and enjoy the best international dinner buffet in eastern Cuba.
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Euphonium player. |
Special evening event If you want to partake in true Cuban music there is no place other than La Casa de Las Tradiciones. Located in the heart of the city, this club echoes the heartbeat of Santiago's local salsa scene. It is intimate, hot and sultry. You won't be able to resist the urge to dance – the atmosphere makes even the most timid want to move. It is loaded with character and decorated with paintings, photos and posters. As always, dress light and sharp. |
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| Day 9 :: FRIDAY |
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FREE DAY TO EXPLORE SANTIAGO AND THE FESTIVAL |
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Fresh catch from the Caribbean Sea. |
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Young conga player. |
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Free day to participate in all of the many Closing Ceremonies of the Festival of Fire on your own. There are over 50 locations holding special activities today. Your guide will highlight individual options the day before so that you can plan ahead enjoy the most of this day, or you just play as it goes! Don't stay up too late, we return to Havana first thing Saturday morning. |
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| Day 10 :: SATURDAY |
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A FREE DAY IN HAVANA! |
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Troubadour heads home at day's end. |
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The elegant El Patio Restaurant. |
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This morning we leave on a jet plane for Havana. We arrive around noon and check-in to our Hotel Habana Libre. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the city at leisure, reconnect with new friends in Havana, see sights missed, and enjoy the company of your tour mates.
Farewell group dinner at the elegant El Patio Restaurant. Located in the Cathedral Square, in the heart of Havana's colonial district, El Patio is housed in a beautiful 18th century residence, the former Palace of "Marqués de Aguas Claras." Construction began in 1751 and ended in 1755, with distinguishing elements that makes the house one of the most interesting among Cuban architecture of that era. El Patio's menu will pleases the most diverse tastes. It offers stellar service and tasty international cuisine.
Entertainment suggestion Shake your booty to the best 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's a popular haunt for Cubans and foreign guests (entrance fee is 10 CUC and is not included in tour cost).
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| Some among many staples grown organically in Havana province: Left to right Bananas, coffee beans, cucumbers, pineapple, sweet potatoes, eggplant, and avocados. |
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| Day 11 :: SUNDAY |
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GOODBYE TO THE UNITED COLORS OF CUBA |
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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 Int'l Airport for your return home. Don't forget to save 25.00 CUC for your Cuban airport departure fee and some money for meals on the airplane.
Want to stay longer in Cuba following your tour? Contact us and we will help make it happen. |
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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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We'll miss you and hope you return soon! |
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