OUR CUBAN EXPERIENCE:Logistics

Why is there a TRAVAL BAN to CUBA?

Monday December 12th• Everyone arrives at the Miami airport at different times.• Take Free Shuttle from the airport to the Double Tree

Inn/Hilton Miami airport• Reservations are in your name. There is no group

confirmation number. According to the hotel your name will show up in the system 72 hours before check in.

• All rooms are non-smoking• Siri will be at the hotel by 3pm and will have all travel

documents and paper tickets. She will be in the lobby or call my cell phone when you arrive (510) 688-7484

Tuesday December 13th• Check out of the hotel by 9am to take shuttle to Marazul

Charters for 10am check-in time.• Depart at 2pm arrive at 3pm • Check in to Hotel Nacional• Walking tour of Old Havana• Visit Revolution Plaza• Hosted Welcome Dinner at La Ferminia Restaurant

Wednesday December 14th• 10:00am Departure from the Hotel• 10:30am Visit the “Casa de Africa”• Tour the “Regla” area Afro Cuban

Historic Community• 01:30pm Lunch at Casa de la Amistad• 02:30pm Welcome by ICAP

Give Donations • 03:30pm Meet and review the film “1912” with award

winning Afro Cuban film maker Gloria Rolando

Thursday December 15th• 10:00am Departure from the Hotel• 10:30am Meet with Cuban National Assembly Member

Leonel Gonzales for a lecture on Cuban/U.S. relations  • Free day to explore. We can help direct you to fun streets

and sites.

• Evening (8:30pm): Havana Jazz Festival Opening Ceremonies

• Inauguration gala at Mella Theatre With the presence of Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Arturo O’farril, The Symphonic Orchestra of Cuba and Digna Guerra. After the Gala there will be different presentations at different venues of Cuban and foreigner musicians

Friday December 16th• 10:00am Departure from the Hotel• 10:30am Tour the Museum of the

Revolution • 11:30am Meet and visit with Chocolate in his Havana art

studio. Chocolate is an internationally famed Afro Cuban painter.

• Free time for lunch• 02:00pm Visit The Project of Ninos y Ninas (grassroots

community project for children)

Give Donations• Havana Jazz Festival in the evening• All venues will have presentations with Cuban and foreigners

musicians

Saturday December 17th• 10:00am Departure from the Hotel• City Tour, including Walking Tour of colonial Havana, a

Unesco World Heritage site, Cathedral Square, Plaza de Armas,

• Explore the Havana Crafts Market for gifts to bring back home

• 02:30pm Sabado de Rumba: Community Rumba• Havana Jazz Festival in the evening• All venues will have presentations with Cuban and

foreigners musicians

Sunday December 18th• 10:30am Departure from the Hotel• 11:00am 12:30pm Visit Fuster’s home

and studio (Fuster is a Cuban

ceramics artist of international acclaim)• 12:30pm Explore Hammel’s Alley for community Rumba

and Salvador Gonzalez art gallery

• Evening (8:30pm) Closing ceremony

of the Havana Jazz Festival• Main Gala at Mella Theater with

Frank Fernandez, a very prestigious Cuban pianist, and Joaquin Betancourt Jazz Band

Monday December 19th• Free day• Closing Dinner at El Aljibe Restaurant• Private home Jazz Show with Pablo Menendez and

Mezcla

Tuesday December 20th• Check out of hotel by 11am• Arrive in Miami at 5pm

Our Cuban Friends:• 5-6pm in the lobby every evening

• Siri Brown will be in a set location to help you choose a restaurant or direct you to a Jazz Festival venue or help with any issues or needs

• 6 of our friends will all be there to escort you to dinner or site seeing or….they are all trustworthy Cubans who are bi-lingual. This is optional just in case you feel you want some guided direction in the evening. You do not need to pay them, but please offer them dinner etc as thanks and to be courteous

Restaurants:

• At the 5pm meeting place we will have a list of restaurants including “restaurant particulars” (in side homes that are licensed)

• Tipping is similar to here: servers, cabs, and doorman depend on it. The rate is 15% or more.

Money:

• Bring Canadian dollars• No ATMs• No Credit cards• No Western Union

so…bring all and more of what you think you will need in CASH

• Cuba has two dollars, the Peso vs the CUC• Question: Which do we

use?• Answer: We can ONLY

use the CUC

• Spending Money: How much spending money you will need varies by the individual but we suggest at least $50-$70 per day for water, lunch and dinner, taxis, and going out in the evening. Meals can range from $5-$15 and an evening out will be around $10-$30—Often there is free entertainment. You may also want to buy crafts, art or jewelry from the Havana Crafts Market for gifts so bring extra money for that if you want. We are visiting some internationally famed artist who pieces range from $200-$3,000 if you are a collector.

Gifts and Places to Hang• “Rampa 23” is 3 blocks from the hotel and it is a mini

crafts market• CD music store is about 5 blocks away from the hotel• Havana Crafts market is huge with lots and lots of great

gifts that range from $5 on up• “Obisbo” is a popular street to walk through day or night.

Bars, live music, food…• “The Malecon” is the ocean front social space for all

Cubans (especially youth) and it is right in front of the hotel

Donations:• Because of the U.S. imposed embargo, it is very difficult

to get basic things in Cuba. Something that is always appreciated is office supplies and/or school supplies. If you wish to bring a few items to give please do so.

• School supplies: crayons, art supplies, math flash cards, kids

pens…• Office supply: pens, usb thumb drives, pencils, staples,

staplers, paper clips, small note pads, calculators etc….. Keep your eye out for some sales or go to discount stores.

• Please pack them your self. We will give them to two specific places, ICAP (office supplies), and Ninos & Ninos (school supplies) on the days we visit these locations.

Phone and Email Access:• You will have limited access to calling and emailing upon

first arrival. Our hotels do have internet but it is slower than what we are used to and the hours are limited. You can call the U.S. from the hotel lobby. It will cost about $20 for 3 minutes. However, I suggest you tell your family and friends that they will only hear from you briefly and irregularly.

What not to do in Cuba• Anything illegal—drugs, prostitution…• Use Peso’s• Use unlicensed taxi’s or restaurants• Bring rum, cigars, or coffee back to the us• Go off with a stranger….• Loose your passport and/or visa. (the hotel has a safe you can

pay to use)

What to MAKE SURE YOU DO!• Bring your PASSPORT-it is required• Pack your patience and positive attitude• Meet me 5-6pm if there is something we can do to make

your trip better and I will do my very best.• Be culturally sensitive…you are not in “America” so

please don’t expect anything to be catered to the American way…we are not going to Cancun. We are leaving the U.S. completely behind and going to a sovereign, Socialist nation that has been under constant threat by the U.S. ever since the people desired a radical change.