Lauren traveled to Cuba in June.  It was everything she expected and nothing like what she expected.  This theme followed her throughout her stay.  As we sailed out of Key West on a charter boat, we thought about how far yet how close the island nation is to the US.  In just 3 1/2 hours of smooth seas we pulled into the Hemingway Marina in Havana to start our week long Cuba adventure.  Our days in Havana were spent seeing the tourist highlight as part of our required People to People program.  We started with a city bus tour showcasing all the large monuments to Cuba’s heroes of the revolution which appear all over the city.  We also learned about the city’s architecture and history on a walking tour of the Old Town, experienced the evening cannon blast at the La Cabana Fortress (the time when the city gates were closed for the night back in the 18th century), visited a local synagogue and heard about Cuba’s religious freedoms, saw the famous Tropicana show with 60 energetic dancers plus musicians and singers, purchased Cuban cigars and learned about the rum making process.  And we loved seeing all the old American cars that the locals keep in shape with new engines from China and having a drink overlooking the sea at the iconic and 5-star Hotel Nacional de Cuba.  Our favorite stop was Fusterlandia; home to Cuba’s most famous artist, Jose Fuster, who not only decorated his entire home with mosaic art, but the nearly entire neighborhood as well! Our touring outside of Havana included a trip across the island to the Bay of Pigs to learn about the CIA-backed paramilitary attempt to overtake the government in 1961.  The town’s museum and multiple billboards (some of the only billboards we saw anywhere) showcase the great pride of that event.  We also stopped to snorkel and have a meal in nearby Playa Largo.  Cuba’s preservation of their natural resources was a pleasant surprise and clear water provided optimal viewing for snorkeling and diving.  We also ventured to Las Terrazas in the interior of the country to learn about this pioneering eco-village that dates back to a reforestation project in 1968. It’s a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with a variety of recreation activities and the site of the earliest surviving coffee plantations in Cuba. Both locals and tourist were taking advantage of the beautiful setting high in the Sierra del Rosario mountains and we enjoyed a swim in the lake, learning about coffee and visiting a local artist studio.  The highways in Cuba were in good shape, but we saw few
vehicles on the road.  Most locals hitch rides to get around, but there are some local buses.  The boat then took off for nearby Varadero on the Hicacos Peninsula.  This is one of the largest resort areas anywhere in the Caribbean where Canadians, Europeans and others vacation at familiar resort chains.  We docked behind the lovely and fresh Melia Marina Varadero.  The area is ripe for marine activities such as fishing, diving and snorkeling.  Beautiful mangroves lined one side of the peninsula.  We also visited a nearby Sugar Cane Museum in Cardenas at a former sugar production plant that now showcases the mostly American made steam trains that were used to transport the crop.

 We had a lovely dinner and sunset at Xanadu Mansion which was built in 1927 as the retirement home of Irenee Dupont de Nemours.  We really enjoyed a day for relaxing beach and pool time with such a full schedule that is required by the U.S. government to qualify for a People to People tour.  Most meals were at private rather than government owned restaurants.  At nearly every meal, serenading with Cuban folk tunes was a popular method of entertainment.  Sometimes even throughout a meal.  Mojitos were always served (and sometimes cigars) along with a bountiful of food choices including fresh fish, lots of lobster and fresh meats along with plantains, rice, beans and vegetables.  Transportation was in a comfortable minibus and our guide and driver were precious.  Some translation issues were evident, but didn’t distract us from their ongoing efforts to keep us informed about our travel plans and providing plenty of information about their country’s history, politics, culture and dreams.  Our 3-hour sail back across the Atlantic Ocean to Key West on a sunny day with calm seas gave us time to reflect on our trip, admire the warm Cuban hospitality and also to appreciate our freedoms.