Travel to Cuba to Study Preservation, Planning, & Sustainable Development in March 2002

Cubanow.org

Havana and Santiago: March 8 to 15, 2002!

Day One: (Saturday, March 8): Arrive in your gateway city and connect to your flight to Havana. We have requested the Nacional Hotel with a second choice of The Golden Tulip Hotel.

Day Two: (Sunday, March 9): Orientation, a walking tour of the neighborhood, best restaurants, and other vital information led by Dr. John Gilderbloom. Visit sites in Havana, including Museo de Revolucion, Old Havana, the Capitolio. You will see where Columbus landed and Europeans built their first building; the three most important and historic plazas that serve as foundations for government, religion, and commerce; and get to visit a castle.

Day Three: (Monday, March 10): Tour of 20th Century Architecture including New Vedado, Cubanacan, Playa, Central Havana. In the afternoon we will visit the U.S. Interest Section for a 90 minute briefing with the Chief along with the economics expert.

Day Four: (Tuesday, March 11):

Leave on first flight of the morning to Santiago. Stay at Hotel Casa Granda or Hotel Santiago. Spend evening in Santiago, founded in 1515 and the birthplace of Fidel Castro.

Day Five: (Wednesday, March 12): Visit Fidel's boyhood home. A town historian will accompany us on a downtown walking tour of Santiago that will include the Tivoli neighborhood where many French immigrants once lived. Historic neighborhoods tour, including Vista Legre, an affluent area prior to the revolution. We will also see Jose Choy train station, airport, Santiago Hotel, Cuba's oldest standing house built in the early 1500's, and visit Jose Marti Memorial.

Day Six: (Thursday, March 13): Return to by plane to Havana. Visit the famous National Arts School, which was the former site of Cuba's most acclaimed country club. This is an excellent example of post-revolutionary architecture. See other examples of modern architecture, as well as world famous Miramar and Cubacan.

Day Seven: (Friday, March 14): Visit El Castille de Morro. These are self-guided tours of castles built to defend Havana over 400 years ago. Visit Cabana Fortress where Che had his office and see a working military site. This has been used as a prison for political dissidents before and after the revolution. Walk along Obisbo Street where 35 art galleries reside.

Day Eight: (Saturday, March 15): Return to the U.S.

Cost: $2,950 for shared accomodations from L.A. Single supplement: $395. $150 discount if departing from Toronto. $300 discount if departing from Cancun or Nassau. Participants are responsible for reaching their "gateway city".

For more information, contact Teressa Jackson, Cubanow.org's Program Coordinator, at [email protected] or 502.479.3666. We hope you can join us in Cuba!!