Back at it 2025 – Always on the Verge

It’s been on my bucket list forever, and it didn’t disappoint.

We have been back in the states for about a month and the delight of our trip is still with us. I have been wrestling with the blog, however, as I struggle to encapsulate the experience. As I cleaned up photos to share I knew that the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” didn’t fit in this case as no picture (or pictures) can really do justice to our visit. Moreover, the words that came to mind as I pondered what to say in the blog don’t convey it fully either. It was about the new understandings we came to, the feelings engendered, the appreciation for a culture and people that have such a mixed relationship with the United States. But anyway…here goes…

We met up with our Road Scholar group in Miami. Since this was our first ever group travel outing we were eager to see how it would all evolve. Our group leader, Jim, impressed us with his pleasant demeanor, depth of knowledge, and sense of humor. He assured us he knew Cuba well as he has lead over 100 group outings to the island. In the group itself there were 24 of us: six couples, one solo male, eleven solo women. Interestingly, Minnesota was well represented: 5 residents and 2 who grew up there. Only three in our group were from west of the Mississippi. Yes, I fit in both those categories and, yes, this nerdy stuff interests me.

Havana – Part 1

It was an easy 45 minute flight from Miami to Havana; the only glitch being the handle that was ripped off of Bob’s suitcase. Following arrival we boarded the bus we would be using for our entire visit and headed for Revolution Square.

Bob gets a good look at one of the many vintage cars parked in the lot. Our tour bus is to the right. FYI: the bus was made in China.

Then it was on to lunch at a paladar, a privately owned restaurant. The food was abundant and delicious: a welcome cocktail along with a number of shared starter plates, soup, a choice of main course and beverage, dessert and beverage. Beverage choices were water, coffee, or a cocktail. (Some folks did choose a three cocktail lunch…) Many of the dishes served here (fried yucca, fried taro, plantain chips, squash soup, ropa vieja (beef), red snapper, flan) showed up frequently in other dining spots. Cuba imports 85% of its food stuffs and many people live with food insecurity so this large meal was our first experience with the disparity between tourists and locals. Hector, our local guide, spoke candidly about this reality. He also welcomed questions but asked that we confine those to when we were together on the bus as he could reply openly in that setting.

Wall art in the restaurant restroom reminding people to not flush any toilet paper but to throw it into a trash can placed conveniently by the commode. This system is common in many countries and after a while gets to be routine. FYI and maybe TMI: We never take a good sewer system for granted.

Though Americans cannot stay here, we are able to walk through to see this beautiful historic building and it’s lovely grounds.

View of the front of the hotel. After this short stop we went to check into The Grande Aston la Habana, one of the few hotels that is NOT on the list of sanctioned places for American travelers.

The afternoon was spent at our hotel, meeting with local dominos league members to learn how to play the national game. It was such fun, and a great ice breaker activity for our group. We chatted with the league members, many of whom spoke excellent English, and were entertained by their strong competitive and vocal play of the game. Those guys were amazingly good. For dinner that evening we were on our own and were given a number of restaurant options to choose from. Bob and I walked a couple of blocks and found a seafood spot and had our first introduction to spiny lobster. We’re still not sure how much we enjoyed it, but it was worth a try.

Cienfuegos

Leaving Havana, we drove 150 miles south to the town of Cienfuegos. The trip took about four hours with stops. Note: Our bus had a restroom but it was requested that we not use it except for an emergency. Reason – there are no dumping stations to use and the driver would have to clean it out himself. (And Joel, our driver, was a really wonderful person who didn’t deserve this task.) So a restroom stop was scheduled for every hour and a half of travel. Yup – a bus of old folks.

This was a welcome sight when we got to our restaurant for lunch.

After lunch we strolled over to Park Jose Marti and saw our first of many (MANY) statues of Marti, the father of Cuban independence and a leader of the fight against the Spanish.

Beautiful colonial building alongside the plaza. I was taken with the spiral staircase that went all the way up into the cupola.

We walked over to a nearby building that had been made into a performance hall.

Inside we enjoyed a rehearsal by a local music group. They were wonderful; showcasing a blend of classical and Cuban pieces. They had everyone up and dancing.

A short distance away was an enclosed courtyard that was set up for us to meet with an artists’ cooperative. They talked with us about the challenges of being an artist in Cuba and how their work gets marketed when they are under an embargo. There is also the dilemma of dealing with Cuban pesos vs American dollars. When we prepared for this trip we were told that there would be no ATMs, no money exchanges, no credit card transactions. Road Scholar recommended bringing $500/person/week and getting the cash in small bills ($1s, $5s, $10s) as vendors/sellers would not give any change. (As you can imagine, for a 2-week trip, that’s a pile of bills! We managed.) Artists accept US$$ but they have to deposit it in a government-controlled bank where it is automatically taxed (sometimes as high as 80%) and the remainder goes on the depositer’s Cuban bank card. It really strangles them economically, so many artists find ways to do their selling and banking abroad. It’s complex.

Driving out of town the streetscape reminded Bob and I of previous trips through much of Mexico. But notice the lack of vehicles on the streets. Gas is expensive and difficult to come by.

Trinidad

No doubt it was beautiful. This was the sunset view from our room.

The next day we took a walk through the city center. I was tickled by the fellow giving dance lessons to another fellow. They are clearly enjoying themselves.

We stopped and chatted with the woman who heads a knitting/crocheting collective. Their work was well done, but I passed on purchases as my shelves are filled with my own handiwork.

We next went to visit a carver who uses wood from abandoned houses for his portraits. It was fascinating to watch him work. This artist has arranged for a workshop in the US (Minnesota, actually) to display and to take payment for his art pieces. He declined to go into details but some folks in our group expressed interest in going to see his gallery when they got home.

We walked to Plaza Major for a quick orientation to the remainder of the town center and were then encouraged to investigate. Trivia bit: the wrought iron fences were made in Michigan.

I chose to visit the Architecture Museum. Admission was $1 and for another dollar I hired a tour guide who spoke English to take me through the exhibits.

Loved the stained glass over an interior archway. It reflected the buildings across the plaza.

Bob opted for music and a cup (or two) of the local drink: Canchanchara. Think rum and stuff. He is wearing a name tag; but no, he is not wearing a bracelet – that’s our room “key”.

Our final group stop in town was to a wall fan creator (on right). He designs and tools each of the fan blades individually, beginning the design at the narrow end.

Example of some of the pattern work and one of the hand-drawn patterns.

Perfect signs. If you wear these you’re in.

During the afternoon we visited a former sugar cane factory that now serves as an archeological site. Some historical perspective: Spain originally planned for the island to be one huge sugar cane plantation. This lead to the importation of slaves. Those slaves quickly outnumbered both the indigenous groups and the Spanish and the eventual mix of races defines the current population of the country. When Cuba overthrew Spanish rule islanders found themselves with lands that were essentially depleted; destroyed by the sugar cane. They were also without fertilizers to re-enrich the soil. The country has never really recovered from this situation.

Matanzas

Another 4-hour drive today. This one was broken up by a pina colada refreshment stand and an old railroad engine. Bob spotted the name so we had to do a photo.

Flamingos along the way. We were there during crab migration season and it was crazy watching those critters scrambling across the roads to get into the water. I tried for a photo from the bus window but they were too fast for me. (Unless you wanted to see squished ones~)

Today’s lunch stop was at an organic farm, and everything we ate was grown on the property. To help with funding they have formed a collaboration with artists who stay on the farm, create art, and also help with the farm operations.

Some artists contribute work pieces and the gardens and restaurant are now a tourist attraction.

Amazingly, they use these time-worn kilns to fire pottery, much of which is sold on site.

Our lodging in Matanzas was at Hotel Rio San Juan. We were greeted by an enthusiastic music group and welcome drinks. (The welcome drinks are happening regularly.) Once again dancing was involved.

Next morning we head off to the River Walk where our first visit was to a sculpture artist, Lolo. Note the headset Bob is wearing. These were really helpful during our tours. They made it easy for us to spread out and observe and also allowed Hector to simultaneously translate for us when we met with folks who didn’t speak English.

This is one of Lolo’s ironwork sculptures that stands along the river bank.

Folks were living in these small houseboats docked across from the River Walk.

One of six plazas within the city center. This one is surrounded by government buildings. The statue celebrates the soldiers who fought for independence.

Liberty Plaza: Jose Marti on top and Liberty with her arms raised in victory at the bottom. Matanzas is known for its beautiful colonial architecture and is referred to as “The Athens of Cuba”.

Across from the plaza is a pharmacy museum. It was opened and run for a number of generations by a family of pharmacists from France. When Castro came to power in 1959 he tried to claim it for the government to use but the pharmacists, being aware of the possibility before the revolution ended, had already converted most of the building and its contents into a museum. They gifted it to the republic and Castro chose to allow it to remain a museum.

Looking through the beautiful stained glass window.

Looking to find a way to dispense accurate measures of medicinal powders the pharmacists came upon the solution of encasing the powders between two communion wafers. Brilliant!

Next up: a performance by an Afro-Cuban dance group. They enacted a twisted folk tale about sea temptresses who vied for the attention of sailors. And though I am repeating myself: more dancing opportunities. Quite fun.

We had a bit of time before we went to visit our next program, so our driver, Joel, suggested we go to the mirador to get a view of the city.

A picturesque church and statues at the summit.

Our final stop of the day: a Kairos project that did outreach to homeless individuals. The Cuban government says that there is no homeless in the country, so there are no programs or supports for unhoused people. The official stance on the situation is that there are a few people who abuse drugs and alcohol and that some of those people find themselves on the streets.

Vinales

Back in the bus and heading for our next town. Along the route there were oil refineries. Cuban crude is high in sulfur and that means the facilities are routinely shut down for cleaning. That, in addition to the scarcity of imported oil are main causes for the frequent blackouts. We had at least one blackout every day. Many are planned but not with an announced schedule so folks just roll with it. Most businesses and many houses have generators but that assumes people can afford and locate the fuel to run them.

Our mid-way rest stop was at a golf club which offered coffee and cocktails at “The 19th Hole”.

While most public restrooms have an attendant this one was self-serve. Your tip got you a couple of squares of toilet paper and a small paper towel for drying your hands. (Road Scholar makes a point of paying gratuities and honorariums and travelers are reminded frequently that those fees are covered. The various attendants and servers often still ask, and people respond as they see fit. Bob and I did some extra tipping along the way.)

Large grove of Royal Palms – the national tree.

Enroute we visited La Terrazas, an eco-preserve and sustainable community. While there we toured the studio of a paper maker who uses recycled materials to make his paper.

Multiplexes and a sighting of Sponge Bob.

Our lodging in Vinales was a group of casitas. Families live in the back portion of the homes and there are guest quarters at the front. The casita Bob and I stayed in had a rooftop terrace like the one on the right. Our host served us breakfast up there each morning.

We began our first day in town with a visit to a botanical garden. Our guide’s great grandfather began the garden and it is still family owned and run. It holds a glorious range of interesting specimens, both native and imported. As an added benefit our guide was quite a jokester.

Lots of alternative transportation options in town. The horse carts were pretty much everywhere.

Local ration store. Begun after the revolution, these stores provided essentials for all citizens. In the 1990s they discontinued providing meat and dairy products. Currently they claim to offer staples: eggs, flour, oil, beans, sugar, rice, etc. The problem, as can be seen by the shelves, is that often those staples are not available.

Next up: a visit to a tobacco farm. Most of the tobacco in the country is grown in this region. You can also see the limestone mountains, magotes, that are indicative of the area.

Fields are commonly tilled by oxen. In fact, during our two weeks of touring we saw only one tractor and it was parked in a shed because it was broken.

Into town for lunch and the ever-welcomed welcome drink. Traditionally the cocktails are served “virgin” and then a bottle of rum (fondly referred to as Vitamin R) is put on the table for customers to add what they wish. Those three cocktail lunches could get quite boozy.

Following lunch we went to Cuevo del Indio for an underground boat ride.

That evening it was dinner on the rooftop prepared by our host. Her daughter was our server, and we had a great time chatting with her as she practiced her English and we offered some of our Spanish. She was adorable and so very pleasant.

Patio rugs. Masters at making use of what is available.

Our last day in the valley: Vinales National Park for a hike and to view the Mural de la Prehistoria. Commissioned by Fidel Castro, the artist who designed it trained with Diego Rivera, and the work on the project was completed by local farmers using a unique painted lines technique.

Now on our way back to Havana, we stopped for a tour and then lunch at an organic farm.

Their welcome drink had a twist: totally ecological and anti-stress. Not sure that is before or after the rum.

One more visit along the way: a local community project run by artist Mario Pelegrin which includes a children’s library, art classes and a pottery studio.

Mentioning art classes brings me to an aside: Before we left the states we received a message from Road Scholar explaining “gifts” (read that as donations) to projects. Every project/group/artist we visit gets compensated by Road Scholar, so contributions are not expected. That said, many travelers, after seeing the circumstances in Cuba, have asked what else they can do. We were provided with a list of things that are scarce and needed: OTC medicines (particularly children’s dosages), reading glasses, art and school supplies, personal cleaning products, for example. Those who brought items loaded them onto the back seats of our bus and throughout our travels Jim, our fearless leader, made up bags to hand out. It was done discreetly, and by the end of our journey everything had been distributed.

Havana – Part 2

Back at The Grand Aston la Habana, our original hotel, we loved our ocean side location and the view of the cars parked near the malecon.

Today began with a fascinating lecture by a Cuban professor of International Relations at the University of Havana. He traced the history of the embargo and the role of private enterprise in the evolving Cuban society. He took lots of questions and was forthcoming with his critiques of both Cuba and other countries that Cuba has dealings with.

Back on the bus for time in downtown Havana. Along the way we saw the now empty Russian embassy. The brutalist architecture seems fitting.

The capitol building, closed by Castro and turned into The Museum of the Revolution.

We were treated to a performance by a contemporary dance company. They did a great job of getting everyone involved and dancing in actual routines. Following the performance we broke into groups and had conversations with the performers about their lives and professions. Quite insightful.

Lunch was highlighted by a wonderful group of musicians. One of our travel companions decided he would accompany them on the guiro. (I bought one of these for Harper and Lily along with some maracas made from local gourds and seeds.)

Following lunch it was off to the Fine Arts Museum.

Our final day was a bit less busy. We started with a talk by a retired professor of methodology and gender studies. Her research focused on women and employment and images of Cuban women in mass media. She pointed out the vast disparity between current expectations for men and women with women still being expected to both work and be 100% responsible for the household. This is especially notable since women have a higher employment rate (currently 60% of doctors are women) and both sexes have an equal salary rate.