Exploring Cuba’s Cultural Heritage in Camaguey, Cienfuegos and Havana

Frederick John Lamp, Frances and Benjamin Benenson Foundation

Curator of African Art November 8—17, 2013

 Dear Yale Alumni and Friends,   Join us as we set out on a 9‐day journey exploring this lush,  tropical island. We begin at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Camaguey which is not built on a grid system with square plazas but rather, to confound marauding pirates, it has labyrinthine streets and narrow alleyways which we will explore by pedi‐cab. Play dominoes with residents and a end a salsa class before heading out to the village of Lugareño where the residents are devoted to a life of cul va ng the soil and raising livestock. Close by is the small village of Minas where violins are made in a  ny workshop. In the UNESCO towns of Trinidad and Cienfuegos, discover the legacy of immense wealth created by the short‐lived sugar boom. This can be seen in the beau ful baroque churches and the elegant mansions. We have planned visits to the local library and to the home of ar st Carlos Mata as well as an unforge able musical performance with the Cienfuegos choir. Drive past the Bay of Pigs to Havana, the magnificent capital. Spend 4 days exploring the city and enjoying the opportunity to meet with professionals from all walks of contempo‐rary Cuban life. With the insigh ul discussions by Dr. Lamp, and with a program de‐signed to travel off the beaten track in Cuba, this promises to be an unforge able jour‐ney. We encourage you to join other alumni and friends and make your reserva on today. (Spaces allocated on a first‐come‐first‐served basis). 

With all good wishes from Yale,

Kathy Edersheim ‘87 Sr. Director, Interna onal Alumni Rela ons and Travel Associa on of Yale Alumni       

*This trip is subject to the renewal of Yale’s People‐to‐People license 

Friday, November 8 CAMAGUEY Enjoy a direct evening flight from Miami to Camaguey. Upon arrival, transfer to the Gran Hotel for check in. Enjoy dinner with two of Cuba’s most creative and prodigious contemporary painters, Joel Jover and his wife Ileana Sanzhez. Their magnificent home is itself a piece of art and there will be time to admire the home as well as some of the artists’ work. B,L,D Saturday, November 9 CAMAGUEY This morning, explore Camaguey which began in 1514 as the Spanish coastal town of Santa Maria del Puerto Principe. Unlike almost every other Spanish colonial city, Camaguey is not built on a grid system with square plazas. Instead, to confound marauding pirates, it has labyrinthine streets and narrow alleyways. In the Plaza del Carmen, a 19th century church dominates the square but what steals the show here is a series of bronze sculptures by Cuban artist Martha Jimenez. The sculptor used local people as models. Visit the main theater which is home to the Ballet of Camaguey, the most respected Cuban dance group after the

Ballet Nacional and, enjoy a chance to watch a morning rehearsal. End the morning at the wonderfully created model of the city built after Camaguey’s recent awarding of the UNESCO status. After lunch at a local restaurant, enjoy a game of dominoes with some local domino experts. Before dinner, enjoy a private Salsa class. Salsa has its origins in Cuba where the blending of African drum rhythms and Spanish guitar evolved into a variety of Latin American music. Dinner at a local restaurant. B,L,D Sunday, November 10 CAMAGUEY Morning drive to Minas to visit a very special violin workshop which opened in 1976. The workshop is run by Alvaro Suarez Ravinal who has over 50 years’ experience of making violins. Continue on to Lugareño, and enjoy the opportunity to learn more about what life is like in this small rural farming town in the heart of the country where time goes slowly and the air cleans the lungs. Schedule permitting during our time in Camaguey, we will attend an Alfareros baseball game. The Alfareros

Exploring Cuba’s Cultural Heritage in Camaguey, Cienfuegos and Havana

represented Camaguey in the Cuban National Series. Enjoy diner at the newly opened 1800 Restaurant. B,L,D Monday, November 11 CIENFUEGOS This morning, drive to Cienfuegos, stopping en route at Ciego de Avila, a small city of shaded colonnaded shop-fronts founded in 1840 and the most modern of Cuba’s provincial capitals. After lunch in Ciego de Avila, continue on, stopping at Santa Clara to visit the Che Memorial and Museum before arriving in Cienfuegos to transfer to the El Jagua Hotel. Enjoy a wonderful performance by the Cienfuegos choir followed by dinner at Jardin de los Laureles. B,L,D Tuesday, November 12 CIENFUEGOS Full day excursion to Trinidad, the fourth of the seven cities and considered the crown jewel of Cuba’s colonial cities. Today it is maintained as a living museum, just as the Spaniards left it in its period of greatest opulence. The city is a national monument and since 1988, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Begin the day at the Plaza Mayor which is in the center of town. Around the plaza are the Museo Romantico, the Museo Arqueologia and the cathedral, Iglesia Parroquial de la Santisima Trinidad.

After a short walk, explore the Palacio Cantero. The view of Trinidad from the top of the tower is wonderful and not to be missed. Enjoy lunch while meeting with owner Lazaro Orellana at Sol Ananda, one of Trinidad’s most popular paladars. After lunch, explore the area known as the Valle de Los Ingenios, a living museum of the sugar industry, featuring ruined sugar mills, summer mansions, barracks, and other facilities related to the field. On the return drive, stop in to meet with staff at a local medical clinic. Enjoy dinner at a paladar this evening. B,L,D Wednesday, November 13 HAVANA This morning, enjoy a walking tour of the historic area of Cienfuegos. Admire the lavish Cathedral and the Tomas Terry Theater. Enjoy a visit to the Taller Grafico cooperative of young Cuban artists who can be found working on their lithographs over stone matrices in the large, airy building. Continue on to the Bay of Pigs where, in 1962, about 1,300 heavily armed CIA-trained Cuban exiles came ashore fully equipped to provoke a counter-revolution to topple the Castro regime. Enjoy lunch en route to Havana. Upon arrival in Havana, visit the Felix Varela Cultural Center, housed in the beautiful San Carlos and San Ambrosio Seminary. Meet with Camilo Candia, the acting editor in chief of the magazine

Espacio Laical (Lay Space). Both the magazine and its editors have been the target of harsh criticism from the media controlled by exiles and by some opponents of the Cuban government, because of its critical support of the process of reforms being carried out by the Cuban government. Also present will be Guennady Rodriquez who teaches entrepreneurial skills to Cubans who are interested in starting their own businesses. After check-in to the Parque Central, enjoy dinner and drinks on the hotel’s roof top. B,L,D Thursday, November 14 HAVANA Enjoy a morning roundtable discussion with economist Aurelio Alonso who will provide an overview of the Cuban economy. After the discussion, enjoy a carefully crafted walking tour of Old Havana. and have a chance to speak to local residents and shopkeepers. Havana has the reputation of being the most splendid and finest example of a Spanish colonial city in the Americas. Begin with a private viewing of a model of Old Havana, which serves as an excellent introduction to the layout of the city. Continue to the Plaza de Armas, built in 1584 for military exercises, before ending the morning at the Plaza Vieja, a stunningly beautiful old square surrounded by mansions, and then to the Centro Nacional de Conservacion y Museologia. Enjoy lunch in a lively restaurant with local music. This afternoon, enjoy a city orientation tour by bus which will be led by an architectural historian. The tour will include an inside visit to the wonderful Riviera Hotel which, when it opened in

1958, was considered a marvel of modern design. Drive along La Rampa to the Parque Copelia, an entire block of a large, lush park. In the middle of the park, visit a remarkable design icon, an ice-cream parlor designed in 1966. Continue south and arrive at the wide steps which lead to the porticoed, columned façade beyond which lies the University of Havana. End the day at the Presidential Palace, now a museum, which illustrates the history of the Cuban political development. A few minutes away by foot is the Granma Memorial which preserves the vessel that brought Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and other revolutionaries from Mexico to Cuba in 1956. Dinner at the Café Oriente. B,L,D Friday, November 15 HAVANA Enjoy a morning round-table discussion with economist Dr. Ricardo Torres on the “Changing Forces of Cuba’s Economic Structure.” Accompanied by a contemporary art curator, visit the new Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes: Arte Cubano (Cuban Collection) before enjoying a traditional Cuban lunch at El Ajibe. Participate in an afternoon briefing at the U.S. Interest Section in Havana. After the briefing, enjoy a chance to admire the lovely home of curator Milagros Borges Gomez while admiring the artwork of many different Cuban artists including Kunta, Ruben Rodriguez, Salvador Corratge and Orestes Hernandez. Enjoy dinner at leisure. B,L

Saturday, November 16 HAVANA Morning lecture on “US/Cuban Relations” by Professor Raul Rodriguez from the University of Havana. After the lecture, enjoy a visit to Vivero Alamar, one of Havana’s many urban gardens, and meet with manager Miguel Angelo Salcines along with other with local gardeners. The country’s urban agriculture movement materialized out of the Special Period, an economic crisis from 1990-94 when the former Soviet Union ended its food subsidies, plunging Cuba into a severe food shortage. After lunch, visit the Celia Sanchez School, dedicated to disabled students, to meet with the principal, medical staff, teachers and students of the school. End the afternoon at the home of Ernest Hemingway which has been lovingly preserved by the Cuban government. Your farewell dinner takes place at La Guarida which is perhaps the most well-

known of all “paladars” in Havana, made famous because it was where Fresa y Chocolate, the 1994 Oscar-nominated film about gays in Cuba, was filmed. B,L,D Sunday, November 17 HAVANA Return flight directly from Havana to Miami.

YALE LECTURER

F rederick John Lamp is The Frances & Benjamin

Benenson Foundation Curator of African Art at Yale Uni-

versity Art Gallery since 2004. He also teaches in Theater

Studies at Yale, and has taught art history at Johns Hop-

kins, Georgetown, and George Washington Universities,

and the Maryland Institute College of Art. From 1981 to

2003, he was Curatorial Department Head of the Arts of Africa, the Americas & Oce-

ania at The Baltimore Museum of Art. He holds a Ph.D. in the History of Art from

Yale University, 1982, where he studied Black Atlantic traditions with Robert Farris

Thompson, and he studied movement with Irmgard Bartenief at the Laban Institute

of Movement Studies, New York. Specializing in the performance art of Sierra Leone

and Guinea in West Africa, Dr. Lamp has concentrated on the Temne and Baga peo-

ples. He has also worked in Jamaica, the Virgin Islands, Mexico, Brazil, Egypt, and

throughout West Africa. He has conducted research and published on male and fe-

male initiation, chieftaincy ritual, ancestral ritual, masquerade, power relationships and

art, sexuality and art, systems of thought, and ancient African art.

PROGRAM COSTS AND CONDITIONS

Trip Price: $5,500 (Based on double occupancy) Single room supplement: $740 (Limited availability)

Group size is limited to 34 participants PROGRAM COST INCLUDES: Educational Program of lectures and discussions with a Yale lecturer. Roundtrip airfare on charter flights between Miami and Havana, accommodations in hotels as outlined in the itinerary based on double occupancy, all meals listed, one drink with lunch and one with dinner, bottled water kept on the bus, sightseeing and excursions as listed, transportation in a deluxe, air conditioned motor coach, the services of a Distant Horizons escort and of a local Cuban guide, a Cuban visa, all gratuities, and mandatory health insurance and evacuation required by the Cuban Government which provides $25,000 worth of medical coverage and $7,000 worth of medical transportation. PROGRAM COST DOES NOT INCLUDE: Domestic airfare to and from Miami, any overnights in Miami, meals not specified in the itinerary; personal items such as laundry, email, fax or telephone calls, liquor, room service, independent and private transfers, departure tax of 25 CUCs in Cuba, and excess luggage charges. Any increases in the in-tour airfare (included as part of the program cost), security, or fuel surcharges imposed after the initial pricing of this program are not included. Airfare is subject to change without notice by the airlines. RESERVATIONS, DEPOSITS, AND FINAL PAYMENT: To reserve a space on this program, please mail a check made payable to “DISTANT HORIZONS” for $500 deposit per person along with the completed reservation form to: Yale Educational Travel, Association of Yale Alumni, P.O. Box 209010, New Haven, CT 06520-9010. Final payment is due by September 10, 2013 and must be paid by check. CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS: Distant Horizons and the Association of Yale Alumni reserve the right to cancel any tour prior to departure for any reason, including insufficient number of participants, and to decline to accept or retain any person as a participant at any time. Should this happen, refunds will be made without obligation, although we cannot be held responsible for any additional costs already incurred by participants. The tour price is based on a number of people traveling together. If bookings fall below the minimum required, passengers will be advised of additional costs for that departure date. If a participant cancels, the following refunds will be available upon written notice of cancellation to Yale Educational Travel: Notice more than 60 days prior to departure: a refund less a $250 cancellation charge. Notice between 60 days and 45 days prior to departure: a refund less 50% of trip price. Notice between 44 days and 30 days prior to departure: a refund less 75% of trip price. No refund shall be issued if cancellation is received less than 30 days prior to departure date. No refunds shall be issued after the tour has commenced. No refunds shall be issued for occasional missed meals, sightseeing tours or any unused services. INSURANCE: We highly recommend the purchase of trip cancellation insurance. An application for travel insurance will be mailed upon confirmation. Neither the Association of Yale Alumni nor Distant Horizons accept liability for any airline cancellation penalty incurred by the purchase of a non-refundable airline ticket or other expenses incurred by tour participants in preparing for the tour. QUESTIONS: Please contact Yale Educational Travel at (203) 432-1952 or edtravel@yale.edu RESPONSIBILITY: Distant Horizons and the Association of Yale Alumni act only in the capacity of agents for the hotels, airlines, bus companies, railroads, ship lines or owners or contractors providing accommodations, transportation or other services. As a result, all coupons, receipts or tickets are issued subject to the terms and conditions specified by the supplier. By acceptance of tour membership, the participant agrees that neither Distant Horizons nor the Association of Yale Alumni nor any of their subsidiaries shall become liable or responsible for personal injury, damage to persons or property, loss, delay or irregularity caused by persons not controlled by it, such as (without limitation) airlines, bus and shipping companies, suppliers of accommodations or other services, or resulting from any acts of God, defects in vehicles, strikes, wars, whether declared or otherwise, civil disturbances, medical or customs regulations, acts of terrorism, epidemics or government restrictions. Distant Horizons and the Association of Yale Alumni cannot be held responsible for unfavorable weather or closure of access routes due to bad weather conditions. Distant Horizons and the Association of Yale Alumni are not responsible for any additional expenses or liability sustained or incurred by the participant as a result of the above mentioned causes. Tour participant acknowledges receipt of a copy of these terms and conditions and signifies acceptance of, and consents to, all of the terms and conditions set forth herein, on behalf of any participants they may act for and for themselves when registering for, or making payments on, this tour.

Please note that participants must be in good physical condition and be able to walk for long distances over uneven cobblestones and up and down stairs

without problems. This is a rigorous, fast-paced program.

RESERVATION FORM

Enclosed is my check for $____________($500 deposit per person) payable to

“DISTANT HORIZONS” to hold ______ places(s) on

Exploring Cuba’s Cultural Heritage, November 8—17, 2013.

Final Payment is due September 10, 2013.

Name*____________________________________________________________________

Date of Birth___________Yale Affiliation________________________________________

Name*____________________________________________________________________

Date of Birth___________Yale Affiliation________________________________________

*All names should be as they appear on passport.

Phone(____)_________________Email__________________________________________

Address___________________________________________________________________

City__________________________________________State__________Zip____________

___ I will require single accommodations (supplemental fee of $740, limited availability)

___ I will share accommodations with:____________________________________

I/We have carefully read the Costs and Conditions and Responsibility sections of

this brochure and agree to their terms on behalf of myself and the members of my

party named above.

Signature___________________________________________Date_____________

Please sign and return this form with deposit check payable to

“Distant Horizons” to:

Association of Yale Alumni P.O. Box 209010

New Haven, CT 06520-9010 Phone: (203) 432-1952

Fax: (203) 432-0587 www.yaleedtravel.org