Buenos Dias from Shalini, Salma, and Makena here in Viñales!
It is our second day here in the beautiful town of Viñales and we are loving it! We woke up this morning to the quintessential sound of roosters and enjoyed a delicious breakfast prepared by our host mother and father. Following breakfast, we boarded the bus and headed to Viñales Valley for a hike. Alongside the hike, we learned about different flora and fauna, including a pineapple farm, avocado trees, and a plant that closes up when you come in contact with it. We walked through a tobacco farm and were lucky enough to learn about the entire process, starting with a man demonstrating how he picked the tobacco leaves from the plants, and ending with a step by step demonstration from a father-son combo team on how to roll and pack a perfect cigar. We were so lucky they were so generous with showing us their farm and tobacco process! As we continued our hike, we saw limestone mountains that were formed under water that can only be found in two other places: China and Vietnam. We saw so many different types of animals during our time and towards the end even saw a pig and her suckling seven piglets; it was extremely cool to see.
After our hike, we headed to lunch, which was another amazing experience. Lunch was located in an organic Eco-farm where the food from lunch came straight from the garden. This was definitely one of the best meals of the trip! The biggest topic of life was Desmond's philosophy on life and how we were all figments of his subconscious--if that's the case, then we blame any grammar/spelling errors in this blog on him! After lunch, the owner explained to us how she runs the farm and mentioned how the women do all the management and the men do all the manual work. We aren't opposed to that system(!); what does Desmond think? Anyway: the food was some of the best we've eaten so far, and it was a gorgeous experience to walk around the rows of the farm and see all the different fruits, vegetables, and animals that were housed there. It was one of the most naturally colorful and bright places we have ever seen.
After lunch, we were met with a big surprise! Bridget and Gretel, two of our guides, announced to us on the bus that we were being taken zip lining!! Here: we would get to see Viñales from a new perspective, above! The views were absolutely amazing from the zip lines, as were the faces of our friends while riding them. While a few people got stuck while on the zip line (Simone and Cameron), we overall had a wonderful experience! We headed back to our casas after and enjoyed a couple hours of free time and relaxation, which we chose to use to play dominos, cards, and venture out on the Main Street. For dinner, we returned to our host families where we once again enjoyed authentic, classic Cuban food: white rice, black beans, and chicken! Once dinner finished, our nighttime escapades began. The entire group, including our chaperones, decided to head to a local hangout place filled with Cuban music and salsa dancing. We were left in awe by the fact that all the locals had the rhythm and moves to dance the salsa to every song, and although none of us had the guts to join in, maybe we'll be able to go back tomorrow! On our way home from the town square, we stopped by a final restaurant to indulge in amazing churros fried and dressed in front of our eyes-- of course a way to spend some of our final converted Cuban cash. We can't believe how quickly this trip has gone by and are looking forward to an amazing (yet sad) last full day tomorrow!
Signing off and sending lots of love back home,
Shalini, Salma, and Makena
Monday, April 25, 2016
Isabel and Emilie: First night in Viñales! (Back-logged posts)
Greetings from Viñales!
Although we were sad to leave Havana this morning, we were excited to travel to the Viñales Valley--where the beauty of the town and scenery is astounding.
Staying in Havana since Friday afternoon was an amazing opportunity and one of the most incredible experiences of our lives. Reflecting on our stay in Cuba, one of the highlights of our time in Havana included the free Rolling Stones concert in Ciudad Deportiva on our first night in town. While not everyone was able to go because the chaperone numbers weren't quite high enough (with some adults and kids staying at the hotel on our first night), the whole group was there in spirit, and we really appreciate everyone's positive attitude. For those of us who did get to go: Being able to go to a FREE Rolling Stones concert IN CUBA was an amazing life experience in itself, but we also found that the concert was a great place to meet the Cuban people and to interact with them. What a wonderful introduction to the culture and community--an experience that we will forever remember!
Another highlight was our trip to the Callejon de Hamel. The way that the dancers and percussionists in the Santeria ceremony interacted with us allowed us to better understand the culture and to feel that we were allowed to be a part of it. The dance lessons that we took were both hilarious and filled with enjoyment, especially our Monday visit to Casa del Son. Some of our Havana nights were spent walking around Havana near our hotel and going to the close by beach, where we met locals and engaged in conversations with them in Español. All in all, our journey in Havana was unforgettable and we are already coming up with plans and times to return to Cuba's capital.
This morning, we departed from the Habana Libre hotel after breakfast to embark on the next leg of our Cuban odyssey, unsure of what to expect. In the bus, we were surrounded on both sides by lush, breathtakingly natural scenery that we are never able to experience in the United States. Our first stop was at the eco-community of Las Terrazas in Sierra del Rosario, where we were treated to delicious juice and a landscape so beautiful that it cannot be described in words. We also picked up our tour guide for the day, Janice, in this tropical oasis. We visited a nearby school and were able to look in on classes filled with adorable kids that were as eager to see us as we were to see them. Although their lives are so different from ours, there was something touching about the idea that their schooling, which is such a big part of the lives of all kids, was so similar to our own.
Next, we had lunch at the beautiful Casa del Campesino, where we were treated to the trademark Cuban rice and black beans, along with other organic products from the area. We continued on to our tour guide's town, where she promised us some delicious "romance" coffee, which she claimed helped her in meeting her husband. While it was tasty, we didn't experience any effects of that sort after drinking it ;). Finally, after a long day of travel, we arrived in the Viñales Valley and were thrilled to meet our host families here. After a couple hours to explore the town, our hosts served us home cooked Cuban meals as we chatted and practiced our Spanish. Following dinner, our exhaustion hit us and we decided to retire into our rooms for the night in preparation for the excitement of tomorrow.
¡Adios para ahora!
Emilie y Isabel
Although we were sad to leave Havana this morning, we were excited to travel to the Viñales Valley--where the beauty of the town and scenery is astounding.
Staying in Havana since Friday afternoon was an amazing opportunity and one of the most incredible experiences of our lives. Reflecting on our stay in Cuba, one of the highlights of our time in Havana included the free Rolling Stones concert in Ciudad Deportiva on our first night in town. While not everyone was able to go because the chaperone numbers weren't quite high enough (with some adults and kids staying at the hotel on our first night), the whole group was there in spirit, and we really appreciate everyone's positive attitude. For those of us who did get to go: Being able to go to a FREE Rolling Stones concert IN CUBA was an amazing life experience in itself, but we also found that the concert was a great place to meet the Cuban people and to interact with them. What a wonderful introduction to the culture and community--an experience that we will forever remember!
Another highlight was our trip to the Callejon de Hamel. The way that the dancers and percussionists in the Santeria ceremony interacted with us allowed us to better understand the culture and to feel that we were allowed to be a part of it. The dance lessons that we took were both hilarious and filled with enjoyment, especially our Monday visit to Casa del Son. Some of our Havana nights were spent walking around Havana near our hotel and going to the close by beach, where we met locals and engaged in conversations with them in Español. All in all, our journey in Havana was unforgettable and we are already coming up with plans and times to return to Cuba's capital.
This morning, we departed from the Habana Libre hotel after breakfast to embark on the next leg of our Cuban odyssey, unsure of what to expect. In the bus, we were surrounded on both sides by lush, breathtakingly natural scenery that we are never able to experience in the United States. Our first stop was at the eco-community of Las Terrazas in Sierra del Rosario, where we were treated to delicious juice and a landscape so beautiful that it cannot be described in words. We also picked up our tour guide for the day, Janice, in this tropical oasis. We visited a nearby school and were able to look in on classes filled with adorable kids that were as eager to see us as we were to see them. Although their lives are so different from ours, there was something touching about the idea that their schooling, which is such a big part of the lives of all kids, was so similar to our own.
Next, we had lunch at the beautiful Casa del Campesino, where we were treated to the trademark Cuban rice and black beans, along with other organic products from the area. We continued on to our tour guide's town, where she promised us some delicious "romance" coffee, which she claimed helped her in meeting her husband. While it was tasty, we didn't experience any effects of that sort after drinking it ;). Finally, after a long day of travel, we arrived in the Viñales Valley and were thrilled to meet our host families here. After a couple hours to explore the town, our hosts served us home cooked Cuban meals as we chatted and practiced our Spanish. Following dinner, our exhaustion hit us and we decided to retire into our rooms for the night in preparation for the excitement of tomorrow.
¡Adios para ahora!
Emilie y Isabel
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Saturday, April 2, 2016
Waiting in Miami!
Hi all-
Thanks for following our blog; we still have a few blog posts from Vinales to upload (and many photos!). We just wanted to let you know that everyone is happy, safe, and waiting for pizza in Miami! We are spending the night here, and we'll give you details about flights home when we iron it out. Sorry for the crazy delay home!
Love you all and can't wait to share more memories!
-the Cuba crew
Thanks for following our blog; we still have a few blog posts from Vinales to upload (and many photos!). We just wanted to let you know that everyone is happy, safe, and waiting for pizza in Miami! We are spending the night here, and we'll give you details about flights home when we iron it out. Sorry for the crazy delay home!
Love you all and can't wait to share more memories!
-the Cuba crew
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Goodbye Havana: from the adults
Hello Poly family and friends-
We are leaving Havana now-- full of memories, new perspectives, and Cuban food. I'm not sure if we'll have internet in Vinales, but we'll make sure to have the kids write more, take more photos, and publish when/if we can! Loving every moment, and taking good care of your kids!
The Cuba Crew
Ian & Desmond: last day in Havana
Salutations to the Poly Community from Ian and Desmond-
Today is our last day in Havana, so we fully embraced our opportunities in this beautiful city. In the morning, we were able engage in a dialogue with Christina Escobar, a Cuban journalist who works for national televised news. She is brilliant (you can find her on YouTube), and she has even been to the White House. With her, we were able to discuss, in detail, the role of state media, economics, and foreign policy in Cuba. This informative experience also gave us a unique insight into the complex nature of US-Cuban relations. It was interesting to learn about these issues from the Cuban perspective- which is quite different from what we hear on American TV. It sounds like there's a lot of international relation work to be done. We asked Christina many many questions that provoked educational realizations for the entire group.
After our colloquy, we proceeded to the studio of the Havana Compás Dance company. There, we observed a culturally immersive performance of dance intermixed with percussion. The company has developed a unique style of performance in which the dancers play various percussion instruments, especially Wooden chairs, while simultaneously dancing based on traditional flamenco and Afro-Cuban styles. It integrated many of the elements we had seen earlier this week!
Before lunch, we continued to the whimsical home of artist José Fuster. There, we enjoyed taking in the unique architecture based off of the work of Spanish artist Anton Gaudí. It's tiling which is the foundation of his work is spread throughout their entire community. Wow! Soon after, we also enjoyed a delicious lunch served at the house. What a rare treat.
After lunch, we went back to the open market (where we went Sunday), and we were enticed to buy treats for ourselves and our families. We've had varying success at saving money; some of the more streetwise students negotiated their prices with ease, while others were easily swindled into spending unnecessary amounts of money.
We now are in the hotel in anticipation for a lovely dinner at Havana 21 before our final night in the city. Other students are journaling right now, and we are all getting hungry. Our time in Havana was educational and insightful, and we are so lucky to be here. What a wonderful chance to see the changing world!
¡Adios, Habana!
Today is our last day in Havana, so we fully embraced our opportunities in this beautiful city. In the morning, we were able engage in a dialogue with Christina Escobar, a Cuban journalist who works for national televised news. She is brilliant (you can find her on YouTube), and she has even been to the White House. With her, we were able to discuss, in detail, the role of state media, economics, and foreign policy in Cuba. This informative experience also gave us a unique insight into the complex nature of US-Cuban relations. It was interesting to learn about these issues from the Cuban perspective- which is quite different from what we hear on American TV. It sounds like there's a lot of international relation work to be done. We asked Christina many many questions that provoked educational realizations for the entire group.
After our colloquy, we proceeded to the studio of the Havana Compás Dance company. There, we observed a culturally immersive performance of dance intermixed with percussion. The company has developed a unique style of performance in which the dancers play various percussion instruments, especially Wooden chairs, while simultaneously dancing based on traditional flamenco and Afro-Cuban styles. It integrated many of the elements we had seen earlier this week!
Before lunch, we continued to the whimsical home of artist José Fuster. There, we enjoyed taking in the unique architecture based off of the work of Spanish artist Anton Gaudí. It's tiling which is the foundation of his work is spread throughout their entire community. Wow! Soon after, we also enjoyed a delicious lunch served at the house. What a rare treat.
After lunch, we went back to the open market (where we went Sunday), and we were enticed to buy treats for ourselves and our families. We've had varying success at saving money; some of the more streetwise students negotiated their prices with ease, while others were easily swindled into spending unnecessary amounts of money.
We now are in the hotel in anticipation for a lovely dinner at Havana 21 before our final night in the city. Other students are journaling right now, and we are all getting hungry. Our time in Havana was educational and insightful, and we are so lucky to be here. What a wonderful chance to see the changing world!
¡Adios, Habana!
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Monday, March 28, 2016
Day 4: Kate and Cameron's view of the arts
Hello Mamas y Papas- it's Cam S. and Kate here.
What a wonderful, memorable, long, and exhausting day!
We started this morning by catching our bus at exactly 9:30- because the chaperones are training everyone to be on time. 😃 Then, we went to the gorgeous Centro Asturianos with a performance by Irene Rodríguez and her flamenco company. A-mazing! They performed five dances: two pas de deux dances, one "dance battle" of Spanish and Cuban dancing (pre-choreographed), one spirited duet between the two ladies, and a group finale piece. The musicians, comprised of a guitarist, flutist, and percussionist who played the caja box (a caja-ist, if you will) even had their own spotlight show. Cameron never wanted to leave. Next we walked around Parque Central, where some very different street dancers did an impromptu salsa. We also took a long, sweaty walk in the blazing sun over to Paseo de Marti, a shady tree promenade. It was almost 90 degrees of muggy Fahrenheit today- yikes!!
Next we went to Sloppy's Joes for lunch. It took 8000 hours to get sandwiches (yay!)- but we have learned that being on Cuban time is not quite like the US...
Then we headed to the highlight of our day: dancing lessons!!! Here, we went to Casa del Son, split into two groups, boys and girls, and learned salsa from the professionals! We learned to salsa with an enthusiastic group of men who also liked to sing and shout and drop it low (drop it like it's hot at spontaneous times). In the girls' room, we turned up the heat: The men instructed and led us well, and we had a blast! The room turned up the heat and spice with variants to the basic salsa move, and elements such as "Dame!" Or "marry me" or "No!" Ms. Leroy and Ms. Bush danced with the rest of us, and we weren't sure if they ever wanted to leave. While our group couldn't see how the boys were doing, we do know we all ended up equally sweaty.
After that, Gretel, our guide, took us to get ice cream. It was delicious! And THEN: we went to a super cool and intimate jazz concert/ lecture where we listened to Afro/euro/Cuban music dating back to 500 years. The musicians added to the list of people who blew our minds today-- we were hoping Kate would be able to jump into the gig, but instead she'll have to learn off of the CD Mateo bought.
Then we had din din at Bistro Waoooooooo(!)- the restaurant across the street from the hotel. Delish!
Okay- off to spend some final time with friends before going to sleep!
Sincerely,
Kate and Cam
What a wonderful, memorable, long, and exhausting day!
We started this morning by catching our bus at exactly 9:30- because the chaperones are training everyone to be on time. 😃 Then, we went to the gorgeous Centro Asturianos with a performance by Irene Rodríguez and her flamenco company. A-mazing! They performed five dances: two pas de deux dances, one "dance battle" of Spanish and Cuban dancing (pre-choreographed), one spirited duet between the two ladies, and a group finale piece. The musicians, comprised of a guitarist, flutist, and percussionist who played the caja box (a caja-ist, if you will) even had their own spotlight show. Cameron never wanted to leave. Next we walked around Parque Central, where some very different street dancers did an impromptu salsa. We also took a long, sweaty walk in the blazing sun over to Paseo de Marti, a shady tree promenade. It was almost 90 degrees of muggy Fahrenheit today- yikes!!
Next we went to Sloppy's Joes for lunch. It took 8000 hours to get sandwiches (yay!)- but we have learned that being on Cuban time is not quite like the US...
Then we headed to the highlight of our day: dancing lessons!!! Here, we went to Casa del Son, split into two groups, boys and girls, and learned salsa from the professionals! We learned to salsa with an enthusiastic group of men who also liked to sing and shout and drop it low (drop it like it's hot at spontaneous times). In the girls' room, we turned up the heat: The men instructed and led us well, and we had a blast! The room turned up the heat and spice with variants to the basic salsa move, and elements such as "Dame!" Or "marry me" or "No!" Ms. Leroy and Ms. Bush danced with the rest of us, and we weren't sure if they ever wanted to leave. While our group couldn't see how the boys were doing, we do know we all ended up equally sweaty.
After that, Gretel, our guide, took us to get ice cream. It was delicious! And THEN: we went to a super cool and intimate jazz concert/ lecture where we listened to Afro/euro/Cuban music dating back to 500 years. The musicians added to the list of people who blew our minds today-- we were hoping Kate would be able to jump into the gig, but instead she'll have to learn off of the CD Mateo bought.
Then we had din din at Bistro Waoooooooo(!)- the restaurant across the street from the hotel. Delish!
Okay- off to spend some final time with friends before going to sleep!
Sincerely,
Kate and Cam
Enjoying the rhythm of the city...
Today was all about music and dance-- we watched world famous Cuban ballet dancers, learned to Rhamba, then toured around the city by foot, and ended with Cuban jazz (several kids now have the CD!).
Day 3: From Carmen and Salma
Hello from the other side, it's us: Salma and Carmen. This one is for our Cuban friends. :) We enjoyed a lovely Easter Sunday in the beautiful, yet extremely humid, city of Havana. A group of 12 kids woke up early to attend an 8:30 church service- which wasn't actually in service until 10 (whoops!). So instead, we all met up with after the service at the Museo de Bellas Artes. Outside the museum, a small group of us spoke with a Cuban History professor, who gave us the Cuban prospective of the end of the embargo. He was a big advocate for Hillary 2016. In the museum, a tour guide took us through Cuban art chronologically. We began with the "Cuban Mona Lisa" and worked our way up to contemporary art. Our lovely tour guide explained to us how widely available cultural activities are since the revolutions pointing out how cheap movie tickets are (just 50 cents!!!). Unlike the Soviet Union, Cuba never burned controversial paintings, and we even saw a couple of paintings critical of Fidel-- yes, he knows! Just across the way from the museum's gift shop many of the students enjoyed an impromptu dance recital filled with acrobatic stunts and interpretive dances, while other students purchased authentic Cuban movie posters.
After a fun trip to the museum, we headed to Plaza de Armas, located in Old Havana. There, students enjoyed stunning archeticture, sugar chips, ice cream, and slightly creepy larger than life cat/dog sculptures. Needing a break from all the excitement the Poly group headed to the tourist hub "La Bodegiuta del Medio," which was once a hangout spot for our good friend Ernest Hemmingway. The restaurant walls were filled with messages from previous visitors, and we even got to sign it ourselves!! During our meal we enjoyed the musical stylings of an extremely talented trio who played the big hit, "Bailando." Fulfilled by our meals (except for Rijul who needed more veggies in his next meal!), we went to an open market complete with every kind of touristy gift that our American hearts could desire. Through this exercise we able to enhance our haggling skills and bring down the prices-- you were wrong, Mateo! Next, we headed to "Callejon de Hamel," which was a hub for Afro-Cuban culture and religion. This area was filled with murals by our other good friend Salvador whose art is yet to be government approved (unlike the previous stuff we saw). While at this venue, we witnessed in took a part in a Santeria dance ceremony in which the dancers represented different Afro-Cuban gods. The goddess of love took a particular liking to some of the boys. Having just sweated profusely from the dancing, we all loaded up in the bus and headed back to the hotel where we enjoyed a couple of hours of free time. At 6:45, the group headed out to get some authentic Cuban tacos!
A couple of kids may have gotten lost along the way today, but we've barely even noticed their absence! (Jk hahah). Anyways, we are really enjoying our stay here at Habana Libre, but we're super tired after this exciting and long journey today. Enjoy the capitalism back home!
Adios,
Salma and Carmen!
After a fun trip to the museum, we headed to Plaza de Armas, located in Old Havana. There, students enjoyed stunning archeticture, sugar chips, ice cream, and slightly creepy larger than life cat/dog sculptures. Needing a break from all the excitement the Poly group headed to the tourist hub "La Bodegiuta del Medio," which was once a hangout spot for our good friend Ernest Hemmingway. The restaurant walls were filled with messages from previous visitors, and we even got to sign it ourselves!! During our meal we enjoyed the musical stylings of an extremely talented trio who played the big hit, "Bailando." Fulfilled by our meals (except for Rijul who needed more veggies in his next meal!), we went to an open market complete with every kind of touristy gift that our American hearts could desire. Through this exercise we able to enhance our haggling skills and bring down the prices-- you were wrong, Mateo! Next, we headed to "Callejon de Hamel," which was a hub for Afro-Cuban culture and religion. This area was filled with murals by our other good friend Salvador whose art is yet to be government approved (unlike the previous stuff we saw). While at this venue, we witnessed in took a part in a Santeria dance ceremony in which the dancers represented different Afro-Cuban gods. The goddess of love took a particular liking to some of the boys. Having just sweated profusely from the dancing, we all loaded up in the bus and headed back to the hotel where we enjoyed a couple of hours of free time. At 6:45, the group headed out to get some authentic Cuban tacos!
A couple of kids may have gotten lost along the way today, but we've barely even noticed their absence! (Jk hahah). Anyways, we are really enjoying our stay here at Habana Libre, but we're super tired after this exciting and long journey today. Enjoy the capitalism back home!
Adios,
Salma and Carmen!
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Day 3: lunch time with Hemingway
Went to Old Havana this morning, and then ate lunch at Del Medio: where Hemingway used to go!
One more from our pre-dinner drive. Smile kids!
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Mateo & Dean: A Day in the Cuban Life
Hello parents, family, and friends: this is Dean and Mateo reporting in from La Havana, Cuba. So far our journey in Cuba has been rockin' and rolling. After about 35 hours without sleep, we finally got to sleep in our comfortable beds in the Habana Libre Hotel (government owned). The delectable Cuban breakfast really started us up, and we derived great Satisfaction from it. Afterwards our gracious tour guide Gretel picked us up on the party bus and we headed off to a neighborhood open air market. On the way there we passed by the venue of the Stones' concert; what a mess it was!! Everything went pretty well at the market, and we ended up buying some coconuts, guevas, papayas, and some government farmed bananas. Thanks Raul! After a bit though, when we moved to the clothing section of the market our fancy cameras and bourgeoise clothes (jk) gave us away and vendors began hawking goods at us. Mateo noticed that they immediately raised the prices by about 100%, so we didn't get anything except an authentic Cuban shopping experience. After tasting the fruits of the government's labor we saw the men that made it happen at the Plaza de la Revolucion. It was a real treat to be among other's like us (meaning it wasn't a local hang out), European and American tourists, all gawking at the monuments to Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos. After experiencing a taste of Cuba's government, we ventured to a Soviet-era restaurant which was filled with all sorts of cool art/political commentary. We didn't understand what they said, but we Felt the nationalistic pride nonetheless.The food was good too. Following that we mounted the bus again and were taken to a musical performance by local rumba musicians. It was a real hub for both Canadians and locals. Following an exciting time, we were all tuckered out and took a quick 2 hour break at the hotel. After the r&r, we were greeted by a veritable fleet of 1950 era American cars, including a 58' Oldsmobile. We exchanged some friendly banter with our amiable drivers as we drove to a restaurant for dinner overlooking Havana. Coincidentally enough, we also passed by the house Che Guevara lived in during his time in Cuba. We rolled into the restaurant stone-faced with hunger, and were served tantalizing options including some fresh seafood, chicken, rabbit, and finally flan. Our last activity really capped off the night with a bang as we observed the ceremonial firing of the cannon at the Fortaleza Carlos de la Cabana. It was a real blast, and we saw Mr. Dwyer pulling a loose cannon move, leaning over the edge of the wall to take a risky picture of the waterfront. After such a hard day full of entertaining activities we drove back to the hotel in our bus and went to sleep. Except us because we're writing this blog post. Bye everybody- the teachers are taping us in now!
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