Day 7 in Cuba

Havana, Alamar & Cojimar. This morning, drive to Finca Vigia, Hemmingway’s Cuba retreat and visit Cojimar, the fishing village that was the setting for his book, “The Old Man and the Sea.” Then, drive to the district of Alamar on the outskirts of Havana. Started as an expansive social housing project in the 1970’s, these Soviet-style pre-fabricated concrete apartment blocks are now home to hundreds of thousands of Cubans. Meet with some local residents and discuss the process of buying and selling or otherwise obtaining housing in Cuba. Also learn about the tradition of having multi-generational living arrangements.

Proceed to a local Elementary School in Alamar. Interact with the children in their classrooms as part of an English lesson and participate in a discussion session with some of the school’s administrators and teachers about Cuba’s education system and how it compares to that of the United States.

Girls looking through a bus window Photo by Adam Jones

Amongs the buildings in Alamar are community gardens, called Organoponicos, where residents grow fruit, vegetables and herbs for their own consumption and local sale. Similar to co-op and community gardens in the United States, these Organoponicos facilitate community development and offer Alamar’s residents access to fresh produce. Enjoy a visit to one of these Organoponicos, which few visitors to Cuba have the opportunity to do.

Lunch today is an open-air organic feast served by community volunteers and workers from Alamar.
This afternoon, visit Beth Shalom Synagogue Pharmacy, where pharmaceuticals that are donated by visitors from throughout the world are distributed, free of charge, to everyone who needs them, regardless of religion. Afterwards, return to the hotel.

After some well-deserved ‘down time’ at the hotel, join your fellow travelers at the farewell dinner, served in the rooftop restaurant of the Ambos Mundos Hotel, where Hemingway lived in the 1930s and wrote For Whom the Bell Tolls. Be sure to wear your dancing shoes as you enjoy live, traditional Cuban Buena Vista-style music and salsa dancing