A Note From Paul:
Cuba Libre!
I have long been fascinated by Cuba, partly because of the great cigars -- and I love me a good cigar -- but also simply because... it's been inaccessible for 50 years!Well finally, the door has opened, and the island nation of Cuba is waiting to be rediscovered. From its beautifully adorned churches and vintage cars to its world-renowned cigars and lush tropical climate, Cuba is a place right out of a bygone era. The people are friendly and eager to share their heritage and culture... and equally curious to hear about the customs and traditions here in the U.S.
So I'm putting together a special people-to-people educational exchange program, designed around daily interactions with local residents that deliver insight into past, present, and future. Through open-minded conversations and a respectful exchange of ideas with the Cuban people, you can experience the trip of a lifetime!
But... what is there to Cuba beyond the great cigars, and those famous vintage American cars? Read on!
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Cuba - More Than Great Cigars
& Vintage Cars!
Old Havana
From graceful 16th-century castles to modern high-rises, Havana is one of the most beautiful and visually diverse cities in the world, and Old Havana is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Even in 1492, Christopher Columbus proclaimed this the “loveliest land ever beheld by human eyes.”
Pinar del Rio
Travel to the western end of the island to the province of Pinar del Rio, with some of the country’s most beautiful scenery, you’ll see lush, emerald-green tobacco fields and dramatic limestone formations called mogotes, which are the
height of skyscrapers and tower over the Viñales Valley floor. (It's also a great place to meet the tobacco farmers who grow the tobacco for those amazing Cuban cigars!)
Colon Cemetery
Explore the world-famous Colon Cemetery and see some of its most elaborately sculpted memorials. Hear its captivating history, folklore, and stories about the many noteworthy people laid to rest here, including musicians, filmmakers, writers, politicians, Major League Baseball players, and La Milagrosa—the “Miraculous One.”
Hotel Nacional de Cuba
This symbol of history, culture, and Cuban identity has hosted celebrities and world figures throughout the years, such as Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra, Muhammad Ali, and Steven Spielberg.
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PLUS the vintage cars, and the cigars, and, and, and...
And that's just the beginning. There is so much to see in Cuba, and if you want to see it as the unique place it is, see it now! 'Cus I can promise you, once it opens up for everybody... give it three years and you might as well just go to South Beach. Don't wait!
Until next week...
