The women shaping cuba today
october 11-14, 2019
Plus optional one-day extension
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
For a fascinating and mind-bending cultural experience, you should look no further than Cuba in 2019. A powerful undercurrent of modern Cuba is it’s women working to shape the country and forward their futures. Globally defined roles of women mixed with Latin machismo have relegated women’s work, feats, challenges, and daily life to the sidelines, rarely highlighted and celebrated as the engine of the country. We want to change that. In “The Women Shaping Cuba Today”, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the Cuban woman’s past and present experience as you learn about Cuba through the female lens.
ABOUT CUBA EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL
Cuba Educational Travel (CET) is a leader in cultural travel to Cuba. CET unlocks the best of Cuba by providing access to the country’s top artists, academics, tastemakers, and cultural figures. CET’s tailor-made programs enable clients to experience Cuba’s vibrant culture and gain a deeper understanding of the island, while ensuring full compliance with all U.S. regulations.
CET has been on the frontlines of cultural collaboration, helping to bring Cubans to the U.S. and Americans to Cuba. From Yoga retreats to concerts to dance performances, CET has wide-ranging experience and contacts. Recent highlights include organizing the Diplo Major Lazer concert in Havana, which drew a crowd of over 500,000 people and bringing Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba, the country’s top dance group, to perform at the Latin Grammys.
OUR VALUE PROPOSITION
By leveraging this expertise and curated travel capabilities, Cuba Educational Travel offers a product that is unrivaled. Our strong presence on the island and in important cultural circles gives us unparalleled access and knowledge. This combined with the beauty and intrigue of Cuba and its people make for truly unforgettable experiences.
ITINERARY
Friday, October 11
Arrival on flights TBD
Upon arrival, meet your CET hosts at the exit of the terminal. Orientation talk: overview of the agenda, discussion about local transportation, nearby markets, internet access and other logistics and cultural norms.
Check at local accommodations, boutique B&B’s in the Vedado neighborhood.
Visit Estudio Figueroa Vives, meet with curator Cristina Figueroa and discuss the role of women in Cuban art in modern society.
Welcome dinner at female-owned Otramanera. We will be joined by business owner and Cuban private sector owner Marta Deus, renowned photographer May Reguera, among other leading women in business, arts, and media.
Saturday, October 12
Walking tour of Old Havana’s Historic Center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982, with architect and member of the City Historian’s Office: Ayleen Robaina. Explore the main plazas and streets, learn about the history of the city and the process of restoration and maintenance led by the Historian’s Office and the important role of women.
Lunch at female-owned Doña Eutimia paladar. Famous for its ropa vieja and frozen mojitos, this cozy paladar made Newsweek Magazine’s top 100 restaurants in the world in 2012. The restaurant’s location in the beautiful cathedral square is unbeatable. Callejón del Chorro # 60-C, Plaza de la Catedral
Learn about society, race and gender issues in the island from Magia Lopez, a member of hip hop duo Obsesion in their home in Regla.
Optional: Visit Rafael Trejo gym for a discussion with female boxers on their passion, struggles and inspirations. Practice your fighting skills with Cuba’s best.
Dinner reservation at Tierra, Havana’s newest international dinning spot. Located inside a container in the Fábrica de Arte Cubano, the restaurant mirrors the eclectic crowd, serving dishes from around the world. Calle 26, between Calle 11 and 13, Vedado (not included – to be paid on the ground)
Suggestion:
Following dinner, enjoy live music, art and dancing at La Fábrica de Arte Cubano. Rock star X Alfonso has turned this into meeting spot for a young, eclectic crowd of Cubans and foreigners.
Sunday, October 13
Take part in female-led arts and design event at Dador Havana. We will have a discussion over cafecitos with Cuban female entrepreneurs changing the fashion, design, and cosmetic scene in Havana. Later on, we’ll be able to purchase their goods.
Wasasa Bug Bag, (@wasasa_bugbag) the hottest item in Havana these days. Created by young designers Leila Chaban and Sandra XXX with fabric from Sierra Leone and materials from the Ukraine, but 100% made in Cuba.
Dador (@dadorhavana) is the newest and freshest addition to Havana’s made-in-Cuba retail scene. Founded by Lauren Fajardo, Ilse Anton, and Raquel Janero, Dador sources high quality linen to create their designs, and sews them in the upstairs of their shop.
D’Brujas, (@dbrujasjabonesartesanales), a private artisanal soap shop that sells all-natural soaps. Founded in 2014, D’Brujas pride themselves on offering products for customers with sensitive skin and a highly-diversified supply of cosmetics in Havana.
Enjoy lunch at Lo de Monik a new paladar in Old Havana serving fresh tapas and inspired cocktails.
Visit Cuba’s Museum of Fine Arts with an art historian to learn about the history of Cuban art through the lens of women.
Visit to the Lizt Alfonso Academy, a female-led dance company and school for local youth, and meet with founder Lizt Alfonso. We will watch a private performance by the adolescent dance group created by Lizt, named one of BCC’s 100 Most Influential Women of 2018.
Farewell dinner and private concert in the home of artist Mabel Poblet, featuring a performance by Cuban rap duo Reyna y Real. La Reyna y Real is a female hip hop/jazz duo whose music focuses on breaking down stereotypes in Cuban society, including machismo, healthy relationships, gender relations and race. We will be joined by all of the women we met with along the way.
Monday, October 14
Departure on flights TBD, one day extension available below
Extension: Monday, October 14
Head to the rural province of Artemisa to have a farm to table lunch at Tungasuk farm. Learn about sustainable agriculture from a Nicaraguan-born, Paris-trained chef Annabelle Cantarrer who has moved her life to the rural hills of Cuba to cultivate the land and bring people together through food.
Afternoon free
Suggestions: Check out Pura Vida gym for a yoga class, or Gym F for a fast-paced spin class
Behind the scenes art tours
Wander around Old Havana
Head east to the eastern beaches
Dinner reservation at La Guarida, famous not only for its delectable dining, but also as the location for the film Strawberry and Chocolate. It is housed on the third floor of a large, old town house carrying the charming ambience of the early 1900s. Concordia e Gervasio y Lealtad, no. 418 altos, Centro Habana
Nightcap at Michifu, Havana’s newest female-owned restaurant/bar with bohemian vibes and impromptu singalongs to Cuban classics on the piano.
Extension: Tuesday, October 15
For those who extended: departure on flights TBD
Pricing:
Original program: $1,000 per person double room, $1,200 per person single room
Extended program: $1,150 per person double room, $1,350 per person single room