Special Topics: Cuba

UPA 680-01, MUP 680, MPA 680

Fall 2001

Taught by Professor  John I. Gilderbloom Ph.D.

With assistance from Professor Jon Davey Chair Department of Interior Design at Southern Illinois University.

College of Business and Public Administration

Urban Studies Institute

426 West Bloom Street

University of Louisville 40205

Phone: 502-852-8557

E-mail: jigild01@gwise.louisville.edu

 

DRAFT:  Working Draft:  This course description will be continually updated on our website: http://www.louisville.edu/org/sun/cuba

 

First Official Class Meeting: Friday August 24, 2001

Center for Urban and Economic Research, First Floor Conference Room

Office Hours: Thursdays 8:30pm to 10:30pm; Fridays:  4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

 

 University of Louisville graduate students who take the Special Topics class UPA 680 have a unique and exciting opportunity to travel to Cuba to participate in people-to-people exchanges and learn about planning, historic preservation, sustainable development, planning and architecture in one of the few truly Socialist countries left in the world.    Even the most jaded traveler will find Cuba to be one of the most beautiful and fascinating places in the world. With 500 years of history and heritage, it is the site of one of the largest intact collections of Spanish Colonial architecture as well as the

Largest collection of Soviet era prefabricated buildings. In this beautiful and intriguing setting, you will experience the radically different economic, social, and cultural life of Cuba’s citizens.

 

This program is an exceptional value, with non-stop air from Toronto to Havana, accommodations, transfers, daily breakfast, several dinners;  visa, English-speaking Cuban (Professor Ruben Bancroft) and American instructors (Professor John Gilderbloom and Jon Davey) guide, and U.S. Treasury license. Although we do not have the exact costs we expect to provide for program that is one half the cost of other similar programs.  We hope the price for this 12 day program will be around $1,250 with double occupancy rate.  A single supplement is an additional $300.   No spouses or children may attend unless they are enrolled in this class or they are a professional architect, planner, environmentalist, preservationist or other profession related to this topic.

Registration is due by August 24, 2001.

 

 

Unlike your conventional graduate classes of meeting once a week at night, this course has a much different structure.  We will meet only 8 class meetings during the Fall of 2001—or every other Friday unless announced.  The other 24 hours of classroom time is made up by an intensive 10 day program which with 6 hours of  walking tours and bus lectures in  6 historic Cuban cities.  Much of this learning is considered “experiential where you will see cityscape first hand. 

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The class will have a number of guest lectures and movies; the course will be run as a seminar, so class discussion will be encouraged. Many of the class lectures will focus on my current book manuscript I am co-authoring:  Cuba’s Architectural Miracles and Disasters.  I will also draw on my extensive experience in Cuba. As instructor, I reserve the right to make changes in the organization of the course; this allows the class to be flexible and responsive to the needs of the students and the professor.

 

The course strives to give a good working overview of Cuba from a political, economic, sociological, environmental, design and planning perspectives Advisors might designate this as an elective for a variety of majors including business, architecture, political science, social work, history, Latin American Studies and art history.  You will get a grade in four areas: 

 

(1)   CLASS PARTICIPATION (25%)

Since the course is designed as a seminar, it is expected that students come prepared to discuss the assigned readings and if possible introduce relevant current events into class discussion. The first part of class will generally be in a lecture format, followed by a class discussion during the second half of class.  The second part of the class is going to Cuba so we expect you to show up on time and participate in the numerous lectures, driving and walking tours. 

 

(2)   FINAL (25%)

The midterm will be an in-class essay examination in which two out of the three questions must be answered. Bring a blue book!  This will be done on Friday December 7

 

(3) BOOK ESSAYS (25%)

For this class to be a success, we need to get you to read these fantastic books on Cuba.  We are not interested in a summary but more a reaction or critique of the books.  We will ask for five essays of which the four best essays will be your grade.   Average length should be around 1,000 words—about 2 to 3 pages double space.

 

(4)   REFLECTIONS JOURNAL

You will be asked to keep a daily journal concerning your thoughts and observations of what you are seeing and how it related to course readings.

 

Students will be given an incomplete for the fall semester and a grade will be assigned by February 15, 2002—with journals submitted.

 

Books

The following books are required:

 

 

(1)  Havana: Two faces of the Antillean Metropolis by Robert Segre, Mario Coyula (one of our tour guide leaders) and Joseph Scarpaci. New York, New York: John Wiley and Sons. 1-800-879-4539 or try http://amazon.com. The title might be a little stiff and academic but it is a neat collaboration between American, Brazilian and Cuban academics on planning a Socialist city, and it is illustrated with maps, pictures and other data.  This is a very good resource book for planners, architects, urban historians and geographers.  

 

(2) Cuba: 400 Years of Architectural Heritage Rachel Carley, Andrea Brizzi (Photographer) / Hardcover / Published 1997. New York: Whitney Library of Design. This is an important and comprehensive book covering 400 years of Cuban architecture. Most agree this is the best book on the subject.  Nothing else comes close and the book is so engaging and easy to read! That's a tough trick when you are talking about architecture and especially 400 years of it.    This is a fabulous book! The essays are erudite, filled with well-researched history of Cuban architecture and the photography is spectacular. The quality of the writing is impressive; it reads like literature laced with fascinating antidotes.

 

(3) Havana La Havana by Nancy Stout and Jorge Rigau 1994. New York: Rizzoli International Publishers Inc.   A book that not only concentrates on the most important pieces of Havana architecture but spends a great deal of time on the beauty of the ordinary in Havana.  Nicely written, provocative, interesting and intelligent.  The photography is very good and documents Cuba in the early 1990s as the Soviet Union began to end major economic subsidies.  A nice companion piece to Rachel Carley.  Like Carley, the writing is very poetic, personal and pretty. 

 

 (4) Revolution of Forms: Cuba's Forgotten Art Schools by John Loomis, 1999, New York: Princeton University Press   This book published by Princeton is one of the best books I have ever read.  A case study of what happened to architecture in Cuba after the revolution by focusing on one building, which changed architecture in socialist Cuba forever.  Powerful, insightful and scary. 

 

(4) Eduardo Luis Rodríguez. The Havana Guide: Modern Architecture 1925-1965. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2000. The Havana Guide is the first publication of its kind in English to recognize the wealth of modern architecture that exists throughout Havana. Written with an academic perspective, Rodríguez fails to review post-revolutionary architecture.   Undoubtedly, such a review by a Cuban living in Cuba would probably be highly critical and create many problems for him/her. So we understand this predicament.  Surprisingly, Princeton University Press has rejected proposals to publish books critical of Cuban architecture during the revolutionary period.

 

The Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts, Cuba Theme Issue Volume 22. 305-535-2612.  A great theme issue on architecture in Cuba.  Articles by numerous Cuban architectural experts.

 

Recommended:

 

Cuba: Travel Survival Kit by David Stanley. Oakland, California: Lonely Planet Publications. Available at most bookstores, call toll free 1-800-275-8555. This is most popular travel guide for those traveling in Cuba and it is deserved. It includes useful maps of the cities and neighborhoods, self-guided walking tours, and dates when buildings were built.  The photographer for this book traveled with me for two weeks to take many of these pictures.

 

Time Out Guide: Havana and the best of Cuba, by Time Out, 2001.London and New York: Penguin Book. (www.timeout.com)  They recently declared I along with two others present the best educational program in Cuba.  Nevertheless, the guide is nicely done and researched.

 

Guide to Old Havana by A. Garcia A. Monserrat, 1958, Com-Relieve, S.A. Escudo de Oro, Spain.   Another guidebook listing neighborhoods and important architectural gems with dates and names.  (Can only be bought in Havana)

 

La Habana Colonial: Guia De Arquitectura by Maria Ellena Martin Zequieira and Eduardo Luis Rodriguez Fernandez, published in Cuba and Spain. (ISBN: 84-8095-030-7) This book is published only in Spanish, but it is still pretty easy to follow even if your command of the language is limited. It provides good maps, statistics, names and dates of buildings. Very handy!  (Can only be bought in Havana)

 

 

Course Outline

 

 

Week One (08/24)

Introduction to the Class—everything you need to know about this class

 

Week Two  09/05 and 09/06

Guest Lecturer Dean Ruben Bancroft of the College of Architecture, Engineering and Urban Studies at ISPJAE  / CUJAE—the flagship college of Cuba.  Professor Ruben’s lecture will be at the University of Kentucky on September 5 and September 6 he will give two lectures:  a community lecture at noon and a University of Louisville lecture at 4:00 p.m..  Please read The Havana: Two faces of the Antillean Metropolis by Robert Segre, Mario Coyula (one of our tour guide leaders) and Joseph Scarpaci  please read Chapters X, X, and X.  Professor Gilderbloom will bring students who can get off work for a day an afternoon at the University of Kentucky.  We will have a great Mexican lunch in Lexington, visit the Urban Design Center and attend Dean Ruben Bancroft’s lecture.  For those who cannot attend this lecture, there is always Paris, Berlin or Louisville.

 

Week Three (09/21) Planning, Housing and Regionalism in Havana

 The Havana: Two faces of the Antillean Metropolis by Robert Serge, Mario Copula) and Joseph Carapace Read Chapters X, X and X.  Telephone Conference call with Professor Carapace to take additional questions on his book.  We will also have a special guest lecture from Professor Clifford Staten (Dean of Social Sciences at Indiana University Southeast) who recently completed a book on the history of Cuba while traveling with me!

 

Week Four (10/5) Part I Cuban Architecture—American, African, European Influences

Cuba: 400 Years of Architectural Heritage Rachel Charley, Andrea Brizzi (Photographer) / Hardcover / Published 1997. New York: Whitney Library of Design.  Telephone conference call with the author is being arranged.  Pages X to X

 

Week Five (10/19) Part II Cuban Architecture—American, African, European Influences

Cuba: 400 Years of Architectural Heritage Rachel Carley, Andrea Brizzi (Photographer) / Hardcover / Published 1997. New York: Whitney Library of Design.  Guest Lecture by Michael Pride-Wells Harvard University Graduate, Cuban specialist and friend. Read pages X to X

 

 

Week Six (11/2)  Interior Design—American, African, Middle Eastern, European Influences Havana La Habana by Nancy Stout and Jorge Rigau 1994. New York: Rizzoli International Publishers Inc.pages X to X Also, The Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts, Cuba Theme Issue Volume 22. 305-535-2612. pages X to X

 

Week Seven  (11/9) Architecture and Planning under Cuban Socialism  Revolution of Forms: Cuba's Forgotten Art Schools by John Loomis, 1999,  New York: Princeton University Press. 

 

Week Eight (11/30) Modern Architecture and Planning in Cuba Eduardo Luis Rodríguez. The Havana Guide: Modern Architecture 1925-1965. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2000. The Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts, Cuba Theme Issue Volume 22. 305-535-2612.  Guest lecture Professor Denis Domer  Chair of Historic Preservation Program University of Kentucky.

 

Week Nine (12/07) Final in class bluebook exam covering all readings, lectures, slide shows

 

Week Ten (12/21)  Orientation Meeting ( 90 minutes only)  Packing, last minute concerns etc.

 

Week Eleven to Sixteen (12/28 to 01/8)

Preservationists, planners, environmentalists, and architects have a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel to Cuba for a 12-day educational/research seminar to one of the world's most interesting countries. We will visit six historic cities: Havana, Cienfuegos, Santiago, Camaguey, Trinidad, and Bayamo Academics, students, architects, planners, policy makers, preservationists and community leaders will find this program of particular interest. Our Cuban and American guides are considered academic experts in architecture, planning, environment and urbanism. The tour leader, Professor  John Gilderbloom, is considered an expert on Cuba and has consulted with National Geographic Magazine, CNN, Planning, and a host of others.  He has been awarded several honorary citations and diplomas from Cuban universities and architecture organizations. The program is co-hosted by the Department of Architecture and Interior Design of Southern Illinois University (SIU). Professor Jon Davey of SIU who recently won college teacher of the year award for the third time is Chair of Interior Design will be co-leading the program. SIU Alumni, teachers and student will be joining This educational and research seminar provides a rare and unique opportunity for Americans with an interest in seeing some of the most beautiful historic architecture in the world. UNESCO has declared Trinidad and Havana, two of the cities we visit, world heritage sites. This research and educational seminar allows Americans to listen and exchange ideas with Cuban architects, planners and preservationists. An important underlying theme of the program is exploring sustainable development and new urbanism in a Communist country.  Our educational program is presented in English. Classroom time, including walking tours and bus trips, will total approximately 60 hours.

Educational and Research Seminar Itinerary:

The day before arrival: Pack your bags! Remember to follow the suggested list of things to bring listed on my website. I advise packing one week prior to the trip to avoid forgetting important items such as medicine or amenities like sunscreen, Cuba guidebooks, etc. The plane usually leaves in the late afternoon. Ideally, you should arrive in the Bahamas by noon, Toronto by 3:00 p.m. or Cancun by 3:00 p.m. in case of flight delays. A tour agent from Amistur Tour will meet you at the airport when you arrive in Havana. They will have a sign that says "Gilderbloom/Six City Program". To properly prepare yourself for travel in Cuba we urge you to read three books:
(1) Cuba: Travel Survival Kit by David Stanley, pages 11 to 139
(2) Cuba: Handbook by Christopher Baker, pages 1 to 137; 142 to 148; 188 to 189; 195 to 214
(3) Time Out Guide: Havana and the Best of Cuba

 Day 1:If you are departing from Nassau to Havana you should check in at Nassau airport at 1:45 p.m. on Cubana airlines flight CU 9251. The plane will depart at 3:45 p.m. and arrive in Havana at 5:00 p.m. If you are leaving from Cancun, check in time is 5:25 p.m. and departs at 7:25 p.m. and arrives in Havana at 9:25 p.m. on flight MX 7902. Finally, a Toronto flight for Cuba leaves at 6:00 p.m. and arrives at 9:45 p.m. Go through customs and transport to either Hotel St. John's, Vedado Hotel, Capri Hotel to check in--this hotel will be identified when you get your voucher a week before you leave. Times and dates of flights are subject to change. A representative from the Cuban travel agency Amistur will meet you at the Havana airport after you have gone through customs to transport you to your hotel. You will have a sign that reads "Gilderbloom/ Six City Program." If you are not coming in with the group or missed the plane, you must ask a taxi to take you to our Hotel, which will cost you about $15. Even if you are with a group coming in from Toronto, Nassau or Cancun the Cuban travel agency sometimes "forgets" so wait at least 15 minutes before you call for a cab--four persons should come to about $4 per-person.  Obviously, choosing whether to fly out of Cancun, Toronto or Bahamas means you need to take into consideration cost, convenience and culture. Most East Coast, Southern and Midwest folks choose the Bahamas or increasingly Toronto while West Coast folks choose Cancun. Why? This is heavily influenced by airline fares, which vary according to region. Flights sell out quickly from the Bahamas. Other possibilities are flights from Miami, ---call us for details.  We recommend going through Toronto, which is the flight, I will be taking.

The group will be staying at one of three star hotels (St.John's our first choice, Hotel Vedado our second choice and Capri Hotel our third choice or similar substitute) these hotels are considered three-star hotels. These Hotels located in Vedado are within walking distance from numerous movie theaters, restaurants, live music venues, art galleries, government buildings, and churches. Havana University, which was built in the late 1700's and is considered an architectural gem, is located just a few blocks away. The Hotels are also within several blocks of the Malecon. The Malecon is a spectacular site, lined with beautiful historic buildings and interesting people. The Hotels have a 24-hour snack and liquor bar, along with a round the clock resident doctor to handle medical problems. Breakfast is included in our stay and will typically have a selection of items such as pancakes, fruit, bakery items, hard-boiled eggs, Cuban fried pork buns, juices and other items. Participants can purchase bottled water, soft drinks, juices, ham and cheese sandwiches, pizza and candy bars from the 24-hour bar. The rooms have window air conditioning units, cable TV (CNN, ESPN, Cuba television) and bathrooms with hot showers. There is daily maid service. There is a doorman that provides security by limiting access to the rooms. Laundry service is available. Individuals may receive faxes or messages from the United States at the front desk. Modem hookups for laptops are not available in your rooms, so most participants generally do not bring their laptops. The Hotels have swimming pools. We recommend that you lock your passport; jewelry and traveler's checks in the hotel safe deposit box in the lobby for the duration of your stay. The cost is minimum of $2 a day. The hotels at the other cities we stay at have similar amenities: daily maid service, cable TV, air conditioning, warm/hot showers, doorman, 24 hour bar with bottled water, soda and beer, daily buffet breakfast, and three star rating. Capri has the best breakfast of the three but the worse shape rooms. The Capri rooftop swim pool and the adjoining Salon Salsa house are nice features.

(Tour Package: no meals provided because of late arrival, hotel dinning room is open until 9:00 p.m. but other restaurants in the neighborhood are open 24 hours like the Hotel Nacional.)

Day 2: Walking tour of Vedado neighborhood, including Havana University, Please read Cuba: Travel Survival Kit by David Stanley, pages 139 to 170, and Cuba: Handbook by Christopher Baker, pages 233 to 339. Orientation meeting of the dos' and donts' of Cuba. Visit Callejon de Hammel. This urban alley is the subject of documentaries that focus on one of Cuba's most famous painters: Salvador. He is a wonderful and inspiring example of how to revitalize an inner city neighborhood through art that reflects the history, hopes and desires of the people that live there. This is a wonderful example of how art can successfully connect with an impoverished community and help contribute to the revitalization of the area. Salvador has done murals throughout South American, North America and Europe. Tour of Old Havana. The group will visit the first building built in Havana by Europeans in the1500's. You will see the three most important plazas in Havana's history for government, religion and commerce. You will get to visit the early fortresses built to protect Old Havana and walk along Obispo Street, which Hemingway often frequented.
(Tour Package: Breakfast Provided)

Day 3: Leave for Cienfuegos at 9:00 a.m.
We will have lunch in Cienfuegos and tour the historic downtown. A city historian will describe the historic buildings, including Teatro Tomas Terry; a colonial theater built in 1890 that is still is still in use and was the site of performances by Enrico Caruso and Sarah Bernhardt. We will visit Parque Jose Marti and Catedral de la Purisima Concepcion, which was built in 1870. We will see vernacular Cuban architecture along the Bay of Punta Gordo. Also by the bay is Palacio Valle, a former private residence built in a lavish Gothic-style architecture that is now a restaurant with a rooftop bar. Check in at either Hotel Costasur (our first choice), Las Cuevas (our second choice) or suitable substitute.. It is within walking distance of historic downtown Trinidad. There are guided tours of caves that the hotel has been built around and disco that is actually located inside a cave! Individual study, please read Cuba: Travel Survival Kit by David Stanley and Cuba: Handbook by Christopher Baker.
(Tour Package: Breakfast and Dinner Provided)

Day 4: Trinidad was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. The first Governor of Cuba founded the town in 1514. It is a small "museum town" of 50,000 persons. We will meet with the town historian. Walking tour of downtown Trinidad beginning at Plaza Mayor, the center of town. Trinidad has many museums and it is hard to choose just one. You will be able to visit Museo Romantico, Museo de Arquologia, Museo de Arquitectura, Santisima Trinidad Church, or the Museo de Revolucion. You can get lost in the beautiful architecture and wonderful people! We will have an optional program that allows participants to visit the beach of Trinidad that is known to have some of the clearest water and most abundant sea life.

Free evening. We strongly recommend a cultural event at the Casa de la Trova that has excellent Cuban folk music (similar to Buena Vista Social Club) or the salsa club, a wonderful outdoor club. Within walking distance are several nice folk and salsa clubs. My two favorite places are Casa de la Trova (Echerri No. 29 at Jesus Menendez presents the Buena Vista Social Club style of music and up two blocks away is the Las Ruinas de Sagarto on Calle Jesus Mendendez
(Tour Package: Breakfast and Dinner Provided)

Day 5: Bus tour to Valley of the Sugar Mills. Visit Manaca Iznaga Tower, a slave tower and the main house that has been restored to its original 19th century beauty. At this location we normally visit some of the local homes, which will give you an idea about Cuban life and housing issues. You will have the afternoon free for individual study or nearby excursions such as scuba diving or a visit to the rainforests. We will have dinner at the nearby "cave disco", which has gotten a lot of attention in tourist books. It is something to see! The dinner for New Year's will be spectacular--one of the best meals I have ever eaten. The roasted pork, rice and beans are all very good along with a refreshing beer. Also served are roast beef, fish and chicken.
(Tour Package: Breakfast and Dinner provided)

Day 6: Leave for Camaguey at 9:00 a.m. We will stop for lunch at a rural Eco-forest tavern--good pork sandwiches--that provides a replica of a pre-Columbus house that Cuban Indians lived in. A city historian will take us on a tour of the historic downtown. The main plaza is where the Pope addressed the city when he stopped in Camaguey during his visit to Cuba. We will see examples of modern housing developments. Camaguey has a great selection of salsa and Cuban folk music. We will be staying at the Gran Hotel in the center of historic Camaguey or Hotel Camaguey! Camaguey was built over 200 years ago with a confusing street pattern, unlike other Cuban cities that follow a traditional grid pattern. Rumor has it that the street pattern was designed to protect the city from Pirates--although Pirates captured the town twice!

(Tour Package: Breakfast and Dinner Provided)

Day 7: Leave for Bayamo, which was founded in 1513 and is considered a national monument city. Bayamo is the second older city in Cuba and was founded by Don Diego Velazquez during the Spanish conquest. The movement for independence from Spain started here. Have lunch in Bayamo. Tour downtown area plaza and have lunch at the Royalton Hotel. Visit historic Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Cobre. This church is devoted to the Virgin of Caridad who was said to have appeared during a storm and saved a boat with one African-Cuban, one Spanish-Cuban and one mulatto. Hemingway donated his Nobel Prize to the Virgin in a room where his gift and thousands of others can be visited by all. Arrive in Santiago and check in to the Hotel San Juan (our first choice) or Hotel Las Americas or suitable substitute.

(Tour Package: Breakfast Provided)

Day 8: Santiago was founded in 1515 and is the birthplace of Fidel Castro. We visit Fidel's boyhood home. A town historian will accompany us on a downtown walking tour of Santiago that will include the Tivoli neighborhood where many French immigrants once lived. Historic neighborhoods tour, including Vista Legre a former affluent area prior to the revolution. We will also visit the train station and Santiago Hotel by Cuban architect Jose Choy. During the evening, we strongly recommend the Casa de la Trova or nearby Patio Los Dos Abuelos for great music--if you are in search of hearing more music from the Buena Vista Social Club--this is the place.
(Tour Package: Breakfast provided)

Day 9: We will go on a boat tour that will include a walking tour of Cayo Granma a small island in the bay with wooden cottages. We will have lunch on Cayo Granma Island in Santiago Bay. We will visit San Juan Hill that houses the tomb and cemetery of Jose Marti. We will also visit Moncado Baracks where Castro made his first assault to make "Socialist Cuba." We recommend the fifth floor of the Gran Hotel for a spectacular sunset view of downtown Santiago and the bay.
(Tour Package: Breakfast Provided)

Day 10: Free for individual study and touring--make sure you are packed and ready to return to Havana. Return to by plane to Havana. Check in at the Hotel St John's, Vedado Hotel, Capri Hotel or suitable substitute.. Free evening to enjoy a variety of local cultural events, music shows or the cinemas. There will be an optional opportunity for participants to enjoy a night at the fabled Tropicana, where they will experience a spectacular show of Afro-Cuban music and dance. The performers at the Tropicana are said to be the best in Cuba.
(Tour Package: Breakfast Provided)

Day 11: We will visit El Castille de Morro and La Cabana Fortress, Cuba's largest military fortresses, located on Havana Bay. El Castille de Morro and its lighthouse served as a watchtower and have been symbols of Cuba since Colonial times. The Cabana Fortress is a unique combination of French, Dutch, Italian and Spanish military engineering. During the revolution, guerillas led by Che commandeered the military barracks at La Cabana and used them as an artillery post. A museum dedicated to the memory of Che Guevara is located in the former command post. This is the location where political prisoners were after the revolution. At 9 o'clock each evening, a single shot is fired from the top of La Cabana Fortress. From the fortresses you can also view Cristo de La Habana, one of Havana's largest monuments, located at the entrance of Havana Bay. Meeting with U.S. Interests Section. Walk through the outdoor art fair on the Malecon near the world famous Riviera Hotel where parts of the Godfather were shot. It is also the site of a Cuban shopping mall that sells items for dollars rather than pesos, making it an exclusive and largely inaccessible shopping area for the typical Cuban. Return to the hotel and pack your bags! Leave for goodbye dinner! On our way we will stop at a non-government outreach center that provides assistance to those suffering from AIDS, drugs or drinking problems. This center is located in a Catholic Church. For those packing, you can donate soap, aspirin, clothes, radios and other items. Goodbye dinner at El Aljibe.
(Tour package: breakfast and dinner provided)

Day 12: Catch planes back to Cancun, Toronto, Miami or Bahamas. If you are returning via Nassau, you should catch flight CU 9250 with a check in of 11:15 a.m. leaving Havana at 1:15 p.m. and arriving at Nassau at 2:45 p.m. If you are leaving Havana to go to Cancun, you should catch flight MX 7901, with a check-in at 5:00 a.m. leaving Havana at 7:00 a.m. and arriving at Cancun at 7:00 A.M. This is not a typo! You will need to have a wake-up call at 4:00 a.m. and leave the Hotel at 4:30 a.m. for the airport. To catch flights back to the United States you should allow 2 hours from touchdown to takeoff--assuming delays, getting baggage, customs and so on. Flights are also now available from Miami, Toronto, New York and Los Angeles.
(Tour package: Breakfast provided for those leaving out of Bahamas only)

**All dates, times and speakers are subject to change. This itinerary is updated every Monday, look at our website for updates.

How much does this education and research seminar cost?

The research program for United States citizens has been organized to be affordable and efficient relative to other Caribbean destinations.  Normally a similar kind of program can two to three times as much.  Neither John Gilderbloom or Cubanow.org will make any profit from students enrolled in this class.  A full accounting of the program will be done documenting all costs for students. The research program is priced at around $1,250 if you share a room and an additional $300 if you want your own room from Nassau  but getting to Nassau can be expensive in comparison to getting to Toronto.  If you are leaving from Toronto you must add $150 to this cost it is a direct flight to Havana and in the end costs less than going through Nassau.. The package includes the following items: Hotel, Cuban visa, transfers to all destinations (including airport arrival and departure, breakfast and dinner (except for arrival and departure), and Marazul reservation fee.  If you are a Professor or staff member at the University of Louisville, not taking the course please add $395 to the above prices. 

This research program does not cover the following items:

First, US citizens will need to get to either Cancun, Toronto or Nassau to meet their respective connecting flights. If you get your round-trip ticket well in advance the cost from the states can be as low as $186 on Delta, Air Canada  or USAir Ways (this is based on Louisville to the Bahamas). Go to your local yellow pages and investigate the range of discount airline reservation groups. We have found by shopping around that you can save up to $500 a ticket. My favorite ticket agent (I get no compensation for this endorsement or any others here) is Suzanne at 1-800-634-4902. My second favorite ticket broker is lowestfare.com or call them at 1-888-777-2222, you might also try 1-800-FLY-CHEAP and of course your local travel agent. Locally, we use Carlson Wagonlit at (800) 634-4902 ask for Suzzanne(open 24 hours and on holidays). This might be a good time to use your frequent flyer miles on a free round-trip ticket! Three of the nights you are in Havana you are free to choose your own restaurant for dinner. This can be a lot of fun--especially if you go to one of the restaurants I recommend in my guide. This gives you the freedom to leave the Hotel and explore the large array of privately owned restaurants that tend to be better than the government run restaurants in both price and quality. You can get a decent meal of rice, beans and chicken and beer for around $5 to $8. More upscale restaurants will charge between $10 to $20 for a meal. On our Web site, we list some of our favorite restaurants and will provide you with additional favorites as we get closer to our departure. Hotels provide satisfactory buffet with lots of choices. Logistically, we also need to stay together for breakfast to effectively keep you updated on any changes in the itinerary. Third, visitors should budget wisely for incidentals such as taxies, bottled water, soda, etc. A minimum budget for travelers to cover lunch, three dinners, bottled water, bike taxi and nightly entertainment is around $40. That is being thrifty. If using a taxi or bike taxi, always find out in advance how much the fare will be to the address you hand the taxi operator. Sharing a taxi saves you money. Taxis are generally cheap, costing anywhere from $2 to $5 a ride. A more comfortable estimate for incidentals is around $75--especially if you plan to buy art and music. Please note that US law limits US citizens to no more than $185 a day in expenses while in Cuba. All currency is in US dollars in Cuba. Finally, visitors need to save $20 for a Cuban exit fee, payable when you leave the airport. You can only bring cash or travelers checks--no personal checks, ATM cards or credit cards are accepted in Cuba. Moreover, Cubans will not accept any American Express Traveler Checks, so be careful! Finally, the Hotel has a 3% fee to cash traveler's checks, so we recommend bringing in as much cash as possible.

Who can go?

Professor John Gilderbloom  has a US Department of the Treasury license to take qualified participants to Cuba for research and education.  The following persons would qualify for this program:

1. A registered college student must make a statement of his/her established interest in this research program and attach the following items to their application: a one- to two-page resume, a letter from a professor and/or advisor stating that the student will receive credit for the program or use the research to advance their degree course work and a copy of their student ID.

2. A UofL faculty member at a higher education institution who can state that they have an established interest in attending this research and educational program.

3. A journalist with established record of writing and will promise to submit an article.

4. If you are an architect, planner, ecologist, designer, government official, developer, environmentalist, community activist or from another related profession, you will need to write a one-page statement of established interest for attending this research and educational program. This is a statement explaining how you will disseminate the research and how it relates to your particular field.

No children are allowed to attend this program (U.S. Treasury Regulations and no spouses if they don’t fall into the above categories.  You will need to complete some paperwork before leaving on the trip:

(1) A completed registration form, which can be obtained online.

(2) A letter no longer than one-page in length that details how your background and current professional, educational and/or community affiliation demonstrates an "established interest" in the program you want to attend. This letter must include how you will attempt to disseminate information upon your return to the United States. There are several ways this requirement can be met. For example, an individual can submit an article to a local or national professional newsletter or journal, make a presentation to a local or national professional group such as a board or organization that the participant is a member of, or going on a local radio or television to talk about your research. Letters of invitation or support often help in this area. This area often intimidates most people, so please feel free to call with questions or to receive suggestions about you might attempt to disseminate information. It is usually better for people to pursue avenues of dissemination that they feel comfortable with, so we usually suggest that participants think about organizations that they have established relationships with. Of course, professionals within the field can disseminate information through their careers and students can disseminate information through their coursework. * Registered students need to provide a letter from their advisor or teacher stating they will be receiving course credit for attending the research program.

(3) A one- to two-page resume or bio.

After completing the registration packet, please either fax, mail or e-mail the complete application to Cubanow.org.

Tour Leader and Sponsor:

John I. Gilderbloom, Ph.D. is the Program Director for the Cuban Research and Education Programs. Dr. John Gilderbloom is a professor at the University of Louisville's graduate program for Urban and Public Affairs.  Dr. John Gilderbloom is also the Director of the Center for Sustainable Urban Neighborhoods at the University of Louisville: http://www.louisville.edu/org/sun. He has been to Cuba 20 times in the past 4 years and is internationally recognized for his expertise. Dr. Gilderbloom has been profiled in the New York Times, Atlanta Constitution Journal, and Planning Magazine. He has written articles on a variety of public policy issues for 20 academic journals, two books, and 17 chapters in books. He has also written articles in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, USA Today Magazine and Los Angeles Times  Over the past ten years, Dr. Gilderbloom has been a principal investigator of over $3.5 million dollars in research grants awarded by EPA, HUD and DOE. He most recently served as a technical advisor for National Geographic's recent special issue on Old Havana. He is a member of Americans for Humanitarian Trade for Cuba Board of Directors, where he sometimes volunteers as a spokesman. He is currently writing a book on Cuba and has published a recent article on Cuba in Planning Magazine a forthcoming chapter in  the  Encyclopedia  of 20th Century Architecture. Dr. Gilderbloom has won two "teacher of the year" awards and is now represented by the Professional Speakers Bureau because of his popular lectures on Cuba.

Our travel agency, Marazul Tours, Inc. is one of a handful of companies that is authorized by the US Treasury to make business transactions with Cuba. Marazul Tours, Inc. handles all travel and financial arrangements for our programs. They are the agency that made travel arrangements for Americans to visit the Pope in Cuba during his January 1998 visit to the island. Marazul has extensive experience in making travel arrangements for research and programs and arranged travel for to Cuba for over 50 research and education groups, including programs for Harvard, John Hopkins and New York University.

 

 

Please visit our official website:

http://www.louisville.edu/org/sun/Cuba