Fall in Love with Cuba

The Fall is around the corner and Cuba too!

Fall is my favorite time of the year in Cuba; maybe it's because I was born in October or perhaps it's because is a little cooler or just because there are a lot of birthdays around these months in my family. I remember we used to have a birthday party to celebrate all of our birthdays around my twenties in Cuba. My mother, my older sister, my grandma, my ex-boyfriend and my stepfather we all have birthdays between September and October. So, instead of having a party every time someone had one coming up, we'd plan one party to celebrate all of us. Most of the time there was no gift to offer to one another, but we did have a big traditional dinner, rum, lots of dancing and lots of joking around. I miss those days when we could get together to celebrate us.

The last time we had a huge party with the family was back in 2004. My husband and I went back to visit, and he said that he wanted us to have a big party with the whole family.
He wanted us to have lots of food to eat and drinks. He didn't want anyone to be hungry. So, he said, "make sure you buy a lot of food so they can take some home." He knew how hard was for Cubans to have enough to eat and how hard they have to work for their money. He has seen it every time we went to visit my extended family in the countryside where I grew up. For him, it was a way to express that he cared about them and he wanted them to have a good time. My mom, my sister and I planned the party and almost the whole family came in for the party. We ate, laughed, danced and drank until about two in the morning. Then, they all got on a truck (the kind that carries dirt) and off they went back home. In the morning when we were reminiscing about the party, we realized that we as a family never got together to party just for the heck of it; that the only time the whole family was together was for a funeral. It made me sad but happy at the same time that we were able to do that. Maybe next time I go back to visit my family, I try to get them together again.

To Go or Not to Go. That's the Question!

The answer is yes! You can go to Cuba. As Travel Weekly reported this week, "Americans' interest in visiting Cuba is waning, with the majority...stating they don't understand current travel restrictions to the country." In fact, the new rules put in place last year made only modest changes to the Obama Administration's Cuba regulations, and the island remains a viable market for U.S. travel advisors and their clients. In an attempt to give you some clarity, we are attending an educational session featuring a panel of travel and legal experts on Wednesday, August 22 during the ASTA Global Convention in Washington, DC. So, when we comeback, we'll be able to provide you with more clear information about traveling to our homeland. In the meantime, you don't have to wait until we go and comeback from the convention to book your tour. You can book it now and we'll take care of all your travel needs. ​

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Where do I stay: A Casa or at a Hotel?

Can you tell the difference between these two rooms? One of the photos is a hotel room, and the other one is a private home. The people who own the private rental homes are very proud and do their best to make their rooms as comfortable as possible and clean for their guests. They take pride in what they offer and want you to have a pleasant stay. Most Casas Particulares offer breakfast for an additional $5 cuc per person. Some don't, but they will tell you where you can have a delicious breakfast nearby for the same price. There is a long list of hotels that American citizens are not allowed to stay in Cuba, but we are not worried about that because our mission is to help the Cuban people by bringing you to stay at their homes. Oh and don't worry your breakfast is included in the cost of your tour ;-)

It's not too late to book your tour!

Fall is just a few weeks away, but you can still book your Women tour, a Multi-City or Tri-City tour this month. You will have a fantastic experience, and you will also be supporting the Cuban people. All our tour dates are flexible, and you can go for just a few days or two weeks. Whatever you pick, we'll plan it for you, so you go and click the book button and relax or better yet, go pack your bags!

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