Texas Public Radio is Happy to Introduce Collette Vacations Rediscover Cuba - A Cultural Exploration August 5 – 13, 2012 9 Days ● 22 Meals 8 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 8 Dinners
	Highlights Trinidad ● Pottery Class ● Cienfuegos ● Bay of Pigs Museum ● Havana ● La Cabaña Castle ● Maqueta de la Ciudad de La Habana Museum ● Guanabacoa ● Cuban Fine Arts Museum ● Ernest Hemingway Home ● Casa Fuster

Call 1-800-622-8977 to have a reservation packet sent to you. 
First deposit of $470 (which includes cancellation waiver and insurance) per person due upon reservation.
*Reservations are made on a first come, first serve basis.
Reservations made after the seat reduction date of 3/25/2012 are based upon availability.
Final payment due by 6/5/2012.

Itinerary

Day 1: Sunday, August 5, 2012
Fly to Miami, Florida - Tour Begins
Join us and explore the cultural and historic treasures of Cuba - just 90 miles off the coast of the United States - but a world away. Fly into Miami, our gateway to Cuba. Tonight, get acquainted with your fellow travelers during a welcome dinner at a popular Cuban restaurant.(D)

Day 2: Monday, August 6, 2012
Miami - Trinidad, Cuba
Today your adventure begins as you fly from Miami to Cienfuegos Airport. Transfer to Trinidad, famous for its cobblestone streets and pastel-colored houses and begin to soak in the tropical atmosphere. Tonight, a welcome dinner at a local restaurant introduces you to the vibrant culture of the Cuban people. Afterwards, enjoy a drink and some live traditional music at your hotel. This includes a fascinating lecture on the instruments used to produce the distinctive "Sounds of Cuba."(B, D)

Day 3: Tuesday, August 7, 2012 Trinidad - Manaca Iznaga - Palacio Cantero - Trinidad Visit Manaca Iznaga's sugar factory and estate, located in the beautiful "Valle de los Ingenios," or "Valley of the Sugar Mills." Learn about sugar production and its importance to the Cuban economy. Enjoy lunch at the estate before learning about the local craft of linen-making from the residents. Next, embark on a Trinidad city tour. Visit the Palacio Cantero, the city's history museum housed in a restored Neoclassical palace. Explore the Old Cathedral, churches, and unique houses of this museum of a city. This afternoon, visit a ceramic studio and participate in a hands-on pottery class while the owners discuss their traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation. Return to your hotel to enjoy some grilled local specialties at its outdoor restaurant.(B, L, D)

Day 6: Friday, August 10, 2012 Havana Step back in time as you tour Old Havana. Learn about the city's architecture and restoration efforts as you visit the Maqueta de le Ciudad de La Habana Museum which houses a model of the city and listen to a lecture from a city planner. Enjoy lunch at El Patio, located in an old 18th-century mansion overlooking the cathedral. Visit the inspiring Catedral de la Habana. Meet the students of a primary school in the city's center and enjoy a talk given by the school administrator. Take advantage of the rare chance to explore Havana on your own. Visit the Caritas Cuba, a Catholic non-governmental charity focusing on at-risk persons, notably the elderly and physically challenged. Later, visit the U.S. Interests Section and learn about U.S. policy towards Cuba. Tonight, enjoy Cuban favorites as you dine at El Aljibe, just outside the city.(B, L, D)

Day 7: Saturday, August 11, 2012 Havana - Guanabacoa - Havana While visiting an orphanage in Havana, meet with the nuns who dedicate their lives to helping these children. Next, discover the secret of Cuban cigars at a cigar factory and learn why they are treasured around the world. Savor lunch at La Torre restaurant overlooking the city. Travel to the colonial township of Guanabacoa and learn about Afro-Cuban religion while at its museum. Explore the Cuban Fine Arts Museum and enjoy a presentation given by a local art historian. Dinner is included tonight as we visit one of Havana's paladars, a small specialty restaurant. Meet the proprietors of this family-run and privately-owned business as they share their stories about opening a privately run restaurant in Cuba.(B, L, D)

Day 8: Sunday, August 12, 2012 Havana - Ernest Hemingway Home - Casa Fuster - Havana Visit the home of Ernest Hemingway, Finca Vigía (Lookout Farm). It was here that he conceived his final masterpiece, The Old Man and the Sea. This cultural time capsule remains much like it did when the author left in 1960. Next, head over to the Casa Fuster, the colorful home to Jose Fuster. One of his apprentices or even the artist himself will be on hand to talk about his work, inspired by Gaudi. Experience lunch at La Ferminia, a popular restaurant that resides at the end of the legendary 5th Avenue. Visit the Latin American Medical School to meet American, Cuban and foreign-born medical students and talk to them about their goals, schooling, what their plans are after graduation, and the challenges of studying medical care abroad. Take a trip to the Plaza de San Francisco de Asis in one of the antique American cars that the city is known for. Later, enjoy a classical music concert held inside a local church. Finally, savor dinner and drinks at the Cafe Oriente as you celebrate an amazing journey to Cuba.(B, L, D)

Hemingway Home

Day 9: Monday, August 13, 2012
Havana
Miami, Florida Fly from Havana to Miami. Your tour ends today.(B)

Included Meals Key: B = breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

Important Tour Information

Air rate and schedule are applicable for groups of 10 or more traveling on the same flights and dates.
Please note that a departure tax of 25 CUC (Cuban Pesos Convertibles), approximately 30 USD, must be paid for in cash upon departing Havana Airport and returning back to the United States.

*On occasion, due to inclement weather, your boat trip may be substituted with another comparable activity.
In order to fulfill OFAC's licensing requirements on this tour, you will have a full-time schedule of educational exchange activities that will result in a meaningful interaction between the traveler, you, and individuals in Cuba.

The itinerary has been designed with these requirements in mind and there will be no leisure time on this program as on other Collette tours .The days and order of sightseeing may change to best utilize your time on tour and to better facilitate meaningful educational exchanges.

This tour may also operate in reverse on certain dates.

To complete your vacation, we include roundtrip airport-to-hotel transfers when purchasing Collette airfare with your tour. If you have arranged for your own air, we are pleased to provide you the option of purchasing these transfers. Please note that all transfers will leave at pre-scheduled times.

Single accommodations are limited and are available on a first come, first served basis.

Due to heavy demand for this destination and our ability to provide intimate cultural interactions with the local people of Cuba, this tour will operate with a maximum of 30 passengers.

The domestic flights to/from Miami are not included in the land price of your vacation. Domestic flights may be arranged separately if you decide to purchase your own air. Charter flights to/from Cuba are part of your package cost to Cuba.

Due to flight schedules on your return from Havana to Miami, you may require a post night in the Miami area at your own expense.

This tour includes moderate physical activity. Walking tours, as well as walking slightly longer distances, up stairs or on uneven walking surfaces should be expected. Some of the most unique sightseeing can mean accessing locations that restrict motorcoaches, especially in historic areas. For your comfort, we recommend bringing walking shoes. If you require a walker or wheelchair, or have difficulty walking, you may not be able to access some of these areas and may want to consider an alternate program with us. Our travel counselors can provide additional information or assistance to help you determine the perfect trip for you.

Collette Travel Service, Inc. d/b/a Collette Vacations ("Collette") has been issued a license by the Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) which authorizes registered guests of our programs, under the auspices of Collette, to legally travel to Cuba, to participate and engage in a full time schedule of authorized educational exchange activities in Cuba, which will involve meaningful interaction between you and people in Cuba. Prior to departure, Collette will provide you with a Letter of Authorization to confirm your legal travel status, the authorized travel agenda and activities, and your recordkeeping responsibilities.