Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Cuba will make my 91st nation visited!

Cuba will make my 91st nation visited!




I just booked a trip to Cuba that will leave in four days. I have been watching the prices for months and it decreased so dramatically (for this sailing), I could not resist this opportunity to finally visit Cuba, especially at such a great price! What's even better, is that I will be on a cruise with "fathom impact travel", a company that provides a whole different kind of travel, with cultural immersion experiences and even includes all of the shore excursions complete with walking tours, bus tours, and lunches in local restaurants.

fathom is a new subsidiary Cruise line of Carnival Cruise Lines that provides weeklong sailings every other week--alternating between The Dominican Republic and Cuba. According to fathom, "we will participate in an ongoing cultural exchange program that will give us a chance to interact with the Cuban people, one on one. We will build on the contributions of the travelers who have come before us." The "f" in fathom is not capitalized reflecting the humility embodied by their approach to interacting with members of the local culture and making a difference. The recently renovated, 700-passenger cruise ship, Adonia, was part of the renaissance fleet of ships that were eventually sold to Carnival, Oceania, and Azamara cruise lines.  Interestingly, fathom is the first American cruise line that received approval from the US and Cuban government's for Travel to Cuba. Their first history-making sailing to Cuba took place just two months ago, May 15, 2016.  I am happy they will provide us with Cuban visas. See www.fathom.org

For an incredibly low price, I will sail from Miami, (where I live), to Cuba (90 miles away) visit three cities, have access to multiple lectures about Cuban culture and history, enjoy multiple meals all included, have 4 lunches in Cuban cities, take dance and Spanish language classes, and will enjoy all entertainment on board the ship, all while not having to enter an airport or suffer from any jet lag. We will even experience an overnight stay in Havana, where I will experience some of its nightlife. Importantly I will be able to visit Cuba while it is still a Cuban city from a bygone era.  As we all know, in no time, Cuba will resemble the rest of the cookie-cutter Western world replete with high-profile brand establishments such as McDonald's, Starbucks, Sunglass Hut, Gucci, Guess Jeans, Prada, and more, on every corner. Coca-Cola does not even exist there. Cuba has been on my bucket list for a very long time and will make my 91st nation visited. 

The ship will depart from the port of Miami at 4:30 PM on Sunday, August 7. The first day we will spend at sea; the next two days in Havana where we will visit the old town, revolution museum, Batista's presidential office, Fidel Castro's yacht, cigar factories, Hemingway's former home, and more;  then we will visit the cities of Santiago de Cuba,  the country's second largest city--home to many of its famed musicians and artists and a UNESCO world heritage site; finally French-influenced coastal city of Cienfuegos, the center of Cuba's sugar, tobacco, and coffee trades.  I will experience all shore excursions with the same cohort that will be preassigned and dinner seating is open-seating. We will even take dance lessons in Havanna and after our walking tour, I plan to take a tour of the rest of the city, in a classic car from the 1940s.

I have already begun to brush up on my knowledge of Cuban culture and history with my collection and the books I checked out of the library today.

I look forward to this experience to drive less than 30 minutes away to board a ship to finally visit Cuba, a uniquely beautiful country, rich in history.

 

Places Where I Have Traveled *=more than once

  • India
  • China
  • Dubai
  • Israel
  • Russia*
  • Iceland
  • Cuba Aug 2016
  • Egypt*
  • Indonesia
  • Tahiti Feb 2016
  • Northern Ireland
  • Cook Islands Feb 2016
  • New Zealand Feb 2016
  • Australia Feb 2016
  • Belize
  • French Polynesia Jan 2016
  • Mallorca
  • Shetland Islands
  • Faroe Islands
  • Brunei
  • Morocco*
  • Brazil*
  • Philippines
  • North Borneo
  • Crete*
  • Ionian Islands*
  • Singapore
  • Hong Kong
  • Azores*
  • Norway
  • Dodecanese Islands (Rhodes)
  • Bosnia
  • Palestein
  • Croatia
  • Romania
  • Argentina
  • Ecuador
  • Tunisia
  • Corsica
  • Bulgaria
  • Columbia
  • Peru
  • Montenegro
  • Columbia
  • Chile*
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Uruguay
  • Jordan
  • Gibraltar
  • Turkey*
  • Bermuda
  • Estonia*
  • Viet Nam
  • Finland*
  • Malta*
  • Thailand
  • Guatemala
  • Crete*
  • Jamaica*
  • Panama*
  • Grand Canyon
  • Scotland
  • Niagara Falls
  • Greece*
  • France* lived there
  • Japan*
  • Bilbao, Spain*
  • Canada*
  • Costa Rica
  • Bahamas*
  • Banff Hot Springs
  • Hawaii*
  • Italy*
  • Catalina Island
  • Luxembourg*
  • St Johns
  • St Marteen/St Martin
  • St Thomas
  • South Padre Island Texas
  • Mexico*
  • Vatican City*
  • Austria*
  • Denmark*
  • Monaco
  • Portugal*
  • Belgium*
  • Holland*
  • Ireland*
  • Alaska
  • England*
  • Sweden*
  • Switzerland*
  • Spain*
  • Germany*
  • Madeira

Events/Experiences

  • Pyramids at Giza
  • Taj Mahal
  • Climbed Great Wall of China
  • Western Wall-Jerusalem
  • Transited Panama Canal 3X
  • Rode Camel in Tunisia
  • fathom Adonia--1st US cruise ship to Cuba--Aug 2016
  • Old Town in Havana
  • Burj Kalifa in Dubai
  • Saw Kangeroos, Wallabees, and Koalas in Australia
  • Kayaked in Bay of Islands, New Zealand
  • Vaparreto # 1 in Venice
  • National Museum in Brunei
  • Saw Geysers Erupt in Iceland
  • Drink at Raffles Hotel-Singapore
  • Fish Spa in Greece and Philippines
  • The Peak in Hong Kong
  • Pedicab Tour in Manilla Philippines
  • Road Amalfi Coast, Italy
  • Chewed Gum in Singapore
  • Marched in St Pat's Day Parade in Dublin
  • Sailed Kotor Bay
  • Old Bridge in Mostar, Bosnia
  • Smithsonian Museums-DC
  • Toured Ancient City of Petra, Jordan
  • Transited Suez Canal
  • Rio for Carnivale 2X
  • Cruised along Cinque Terre, Italy
  • Fish Spa in Corfu, Greece (teeny fish scrubbed my feet!)
  • Subway in Russia
  • Flash Mob (dance) on stage on several cruises
  • Visted 21 Countries on 5 long cruises in 2012
  • Ceviche in Peru
  • Cremation Service in Bali
  • Saw Lamas in Lima
  • Vasa Museum-Stockholm
  • Buddhist Monastery in Viet Nam
  • Drove Amalfi Coast
  • Queen Mary 2
  • Berlin Wall
  • Mummies In Cairo Museum
  • Jordan River; Sea of Galilee
  • Hot Air Balloon Ride Over Luxor at Sunrise
  • Transited the Pirate-Infested Gulf of Aden
  • Ski Dubai
  • Fellucca Ride on the Nile at Sunset
  • 16-day Europe/Transatlantic on Queen Victoria
  • Tahrir Square-Cairo
  • Toured Pompeii
  • In Fashion Show Aboard Queen Victoria
  • Rode Elephants in Thailand and India
  • 7-Country Baltic Cruise
  • Hermitage Museum
  • Checkpoint Charlie
  • Transatlantic Crossing on QM2
  • Climbed Tikal in Guatemala
  • Mediterranean Cruise 6 countries
  • Audience with Swami in Rishikesh, India
  • Poetry Class in France
  • Kissed Blarney Stone
  • Pike's Fish Market in Seattle
  • Photo with Snake Charmer in India
  • Dacau near Munich
  • Hitchhiked from France to Scotland
  • Climbed Washington Monument in DC
  • Oktoberfest in Bavaria
  • Toured Panama Canal
  • Wine Country in France, California and many others
  • Guest of Placido Domingo in Chicago
  • The Alamo
  • United Nations
  • San Diego Zoo
  • Helicopter over Grand Canyon
  • Club Med in Cancun
  • Eurailpassed Twice Thru Europe
  • Hollywood
  • Albuquerque Hot-Air Balloon Festival
  • Rodeo in Dallas/Ft Worth
  • NCAA Playoffs in Charlotte and New Orleans
  • Cucchi Tunnels in Viet Nam
  • Grammys in New York
  • Paella in Spain
  • Rain Forest in Costa Rica
  • Xmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on 5th Avenue
  • Niagara Falls
  • Disney Land & Disney World
  • Voodoo Museum New Orleans
  • Cancun Jazz Festival
  • Reggae Sunsplash in Jamaica
  • Las Vegas for Trade Shows
  • Key West for Hemmingway Festival
  • Art Classes in Louvre
  • Black Ski Summit in Vail and Colorado Springs
  • Texas State Fair
  • Mardi Gras in New Orleans
  • Italian Class in France
  • Nude Sunbathing in St Marteen
  • Danish Pastry in Denmark
  • Palace of Knossos Crete
  • Anne Frank House Amsterdam
  • Karaoke in Japan
  • Leaning Tower of Pisa
  • Lobster in Maine
  • Belfast Black Cab Tour
  • Dozens of Transatlantic Sailings