`Common Ground Education & Travel Services People to People Exchanges
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, School of Architecture & Urban Planning Havana and Pinar del Rio, January 8 to 17, 2018
Monday & Tuesday January 8 & 9: Morning Flight to Havana (depends on Flight Options) Any extra time will be filled with bus tours of suburban Havana INAV Housing successes of Pastorita Nunez including but not limited to: Wajay INAV, Abel Santamaria, Fontanar and/or Lutgardita. Tuesday Evening Welcome dinner and orientation (included).
Wed January 10: Morning Meet with Prof. Gina Rey at the Plaza hotel for a special lecture on her research on Viviendas Social (Social Housing) in Havana or another topic related to urban planning concepts in Havana. Drive thru tour of post-Revolutionary and INAV planning successes under Pastorita Nunez. Including Ciudad Camilo Cienfuegos and Reparto Eduardo Chibas in Habana del Este. Mid day Break (at group’s request, Celimar can make lunch reservation with direct payment) Afternoon A walking tour of the extramural developments the Barrio of Murallas: La Punta fortress, The Prado, Parque Central, Capitolio and the Parque Fraternidad. On the return trip a short visit to the Tallapiedra housing complex
Thursday January 11: Morning Visit to the Instituto Superior Politécnico José Antonio Echeverría (ISPJAE/CUJAE), the premier Architecture school in Cuba. Meet with staff about planning concepts for the City and the Metropolitan area. Mid Day Walking tour of the buildings and campus of the Higher Institute for the Arts. Afternoon Break (at group’s request, Celimar can make lunch reservation with direct payment) Evening Meet with Alberto Faya at the Capri Hotel for a discussion of two generation’s experience of the Cuban Revolution, of Cuban music, and of their life as musicians/teachers. Performance.
Friday January 12: Morning Meet with the Office of the Historian on the Master Plan for Old Havana and the various projects that the Office has undertaken. Briefing on how Cuba’s architectural patrimony and cultural heritage is woven into the sustainable development plans. Walking tour of Old Havana Mid day Break (at group’s request, Celimar can make lunch reservation with direct payment) Afternoon Visit the Jardines Botonico National de Parque Metropolitano and the planned communities of Santa Catalina and/or Barrio Obrero de Luyano
Saturday January 13: Morning Depart for Pinar del Rio via the historic Calzada de Cerro the quintessential example the “Cuidad Columnas” of Alejo Carpentier. Drive thru tour of Comunidad Los Pinos, San Cristóbal, Pinar del Río. Mid day Lunch (included) Afternoon Visit the Project Esperanza created by artist Jesús Carrete for students with Downs Syndrome and other disabilities in Pinar del Rio. 3-4:00 pm Check in to Hotel Vueltabajo. Evening Dinner at the Hotel Vueltabajo (included)
Sunday January 14: Morning Morning in Viñales Valley and in the town of Viñales, with the opportunity to see How increasing tourism is affecting the town’s institutions, architecture and individuals. Visit to a local tobacco farming cooperative. Afternoon Continue to Las Terrazas intentional community in the Sierra del Rosario hills. Visit the community museum, reforestation project, artists’ studios, family doctor clinic and community garden. 1:00 pm Lunch at El Romero, an organic vegetarian restaurant with a talk by chef Tito Núñez. 3:00 pm Explore the Sierra Rosario Biosphere and Reserve. 4:30 pm Return to Havana
Monday January 15: Morning Visit to the Plaza de la Revolution and the INAV success of Centro Civica in the Plaza neighborhood including: Pastorita housing, urban gardens and markets and the modernist design of the Escuela Primaria y Circulo Infantil. Mid day Break (at group’s request, Celimar can make lunch reservation with direct payment) Afternoon Visit the colonial fortresses of La Cabaña and/or Morro Castle. After touring the fortress, visit the Alamar Organoponico Community Gardens the largest and most famous Organoponico in Havana.
Tuesday January 16: Morning Visit to the Taller Integral del Barrio (GDIC) neighborhood planning project in Pogolotti. Mid day Break (at group’s request, Celimar can make lunch reservation with direct payment) Afternoon Bus tour of Avenida Rancho Boyers and the Revolutionary housing developments of: Altahabana, Los Arbolesas and/or Capri. Visit to the Hemingway Museum. Evening Farewell party in Old Havana (included).
Wed January 17:
8:00 am Check out and transfer to the airport. Afternoon Return flight to the United States. End of program.
Note: Tour operator reserves the right to change accommodations and schedule as local conditions prescribe. We ask you to remain flexible as your hosts in Cuba do their best to ensure your comfort and that the goals of your visit are realized. Please keep in mind that you are traveling to an embargoed country that shares its scarce resources with its citizens as well as with its visitors.