Americans traveling to Cuba have had to pay close attention to travel bans since 1963 when Cuba’s loyalties shifted from the United States to Russia. The U.S. government has lifted, reinstated, tightened, and expanded them numerous times. Currently Americans can travel to Cuba, solo or as part of a group, as long as their travel falls into one of twelve U.S.A.-specified categories. We are traveling with a Gate1 Discovery group under the People-to-People category. There is no category called tourism.

At 5:00 o’clock this morning Walter, Cleone, Dan, and I were in a super long line to check in at the Miami airport. Interestingly American Airlines has a dedicated Cuba-only check-in area and signage directing passengers to it. After an hour in line with fellow passengers laden with carts full of luggage and large shrink-wrapped bundles (food and medicine we were told) we showed our visas and passports and headed to a shockingly short security screening line. Breakfast in the American Express lounge and then it was time to board our one-hour flight to Cuba. After a smooth, uneventful landing our fellow passengers clapped. Happy to be home? Happy to see Grandma? Excited for some home cooking? Regardless, it was a first for me. The usual followed: slow immigration lines and luggage retrieval. A bit unusual was having our carry-ons electronically screened before exiting the airport. Perhaps that’s their version of customs. Another first for me.

A blackout was announced earlier today, so we knew before we took off that electricity would be an issue. But no water in the airport bathrooms took us by surprise. I was not too concerned when the toilet did not flush, but after soaping up my hands all I could coax out of the faucet was, literally, drops of water. I stood in front of the drips long enough to dilute the soap and called it good enough.

Upon exiting we were met by a Gate1 rep who organized a cab for us and off we went into town. Of note were three things: lots of old cars on the road per promotional materials, intersections with traffic police in place of lights because of the nationwide blackout, and a man going car-to-car selling small cones of peanuts.

After checking in to our new oceanfront, government-run hotel, Grand Aston La Habana, we strolled an entire block along the water and enjoyed a delicious lunch at Tablazo. That was followed by a cold, refreshing swim in the longest hotel pool I’ve ever seen and then downtime until our meet-and-greet dinner and orientation.

In preparation for the trip Barb and I have been reading, and highly recommend, Cuba: An American History. We, along with the others, are looking forward to seeing where all this history has taken place.

… A Few Fun Facts about this Island Nation …

The Cuban sandwich was created in the United States, not in Cuba.

Palmar de Junco Stadium was home to its first game in 1874,
making it the oldest baseball stadium in continuous use in the world.

Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean.

Cuba lies 95 miles off the coast of Key West.

Established in 1903, Guantanamo Bay is the longest-standing U.S. naval base in the world.

During the height of Cuba’s sugar production, The Hershey Company bought sugar plantations
and built a sugar mill, peanut oil plants, and a railway to supply its chocolate enterprises in Pennsylvania. Eventually the company controlled 60,000 acres!

Cuba comprises approximately 4,000 islands, islets, and cays

Dominos is the official game of Cuba.

Cuba is home to the world’s smallest (less than half an inch) frog and
the world’s smallest bird (two and a quarter inch long / weighing less than a dime)!