Sunday, November 14, 2010

Cuba, oh Cuba....

We made it to Cuba after 3 days in Cancun and what a contrast of worlds.  People say that travelling to Cuba is like travelling back in time, but I think it is more like travelling forward….

Our first day in Cuba we went to the Province of Pinar del Rio where we toured a bio-reserve region and a sustainable community project. The name of this province means “Pines of the River” and it was amazing to see this kind of endemic pine tree growing right along-side palm trees and other tropical plants.

The community here was quite amazing and seemed to be a rare example of a place where tourism exists harmoniously within culture. The people of “Las Terraces” community grow much of their own food and have developed various crafts and products in addition to an amazing restaurant that attract tourists from all over the world.
This is Maria.  An amazing spirit who brews incredible coffee and has very soft and hard working hands.  She was very excited about our gift of garlic and told us many stories about her life, of which we understood very little (spanish is extremely fast and of a totally different dialect here...but we're learning more each day!)
The siteof “Las Terraces” was once a coffee plantation implemented by the French and worked on by hundreds of slaves who labored on land that ultimately proved to be very poorly suited for growing coffee because the soil is not deep enough.  But now an organic farm thrives for the community.

Pete, of course, tests out the waters wherever we go!

On Day 2 we went to a play put on by “La Colmenita” Children’s Theater Company which was an extremely powerful production about “The Cuban Five” who are political prisoners being held in the US. These amazing children put together such a beautiful and moving production that spoke to the pain that is being caused by US policies against Cuba and exemplified the creative spirit of survival in this country.



After we were moved to tears by the incredible performances we walked around Old Havana and were overwhelmed with the beauty and culture of this city.






We couldn’t be more humbled or happy to be here and we can’t wait to see what happens next.  More to come!!!

6 comments:

  1. Ahhh-Mazing Pictures! I love the one of the old woman smoking a cigar. It's my favorite so far.

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  2. Great photos! Enjoy the tropics, cold rain in Utah today...

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  3. I love you both...

    I'll be in touch about the emergence in the wedding Heart Garden...

    Keep an eye on the winged ones for me and not just the "rock doves," last Ivory Billed Woodpecker was seen in Cuba, 1984. ;)

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  4. Amazing pictures! I have to agree with Erin and Josh. I also love the picture of the old woman smoking a cigar. Epic! Missing you...

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  5. love you guys <3 thanks for sharing some pieces of your journey with us. can't wait to hear more <3

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