African American Golfer’s Digest & Pathfinders Travel Magazine
Present their 3rd Annual

AFRO-CUBAN PROGRAM HAVANA-MATANZAS

8 Adventurous Days / 7 Exciting Nights

“Yes, We’re Going to Cuba Again!  Come With Us!” 

Discover the magnificent island of Cuba – with its sunlit beaches, soulfully-vibrant rhythms, sultry landscape, and uniquely rich heritage of music, art, literature and dance.  Cuba is now the most desired travel destination in the Caribbean.   Within easy reach of the U.S., Cuba is just 90 miles off the coast of Florida.  The ease and convenience of vacationing in Cuba is quickly gaining attention, and those who have traveled with us before are fiercely spreading the word!

Cuba has been a sought-after destination since the early 50’s when Hollywood’s elite enjoyed spending time there; to now, recent visits by celebrities who flock to Cuba including legendary entertainers such as JZ and Beyonce, Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, Mick Jagger, Usher and Katy Perry to name a few.  The sun-drenched beaches, bungalows and culture of Cuba is attracting a steady stream of visitors.  Join us this year on another fabulous Cuba travel excursion for the experience of a lifetime and, an opportunity to explore this beautiful and captivating land and meet its friendly and open people.

NEXT TRIP:
November 15 – November 22^nd, 2016

ITINERARY
DAY 1:
Tuesday, November 15th

Arrival at José Martí International Airport in Havana, where guests will be welcomed by the Agency’s guide. Transfer from the airport to the hotel in Havana.

In the evening, dinner at a restaurant.  After dinner, enjoy the night show at a Parisian Cabaret.

Meals Included: Dinner

DAY 2: Wednesday, November 16th

After breakfast, you will be picked up at the hotel and taken to the historic area of Havana, designated as a World Heritage Site since November 1979. Visit the rum museum and the cigar factory. Lunch at the Paladar Prado 115. After lunch, visit the Revolution Museum and Yoruba Association of Cuba, and enjoy a folkloric activity. Visit the Malcolm X and Martin Luther King monument in one of the streets of Vedado. Continue to Marianao neighborhood where the Martin Luther King Memorial Center is located. Return to the hotel.

Dinner at the Paladar Rio Mar. After dinner continue to “La casa de la musica” in Miramar neighborhood to enjoy the music of a live band.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 3: Thursday, November 17th

After breakfast, transfer to the new Havana through the seawall, passing by the American Embassy and continue to the Plaza of the Revolution. Visit one of the art schools of this country’s educational system in Havana. Tour the institution to learn more about it, its construction and forms of study.  Meeting with teachers and students and time to establish a dialogue. Lunch at the Paladar where the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama and her daughters had lunch during their visit to Cuba. On the way back to the hotel, visit the studio of the Cuban painter “Choco”. One of the foremost Cuban artists, Choco graduated from the Escuela Nacional de Arte in 1970 and studied at the University of Havana Art School. Choco is internationally recognized for his collagraphs, a printmaking technique in which the image is composed from a variety of textured materials placed on a plate, then inked and pressed. These materials, often discarded remnants, are recycled by Choco and turned into vibrant images that beckon to be touched. As is evident in Choco’s work, collagraphs provide opportunity for a tremendous scope of innovation and experiment.

Return to the hotel.

At night, transfer to another Paladar for dinner. This paladar received the Excellence Award from TripAdvisor in 2014 and obtained the Fourth National Excellence Crown of urban agriculture and the agro-ecological seal. The Paladar is supplied by an integrated farm: The Yoandra, that offers guided tours to learn about more than 110 species of fruit trees including visits Baobab, the tree of the Orishas. An Orisha

is a spirit that reflects one of the manifestations of God (Eledumare, Olorun, Olofi) in Yoruba religion. The farm has been declared Provincial Botanical Garden of fruit trees.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 4: Friday, November 18th

Pick up at the hotel after breakfast. Transfer to Matanzas City to visit the Slave’s Route Museum and the San Severino Castle. This museum is part of a project that has the goal to show to the world the phenomenon of the slave trade. The Castle itself (where the museum is located) is one of the greatest constructions in the city and a well preserved witness of the local history. Built as part of a military defense system, the construction works started in 1693 and culminated around 1740. During its history, the castle was used in the slave trade activities in the 18th century and as a prison until 1970. This fortress is considered a jewel of military architecture in Matanzas and due to its historical and architectural values is considered a National Monument.

Lunch at the Paladar Amelia del Mar.

Visit the first Pharmaceutical Museum in Latin America which was reopened on May 1, 1964. Although eclecticism dominated its construction, it still retains all the original furnishings and elements and is the only French pharmacy from the end of the 19th century that remains today that is protected under the law.  It was declared a National Monument in 2007.

At night, guests will be taken in a classic convertible car to a Mansion for dinner with a welcome cocktail. Then guests will have 15 minutes for pictures and autographs with the musicians of the Buena Vista Social Club Project at the Marino Bar in Plaza America. Later enjoy Buena Vista Social Club Concert seated in a preferential area, the musicians from this club played in the White House for President Obama.

Return to the hotel.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Pick up at the hotel after breakfast. Transfer to Matanzas City to visit the Slave’s Route Museum and the San Severino Castle. This museum is part of a project that has the goal to show to the world the phenomenon of the slave trade. The Castle itself (where the museum is located) is one of the greatest constructions in the city and a well preserved witness of the local history. Built as part of a military defense system, the construction works started in 1693 and culminated around 1740. During its history, the castle was used in the slave trade activities in the 18th century and as a prison until 1970. This fortress is considered a jewel of military architecture in Matanzas and due to its historical and architectural values is considered a National Monument.

Lunch at the Paladar Amelia del Mar.

Visit the first Pharmaceutical Museum in Latin America which was reopened on May 1, 1964. Although eclecticism dominated its construction, it still retains all the original furnishings and elements and is the only French pharmacy from the end of the 19th century that remains today that is protected under the law.  It was declared a National Monument in 2007.

At night, guests will be taken in a classic convertible car to a Mansion for dinner with a welcome cocktail. Then guests will have 15 minutes for pictures and autographs with the musicians of the Buena Vista Social Club Project at the Marino Bar in Plaza America. Later enjoy Buena Vista Social Club Concert seated in a preferential area, the musicians from this club played in the White House for President Obama.

Return to the hotel.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 5:
Saturday, November 19th

After breakfast at the hotel, GOLFERS will transfer to Varadaro Golf Course for 18 holes of play.  An additional Fee and proper dress code applies for this out of program activity.  Tee-time: 7:00 a.m.
Estimated return: 12:30 p.m. where golfers will rejoin the travel group for Lunch at the Paladar Chiquirrín.

After breakfast at the hotel NON-GOLFERS will take a transfer to meet with Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, a recognized Cuban folklore group.  Lunch follows at the Paladar Chiquirrín. After lunch, return to the hotel.

Dinner at the hotel and then transfer in the antique cars to the Xanadú Mansion to enjoy a live jazz group.

Return to the hotel.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 6:
Sunday, November 20th

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Havana to visit the studio of the painter Mendive. Born in Havana in 1944, Mendive is known as one of Cuba’s foremost artists. He graduated from the San Alejandro Academy in 1962. During the ’60s his works were influenced by the altars of religious cults and Santería, which incorporated voodoo performances and masks.

He was awarded the Adam Montparnasse prize at the 1968 exhibition at the Salon de mai in Paris. That same year he won 3rd prize at the Salón Internacional de Artes Plásticas in Havana. Mendive’s work can be found in most of the important salons and museums in Europe and the Americas. Later visit the Museum of Guanabacoa, and then lunch in another Paladar. After lunch, visit the headquarters of the Association Cuba-Africa. Return to the hotel.

At night, dinner in another Paladar and then transfer to another venue to enjoy music.

Return to the hotel.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 7:
Monday, November 21^st

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the Cafetal Angerona. The ruins of the coffee plantations are located in the province of Artemisa. Its owner was a German immigrant, Cornelio Souchay, who acquired the land in 1813. Cornelio Souchay had come to Cuba in the early nineteenth century. While in Havana he met Ursula Lambert, a freeborn Haitian who had also reached the largest Caribbean Island with her parents and settler Lambert, running away from the war produced by the revolution in Haiti. In 1815 Ursula began working with Cornelio, and in 1822 reached Angerona. Both shared economic, financial and organizational interests of the coffee plantation. The rumors are, despite the social and racial prejudices of the time, they lived an intense love, but this part of the story is only a legend.

With her hard work, Ursula contributes to the development of the coffee plantation. Since Cornelio trusted her, she dealt with the economy of the hacienda and taught the slaves needlework and domestic work. Because of her initiatives, the nursing and criollitos house was built, where children were given special attention to grow healthy and strong. She also installed inside the coffee plantation shops, where she sold guano, clay and fabrics items.

Lunch then return to the hotel.

At night, transfer to another Paladar, where President Obama had dinner with his family during his stay in Cuba. After dinner transfer to a bar in Havana.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

DAY 8:
Tuesday, November 22^nd

After breakfast, transfer to Jose Marti Airport in Havana to take the flight back to Miami.

Meals Included: Breakfast

Price includes:

– Accommodation in Havana for 5 nights

– Accommodation in Varadero, Matanzas, for 2 nights (all inclusive)

– All meals as described in the itinerary
– All private transfers for customers of the group
– Tour guide is a Professor of Caribbean Culture and Raciality, with a Ph.D.

in this area in addition to being an English teacher

– Private welcome and pre-tour briefing
– All entrance fees to schedule activities and events described in the program
– 24-hour emergency customer service hotline

– Tour operator travel guidebook

– Souvenir courtesy of the agency

Private Casas

Accommodation in Havana – Premium Private Villages

Accommodation in Varadero, Matanzas – Iberostar Playa Alameda (4* hotel)

 Price per person in a SGL: $3,399.00

 Price per person in a DBL room: $2,899.00

Additional charge for flights

MIAMI – Daily charter flights are available – If leaving from Miami, we recommend an overnight stay as flight time confirmations to Havana are subject to change.

New York – Flights are available on Tuesday & Friday – Our departure and return date is on Tuesday. If adding on a few days, be sure to return on Friday or Tuesday.

Flight package includes:

– Roundtrip Air Fare
– Taxes & fees at the U.S. airport
– Cuban Airport Departure Tax

– Travel Health Insurance

– Cuban Visa

Flight Package does not include:

Baggage charges are not included in the Flight Package and are subject to change depending on the contracted airline. Please ask your travel agent about baggage fee, airline regulations for irregular baggage, special assistance, or other questions regarding your trip.

(ONLY 30 spots remain available!!)  Book Today!!

To book your travel package contact:

Debert Cook
African American Golfer’s Digest
Phone: (212) 571-6559

Final Scoring Summary for the Advocates Pro Tour Event This Past Weekend at Heritage Golf Links proves the challenge was a good one.

Kevin Hall‘s 8 under par two-day total earned him the $ at the APGA Atlanta Championship.  Hall is a hearing-impaired golfer who is deaf.  Growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kevin (pictured left) became a nationally ranked Little League standout and overcame his handicap to succeed in golf at a young age.

“What a fun weekend in Atlanta,” said Hall from his Facebook page.  “Waited a long time for this but I finally got into the winner’s circle. I feel really humbled and blessed to be able to experience my hard work paying off.”

Tim O’Neal‘s second day 67 pushed him past the competition for sole possession of second place. Jesse Allen finished 2 under for the two days and he once again is the Senior Division Champion. Doug Smith earned top amateur honors at 1 over par for the Championships.  The next Advocates Pro Tour event will be held in New Orleans June 11-12, 2016.

May 21-22, 2016, Total Purse $24,000, Winning Share 7,500