Cuba celebrated LGBT Pride last month as it does every year, in conjunction with the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia on May 17th. Cuba’s national celebration was held in Matanzas, a province near Havana – one of my favorite places in Cuba! So I was excited to take my group there for a few days. This year’s festivities included a big parade/conga, a photo…
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Update 7/21/16: Sign up soon! Registration for this trip will close August 5th. Coming up this October 15-23, visit Cuba with acclaimed car spy photographer Brenda Priddy! On this trip you’ll get a varied look at Cuban culture and society, with special attention to the classic cars unique to this island. A $1,000 deposit secures a spot for you on the trip. To reserve your…
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Update 7/21/16: Sign up soon! Registration for this trip will close August 5th. Coming up this October, visit Cuba with Princeton BTGALA! That’s the university’s Bisexual, Transgender, Gay and Lesbian Alumni Association. Note that even though they’ve planned this trip, everyone’s welcome – no Princeton affiliation needed. You don’t have to be queer, either.
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My last trip was a family trip organized around a big birthday… and when I had to pick somewhere to celebrate it, Playa Larga was the obvious choice! This family was really interested in birding and nature. Playa Larga is in the Zapata Swamp region, a great place to enjoy Cuba’s natural beauty. So we spent some time with a local naturalist and looked for…
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I’m always interested in race and racism. Cuba isn’t exactly the same as the US – but it’s not that different, either. So in Cuba I see a lot of the same racial dynamics I’m used to in the US. My first glimpse of this was police harassment of a Black Cuban colleague, who was presumed suspect when the rest of us (including a bunch…
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So last month I took a group of four to the Bay of Matanzas. We were hosted by a band I’m friendly with and their families, who threw us a big pig roast! It was their idea, and I gave them free rein. That’s a little risky, just because none of us knew exactly how it would go – but the risk paid off. One…
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Big news today! As reported all over the place, and as documented in a new update on the Treasury Department’s Cuba Sanctions page, the Obama administration is relaxing some of the Cuba regulations. The biggest change for my purposes involves People-to-People trips, the kind I lead. Here’s a breakdown of what’s changed legally, and what it means for all practical purposes. The legal: (Disclaimer: I’m…
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A few months ago, one of my travelers was excited about Cuban salsa. This meant two things: One, I incorporated a lot more dance into the trip than I normally would. We hung out with some dancers I’m friendly with, got expert instruction from them, and found fun places to go out dancing. And two, I was confronted with the sad state of my salsa…
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TO INQUIRE OR REGISTER FOR THIS TRIP: email me! I’m happy to announce a trip this May 6 – 15, timed to coincide with Cuba’s Pride celebrations! “Pride” isn’t what they call it in Cuba. It’s officially a month of events celebrating the Cuban Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia on May 17. But it’s the cultural equivalent of Pride. This trip will be similar to…
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Very crazy. This keeps coming up lately. People often come to me thinking that going to Cuba is way easier than it is. So I’m posting about it again. (I wrote a few months ago on similar themes: Traveling to Cuba These Days.) Here’s the deal: This is a tricky time to visit Cuba. Too many people are trying to go, Cuba is over capacity,…
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