Cuba -- Camaguey to Havana

We were fortunate to be on one of the first scheduled flights on American Airlines from the United States to Cuba. We did take a charter flight back to Miami.

First glimpse of the airport from our plane.

The terminal at Camaguey. We are in Cuba!

Street scene near our hotel in Camaguey. One of many bici-taxis.

One of the beautifully decoratedbici-taxis.

Our driver for our outing on our first morning in Cuba.

Some more beautful bici-taxis.

Images of Che everywhere. Fidel had just died. There were not a lot of images of him because images of people are only displayed in Cuba after death.

one of the many beautiful buildings in Camaguey's Workmen's Square

Altar in Our Lady Mercy Church Camaguey

Workmens Square Camaguey

Another portrait of Che in Worksmen's Square Camaguey

On the streets of Camaguey

Teatro Principal dates from 1850. It was rebuilt in 1926 after a devastating fire. It is the home of the Camagüey Ballet. Most of our group attended a performance of the ballet there. Three of us attended a symphony concert instead. The price of tickets was 5 CUC.

One of the beautiful bronze statues in Carmen Square, Camaguey. This square is characterized by Nuestra Señora del Carmen Church. This church was built in 1825, the only two-tower church in the area and one of only three of its kind in Cuba.

Two of the gossiping ladies statues by Martha Jimenez in Carmen Square, Camaguey.

More of the gossiping ladies statues in Carmen Square, Camaguey

And a gentleman enjoying his newspaper and the square.

Another bronze statue depicting one of the people of Cuba.

The studio of Martha Jimenez in Carmen Square.

We were not allowed to take photos in Martha Jimenez' studio, but were allowed to take photos in the garden.

In Martha Jimenez' sculptor garden.

Two of the intriguing scupltures by Eduardo Rosales.

One of the very interesting sculptures in the Estudio Galeria Magdiel. These wooden sculptures are intricate and the parts acutally move.

Statue of Ignacio Agramonte in Revolution Square, Camaguey

Nativity scene in the Church of San de Dios

The church is 500 years old

More of the church's nativity scene

We visited the Jose White Conservatory which is a well respected music school in Camaguey. This is a coed school where the students study the general required courses part of the day and do intense music studies the rest of the school. Some of the students need to board there.

One of the dancers at the En Dedans Dance Company. This is a very impressive modern dance company.

One of these exceptional dancers.

At the En Dedans Dance Company

We visited the pottery studio of Carlos Alberto Cassanova and his son. We got a demonstration from both father and son.

Here is the finished pot.

The father and our excellent Cuban TL.

Since there is no church near where they live, the Casanova family built this chapel for the neighboring community to use.

In 1952, the King Ranch of Texas bought a ranch in Cuba. The ranch of more than 38,000 acres was no longer part of the King Ranch, Inc in 1959 as a consequence of the Cuban revolution.

The local village that serves the ranch.

The village primary school.

Another view of the small village school.

Our hostess at a village home where we saw how sugar cane juice is extracted.