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Travel to Cuba legally with New York art museum package
Travel to Cuba is still illegal for most Americans, but if you don't want to challenge the law or take your chances sneaking there and back, you can still arrange a visit. The Katonah Museum of Art, in Katonah, New York, has been authorized to lead a tour group to Cuba.
Participants on the trip, which is scheduled for January 17-23 of next year, will visit Havana and learn about Cuban culture through visits to museums, holy sites, and the homes and studios of 14 Cuban artists. The package costs $4,400 per person for double occupancy($4,600 for singles) and participants must also pay a $700 tax-deductible membership fee to the Katonah Art Museum. The price includes airfare from Miami to Havana, five nights at a five-star hotel in Havana, ground transportation, daily breakfasts and lunches, several dinners, all group activities and sightseeing, and insurance, taxes and visa fees.
Reservations for the trip must be made by October 19 and the Museum does expect the tour to sell out.
Gallery: The 10 most common foreign cities in which Americans are arrested
[via Matador Pulse]
Filed under: North America, Cuba, United States, News, Caribbean
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
BD Sep 13th 2009 5:09PM
Mia,
While technically your right. But if you were to walk down the street of probably any country singing "I want to live in America" no one would think you were referring to Mexico or Cuba, or Argentina. We are the only ones (that I'm aware of anyway) who refer to ourselves as Americans, as do several other countries when they refer to us. In Italy I say Sono Americano, in Dutch I would say Ik ben uit Amerika, and in France, Je suis de l'Amérique.
It's only in Spanish speaking countries where I would need to be more specific and say Estoy de Estados Unidos and that would be more to clarify that I wasn't in fact British, Canadian, or Australian, cause we all sound the same. And when I have said, "Soy Americana" I have never once in the past ten years that I've been abroad been asked which country in the America's I was referring to.
I'm just saying.....
Tis Sep 13th 2009 7:56PM
Soy de los estados unidos, not estoy. The rest of the Americas think we are arrogant ( and ignorant) to think we are the only " Americans." And both we are proud to be.
BD Sep 14th 2009 3:58AM
Thanks, even after nearly ten years of being able to converse in Spanish I still struggle with ser and estar.
And what you've said pretty well defines the US attitude as well as the attitudes of the citizens of other dominant first world countries. We may diss the French for example as being arrogant, but we have so much in common with them in terms of national pride that its funny.
Tom Sep 13th 2009 5:54PM
Want to go to Cuba? Hop on a plane to Miami and you're there. The Cubans there have ruined a once beautiful city. Miami is now a Garbage Town.
Jay Sep 15th 2009 3:48AM
Oh wow the nerve of you I love SFL I love how diverse and unique it is and without the Cuban influence on Miami it would be pretty bleak. Miami is a large city and major cities have their problems so stop being prejudice pendejo
ycav4424 Sep 13th 2009 6:05PM
Go ahead and enjoy traveling to find something that will keep you entertained away from the US. Be the first to find out where Americans are hated. You might even make the evening news as a hostage. You will want people to stop what they are doing, to help get you back home before you are beheaded. You will get to experience the way the locals live and live without. Don't be offended when somebody takes everything you have, that is just the local custom. Just be glad you made it out with your life, even though you probably brought some little new friends back with you. The germs, worms and infections are a bonus that probably won't kill you. You might not even notice them for years if at all, until you can't use the bathroom or they cut off a part of your body to save you. It's a big world out there, go ahead explore.
violin Sep 13th 2009 6:33PM
Men from Europe and the US have been traveling to Cuba from Nassau for the past 20 years. The women are very "reasonable" since they are poor they practically give it away; that's why the men go there.
violin Sep 13th 2009 6:35PM
The reason men have been going to Cuba from Europe and from the US by way of Nassau for the past 30 years, is because the women are easy and cheap.
JC Sep 13th 2009 6:37PM
Wow!
Guess I just missed all that good stuff on my recent visits to Cuba. For the most part, Havana is a vast slum...except for the "tourist" spots. And by the way, as for the "black" cubanos...they are not singled out. Makes no difference; black, medium brown, light brown, whatever, no local Cubans are allowed in the nice hotels, restuarants, etc. These are reserved for foreign tourists...Castro does not want his showcases besmerched by his "people". One exception is that a well-to-do local can get a "special" permit to spend his wedding night at one of the "star" hotels. Late check-in....early check-out.
Not too sure what efficient "systems" are referred to. In the mornings when the public transportation is running...you can't breath. That's coming from a heavy smoker! Gotta see what the locals call camels (welded together odd looking busses) with arms-legs sticking out of every window, crack, and crevice, with thick black smoke almost making them invisible from 5 feet away.
Don't know how wonderful the medical system is, or the level of research going on there...but here's my question...if its so great...why don't they have bathrooms (banos) on their famous beaches? Not even a latrine...much less a "porta-potty". Gotta go? You just find a place in the palm trees, and do what you gotta do. Don't be embarrased...got plenty of company around you!
Think communism, socialism is a great deal...go to Cuba. Its bad! I only went there because of my concern for my friends in resort areas in Mexico. I wanted to see the impact of Cuba being opened to Americans. Afterall, the lure of Cuba is the bright lights, happy dancers in "pineapple hats, wonderful food, etc. It AIN"T there!
Even if our government "opened" up travel to Cuba tomorrow...I wouldn't go back! Even if opened up, it would take 20 years of American influence and dollars to make it a semi-attractive tourist attraction.
Don't take my comments wrong...the Cubans and their culture are warm. They are good people...they just got nothin' to work with. Remember, Castro is a dictator, and all that comes with that profile of title. Since '59, he's always lived good...the masses have sacrificed. Story of historical dictatorships.
$5000.00 plus for a 5 day "tour" of the art museums? Visited some of the museums...would have felt better wearing a hard hat...looked like they might fall down at any moment. Would recommend the "Capitolio", their "preserved" pre-revolution seat of legislature. Bigger than ours, and much more ornate...a true reminder of the "decadence" of democracy to the poor Cuban locals that can't afford the equivalent of a buck-fifty US to make the tour.
Again...just guess I missed all the marvelous "perks" that Castro has afforded his country and his people. Won't go back to see what I "missed"!
Ellise Sep 13th 2009 6:43PM
You peoples sure love to hate, if your judging Cuba by Castro then in the last 8 years people should have been judging the USA by Bush. Even we with our so called great health can't beat out Cuba and they are a LOT less fortunate than us. And most of you have not been there, just like most of you haven't been in a "ghetto" don't you dare judge something you don't know about! If anyone wants to flame me, then go ahead, you'll be flaming a 13 year old!
smellyecoli Sep 13th 2009 7:21PM
cheers for the art travel group!! castro stopped the western world and the usa from continuing the enslavement the cuban people and raping the country of it';s natural resources !!the american flag waving and church supporting murderous dictator general bastiste was kept in power by the united states government!! castro wanted freedom for the cuban people but as ordered by big western businesses the usa refused to help him!! dumb americans study your history.i was in cuba when castro came about!!! i know what went on in cuba !!!!
BD Sep 13th 2009 7:54PM
Well, as a "Dumb American" let me point out that we only know what we're taught so in our defense, like most cultures, the history that's been taught to us has been heavily skewed to portray our powers that be in the best light possible. In other words if we're told that our way is the "right" way then that makes our leader GOOD, then all others who practice another non-capitalistic form of Government must be wrong. And of course because they're wrong that would make their leader EVIL.
ie We're good ‡ Your Evil
To make it even more confusing we tell ourselves that its not because your ways are different but that your government oppresses human rights and freedoms while at the same time glossing over the fact that our government tramples on our rights (in the name of freedom of course) and provides financial support to other capitalistic countries that commit the same crimes towards humanity that we criticize you for.
Tom Sep 13th 2009 7:47PM
This tour is a money maker if I ever saw one. As already pointed out there are cheaper ways to get to Cuba. We need to let President Obama know that Americans have a constitutional right.to travel anywhere period. The wealthy Cubans in Miami are trying their best to defeat the President's recent overtures to Cuba and open it up to all Americans.
bill Sep 13th 2009 8:35PM
AMMP
Hiti, Hati, Haiti, Ho spell it as the mood strikes. Am I supposed to say touche? Okay touche you incredibly sanctimonious, pompous, proselytizing know-it-all. Me thinks I am dealing with a woman here - as ye have a touch 'o the old lastworditis. On that note you get the last word here. Make it a good one and think about it on your trip to Cuba. When you come back here with ringworm, AIDS, cholera, parasites and malaria remember to tell your insurer that you got those maladies when you were breaking the law taking an illegal trip to Cuba.
mesaman Sep 13th 2009 8:04PM
Who the hell wants to go to Cuba? Cigar smokers trying to kill themselves with lung cancer on expensive Cuban cigars? A car buff that wants to see America 50 years ago? Some communist who has been exiled to the US and has been forced to live in Miami? Members of the Cuban mafia who are in Miami to run the drug business?
My advice, go to East LA, buy a ham and cheese sandwich and drive over it with your car,.and pretend you are in HABANA. Mucho cheaper.
Ed Sep 14th 2009 12:26PM
If this country is such a paradise why are people leaving it on rafts? Let me know when the North Korea holiday vacation is available.
Jay Sep 15th 2009 3:54AM
I think it's a super expensive trip it's much cheaper to travel to Cuba via the Caribbean not so legal though. Side note the nerve of some people on here so full of ignorance and prejudice, racism is still so alive just tucked under the rug when guest comes around...