Cuban Trip

Up at 6:00 AM and breakfast at 7:00 on the rooftop with outdoor service and seating. Provided a nice view of Havana. Left the hotel at 8:15 and drove to next conservation exchange.

Conservation Exchange:
Met in Aula Ecologica of the Quinta de los Molinos with the Foundation for Patrimony, Community and Environment presided by Ana Lourdes Soto. Also met with Raul Acosta with the project Aves de la Ciudad (City birds).
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Toured the outside grounds with guide Raul. Outdoor maintenance construction was going on along the walkways.

Saw flora that included an orquiderio (orchid house), bromeliad area, lovely old trees in the garden (cannonball, ceiba (kapok)). Garden was well kept. A new guide, Roberto, took over from Raul. Met some of the children attending school there. Met another Raul who discussed the program that was initiated four years ago to set up a land and sea scout (similar to boy scouts) program to link children and nature. Birds and bird conservation are a part of this program. Children ages 5-14 can join the program at their local school (where available). Uniforms are worn by the students signifying age group they are in (no army logos). Sea scouts learn about sea life and what to do in emergencies such as hurricanes. Three age groups of children made presentations on the birding part of the program...how and what they do to track birds in the city of Havana. They monitor the 24 species of birds that are on the park's grounds...when they see a species, what it is doing, how many of the species are present...and so forth.

Aves de la Ciudad - Children

This seems to be an appropriate way to tackle the problem of poaching, illegal trading, and caging of birds, especially endemic species. Its difficult, if not impossible, to change the behavior of adults who act on years of tradition. They are trying this approach with children who are being taught to appreciate the importance of bird conservation. I enjoyed the opportunity that I had to talk privately with the students.

and at 11:30 had a Havana city tour. Lunch at Doña Eutimia restaurant was at noon,

a paladar located opposite an artist’s workshop and within a few meters of the large state restaurant, El Patio, on Cathedral Square. Food at this paladar or privately-run restaurant was excellent. At 2:15 PM we drove to the Zapata Peninsula (4 hour drive). We had a restroom break at 4:35 at Finca Campesina. Did some birding there. Sampled some local mango and bought some cappuccino (served with a piece of sugar cane). At 5:05 we picked up our local Zapata guide, Estre. While heading to our hotel, the Hotel Playa Giron, we saw our first land crab explosion (5:30 PM). The roadway and sides of the road were covered with land crabs migrating from the nearby water to the forest. No way to avoid squashing them! Arrive at hotel around 5:40 PM. Had ant swarms in our first room and were able to switch to another room. The second room didn't have hot water--lived with it.

Had dinner at 7:30 and went to bed at 10:00 PM.

Up at 5:45 AM with breakfast at 6:30. Left for birding at Bermejas Reserve near Playa Larga, Zapata Peninsula at 6:50.

Birded there until 9:15 and then drove to a different site on the reserve for more birding. At 10:05 begin birding at a third site and at 11:00 birded a fourth site. Headed to La Casa del Pescador at La Cueva de los Peces (Cave of the Fishes) for lunch at 11:15. The cave is a 201-foot-deep sinkhole filled with multicolored fish that enter through a subterranean passage.

Conservation Exchange:
Órgano CITMA de la Ciénaga de Zapata-Centro de Interpretacion Ambiental
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Met with La Flaca (speaker's nickname)

who guided us through the museum on the site. The museum contained maps, photos, and other artifacts and history related to the Zapata Peninsular area.

This included interesting historical photos of the cenagueros' (charcoal makers) life. Met with the director of Zapata National Park.

The park consists of 48% wetlands, the largest wetland area in Cuba. and has a budget of $730,000 per year for park upkeep and payroll. A parrot breeding program and a crocodile farm are also in the park. Humans are the biggest threat to the park (habitat destruction, poaching, illegal bird trade). The Zapata Peninsula Biosphere Reserve was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2001.

At 2:50 PM stopped at Guama Park (Guamá Complejo turistico). Did some birding there. Relaxed and had a cappuccino. At 4:00 PM birded in the Sopillar region of the reserve. We left the reserve at 6:35 PM, just before heavy rains hit the area. Dinner at 7:30 at our hotel, the Hotel Playa Giron. Got to bet at 10:00 PM..

Woke at 4:10 AM. with breakfast at 5:00 AM. Left for La Turba area at 5:35 to look for the Zapata Wren (successful). At 10:10 we had a rest stop at Guama Park (Guamá Complejo turistico). In Palpite we looked for forest birds. We had a 12:00 lunch at the Hostal Mayito, a palador in a modern style house located thirty meters away from the beach, in Playa Larga. By far, the best food we had in Cuba. The crocodile, shrimp, and lobster were delicious.

At 1:50 PM we drove to Salinas and birded along a 21 km road bordered by wetlands and mangrove swamps.

Conservation Exchange:
Korimacao Community Project
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Met with Hilda, the artistic director of the project, at 6:30 PM.

Hilda, the artistic director of the Korimacao Community Project

Local residents are given the opportunity to preserve their cultural heritage of art, music, dance and drama through this project. Hilda traced the history of the charcoal makers of the area from before the revolution to now. This is an effort to take theater to the people and is also a vehicle used to help celebrate Cuba's victory at the Bay of Pigs.

In residence are 70-80 artists from all over Cuba. Residents and employees are paid by the state. The community project conducts workshops for children ages 5 through secondary school. We discussed Korimacao's exchange program with France. Unfortunately, due to timing conflicts, we were not able to see that night's performance. Enjoyed the opportunity to visit their outdoor performance stage and art museum. I had an interesting chat with one of the art students. I was surprised that he was 26 and still at the school.

Up at 6:20 AM. Had breakfast at 7:00 and left for Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, at 8:30 AM. Trinidad is a town located in the province of Sancti Spíritus, in central Cuba. Walked around the city center. Had lunch at the Trinidad Colonial Restaurant.

Visited several shops. A 3:15 PM stopped at La Canchanchara for a regional drink, the Canchanchara, and listen to bongo drums.

Departed for Sancti Spiritus. At 3:46 drove through Sugarmill Valley. Arrived at Trinidad at 5:00.

Conservation Exchange:
Antonio Núñez Jiménez Foundation for Nature and Humanity (FANJ)
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Conservation Exchange: Antonio Núñez Jiménez Foundation for Nature and Humanity (FANJ)

FANJ is a cultural and scientific non-governmental institution that is dedicated to research and promotion of programs and projects for the protection of the environment as it relates to culture and society. Talks were presented by Alejandro (standing), the president of the Speological Society of Cuba, Aranis (seated in the middle of the photo), an author of 17 children's books on birds, and the curator (on the right) of the Museum of Natural Science.

FANJ has four on-going programs to achieve its goals, a Geo-historic Research Program, Environmental Education Program, Cultural Services Program, and an Urban Sustainability Program. FANJ takes care of Cuban nature, animal protection, works with children, works with the U.S. Speological Society, and incubates parrot eggs. The curator of the Museum of Natural Science conducted a one month festival of endemic Cuban birds. This festival got children involved in bird watching and nest building for parakeets. Basically, FANJ is trying to get children involved in conservation and its important issues and problems. FANJ has started a "Bats need Friends" organization to involve Cubans in bat conservation.

Drove to our hotel, the Villa Los Laureles. The view from our balcony to the right.

Up at 6:15 AM and breakfast at 7:15. Depart for Camagüey at 8:30. Birded from the bus along the way. At 10:10 we took a rest stop at Parador Rio de Azul.

Birded at the rest stop. Another long drive. Stoped at 12:20 PM for lunch at La Campana de Toledo-Plaza San Juan de Dios in Camagüey.

At 13:40 we headed to our hotel, the Gran Hotel Camagüey, and

at 2:30 we drove to Najasa to bird from 4:00-6:20. Drove back to Camagüey and had dinner at our hotel from 8:15-9:45. Interesting meal: The grilled chicken breast that I ordered morphed into a deep fried leg and thigh. French fries still had ice in them. Recommendation: do not eat here! Bed and some much needed sleep at 11:00 PM.

Up at 5:15 AM with breakfast at 6:00. Left for Najasa at 6:30 and birded the same area as yesterday afternoon and evening. Done birding at 11:45. Lunch (12:30-1:45) at the lodge on the grounds of Finca La Belén, a working horse ranch located 36 km southeast of Camagüey in the "Sierra del Chorrillo" Managed Resources Protected Area.

Drove back to our hotel, the Gran Hotel Camagüey. We had a nap time starting at 3:00 PM. Dinner at 7:15 PM at a local palador. To bed at 11:00 PM.

Woke at 6:00 AM and breakfast at 7:00. Left at 8:30 for Cayo Coco on Cuba's northern coast. Rest stop near Morón at 11:15. Lunch and siesta at our hotel, the Hotel Sol Cayo Coco.

Went with local guide Odey for birding around the area from 3:00-6:20 PM (Brad didn't go). Birded Oxidation Lagoon, Cayo Guillermo, and Cayo Paredón. Dinner at 7:30 at our hotel and bed at 11:00 PM.

Up early at 5:30 AM. Breakfast at 6:00 and went birding at 7:00. (Brad didn't go.) Birded at Cayo Romano, Paredón and Cayo Guillermo.

Return to our hotel, the Hotel Sol Cayo Coco at 11:25. Lunch at 12:45. Had a free afternoon to browse local shops, sit on our lanai, and relax.

Up at 5:50 AM to finish packing, Breakfast at 7:30. Left the hotel at 8:30 AM for long drive back to Camagüey. Birded from the bus on the way. Lunch in Camagüey at the palador we ate at on the 18th.

Left Camagüey 7:10 PM after a departure delay. Arrive Miami 8:30 PM. At our hotel, the Airport Sheraton, the group ordered pizza (9:45 PM) for our "last supper". Bed at 11:30 PM.