Cuba with Road Scholar

On April 22, 2012, 24 strangers from around the USA met in Miami with two representatives of Road Scholar (Boston, MA; 800/454-5768) and prepared to go to Cuba. When we returned on April 30, we did so as a group of friends.

“Cuba Today: People & Society” is a highly educational program about a beautiful country with a government and society very different from our own. The trip cost of $3,200 per person included air from Miami to Havana.

My wife, Ginny, and I have been on more than 40 Road Scholar programs and have traveled to all seven continents. We’ve experienced many wonderful, professional guides but none like Magaly Rodriquez Reed, our truly exceptional and experienced Cuban guide from Havantur, the local tour operator. Our days were long and filled with many activities, yet Magaly was always cheerful, friendly and helpful.

She was teamed with an expert bus driver, Reynaldo Banderas, who was a pleasure to have along on the tour and always made us feel safe and comfortable in his clean bus.

When one of our group fell and broke her elbow and shoulder, our Road Scholar guides, Kayla Dreyfuss and Desirée Shrode, handled the emergency in an exemplary manner.

Among our stops were Havana, Cienfuegos, Trinidad and Santa Clara. Magalay was very informative about life in Cuba, from the time before Batista to now. She explained things with a sensitivity and candor that helped us understand the country’s history and the reasons for the revolution, as well as what changes are under way under the leadership of Raúl Castro.

GUNTER ARNDT
Palm Coast, FL