Don was asked to join the NBA group "Basketball without Borders" to host their first joint basketball development camp in Cuba. It was a four-day camp from April 23-26 in Havana. Don worked with NBA players Steve Nash and Dikembe Mutombo, coaches - Utah Jazz coaches Quin Snyder & Brad Jones, Orlando Magic coach James Baglino along with lots of miscellaneous NBA personnel. This was set up as a bridge between Cuba and USA through basketball.
We were scheduled to arrive in Miami on Monday, April 20 but a delay in Cedar Rapids allowed us an overnight stay in Chicago! Tuesday we took an early flight to Miami and enjoyed the J.W. Marriott.
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| View from our room at the J.W. Marriott in Miami |
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| Beautiful room |
Wednesday morning at 6:00 am we met in the lobby to proceed to the airport and check in for the charter flight to Havana, Cuba. The 9:00 flight was a short one - probably about 45 minutes in the air. We were picked up by the tourist bus that took us to the Saratoga Hotel where most of the group stayed. We were greeted in the hotel with mojitos and then lunch at the hotel. After lunch Don and I and a few others were transported to the Hotel Parque Central a few blocks away as that is where we will be staying. We checked into a wonderful suite on the 4th floor overlooking the park with 1950's cars parked out front!
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| Welcome to Cuba mojito |
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| Hotel Parque Central |
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| Lobby area of our hotel |
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| Beautiful lobby and cafe area |
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| Welcome fruits and wine in our room |
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| Our suite at Parque Central |
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| View from the 4th floor over the park |
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| LOVE the 50's cars. |
A walking tour of old Havana concluded the afternoon. Havana is the largest city and capital of Cuba at 2 million people. Cuba is a communist state as of 1959 with Raul Castro the president as of 2008. the average salary is $20 US dollars. On Jan. 1, 1959 the Batista government was overthrown by Fidel & Raul Castro's forces. In 1969 Cuba nationalizes approximately $1 billion of US owned property on the island and the US placed a trade embargo on Cuba. Havana looks like it is stuck in the 1950s with cars (very cool) and buildings that have not been kept up! Restoration has been started in the Old Havana area due to tourism.
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| Walking tour of Old Havana |
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| Don in Old Havana |
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| Havana Club rum |
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| and Cuban cigars |
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| One of the oldest squares in Havana |
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Restoration on an old building that
will be made into a hotel. |
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| Another town square in Old Havana |
Dinner out with the NBA group at a private home restaurant. We started with platter of appetizers and most of us ordered fish for the main entree.
Thursday
Don left the hotel by 8:00 to begin the camp. Don worked with the Cuban women and men junior teams. I enjoyed a late breakfast and then a Cuban sandwich at the hotel lobby cafe. An afternoon at the 9th floor rooftop pool completed my afternoon. After his coaching duties Don joined me at the pool.
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| View from the hotel rooftop |
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| The capitol |
We were all transported to our dinner/reception via wonderful old cars! What fun!! We were driven around Havana on the way to the dinner. The poverty was so evident in the buildings where people live.
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| Our car to tour and drive to the dinner/reception. |
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| Yes, people live here! |
Dinner/Reception was across the bay at a restaurant based at an old military post. We were served Cuban food - pork, potatoes, fried plantains, yucca, rice and beans, and flan for dessert.
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Starters - tamale
Then fish, rice & beans, salads, |
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| The famous Cuban band performed - Buena Vista Social Club |
Friday
Don spent the morning and part of the afternoon with the junior basketball teams again. When he returned we took another walking tour with Walkyz (one of our tour guides we were with all week) in and around Old Havana.
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| Walkyz and Don by the car we took |
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| The cathedral in one of the old squares - Plaza De La Catedral |
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| Inside the cathedral |
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| Fortune tellers in the square |
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| Bike taxis were all around Havana |
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| Fish and pork being sold on the street in the HOT sun |
Dinner at another private home restaurant in Old Havana. Best dinner yet of appetizers and fish.
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| Walking through Old Havana after dinner. |
Saturday
Don didn't need to go to camp until the afternoon so we enjoyed a quiet morning walking around the hotel neighborhood.
The NBA redid some outdoor courts and held a clinic for 10 - 11 year olds on the restored court.
Dinner again at a private home restaurant - La Fontana. It was a beautiful big house in the Embassy area. The cuban dignitaries were there.
Sunday
All the Cuba National Teams that have been at camp this week were involved in team exhibition games on Sunday morning. Then we went to the beach.
Before dinner out we went to Muraleando, a neighborhood run arts program. We experiences their singing, dancing, and crafts.
Monday
We toured around Revolutionary Square and then toured a cigar rolling factory. All cigars are hand rolled and we enjoyed watching the people do this.
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| Revolutionary Square area |
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| At the Cigar rolling factory |
Lunch at a cafe next to the bay and then off to the airport.
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| Quin and Amy Snyder |
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| Some of the coaching staff |
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| And time to go back to the USA! |
What a trip! What an experience!
