The DER below is from the expedition to Cuba that began on February 22, 2017.

After a peaceful night at anchor we boarded our tender this morning and headed ashore to the peaceful Isle of Youth. This island has had many names and identities. One of the claims is that it was a hide-out for pirates and that treasure was buried there. Its former name of Treasure Island is said to have inspired the book by the same name. The island has another claim to fame: it has the Presidio Modelo, the Model Prison, where Fidel Castro was held from 1953 to 1955. It got its present name in the 1970s when there were 60 boarding schools on the island and free education was provided for students from many developing countries.

Our first stop was the prison, closed since the 1960s. It had a fascinating layout. Modeled after the Joliet, Illinois, penitentiary, Presidio Modelo housed its inmates in six-story tall circular buildings that had no doors on the cells and where all the prisoners could be watched from one guard tower in the center. The tiny cells were shared by two inmates, some of the tougher cases in Cuba. Fidel Castro and his revolutionaries, being political prisoners, fared much better and were housed in the hospital wing. 

Lunch time found us at Tu Isla Restaurant in Nueva Gerona. As we walked up the stairs to our seats, the hogfish (said to be Castro’s favorite) were being cooked on the open fire. In what seemed like no time, we were all being served our own fish. What an amazing treat. From one the most delicious fish meals most of us have had to the friendly and welcoming staff to the delicious mojitos, the experience could not have been better.

Fully satisfied we traveled a few blocks further to the local art school and were treated to some musical performances by the students. As middle school students, they are already impressive musicians. We heard pianists, a trumpet player and guitarists. The trumpet player surprised us with “The Star-Spangled Banner” and then played the Cuban national anthem, at our request. Nick, one of our guests, made some new friends by playing piano with a couple of the students. 

Finally after a stroll through downtown of Nuevo Gerona, we headed back to the Panorama II for a recap and another delicious meal out on deck as we head for tomorrow’s destination.