Friday, June 27, 2014
We started the day eating breakfast with our host family. The home-made Cuban breakfast consisting of tortillas, mango juice, and omelets was surely a unique experience. Though the food offered in the breakfast was different from a typical American breakfast, we all enjoyed the Cuban cuisine.
After breakfast, the group set out to go to a tobacco farm a few minutes away from the houses in which we were staying. We saw a variety of animals and plants on the farm as well as witnessed the intricate method of harvesting tobacco and making cigars.
Shortly after watching the complicated process of cigar-manufacturing, one of the cigar makers lef us on a hike through the mountains. We walked through the dense woods and up to the top, where there was a cave. We ended up on the other side of the mountain and walked on the trail where we began.
On this tobacco farm we were able to see the process , which most Americans never have the chance to witness, of making the infmaous Cuban cigars and we were able to see amazing views and sights of the mountains and plains of the peaceful countryside. Being able to see and learn this much in one little place was truly special.
At 3pm, we had an all saxophone rehearsal. Since we will be performing without a rhythm section, we needed to make some adjustements in our current music, learn a few new songs, including Toxix, a popular Brittany Spears song. The rehearsal was very focused, because we needed to learn a lot in a short period of time, but after a productive hour, we got to witness Kenji jam out with a local Cuban saxophonist.
The last event of the day was an amazing dinner at a farm with a gorgeous view of the mountains. After we had arrived, we first had a tour through the farm. We saw various kinds of plants and fruits as well as their harvests. Apart from the delicate food, the pleasant conversations and beautiful scenery also made the dinner especially enjoyable. The hue of the setting sun and the rainbow surrounding the mountains made the valley seem divine from a distance. The lightening and dark clouds covering the sky were truly impressive as well, provoking a melancholic feeling from time to time. The dinner certainly pleased everyone. After dinner, we had a brief and pleasurable Salsa lesson. This must be the best way to end a long yet exciting day.
By Peter Zhang '17 and Matt O'Donnell '17
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