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Posts Tagged ‘Grannies on Safari go to Cuba’

The Grannies on Safari’s Cuban Adventure Part 4: The best of Cuba

WONDERS OF CUBA: The Grannies on Safari saw it all
while traveling to Cuba

Few Americans have had the opportunity to visit Cuba in this lifetime. The Grannies on Safari, however, were given this opportunity courtesy of Friendly Planet Travel. These globetrotters came away with a new understanding of Cuban life, and formed their own opinions about what the best aspects of their trip were.

We hope our Cuba podcast series has helped build your knowledge of Cuba and highlighted all of the wonderfully rewarding experiences the country has to offer. Listen as Pat and Regina excitedly fill us in on their favorite parts of the trip, and why they’d love to go again. Also, if you’re interested in seeing their trip in its entirety on their television show, they give the details about the air date in the podcast.

                                                                                                         

Thanks again to the Grannies on Safari for speaking with us about their trip!

Pictures from the Grannies on Safari’s Cuban adventure

The Grannies on Safari have done a great job updating us about their Cuban adventure through our podcast series, but I’ve been itching to see some images from their people-to-people tour. Since their Cuba trip will not be aired on their PBS TV show until May of next year, I asked Pat and Regina if they would share some of their personal photos with us.

Because a picture is worth a 1,000 words, I thought I’d let their pictures speak for themselves. Here’s a snapshot of a Friendly Planet Travel people-to-people Cuba trip through the eyes of the Grannies themselves.

The Grannies first stop was Havana, where they visited Plaza Vieja,located in the center of Old Havana. Currently undergoing restoration, this square showcases the famous Cuban colonial architecture.

While in Havana, they also visited Revolution Square, which has held many political rallies throughout the years. An image of Ernesto “Che” Guevara is pictured on one of the buildings overlooking the square.

Regina and Pat pose next to a mural painting of Che Guevara. Known as a hero of the Cuban revolution, his image has become a cultural symbol in Cuba. 
Masks play an important role in Cuban culture. They are often carved by street artists and used as decoration or sold for profit.

The Grannies loved the classic feel of Havana, especially the vintage cars scattered about the city.

They even got their photo taken in a classic car!

The Friendly Planet Colors of Cuba tour, which the Grannies traveled on, is a people-to-people trip that promotes contact with Cuban people through educational exchanges concerning art, music, and culture.

The Grannies learned how to make mojitos at the famous Hotel Nacional, and also had a great time tasting their creations.

Regina and Pat loved their tour guide, Alejandro, who helped the Grannies have a meaningful experience in Cuba.

The entire Grannies on Safari group posed for a picture in Old Havana, including Pat, Regina, Alejandro, the production crew, and Regina’s granddaughter Alessandra.

From the looks of it, the Grannies on Safari had a great time experiencing the colors of Cuba! If you can’t get enough of the Grannies, keep an eye out for the final installment of the podcast series where they’ll spill more details about their trip.

The Grannies on Safari’s Cuban Adventure Part 3: Unexpected experiences in Cuba

Regina Fraser and Pat Johnson have no reservations about experiencing all the world has to offer. These Grannies on Safari travel the world and film their adventures for their TV show, so they often expect the unexpected.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL: The Grannies on Safari
got to see how the people of Cuba live

But even the Grannies on Safari experienced some things they didn’t anticipate while traveling to Cuba on a trip sponsored by Friendly Planet Travel. Regina and Pat had the opportunity to get an up-close-and-personal look at the lives of the Cuban people not usually covered by mainstream media. Hear their stories below.

COCO CAB: Regina called these open-air taxis coco puffs!

                                                                                                         

Stay tuned for the final installment of our Grannies on Safari’s Cuban Adventure podcast series.

The Grannies on Safari’s Cuban Adventure Part 2: The tastes of Cuba

CUBAN FLAVOR: The Grannies got to
sample frozen drinks!

If you’re interested in hearing about Cuban culture, look no further. That’s because we’re back with another installment of our podcast with the Grannies on Safari, Regina Fraser and Pat Johnson, who document their world travels for their show.

Most recently, they ventured to Cuba, courtesy of Friendly Planet Travel. Take a listen to our interview below to hear all about their cultural adventures while in Cuba. Can you say cigars, mojitos, and black bean soup?

                                                                                                         

Keep an eye on our Grannies on Safari go to Cuba tag to hear more updates about Regina and Pat’s trip.

The Grannies on Safari’s Cuban Adventure, Part 1: Meeting the people of Cuba

LIFE-SIZE ART: Regina and Pat saw this work of art in Cuba

Regina Fraser and Pat Johnson have returned from their trip to Cuba sponsored by Friendly Planet Travel! For the unacquainted, Regina and Pat are the stars of the PBS TV series, “Grannies on Safari,” sponsored by AARP.

We recently interviewed Regina and Pat for our blog, and they gave us the inside scoop on what their trip to Cuba was like, how they enjoyed their people-to-people experience, and how the trip to Cuba exceeded their expectations.

We’re sharing that interview here — even before their show airs! Since there was so much to talk about, I decided to split our podcast into four installments, and I’m excited to give you the first one below.

                                                                                                         

Regina and Pat’s trip was made possible through People-to-People licensing, which allows Americans to travel to Cuba to promote contact with Cuban people through educational exchanges concerning art, music, culture, and more. Stay tuned for more updates from the Grannies on Safari’s Cuban adventure.

Cuba predictions: What the Grannies on Safari hope to see

Regina Fraser and Pat Johnson, also known the Grannies on Safari, have just returned from their trip to  Cuba, all thanks to Friendly Planet Travel. While we anxiously await a peek at the TV program they filmed during their visit, I wanted to share the second part of our podcast that we conducted with them before they left.

In this part of the interview, Regina and Pat tell Friendly Planet Travel blogger Caitlin what “dying trade” they hope to uncover in Cuba, what old pieces of history they’d like to visit, as well as why Regina was so excited to bring her granddaughter on the trip. Listen in to the rest of their conversation below!

                                                                                                         

Stay tuned to our blog because Regina and Pat will soon fill us in on the wonderful people and places they saw in Cuba. We can’t wait!

What will the Grannies on Safari do in Cuba?

The Grannies on Safari made their travel arrangements, packed their bags, traveled to Cuba, and have just returned home. If you’re not familiar with their story, Regina Fraser and Pat Johnson are two friends who film their travels for their Emmy® award winning TV series, Grannies on Safari, sponsored by AARP. They recently made their first ever trip to Cuba, sponsored by Friendly Planet Travel.

Going to Cuba was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me, and I look forward to hearing if Regina and Pat felt the same way about their journey. So, just before they left for Cuba, I asked Friendly Planet Travel blogger Caitlin to jump on the phone and talk to these worldly ladies about their upcoming trip.

Listen in as Caitlin asks the Grannies why they decided to go to Cuba next, what cultural aspects they want to experience, and what they’re most looking forward to doing while visiting. Regina and Pat are so much fun to listen to, so you’ll definitely want to hear what they have to say.

                                                                                                         

Stay tuned for more updates from the Grannies about their trip to the Cuba with our Grannies on Safari go to Cuba tag and the second half of the conversation to be posted shortly!

Grannies on Safari make their Friendly Planet Travel debut in Cuba

GRANNIES GO TO CUBA: Watch their adventures
in Havana and beyond

When we met the Grannies on Safari at The Philadelphia Inquirer Travel Show, we hit it off immediately. So even after the camera stopped rolling, the conversation kept going.

If you didn’t see our original post, Regina Fraser and Pat Johnson are two friends who travel the world together and film it for their PBS television series “Grannies on Safari.” They’ve turned their love of people, art, and travel into an Emmy® award winning TV series, sponsored by AARP.

In their interview with Friendly Planet Travel blogger Caitlin, Regina and Pat said that Cuba was on their short list for destinations to visit next. Well, it looks like the stars have aligned!

If you’ve been following the blog, you know that we’re one of seven tour operators nationwide offering ‘People-to-People’ tours to Cuba. Cuba was my #1 destination to visit in 2012, and I can’t say enough about this amazing destination.

It was perfect timing to learn that the Grannies wanted to go on a trip that only a few, including us, offered. So we’re sending the Grannies to see the culture and diversity of Cuba, all courtesy of Friendly Planet Travel.

The Grannies will be packing their bags and jet setting to Cuba on June 16. From there, they’ll be spending eight days getting to know the places and faces of Cuba. The People-to-People license that allows travel to Cuba requires that travelers partake in educational exchange activities. That means that Regina and Pat will spend time with local Cubans, learning all about their lives and sharing their experiences as devotees to culture.

They’ll be traveling on our Colors of Cuba tour, where they’ll see local Cuban schools, neighborhoods, and even visit an organic farm to lunch with local Cubans who benefit from the food grown there. We’ll be posting the details of their trip as the departure draws near!

The Grannies on Safari will be updating us on their experiences while in Cuba, so bookmark the ‘Grannies on Safari go to Cuba’ tag for the latest updates and keep your eyes on our blog to hear more about the wonderful destination of Cuba!

Grannies on Safari are traveling to Cuba on a trip sponsored by Friendly Planet Travel. The opinions expressed about their experience on the trip are their own. Friendly Planet Travel will publish their content unedited and in its entirety.

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