DAY 7. It is definitely hard to say goodbye! This was an amazing experience that was made special because of the people that took this journey with us! (I'm not crying!! lol). We spent the morning visiting the senior citizens at Convento de Nuestra Senora de Belen. This repurposed convent is a humanitarian health project in Old Havana. The construction on the Convent was begun in 1712. It was expanded and remodeled several times over the centuries. Finally abandoned in 1925, it fell into grave disrepair. In 1991 restoration began and continues with amazing results. Today the Office of the Historian, local Public Health authorities and the Order of the Sisters of Charity jointly manage the Belén Convent. It is home to fifty elderly people and provides physiotherapy and ophthalmological services to many more elderly in the community. Other activities include exercise classes, board games, cognitive rehabilitation, films, crafts workshops, and "love among the elderly" lectures. We spent the afternoon at the Rum Museum where we learned about the history of rum production in the island and concluded with tasting for those interested at the Havana Club. There was even cocktail making. We spent an amazing lunch at La Carreta. Some of our travelers went to the market for shopping and the rest of us went to visit Finca La Vigía (House and farm of Ernest Hemingway Museum) which is one of my personal favorite parts of the tour. But a visit in Cuba would NOT be complete without a panoramic ride in old convertible cars. The mentees, physicians and all of our travelers were all styling and profiling and dressed to the 9s in our vintage cars. We arrived at Havana’s most famous private restaurant, La Guarida, where the 1997 Cuban blockbuster “Strawberry and Chocolate” was filmed. Dinner was divine as we all prepared to depart until next time.

Explore the epicenter of Afro-Cuban culture, art and religion in the world famous HAMEL’S Alley in Havana Cuba. I AM ABEL FOUNDATION’S Medicine Makers is live in Havana with a focus on culture and medicine with the ur present-med students Join Dr Rene Roberts and I Am Abel Foundation as we explore Cuba 🇨🇺

Chan Chan video made from the Wim Wenders documentary 'Buena Vista Social Club' Click here to subscribe to World Circuit - http://smarturl.it/sub2worldcircuit Buy on CD/LP, download or stream now: https://worldcircuit.lnk.to/BuenaVistaSocialClub The original Buena Vista Social Club album was recorded for World Circuit Records over six days at the vintage EGREM studios in Havana. Released in 1997, the album went on to become a worldwide phenomenon, selling over 8 million copies and contributing to the rise in popularity of Cuban, as well as Latin American, music. Since forming in London in the mid-1980s, World Circuit Records has made its reputation by producing some of the finest albums of the past three decades. The label’s prestigious roster includes Buena Vista Social Club and associated solo artists (including Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén González, Omara Portuondo and Orlando ‘Cachaíto’ López), Malian blues pioneer Ali Farka Touré, Malian divas and social activists Oumou Sangaré and Fatoumata Diawara, master kora player Toumani Diabaté, the illustrious Orchestra Baobab, musical iconoclast Cheikh Lô, and Fela Kuti’s legendary drummer and co-creator of Afrobeat Tony Allen. With reissues and brand new releases coming soon, World Circuit continues to bring diverse, genre-defying music to a wider audience. FOLLOW WORLD CIRCUIT: Subscribe: http://smarturl.it/sub2worldcircuit Website: http://www.worldcircuit.co.uk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldCircuitRecords Twitter: https://twitter.com/WorldCircuit Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/world_circuit_records Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/worldcircuitrecords LYRICS (Spanish) De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané Luego a Cueto voy para Mayarí. El cariño que te tengo Yo no lo puedo negar Se me sale la babita Yo no lo puedo evitar. Cuando Juanica y Chan Chan En el mar cernían arena Como sacudía el ‘jibe’ A Chan Chan le daba pena. Limpia el camino de paja Que yo me quiero sentar En aquel tronco que veo Y así no puedo llegar. De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané Luego a Cueto voy para Mayarí. (English) I’m going from Alto Cedro to Marcané Then from Cueto, I’m going to Mayarí. The love I have for you I cannot deny My mouth is watering I just can’t help myself. When Juanika and Chan Chan Sifted sand together on the beach How her bottom shook and Chan Chan was aroused! Clean the dry sugar cane leaves from the path So I can get to that trunk I want to sit down. I’m going from Alto Cedro to Marcané Then from Cueto, I’m going to Mayarí. #BuenaVistaSocialClub #ChanChan #Cuba

Journey with Dr. LaMenta Sweetie Conway and family and the Late Learners Language Academy January 2016 as we reflect on some really great moments during our first excursion to explore the vibrant homeland of my mother's father and feast upon the food, music, culture and the rich african diaspora which is Cuba !