We are super happy to share a wonderful review from Michael Di Mauro of the Tibetan Museum in New York who is returning to Cuba with us very soon!

Kristen, I am still mentally not home yet. Very difficult to come right back to work after a 24 year old dream is realized. I have been to 15 countries for pleasure, business and cultural exploration, but Cuba has far surpassed them all. Our guide(s) were excellent. Our drivers were excellent. I have new friends and brothers for life. We met so many people there from the States on their own without a guide. How short sighted of them! Every turn of the corner is rich with history and it would be so foolish to walk those streets without guidance. Two women flew in from Chicago and were just hanging out by the pool all day. Imagine! You can go in a pool anywhere in the world and they wasted the day away in Havana. Nuts. We met two young guys at the Hemingway House whose guide only met with them in the morning to give them advice and then sent them out on their own! They were shocked to learn that Ari was with us all day from morning to night. Your service is flawless and I especially appreciate arranging the cars for us to use instead of a tour bus. I know this was an issue in the beginning.

By no fault of Ari, we did not get to see a working cigar factory because it was closed when we could have gone. I did visit the Partagas factory one afternoon, however. My only recourse is to plan another trip, which I am already working on by the way. Our visit to the Montesino farm allowed me to grasp the hands of both Marcelo and Eulogio Montesino, men who have actually had a significant impact on the Cuban cigar industry, and on my life personally. This experience was so surreal. It’s like loving Ford cars and being able to shake hands with Henry Ford. Mario and his family were awesome. He could not be more kind. We were so happy to see his good work in the community and we happily bought art, made donations and left well fed and feeling like family. Our visit to the Cuban art museum with Laura will be unforgettable. Cuba’s history is a story truly told through its artists. I felt like I was experiencing every decade and Laura could not be a better guide in there.

Restaurants were comparable to NYC quality restaurants. Whoever had the homemade pasta at the Italian restaurant will surely agree that it ranks as one of the best out there. (my mouth is watering now)

With much love to my travel partners for putting up with me…

Michael