The following is a post from my husband's blog at OperaGene.com which the two of us collaborated on. He typically reports on Opera; however, since we made this trip together, we thought it would be fun to do a dual post. A departure from precedent: OperaGene blog reports typically end with the The Fan Experience section covering the logistics of attending opera and the experience beyond the opera itself. My wife and I recently took a summer vacation in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Read about my recent visit to a favorite restaurant, Commander's Palace in New Orleans.

Our visit to the Hemingway museum was both a hit and a miss. Yes we had checked the hours and yes the museum should have been open, but alas when we arrived we were told it was closed, to come back tomorrow. C'est la vie. Ernest Hemingway spent 30 years in Cuba, writing seven of his books on the island, including The Old Man and the Sea. He purchased his home outside Havana in 1940 and named it Finca Vigia or "lookout farm" which is now a museum. I peered down the long drive

We had enjoyed a wonderful few days in Havana but time was drawing near to to say goodbye and return home. Before doing so, I wanted to visit Almacenes de San Jose on the Port of Havana. It is a large complex where artisans exhibit and sell their handicrafts. The harbourside warehouse, built in 1885, is an imposing facade. Inside, the area was vast and the handicrafts plentiful. Leather and ceramic items, toys, masks, and homemade knitwear are only a few of the items on displ

Havana is a great city for many things, especially for learning about the Cuban culture and history, but also for photography. It is a fun place to take a few photographs for sure. Unfortunately most of mine were taken with my phone on this trip but sometimes that happens. These are just a few of the moments I enjoyed in Havana. The left wall shown above was the side of our apartment. This corridor and the connecting homes were originally all part of one large ho

Traveling to Havana, one "must visit" site for me was the Hotel Nacional de Cuba. It is a grand, elegant and historic hotel in Havana with a beautiful location right on the Malecon. It is considered a symbol of Cuban identity and culture. Hotel Nacional de Cuba has had many distinguished patrons since its opening in 1930 and the Salon de la Fama (Hall of Fame) in one wing commemorates them. This hall's design is cleverly laid out in decades, and walking down its history

I don't make it a habit of hanging around cemeteries, however, there are a couple that I have visited that should not be missed. The Cemetario de Colon (Christopher Columbus Cemetery) in Havana is one of those. Once you walk through this entranceway, you enter one of the most celebrated historical cemeteries of not only Latin America, but of the world. Christopher Columbus is its namesake and it is indeed a grand cemetery. The Spanish architect who designed it became its fir

My friend Katie always wants food photos. I didn't take as many photos in general, nor as many food photos. Nonetheless, here are the few I took. Katie, I deeply regret not taking a photo of the lobster and corn or the food at Atelier for you. They were both delicious. My guys walking ahead of me checking out our residential neighborhood as we head out for breakfast one morning. La Chucheria (above) was only two blocks from our hotel so we stopped in for breakfast.. It has

I wanted to visit the Tropicana, well because, why not check out the historic and world renown cabaret while in Havana, Cuba. I was mesmerized by its history and had read wonderful things about the club's setting. Having been developed on a six acre estate in 1939, it is known for its luxurious tropical gardens. Still at this location, the seating is under the stars, by the way, that certainly was an element drawing me in. Five stages of singers and dancers, performing Latin

Plaza de la Revolucion is a large square (five sq miles) in Havana Cuba. Construction of the square began during the reign of Batista and was originally called the Civic Square. The name change took place after the revolution. Fidel Castro held many events at this square, sometimes addressing more than a million Cubans gathered here. Walking around the square, I could only imagine what that would have been like. Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis held their papal masses here

Since Americans can now fly to Cuba on commercial flights, I wanted to visit Havana NOW. My son was 100 percent with me and my husband was a little on the fence, but willing to make it a family educational jaunt. In the Ft. Lauderdale airport,after obtaining my Cuban visa and my Cuban travel insurance which is also a requirement for entry, I sent this photo of myself to a few of my friends. One dear friend and colleague responded: "that's la vida loca" with a smily face. Th