Cuba, discovering Havana - Apr 2012

What a time it was.....

I can hardly believe that our Funky People Online Discover CUBA 2012 Trip was almost three months ago. One weekend visit to Havana has left us with loads of lifetime memories about a country that has been taboo for two generations of US citizens. Well beyond our expectations, we've fallen in love with CUBA and cannot say enough about it!

Before I get into the trip details, I have to first thank Tesandra Cohen and the entire staff of Insight Cuba, (www.insightcuba.com) who worked diligently with our travel group from start to finish. Getting access to and booking for Cuba is quite an irregular process. Patience and an open mind about the travel itinerary is a must, as our hosts/travel partner did a tremendous job to make the entire journey run smoothly. Special thanks to our host/guide Jose Ramon Rodriguez for his expert knowledge and stellar efforts in accommodating our interests while in Cuba! We are also much appreciative of the many friends of the Funky People network that lent their usual help to circulate our plans on the web. We could not do this without you - Thanks again!

So what about The Republic of Cuba? It was once the hedonistic playground for the wealthy, business elite and criminal underworld after the post US depression days. Off limits for Americans for so many years, we knew this would be a trip back in time culturally, socially, politically, and historically! However, nothing we'd heard or knew about Cuba would prepare us for this adventure.

A flood of impressions from the very beginning......

The quick 30 minute flight from Miami dropped us into a world we were eager to explore. Havana's US Int'l airport was busy this morning as we were on one of 20 flights ferrying in various "tour groups" and Cuban-Americans that day. Our tour guide (or "Cuban host for the weekend"), Jose, yells "Group C this way" and pointed towards a parked tour bus. Still too early to check in to our hotel, Jose was super energetic and wasted no time showering us with details about his homeland. Minds open, ears perked and eyes fixed out the nearest window, we were off and speeding towards the capitol center, cameras clicking the whole time...

The first stop was at a sprawling plaza, surrounded by official government buildings in the distance. The Cuban sun was warm, bright and the plaza had scores of other foreign tourists strolling about. This place was our first full dose of Cuban culture. We were standing in Revolution Square. The very spot where Pope Benedict XVI delivered his historic speech in Havana just a month earlier. Wow! Reality had set in at 11:30am local time. "Yes, we're definitely in Cuba.....quick, group photo!!"

There were so many things that appealed to our curiosity now! What's next? Who will we meet? What fascinating facts will we learn? A look at the group's schedule during lunch would reveal a week's worth of activities were squeezed into our weekend. How would we do it all?

Our first evening began with an impromptu visit to the studio of artist Frank Martinez. For us, his paintings incorporated a combination of various historical events with the pride of the Cuban people. The Cuban art spoke with a political volume the average citizen could not use. His visual concepts were brilliant! I wondered if this free artistic expression would be a recurring theme we'd see in other art displays? Next, the inaugural tour activity was dinner and 2 hour cabaret show at the famed Nacional Hotel of Cuba. Built in the late 1920s, this hotel has quite a bit of history to it. Famous figures like Meyer Lanksy, Buster Keaton, Fred Astaire, Walt Disney, Jack Dempsey, Mickey Mantle, Sir Winston Churchill, Nat King Cole, and Eartha Kitt to name a few, have graced the stage and bedroom suites here. Avid American film buffs will remember the Nacional Hotel was dramatized in the film, GodFather II, depicting the infamous 1946 mob boss summit headed by Lucky Luciano.

The first Friday....

Morning sunshine greeted our first full day in Havana. We were zipped out of the hotel promptly after breakfast and dropped off downtown to begin an all day walking tour of Central Havana. The city was already in swing. The school day had begun, business shops were open and traffic was bustling. Listening attentively to our guide Jose explain the long history of the neighborhood location we were standing, we became fixated on the people, the architecture and the everyday life of Cuba that moved around us. To us outsiders (Americans) it looked like business as usual. It was your typical Caribbean lifestyle. Yeah, we'd been misled to believe our tour here would be cloaked in secrecy, that our efforts to observe and soak in the Cuban culture would be censored by authoritarian rule. Nope, not now. A Cuba under martial law was once a part of it's history during times of harsher policies by former President Fidel Castro, but clearly this was a new Cuba we were seeing.

What we saw was general order and a balanced way of life. Our guide explained how the government provides free education and healthcare and other life/family services to every citizen. No one is denied access based on race, gender, sexual preference or economic standing. Major crime here was rare. It was comfortable. We were in awe watching this country as it watched us back. The people were charming. Local school children waved for our cameras, and even posed on cue. No doubt they'd seen a few American movies and music videos. Taxi drivers whisked by us, proudly honking the horns of their restored classic American cars! The building architecture was incredible. New, old, Spanish, Colonial, American, Russian modern, traditional - Cuba has a mix of it all. Several older Cubans took the time to approach us while we wandered through the maze of streets and alleys. "Where are you all from, my friends? You're Americans?", one gentlemen asked. "Yes, from different cities in the US", we responded. "That is wonderful. Welcome, please bring back more African-Americans to see Cuba!", he said excitedly. We posed to take a few photos together and exchanged pleasant farewells. Our few remaining fears were gone. We loved this type of interaction with the people. We were really proud to be here now, doing something special that many Americans citizens and Americans of color had not. The remainder of the walk was post card worthy! Lots of eye-catching views to record. Good thing I packed two batteries for my digital camera, I'd need them.

After stops at the Catedral de San Cristobal de la Habana, El Capitolio, Teatro Colon, and the Taller Artist Gallery, we broke for lunch at the Dominica Restaurant. The service was top-notch, the food was mouth-watering, the jazz band jammed some great numbers while we ate and talked about the great finds at the Art Gallery! A highlight of the day was our tour of one of Cuba's many cigar houses. Here, we saw fresh new Cuban cigars being rolled and prepared for smoking. Unexpectedly, we were given the opportunity to indulge in the new product at La Casa de Habano. For me this was a spontaneous moment, since I'm not a smoker. But how could I have come to Cuba without having my first cigar? Kudos to my travel companions in the group for easing me in to this acquired activity, I nailed it like a pro!! Before the day ended, we visited a few more open plazas and parks, stopped at a trade school for boys & girls, and learned a lot more about the progress of the colonial architecture that was being restored. Cuba's early commerce is definitely linked to other Caribbean destinations we've visited. It so awesome we're seeing it here as well.

The sun began to set as we headed to our hotel. The Quinta Avenida hotel is located in the Miramar neighborhood. A residential area of Havana near several of the international embassies, this location has all the modern amenities you would want. We had great views of a public park, the ocean coastline two blocks over and the Havana nightlife was a short 10 minute ride away. Our Friday evening plans began with dinner and an unsuspecting moment for three trip attendees who were celebrating Birthday's this very travel weekend. Our toast and cake surprise went off without a hitch for Carol, Kimberly and Myrna! Thanks again to Jose, our guide, for helping with the special arrangements. This was a full day that began before 9am, but it was still far from over .....

Next up was a evening activity to see a stage show, Amigas. This was such an exclusive treat to witness a musical performed in Havana by the famed Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba company. We had great seats, center orchestra, ten rows from the stage to see a rare performance by this popular dance troop. You see the Lizt Alfonso Dance company travels abroad so often showcasing Cuba's traditional & modern dance culture, that they only have 4 shows a year in Cuba. Needless to say the auditorium was packed to capacity, with over 3000 strong of all ages. Yet another example of how our people-to-people immersion trip in Cuba was special well beyond our expectations. The show ended around midnight, but we didn't want this first full day to end. The best recommendation was to take in one of Cuba's popular Salsa clubs, Casa de la Musica! And that we did, feeling right at home with the local Cuban people at this massive stage club. Bottles of Cuba's Havana Club rum poured, the music pumped, and the 15-member Salsa band that hit the stage 2am was definitely the real deal! The party energy was so over the top, bodies were moving everywhere. My meager Salsa dance lessons from the past 3 months had definitely paid off too. Content with our day, the taxi ride back to our hotel in a classic 1940s American station wagon was just more "icing on the cake". What a stellar nightcap!

A super Saturday.....

Early rise again and a series of local stops would take us through the various residential neighborhoods surrounding Havana. Cubans were out running weekend errands, shopping for fresh produce, fish and meat for their families. This is a weekly chore for Cubans, since their government food allocations don't last the entire month. (one major shortfall of the Cuban government's social services). It was important for us to view/document this side of life in the Cuban community. Everyone pitching in to help make ends meet for their neighbor was a collective responsibility that was understood. We witnessed one such moment when our tour bus passed by a house where several men were hunched over something laying on the sidewalk. "What is that? Is that a....?" Yep, it was.... a freshly killed pig, being divided up and cleaned right out in the open street side. The collective gasps from our bus and the men's facial expression ("what?"), made me chuckle as I snapped a quick photo. It sure wasn't a sight for the squeamish, but a real glimpse of daily life in Cuba could not have been planned or more genuine for that matter.

The rest of the morning took us to another gallery featuring paper machete art by the artist Antonia Elriz, and the mansion of US author, Ernst Hemingway, before having lunch at the Terazza Restaurant. The lobster seafood fare was mouth-watering and even more interesting were the framed wall photos of Hemingway marlin fishing with Fidel Castro. Again the house band was impressive! Their jazzy, Spanish guitar rendition of Hotel California by the Eagles, had our attention and a well-deserved applause. Outside this comfy seaside location of Cojimar, a scene for a novella was being filmed while onlookers stood in the distance. We moved on, back to the city for a bit to visit a very important site during our weekend, the Museum of the Revolution. Here our guide, Jose gave us an in-depth history lesson about the early settlers of Cuba, the principles involved in both Cuban revolutions and the Battle of the Bay of Pigs. The sights, the exhibits, and more importantly the conversation that took place was one of the best moments of the weekend. It was refreshing to hear and see the history of Cuba, told by Cubans. We learned about Che' Guevera and traced the effects of the Cuban Revolution while hearing how relations between the US and Cuban governments wasn't always a frosty one. "Hmmm...there was another side to Cuba's story. Colonial history does repeat itself", we thought. Our questions were direct about Cuba's "communist" label, and the Castro led-government. Jose answered our queries just as directly, without hesitation. The 2 hour tour/discussion was frank, revealing, and transformative. It was a view of Cuba's existence most Americans had ever known or would hear. "How could one not think differently about Cuba and the citizens there from this point on?".

Here's a little of what we learned about Cuba. Did you know that.....

#1: Nickel and Cobalt represent large exports for Cuba. Cuba has the second largest nickel reserves in the world only to Russia.

#2:Cuba has two currencies. The locals use the CUP (Cuban Peso), however this money is not traded internationally due to the American embargo. Therefore a second currency was created for to allow visitors, tourists and immersion tour groups to use. This currency is called the CUC (or Cuban Convertible Peso).

#3: Baseball and dominos are national obsessions in Cuba!

#4: American author Ernest Hemingway wrote “The Old Man and the Sea” and “For whom the Bell Tolls” whilst living in Cuba.

#5: Cuba is home to nine (9) UNESCO Cultural and Natural World Heritages sites.

#6: Cuba is the real birth place of the Bacardi Rum brands. Bacardi distilling operations moved to Puerto Rico after Fidel Castro’s takeover.

#7: Cuba is the most populated country in the whole of the Caribbean. The population of Cuba totals more than eleven million.

#8: The official flower of Cuba is the Butterfly Jasmine, while the national bird is the Tocororo or the Cuban Trogon. The official tree of the Republic of Cuba is the Royal Palm.

#9: Under a socialist system, the Cuban government provides all health care and educational services to every citizen. Cubans enjoy the highest life expectancy rate of any country in Latin America or North America.

#10: Cuba boasts one of the best healthcare systems in the world. It has the highest doctor to patient ratio in the world. In fact, there are so many doctors in Cuba, that the country lends doctors to other countries that face a shortage of medical professionals.

The final stop of our last day was to an unassuming corner residence in a quiet outer Havana neighborhood. We thought we'd be able to spend the remainder of our afternoon seeing a performance and meeting the local music curators. Boy, were we in for a surprise. This was not your regular Jazz joint in the traditional American sense. The 270 Club was a place of communal dance where the youngest patron was a mere 65 years old. We walked inside this home that had been coverted into a dance club to see our elders, some as "young as 85 and 95" dancing up a storm. To call these golden folks, old, seemed inappropriate. The sight was an awesome experience - what a vibrant group! Just heartwarming to see these men and women loving life and bee-bopping to jazz music in such a manner. We almost could not relate to this...because the peers of our/my generation do not dance to jazz like this or at all. (We merely nod our heads while listening, unfortunately.) Our time here was magical and very moving. We got a chance to share laughs and even learned some of the swing dance moves we'd seen. The photographs of famous figures on the wall of fame and the songs that played that day will be embedded in our memories for a good while. The hugs and smiles will never be forgotten. We felt like we'd spent time at our grandparents house with their friends for an afternoon. "This was our new found home. Who could have imagined having such a unique experience like this?" In Cuba, no doubt. There wasn't a dry eye on the bus when we left. Hands down, this was the best moment of the entire trip and so fitting that it was our last site visit. The vote was final....we love, love, love, CUBA and its' people!

The weekend finale could not have been better. It was one last chance to take a breathe and reminisce over live music and another three-course seafood meal at the Tocororo Restaurant. We were sad to be leaving the next day, but were richly satisfied that we'd made this decision see Cuba this way. We toasted to our gracious hosts and then retired for one last night on the town. It was back to the USA the next day, loaded with photos and authentic souvenirs of our journey. Personally, I was eager to show off my authentic Cuban baseball jersey to my sports buddies. Our group zipped through customs at Miami International Airport after landing with no hassles, just as Insight Cuba had arranged - we did it!!! Our group members beamed with overwhelming pride as we thought about the intoxicating journey. Our friends, family and colleagues have got to hear all about our good time in Cuba. And we would need to figure out how to get more people to follow in our footsteps.

My personal recommendation is to consider making plans now for Cuba. The window for US government sanctioned, organized "legal travel" is not promised forever, but then again how often are great windows of opportunity in life. This was a momentous tour for the Funky People and one of our top two trips to date, in my opinion. So close, but yet so far away, there's just so much that is undiscovered about Cuba and her culture - it deserves a encore visit for more exploration. Humbled and forever thankful to have seen a small bit this time around, we hope you join us on a future planned excursion. Until then.....sign up for all FP travel & event updates here.

Get a glimpse of the Cuba we discovered on our public site gallery. View the short videos and all three photo album links titled: Havana Cuba ~ Apr 2012.

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A Carnival in Cartagena - Nov 2011

Up, up and away.....

After a few life/professional changes, the FP travel group re-started it's latest set of travel ventures in November 2011. Always in search of not so trite and commercialized travel destinations, our friends in Panama whispered fondly a few years back about an "off-the-radar" locale our travel group might enjoy! Really? Colombia? Yes, you see this is one country that has not exactly been on the travel radar for Americans due to it's reputation and dangerous drug past of the 70s & 80s. But almost 2 decades later, Colombia and many of it's largest cities, Bogota, Cali, Medellin, and Baranquilla, have shed that negative label and pushed international business commerce and travel tourism to huge levels. Known as an affordable destination throughout Latin America already, Cartagena is considered to be the "Monte Carlo of the Caribbean". Exactly due south of Jamaica and Cuba on the northern coast of South America, Cartagena is an easy trek from Miami or NYC with all the elements of a good-valued Caribbean vacation year round. After some research and promotion, it was off to visit the Colombian lands during one of their grandest events - Carnival in Cartagena de Indias!!

CARTAGENA CARNIVAL is more than just your typical, uninhibited street parade. This one long weekend was Colombia's annual event for celebrating their heritage, culture and historic independence. Like most afro-latin countries, national pride is on display where the citizens add their own flare and touch on this celebration. This normally sleepy place, takes on a whole new personality. South American travelers and socialites from all over the world descend on this coastal town for some high level revelry and fun under the sun! Additionally, all eyes are focused to see which of this country's beautiful young women will win the most prestigious event of the year, the national beauty pageant crown of Miss Colombia. Imagine a political convention - mixed in with the anticipation of the Oscar's or Grammy's during Super Bowl weekend. "Yeah, just how does all this happen in one weekend?" We were about to find out.....

Arrival - I get in late from my connecting flight to check in at the Cartagena Plaza Hotel in Cartagena's trendiest beachfront neighborhood, Boca Grande. I had only a few minutes to change - I'm lagging behind in joining our group at the first night meet and greet location. I'd gotten word that a few other folks had flight delays, so let's hope all is going smoothly at this point. It's already after 11pm and the plaza behind the Torre del Reloj is crowded. The clock tower is a landmark fixture in Cartagena's Walled City section and is a center point of interest for incoming visitors. The Tu Candela bar is a staple here and a great meeting place for locals and first time visitors. The mood was kinda of laid back, I wave to some familiar faces and see a few new attendees at a table in the corner. I see one our trip leads and get briefed on the arrival updates and plans for the weekend. There's usually activity plan changes once we arrive at a destination and this time, the weather and carnival organizers were the culprits. I discover that the Pageant Street Parade was actually earlier that day, but there's plenty more on tap for the travel group. Ok, no worries. I'll let our local travel vendor deal with juggling all of the weekend particulars. After a few rounds, we leave to drop by one of the most popular cafes here, Arepas Pues. If you like Jamaican patty's, I recommend checking out this spot for a late night bite to eat - the prices are cheap and the service is always entertaining. Arepas, a big part of the cuisine in Venezuela and Colombia, are made of ground corn dough or cooked flour with tomatoes, salad, and cheese added in with the meat. Pretty tasty! Be sure to order the the special of the house an "Arepa filled with any choice of churizo, carne or pollo." or the very familiar "Hamburguesa de carne".

DAY 2 - Free day. This means, we've got lots of daylight to explore the festival surroundings. The weather is great, the views from my hotel room and rooftop pool are incredible. The travel group is not all in one place, but I think the Cartagena Plaza has a few great benefits this weekend. I realized during breakfast that a great many of the stage performers and television production crew are staying here, cause the lobby looked like the backstage of a NY Broadway show. There were stylists, make-up artists, and photographers everywhere. Who are all these people? I had no clue, but I got a few pics of some the dancers and delegates whenever I could, lol! The whole neighborhood was mobbed. You could randomly walk down the main street in Boca Grande and see a mass of people shouting and chanting or carrying posters of their queen. I now realized how serious Colombians take their beauty pageant business. This was something to see. All 26 states in the country have sent their own high-spirited delegation to Cartagena for only one expressed purpose - to make sure "their beauty queen" is crowned on Monday night. I cannot tell you how this makes for a wild atmosphere almost every where you went around town.

The beach across the street was crowded today. The peddlers were making rounds and you were guaranteed to be asked to buy a drink or something to eat or a t-shirt to wear or a nice massage or..... well, you get the idea. (Just ignore them and keep walkin'). We managed a few dips in the ocean water while soaking in some rays though. I still think, however, Playa Blanca Beach is a much nicer urban beach than Boca Grande. Strolling down any of the streets in Boca Grande and you'll see numerous boutiques. Shopping is also a good way to spend some time here. Lots of jewelry, clothing and local art design bargains can be found. A favorable US dollar exchange rate surely helps. On Friday afternoons, there's no better place to kick the weekend into high-hear than at Cafe del Mar. This outdoor restaurant/bar is located atop the colonial wall of the Old City and is packed with a mix of people from all over. Drop in around 4 or 5pm, there's a live DJ, good food to sample on the Mediterranean menu, and you can sit at the bar, a table or on one of the party benches. Most importantly, you have the best view in town of the setting sun. Sample any of of the house cocktails or just try an Aguila or Club Colombia (the national beer favorites) and people watch.

Tonite's meet up was at venue nearby the city center. The main entrance line was long, but our VIP status got us past the crowd with ease and right to our table at Mister Babilla's. Filled with mostly South Americans in town for the weekend, the international DJs and the servers keep this place going. There's no real dance floor area, so after the conga line makes a few laps, dancing on the tables and chairs becomes the norm. Literally!! I know we were definitely having a blast when our group size at the corner table doubled in size. It never fails, the social energy of Funky People usually draws curiosity of the male and female locals, when we're on vacation. No doubt who the out of town Americanos were. I can remember lots of dancing, singing and shots of rum, then.........

DAY 3 - Holy moly, was it Saturday morning already? This is crazy, now I'd have to avoid sleeping for fear of missing today group activity. It's a 9am pickup at the hotel. Colombian coffee is a must at breakfast!! After a bit of confusion the entire travel group arrives at the correct marina to board our vessel for the day. The Saturday event was the Boat Parade for the National Pageant. It's the last time for each beauty queen to make a statement and sway the judges and voters before the actual competition began on Sunday nite. Really different, but pageants are a big deal here. People were scrambling to get on boats all over the two adjacent marinas. I thought half the city must be renting any boat they could, to witness this. The regatta consisted of multi-million dollar yachts, smaller speed boats, tour boats and even a passenger cruise ship off in the distance. The party antics on the spectator boats were as close to the Bourbon Street Mardi Gras, as you can get. The Colombian Marines escorted the queens in row boats past our floating procession. People toasted and cheered as the women posed during their drive-bys. (Talk about swaying public opinion.) It was an fun day on the water in Cartagena Bay. I'm pleased to report no one got seasick and the whole group was accounted for upon our return to the dock. Kudos to our hosts, captain and crew!!

For the Saturday nite finale we visited two of the best places to dance in Cartagena. Club Havana for live Salsa music and Babar, a exclusive discotech in the old city. Both places got pretty packed! Good thing we had our salsa moves ready for Club Havana regulars. We also got a pic with some Latin athletes mingling at Babar. Finally, I get in early. Must sleep now.

DAY 4 - Cartagena's Carnival has been great but there's still two days left!!! A few tours head out with the attendees to the Totumo Mud Volcano, and to the La Pompa monastery. The best beach in the region is on the Rosario Islands. This was a peaceful way to relax in a beautiful ocean setting away for the carnival madness. Back from the tours, we explore the adjacent residential neighborhood of Laquito. Our driver directs us to a unique beach side restaurant hidden behind the Dunn Hotel called the Sunset Beach Club. The bartender and servers here offer warm greetings and suggest a few specialty appetizers on the light menu. The owner/DJ, Juan Diego, mixes up a good blend of soulful deep house music. This is my kinda of international vibe. You can lay out out on the beds or just sit at the bar the whole time as the sun descends on the nearby horizon. Enjoy the atmosphere and share some eats while you reflect on the day. Shout out to our new found friends from Canada, Europe, and Australia. The hospitality here was great!

One of my best recommendations for dinner is La Olla Cartagenera. This is a cozy indoor/outdoor restaurant to sample some Colombian dishes with Caribbean options. The service is excellent and you should try a seafood favorite, the Langostos con Arroz de Cocoa. You won't be disappointed! Now over to the Hilton Hotel Resort. Security is tight and for good reason. This was the big event of the pageant, the 3-hour Miss Colombia Swimsuit competition! It's now fully clear just how big and prestigious the business of beauty pageantry is in this country. There's more than the actual title at stake. Sponsored social service community activities, educational scholarships and public social program funding for the state are in the coffers for the woman that wins. A great deal of the income generated by this event are used to fund the winnings. What a novel idea! No wonder the hotel property had a stadium-like atmosphere. Our seats were amongst a "who's-who" of A-list guests, political leaders and relatives of the contestants. We just stood, watched and took it all in as each state contingent cheered for "their girl". The show was more like a nationally televised fashion show with a half-time performance, but who's complaining? Honestly, after two costume (*clears throat*), I mean bikini changes, I deem this contest a tie. All the beauty queens were winners in my book. I'm told only Venezuela does such a production on a bigger scale. I can believe it. The Miss USA/America pageants are very different.

Day 5 - Monday held a variety of day tour options for the group members. There's lots of historic places see in Cartagena, the Gold Museum, the San Felipe de Barajas Fortress, or the Old Walled city are all favorites of mine. Cartagena's afro-latin colonial history are on the UNESCO World Heritage site list, in fact. The people of Colombia are warmest you'll meet! They don't get to interact with many Americans, so they tend to be just as curious about you as you are about them. Hmmm.....is that why we're having such a good time? I did notice that many of the locals here didn't even realize I was American, I guess my limited Spanish skills didn't give me away. We get lots of great photos and compare our souvenir finds before the day ends.

Our last nite brought us to an Argentinian restaurant called, Quebracho. Between our conservations, the restaurant staff would turn up the large screen monitor volume for the status of the pageant. Tonite's final two events, Evening gown, and Question & Answer, would determine the winner. The food is delicious and the wine complimented our churrascos flawlessly, but attention kept coming back to the television. The winner of last nights swimsuit category is one of the four finalists. The results are tallied. There's a pause, and the 2011 winner is announced..........Daniella Margarita Alvarez Vásquez!

Just like that, it was over. It seemed like only a few hours ago, we'd just landed here. The new queen was crowned, the casual bets were settled and the restaurant begins to close. We consider a few last after-parties to attend, but the massive crowds have left and the city is a lot calmer. No thanks, we've seen the best of this event has to offer already. The travel mates in our group begin to exchange contacts and pose for a few last pictures. It's a plus when the personalities in the group get along so well. It was great to be a part of another fun group of people I had not known before this weekend. "See you all again, soon! Thanks for the great times! Maybe I'll see you in Cuba next year...?". Yup, the travel bug is back, people are still funky - what a weekend!!!

The country of Colombia as a whole will appeal to most tourist interests. If you are looking for a nice getaway, do add Cartagena to your list. Not every weekend in Cartagena has the energy or the crowds of Carnival week, but the colonial history, architecture, afro-latin culture, food, dining, shopping and even eco-tourism activities are all a part of the basic appeal. Other recommendations include Santa Marta, or the isle of San Andres, if you wish to avoid the big interior cities. Special thanks to our usual lists of members, friends and colleagues for assisting with all the groups stateside US promotion! Our on-the-ground activities were handled by the Tours Gone Wild Travel group and boy did they show us an absolutely fantastic time!!! Thanks Arturo and Santiago - we shall connect again for new adventures. Our Funky People Online Network is now on Facebook and Twitter - follow us around the globe using your smartphone or computer. Stay tuned - upcoming trips through 2014 are already in the pipeline....hope to see you with us!

Check out the photos & videos from this trip at this link: Cartagena Carnival 2011 !

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All rights are reserved.

Brazil Vacation - Oct 2009

This entry was originally published on funkypeopleonline.com in November 2009. It has been edited to fit this format.

Season Greetings,

A new season is upon us here, and we wanted to drop a few lines about our recent return tour to Brazil. Once again it was an incredible time shared by those that attended. Special thanks to our travel vendors and tour guide Armondo of Trendsetters Travel for their attentive care with our group in Rio de Janiero; we can never get enough of this place. The accommodations at the Mar Palace Copacabana Hotel were excellent.

Since our previous 2007 visit we can see lots of change coming to Brazil. It is undergoing an economic boom of sorts. After years of an average to below average lifestyle for many citizens, there's a new air of social improvement here now. Crude oil and natural gas deposits have been discovered off the Brazilian coasts and mining of those resources are bringing the country into the upper tier of the world's economies. Technology companies are now investing here and the alternative fuel, Ethonal, is becoming a huge export. Lots of new construction for schools, residential housing and hotel buildings can be observed in several of the tourist centers and popular Rio neighborhoods. There's even plans for a huge expansion of the mass transit system and public internet here. Progress and development are exciting, but still it's the people, the culture, the food, natural beauty and atmosphere that provide the unique chemistry to this great locale. Each visit begs you to find new and exciting activities or in our case appreciate the older classic ones. There's just so much to do and see here you cannot go wrong with your time.

Special congratulations go out to Ramona and Melecio of New Jersey on their engagement at Corcovado mountain! This was a great moment and we wish them all the best for a happy future together. Yup, Rio de Janiero is definitely one of the most romantic places in the world. The group managed to get a few good moments atop Sugar Loaf Mountain and at the Christ Statue, even though the weather was not always cooperative during this stay. One cannot say enough about the gems you come across at the weekly Hippie Fair at General Osório Park in Ipanema. This is one Sunday market place where good negotiation skills for your most desired items come in handy. It is heaven for visiting tourists and shoppers with an eye for leather goods, jewelry and art or paintings. Spend only a few hours at this outdoor bizarre and your bags and arms will be stocked for the return trip home. We may have had a shortage of great weather photos this go round, but me thinks we've got plenty of souviners for our family and friends. Well done travelers, it's time to go!!!

I didn't see the need to post more photos from this destination, as we had featured soooo many great shots after our last visit. I'm sure by now, you can grasp our overall fondness and viewpoint about Brazil, just refer back to those '07 pics or our first trip summary at anytime. I did, however, add three videos of the Las Vegas sytle, Plataforma Carnavale Dinner show the group saw this week! Thanks to Danny M. for the great footage!

Do expect us to bring more Funky People travel groups back to Brazil in the future, especially if Brazil is successful in their bids to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup Soccer Championships and the 2016 Summer Olympic games. Those announcements should be coming soon! Until then, we're planning to visit a few other Funky places on our radar!

You can view the Brazil 2009 trip cabaret show vids at Brazil Vacation Tour ~ Oct 2009.

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All rights are reserved.

Panama Tour - May 2009

This entry was originally published on funkypeopleonline.com on June 6, 2009. It has been edited to fit this format.

Welcome back,

Another Memorial Day Weekend has gone by and the Funky People Panama Tour is history! Each year our getaway destinations bring a different mix of personalities and this year was no exception. (I'm sure this was a warm-up for a bigger time on our upcoming return trip to Brazil)

Now before I get into the trip details, I have to first thank Val Slayton of Tra-Val Services, who worked closely with us on many details of this trip. Special thanks to Nyasha Warren for making my introduction to Panama much smoother. We also had the usual help from many friends of the Funky People family who promoted this trip via their own internet circles. Once again, I appreciate your continued support!

What was so hot about Panama? In a nutshell, I can say that the activities and antics were just as varied as the travelers that joined us in Central America. Not to be directly compared with our previous excursions, Panama has its own flair of culture, history and entertainment. The weekend moved at such a pace that we're still a bit exhausted at this point. If you yearn for the energy of Las Vegas mixed with South Beach Miami, then you will enjoy Panama! Pack a comfortable set of casual shoes or sneakers, it seems we were rarely sitting down...

The Decapolis and Veneto hotels were superb locations to introduce our travelers to the energy and mystique of Panama City. Why stay in the hotel? This area of the city was sort of like being in Times Square and the Wall Street sections of NYC. Everything was at your disposal, local shops, malls, boutiques, casinos, discotheques Panamanian eateries, restaurants, and outdoor cafes - just get out and walk around. Most places offered comfortable atmosphere for tourists and very good pricing. Our first few days took us to see the famous locks of the Panama Canal, an amazingly complex engineering marvel, the historical center of Panama, Casco Viejo, and the Calzada de Amador (or Amador Causeway), which is the very scenic entrance way to the city that connects South America and North America. Panama has the largest duty free shopping zone outside of China, which means you can find almost anything (and I mean anything) to buy for cheap in it's numerous shopping centers and malls. Serious shoppers, beware!

Walking around Panama City gives you a real sense of the vibrant skyline - it is a blend of old and new architecture. Known mostly for the Panama Canal, which drives nearly 1/3 of the entire economy, Panama is also home to many exotic birds, insects and plant life. For eco-tour nature lovers, it's a dream location. The Soberania National Park, just minutes from our city hotel, is the only rainforest to exist in a metropolitan city. Here are a few more things Panama, you probably didn't know.....

#1: The oldest operating railroad in the world exists in Panama. It travels only from Colon (on the Atlantic coast) south to Panama City and was originally built to transport settlers moving west during the California Gold Rush of the late 1800's.

#2: In 1903, the United States, assisted in Panama's declaration of independence from Colombia with Naval protection. The U.S was then awarded rights to what later became the Panama Canal Zone. The U.S. was responsible for completing construction and managing Panama Canal operations until December 1999.

#3: Panama in the original Indian language means "abundance of fish". Other versions refer to the name as meaning "many butterflies".

#4: Panama is the only place in the world where you can swim in two oceans on the same day. The Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean are only 80km apart. You will also see that the Sun also rises over the Pacific Ocean and sets over the Atlantic Ocean.

#5: Almost half of the 3 million residents of Panama live in Panama City. The cultural and racial landscape is made up of many Latin ethnicities, Amerindian tribes, and African, Caribbean and European descendents.

#6: Panama's major export products are bananas, rice, corn, sugar cane, coffee and shrimps bought mostly by Costa Rica, Germany and other European countries!

#7: Panama City is home to over 180 international banks. It is a haven for international investment, but the huge banking industry is due in large part to the commerce driven by the cargo ships that transit the Panama Canal. Each ship must wire transfer a toll fee payment of $100,000 to 250,000, at least 24 hours before entering the Canal waterway. (Sorry Visa is not accepted.) The Canal toll is really considered a discount, when the alternative is to travel around the southern tip of South America at a cost of $1 million dollars and an extra 3 weeks at sea, thus higher prices for consumers at the store.

While the city energy lured many in our group daily, our couples who opted for a more serene environment at the Decameron Beach & Golf Resort in Playa Blanca, got just that. Just over 90 mins outside of Panama City, there were lazy days, moonlit nights and ocean breezes. The Decameron has one of the best beach front locations on the Pacific coast of Panama. There is a local town of Farrallon nearby where you can shop for hand-crafted Indian art and pottery, enjoy dining and bar nightlife. Or you can just kick back, mill about the expansive property, soak up the sun rays, and enjoy the stage show lineups, all while sipping a Balboa or Atlas (Panamanian beers) or a mixture of fruit daiquiris with local rum liquors. For those that dare to swing with the locals, try any one of their high-octane "whiskey on the rocks" concoctions (usually a dark bourbon or scotch). I call this the Panama party-starter, but it ended the night early for others, lol.

Now, with all the daytime touring, cultural exploring, and late night socializing at hot spots like The Loft, La Bogedita, Guru and Club Seis, we did take time to eat the much talked about Panamanian food. No need to spend more than $5 on a good meal, just follow the locals. Shout-out to the friendly staff at El Trapiche restaurant! There are now many of us that are hooked on several Panama dishes like, Platano Maduro, Ceviche, Yucca (a tropical version of the potato), Sancocho (a hearty chicken soup spiced with culandro), and Corvina (filet grilled or fried sea bass) with Arroz con guandu (rice cooked with an African bean). All this after you've had your typical egg breakfast, and a few, Hojaldras (Panamanian doughnuts) with some potent Panama coffee!

Panama is very affordable, safe and picturesque for families, friends and couples. Pass this page to someone who is interested in a Central American vacation treasure. Check out the shots of our weekend travels!! The web link below will direct you to the vacation photo albums. Hello again, to our new found travel mates from New York, Boston, Miami and North Carolina! For those of you who missed joining us - new destinations await our visit!

Remember, being "Funky" is simply a mindset. What's yours? Encourage others to get connected to our member sites, activities, and soul music sounds. On Facebook use our group page or listen to our "workplace friendly" internet radio station anytime at www.FunkyPeopleradio.net. Hasta luego mis amigos!

Click Here to view the Panama Vacation Tour 2009 photo albums !

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Poconos Ski Weekend - Feb 2009

This entry was originally published on funkypeopleonline.com in March 2009. It has been re-edited to fit this format.

Hello Family,

The whole troop is back and just about fully recovered from an energetic weekend in the Pennsylvania Pocono Mountains! After all was said and done, it was a good time with lots of folk we did not know before last Friday, lol. I had forgotten just how endless the days and nights would be when you confine 500 folks to a hotel complex during the winter. Thanks to all our attendees from New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia and Delaware! A hearty shout-out the other 8 bus loads of outgoing, music lovin' and open-bar huggin' party-goers, that made the 3rd Annual Club Classic Ski Party Getaway a fun time. The combined groups came from as far away as Connecticut, North Carolina, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Congrats our trip partners, Curt Gilmore, Tony Motley, Austen Henry and Scott Dennis, and special thanks to Kenny Bobien for performing for us at the hotel. There were certainly a bunch of laughs, crazy photo moments, and interesting conversations taking place all weekend. Mint Condition and Johnny Gill in concert, the opening night Masquerade Pajama party, the poolside Club Classics party were all definite highlights, and yes, we did go skiing as well! Press the link at the bottom of this post for the trip photos.

If you haven't had a chance to join us on one of our trips, you'll have a few choices in the near future. We're working with a few more partners to offer more event weekends throughout the year. In the meantime, if you have a group of outgoing friends, relatives or co-workers that actually likes to get away from home, drop us a line and let's brainstorm! Our group trips are open to all and offer group leaders commission incentives with discounted or FREE travel accommodations. Tune in anytime, 24/7 to hear the best of soul and independent music artists on www.FunkyPeopleRadio.net !

Until the next adventure......view our ski weekend photos and the rest of our adventure photos from previous trips at Ski Party Weekend Getaway ~ Feb 2009.

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All rights are reserved.

Las Vegas Getaway - Oct 2008

This entry was originally published on funkypeopleonline.com in October 2008. It has been re-edited to fit this format.

Fall Greetings Funky People,

We're back from our first stateside travel group weekend! And all in one piece, I might add. It was a quick trip but what's not to enjoy about Las Vegas - the weather is fantastic at this time of the year. Vegas is a massive Western playground where families, couples and singles can all enjoy a long list of venues, hotels, sites and attractions. Among my suggestions to get the best experience in Las Vegas is to bring a set of good walking shoes or sneakers, a camera and some pocket change! This place is massive with plenty of energy and "eye-candy" for all sorts of interests. If you have the time, a must see are the nearby landmarks like the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. These sites are so much more impressive in person.

There were any number of hotels we could have chosen to base the FP group, but I'd like to thank the staff and group coordinators at the Treasure Island Hotel for their hospitality and attention during our stay. Treasure Island is one of the better "group friendly" Vegas hotel locations and is located in the heart of the main strip.

What to do? What's not to do? I was always taken at how each hotel seemed to go out of their way to keep you on/in that property. This ploy seems to make time disappear very quickly, so one must be disciplined in moving about. There's delicious food at every turn in Las Vegas, from the very simple, cheap and quick to the pretty expensive and exclusive. No taste will go unquenched, and get this - it is actually legal to walk down the street with alcohol or beer. No wonder the party never ends......

I cannot claim one nightlife favorite of the weekend, there were actually a few. But do know the group managed to sleep a few hours each night, albeit difficult. No need to repeat more of what you've already heard or know about this exciting US destination. The old saying really does apply...."what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas".

Check out some of the pictures of our travel mates during our weekend travels. Use the photo album link : Las Vegas Weekend Getaway 2008. We can't wait to see you on the Poconos slopes for our winter getaway in Februrary 2009!!

The Funky People® event brands, logos and images are registered US trademarks.
All rights are reserved.

Costa Rica Tour - May 2008

This entry was originally published on funkypeopleonline.com on June 4, 2008. It has been re-edited to fit this format.

Welcome home,

Another Memorial Day Weekend and the Funky People 2008 Costa Rica Tour are history. We cannot wait to get the travel group back together again and we won't have to wait until next May. The October 2009 weekend trip is right around the corner...but more on that later. We're feelin' quite satisfied right now because the memories from Central America are still so vivid.

Now to summarize things, let me start by giving a big round of thanks to Jeannine Quiller of Way To Go Tours , who worked diligently on pulling together many aspects of our trip. We must also thank Alejandro Rodriguez Gomez of Destination Tours, Jorge Umana and his sound crew of Entretenmiento Corporativo, and Jose & Pablo of Mr. Tom's Graphics for their efforts in making the group activities and event promotions run smoothly. I have said this many times, the business of entertainment and leisure travel particularly in a foreign country IS NOT an easy task. We could not have pulled this weekend off without the help of our trip partners, sponsors, contacts and all of our new found friends in Costa Rica. We also had help from a slew of US colleagues and friends who spread the word via their own web channels and we must thank the many of them as well. Shouts out to Malaika Moran of www.Socialstep.com, DJ Herbert and DJ Cosi of the Freedom Party in NYC and Marc Smooth & Stone Jackson of www.EarCandyNYC.com, Josh Suggs of Delta's Restaurant, and Asya Shein at www.Fusicology.com. I also cannot forget my frat, Curt Gilmore of Gil & Gil Entertainment, Tony Motley & Dion Ross of the Motley Empire, Carl Parish and Terrance Barker for the Jersey push. To my close friends and FP road crew, I appreciate your support once again.

Producing a concert in the midst of organizing a group vacation trip was a bit of a challenge, but those who know of the Funky People Online social & business vision are accustomed to our quest of finding great entertainment experiences in new locations. Kudos to the travelers that also subscribe to our view of not traveling to the same 'ole trip locations each year. We had the best personalities and people to make this our most enjoyable vacation trip to date. Can a better time be had? That is what is truly funky.....

I can say that everybody had a really great time. Wow!! Five days seemed to flash by in an instant. The Barcelo Playa Langosta Hotel staff did a super job attending to our group when necessary. The hotel food was delicious and the atmosphere was always very comfortable. We especially got kick out of seeing the natural residents that lived on our hotel property, lol. It was not uncommon to see exotic birds, mammals and insects strolling about the place. Iguanas, crabs, raccoons, turtles, spiders, tuscans, other flying, crawling things we've never seen and oh yeah, some really cool monkeys!! Hey, we were in a tropical rainforest, what else did you expect?

So what does one do while in Costa Rica? Well, "CR" is one place where you can just enjoy some leisure time, keep the adrenaline going with outdoor adventure or a little of both. In particular, you can go to the beach and work on your tan, try your hand at surfing (almost everyone has a surf board), take an eco-tour trip, shop for hand-crafted art and pottery, eat fresh meals at a local restaurant, mingle with the people and travelers from abroad, or dance up a storm at night to the great reggae music! You should know that "Ticos" (as the Costa Rican people are referred to) are among the warmest and friendliest types you will come across and they love to have a really good time. Most importantly, while doing all of what is mentioned here you should keep yourself hydrated from the intense sun with popular Costa Rican drinks. If bottled water is not your speed, "Guaro" or "Cacique" (the very potent moonshine rum) and "Imperial" (the national beer) flows continuously.

Our time on vacation taught us a lot of about the country of Costa Rica. Here are a few things you probably didn't know.....

#1: Costa Rica was named "rich coast" for the gold that was found in abundance upon Christopher Columbus' arrival.

#2: In a country that is the roughly the size of West Virginia, Costa Rica is home to more bio-diversity than all of North America of Europe. This includes more than 800 species of wild birds, approximately 9,000 Plant Species, 34,000 Insect Species, 205 Mammalian Species, 220 Reptilian Species, and 160 different Amphibious Species.

#3: The seeds of the national tree is said to bring good luck to the person who carries it. The national tree of Costa Rica is called the “Guanacaste” (which means “Human Ear”); named by the indigenous Chorotega people because of the shape of the fruit that the tree bears.

#4: Playa Tamarindo (2 miles from our resort) is the one of the Top 5 Beaches in the country! It is known for its' lure to the Pacific coast surfing culture and was featured in the motion picture "Endless Summer".

#5: Since 1948, Costa Rica is the only country without an army or military of any kind. It's the most peaceful country in the Western Hemisphere!

#6: Costa Rica boasts having more teachers than policeman! It's Literacy Rate of 96.2% is the second highest in the world. There are over 6,147 primary, secondary and higher education schools.

#7: Costa Rica has the 15th top ranked medical and healthcare system in the world.

#8: Costa Rica has an established public civil infrastructure that provides 90.4% of the population with Health Services Coverage, 92% with access to Telephone Service, and 99% of the population with Piped Water to their households.

#9: Although Soccer (or "Football" as it is called outside of the USA), is the national sport, nearly 80% of the baseballs are manufactured in Costa Rica.

#10: Coffee is the country's most revered drink. Recognized as among the worlds finest for over 150 years; coffee is not native to Costa Rica. Arabica seeds were brought over by the Spanish from Ethiopia in 1808. The temperate climate and fruitful volcanic soil of the Central Valley areas of Costa Rica were perfect for coffee's infant development, and it swiftly became the country's #1 export to this day.

When the FP travel group arrived they had already spent half of Friday traveling, so they were eager to check out the social landscape. Our weekend started with a sunset dinner reception at the popular Camaron Dorado ("Golden Shrimp") beach side restaurant. Jamie, Oscar and staff made sure we were well fed with a 3-course Costa Rican meal. This helped the group flow right over into the Opening Night Party at the Crazy Monkey Bar. Tamarindo's own El Touche` band and DJ Pipe` set the energy for evening's guests, NYC's Freedom Party DJs. This normally lively bar was definitely boosted up several levels as DJ Herbert & DJ Cosi rocked an international crowd of more than 400 with their signature NY soul music style. Whoa - the Freedom Party in Costa Rica - off the hook! Our sponsor, Red Bull (of Costa Rica), kept the sexy bartenders busy all night with unheard of drink specials. By the time the doors closed, everyone was tired, and jet-lagged, but were excited and pumped about what they had just witnessed - our Costa Rica weekend had indeed begun! Thanks to Felipe and Jeff for hosting us at the Crazy Monkey Bar for the evening.

Saturday provided everyone time to recover and mingle about town during the day. The hotel guests were treated to smooth lounge sounds by the pool with DJ Cosi and me on the decks that afternoon. It was a great way to recharge batteries. Those "Guaro Vidas" and "Guaro Sours" did plenty to get us into the proper groove! Did anyone get the chicken recipe from the hotel bar cook? (No one told me Big Momma was from Costa Rica)

By nightfall, the whole town was a buzz about the special invited guest performers. This was the first time that Marfil, the most famous, historic band in Costa Rica would perform in this area of Guanacaste and, boy were the people appreciative. How good was Marfil? Well, when a reggae band plays original songs and everything from Bob Marley to Tito Puente to John Cougar Melloncamp, you know you're hearing a great live performance. You simply had to be there to see over 500 people from the surrounding towns jam to a 2 hour concert set in a steady light rain. No roof? Whatever - nothing seemed to stop the audience from dancing past 3am to the sounds of DJ Cosi, DJ Higher Link and myself, Tee Alford. Someone even lost their shoes - the energy was crazy! Big up massive to Marcella & Sebastian of the Babylon Reggae Bar and Imperial, La Cerveza de Costa Rica for hosting this major show. I never once hesitated when I had the opportunity to collaborate on this very special cultural music event. For a long time event promoter, it was truly a unique first time experience for me in a foreign country. Pura Vida - we have an extended Funky People family in Costa Rica for life! Jorge Umana you are the man!

The next few days gave us time to relax, lounge, shop and explore the local area a bit more both day and night. The final day saw the group taking an eco-tour to Rincon de La Vieja National Park for action and nature activities. How cool was it to horseback ride, water slide down a 1600 ft. drop, zip line like Tarzan across the forest tree canopy, and relax in the volcanic hot water springs after a natural mud bath... all in one day? We won't forget our crazy cool driver "Gato" and tour guide, Felipe aka "Dr. Phil" either. Felipe was like the Crocodile Hunter dude, only Costa Rican. He knew everything there was to know about the wildlife terrain in the volcano park. Raw cashew nuts in the wild are fatally poisonous and pineapple is actually not a fruit but a plant? Ok, I now realize I must have been asleep in Biology class all those years. Check out the shots and videos - what a day - what a vacation!!

If you're looking for a great place to visit, live or retire to, do consider COSTA RICA. Pass this e-mail along to show everyone just how beautiful this country is and what a great time we had. The web link below will direct you to the udpated photo albums and trip videos. For those of you who missed this trip - we're not gonna wait for you and your friends. There are plenty more exciting and exotic places to see - so our plan is to keep things moving. Won't you please join us next time? More vacation trips are already in the works. To find out where we're headed, subscribe to the FP e-mail list and watch your inbox for the future announcements! Until then...Pura Vida!

Click Here to view all of our Costa Rica Vacation Tour 2008 photo albums & vids.

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All rights are reserved.

Brazil Vacation - May 2007

This entry was originally published on funkypeopleonline.com on June 7, 2007. It has been re-edited to fit this format.

Home sweet home…..

...and on the grind once again – well maybe not for at least a few more days. It’s hard to believe our annual Memorial Day Weekend trip (May 2007) is over - we'd been promoting our trip for so long, our time away seemed to flash by us in an instant. There is so much to talk about and show you, that we’re dropping this special newsletter devoted to the thoughts, feelings and photos of our memorable Brazil trip.

Now to summarize things, let me start by giving a big round of thanks to Gerard “Gerry” Pitchford of Trendsetters Travel & Tours, who was instrumental in organizing this fantastic trip package for us. Whenever you move a group of travelers into a foreign country, the task is an aggressive undertaking and takes months of planning, but Gerry’s years of experience certainly showed as things ran very smoothly for our group from start to finish. The hotel accommodations, the flights on TAM airlines and tour activities we’re all great as you can see from the incredible photos on our site. Muito Obrigado, Gerry!

We also want to send “hellos” to our colleagues and friends who joined us in Brazil from New Jersey, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC. We knew others would be joining us, but what are the chances of seeing folks you know from home, in an entirely different continent over 9 hours away? This certainly made the already festive Brazilian atmosphere, even more exciting. We also made plenty of new friends from Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand and South America. Brazil is truly an international destination for many families, couples and singles. Funky People are indeed everywhere......

So after eight days, what can I say about Brazil? {Stop right there! Lean closer to the computer and hear me clearly} Despite what you may have heard before today, Brazil is a "must-go-to-destination” for ALL people of color and African descent, next to Africa! You’re probably sitting there now wondering why I said with all that you've heard about Brazil, right?

Let me clear up some thoughts in the last paragraph and get the big questions out of the way on everyone’s mind. YES, “Brazilieros” (Brazilians) have a style of their own. Despite living in a extremely economically depressed country, Brazilians are people of European & African descent that are hardworking, very outgoing, and passionate about their culture. This accounts for their festive mindset, appealing, friendly demeanor, and attractive looking figures. Mix in a great love of music, dance, food, scenic landscapes, warm, sunny temps, those sneaky Caparihna drinks, and let’s just say Brazil can be a very, very “romantic” place for couples and singles alike! Tourism is an integral of the economy in some areas and they love to see Americans in their country. In some instances our travel group was almost admired in a way because seeing Black Americans visit Brazil seemed to signify a successful achievement over the challenges of America's social history. Many locals told us that traveling even to another part of Brazil is very, very challenging for most, let alone the thought of freely visiting another continent like North America. New York City was a place many had only read or heard about. This fact is quite humbling while moving amongst the Brazilian people and you cannot help but to feel a deep spiritual connection and sense of home while you are there. Words cannot even accurately explain the feelings, but these are powerful reasons why we highly recommend Brazil as a first time or repeat travel destination.

As for my own opinion of how the Brazilian women look? Ok, ok, I'll answer the question for you inquiring minds out there and I'll keep it simple, lol. I can best describe them as "beautiful women of color". Now for you ladies out there, I can't go into detail about the looks of the Brazilian men, but you shouldn't expect to be disapointed. The culture of the Brazilian people (women and men, young and old) is to look attractive and stay in good health. Which means, there aren't too many unattractive people in Brazil - whether it be by staying fit, being pleasantly upbeat and social, or dressing with a certain flair. Such an attitude and love of life by the local people is both intoxicating and intimidating at the same time. It can be quite surreal, but for me it was a truly beautiful thing to experience. Well enough about that, let's move on ...

The Funky People Brazil Tour 2007 could have been a "typical party in Brazil trip", but those of you who have come to know me, my staff, and our progressive mindset, our trip was designed to show our travelers a much larger picture of this incredible country. To that matter, here’s twelve (12) things you probably did not know about Brazil;

(1) The country of Brazil was named after the wood, "Brazil wood", that was found in abundance in the Bahian region of the country in the 16th century. Brazil wood and sugar were the basis of the country's founding economy.

(2) The "Christ the Redeemer" statue, erected in 1918, is considered one of the world's Modern Wonders.

(3) The full city and state name of Rio is: San Sebastian de Rio de Janiero, Rio de Janiero

(4) The 3rd oldest cable car system in the world is located at Sugar Loaf mountain, Rio de Janiero - 1912

(5) The world's largest beach party concert was held on Copacabana Beach - Rolling Stones, Feb 2006 - 1.5 million people. The largest concert ever was also held in Rio - Rod Stewart, 1994 - 3.5 million people. Does Rio do it big or what?

(6) Salvador was the first capitol of Brazil in 1859.

(7) Brazil has the largest Japanese community outside of Japan.

(8) Brazil has the largest Latin American population in the world - 189 million.

(9) Portuguese is the fastest growing language used on the internet over the past 7 years - more Brazilians are getting connected.

(10) Brazil was the last country to abolish slavery in 1888.

(11) African culture survived in Brazil more so than in the US, because Portuguese law in the 1500s prohibited the separation of slave families. (hence the term "Afro-Brazilian")

(12) The biggest population of African descendents and people outside of the continent of Africa resides in Brazil! The USA has second largest total.

Looking back, it's difficult to say which part of the trip was the best. Rio de Janiero could be described as Las Vegas and Miami-like without the gambling but plenty of social energy, where as Salvador da Bahia is slightly more laidback with a historic, scenic and cultural feel similar to a New Orleans-like southern city. Some of the few hundred photos we took will show highlights of the local bars & clubs, daytime activities at Ipanema Beach and Copacabana Beaches in Rio, shopping for local goods and art crafts at the Hippie Fair, a nighttime concert by famed Brazilian artist, Evette Sangalo, witnessed by 500,000 people on Copacabana Beach, cocktails at the exclusive Copacabana Hotel Pool Bar, day trip visits to the famous "Christ the Redeemer" statue on Corcovado Mountain, and cable car views atop Sugar Loaf mountain. Also included are shots of the historic landmarks, buildings, and beaches of Salvador, the cultural center of town, Pelourinho, with it's distinct African architecture, shops and restaurants, the town square party with an impromptu street parade procession by local drum band "Olodum", a traditional Bahian African culture dance show at the Solar do Unhao restaurant, market shopping for crafts and food in the lower city and mixing with the local Bahianos around town. Wow, and believe it or not we still had time to sleep - Enjoy !

As a final note, feel free to pass this blog on your friends to show everyone a really different look of Brazil. If you’ve ever considered a trip to Brazil, we’re planning a return group trip in the future and would love to have you along!! However, the next Funky People international trip to for May 2008 is already in the works....

Remember, being Funky is mindset. What's yours? Inform or encourage others to get connected to our activities, newsletters and promotions, by joining the FP Facebook Group and e-mail list. We appreciate your positive encouragement, feedback and support of our online community, as we continue to keep you connected to Information, Business and Artform. Until the next adventure....

There are lots of great photos from this trip. Click Here and browse down to the three Brazil Vacation Tour 2007 albums to view.

The Funky People® event brands, logos and images are registered US trademarks.
All rights are reserved.

About the Funky People.....

The first Funky People® newsletter was published on April 5, 2006. The original newsletter was designed to encourage member interaction and communication between our seasonal group activities. Published bi-weekly, the newsletter showcased current events, editorials, spotlight features, interactive web tools plus resources for enterprising small business owners. On Memorial Day Weekend of that year, the first international travel group vacation was held in the Dominican Republic. Overwhelming early interest and the goal to reach a even larger global audience, led to the launch of our public website on August 1, 2006.

Both the main FP site and web radio station are owned and managed by Funky People ®, LLC, which operates as a multi-media, small business information, and entertainment company. Our organization specializes in collaborative resources for entrepreneurs, independent artists, as well as entertainment travel.

Headed by Founder & CEO, Terry Alford, the present day company is an expansion of the original entity, Funky People ® Records, which enjoyed popular success in the mid to late 1990s as a dance music label, recording studio and global music distributor.

www.FunkyPeopleOnline.com
www.FunkyPeopleRadio.net 

Our mission today is to connect professional, creative and forward-thinking individuals across the globe using engaging social media, community activities, artist concerts, group events and cultural international vacation tours. Funky People ® members and supporters come from all backgrounds and are positive, out-going and progressive. Our community is known for it's work-hard, play-hard attitude! Help us to promote all that inspires us to learn, encourage , succeed and lead!
 

Forthcoming social networking & travel events will be posted on our Events page, listed on the wall of our Facebook group and our Twitter feed. Refer a friend or contact to read about our past endeavors and meet some of the dynamic personalities in our growing network. Funky People are Online everywhere - you may see someone you know having a great time!


View photos from the first official destination of the "Funky People® Travel Group" . CLICK HERE for the Dominican Republic Siesta '06 albums! Or browse the links along the right border to hear about our most recent travels!


Thanks for your interest and support,

Sincerely,
Tee Alford
CEO & Founder
www.funkypeopleonline.com


The Funky People® event brands, logos and images are registered US trademarks.
All rights are reserved.