Cuba takes your breath away. The streets are alive with music and dancing, vintage cars, horse-drawn wagons, tobacco, Santería altars, and the presence of a complex political history.

I visited Cuba in 2016 as part of a people-to-people exchange with a small group of travelers from the United States. We stayed with Cubans in their homes and had the privilege of studying music, dance, and Cuban culture for two weeks.

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on my most profound musical experiences of the past 20 years, and my time in Cuba ranks near the top.  In fact,  I’ll be featuring music by a couple of classical Cuban composers in my November 1 concert (Music, Memories, and Movement).  Below is a video of  the band I heard on my first night in Cuba from 2016.

In case you missed it, this week’s Tarot card is the Chariot. It fits right in with my memories of Cuba, where the entire country seems to be in motion—dancing, walking, driving, biking,  or working in the tobacco fields.

From the Radiant Tarot- art work by Alexandra Eldridge