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President Obama's visit to Cuba will definitely satisfy the people-to-people cultural exchange rules for U.S. visitors to the country. The president's itinerary includes several meetings with the Cuban people, a formal address, visits to cultural sites and more.
Upon arrival, the president took a walking tour of Old Havana. He visited the country with First Lady Michelle Obama as well as daughters Sasha and Malia and the family stopped at the Catedral de San Cristobal de la Habana. Cardinal Ortega, the Latin Rite Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Havana, was there to meet the President and his family.
The Obamas also walked past many historical locations, including the Plaza de Armas, the Museo de la Ciudad, Plaza Vieja and the Plaza de San Francisco.
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Monday's itinerary was all business for the President. It began with a wreath-laying and a tour at the Jose Marti Museum Memorial. This was followed by an official welcoming ceremony and a one-on-one meeting with Cuban president Raul Castro.
There was also an expanded meeting with Cuban officials, a joint press conference with both Castro and Obama and an entrepreneurship summit.
The day concluded with a State Dinner at the Palace of the Revolucion. The President was joined at the dinner by senior White House staff and the menu included shrimp mousse under kisch supreme with cream of mojito, golden cream soup flavored with Caney rum accompanied by slivers of ham, traditional pork garnished with baby tamales with plantain chips and trio of grandmother's sweets.
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The whirlwind trip ends today. Obama is wrapping up his last day in Cuba with more meetings but there is also some fun. The day began with one of his most important moments - an address to the Cuban people at El Gran Teatro de Havana. After the address, Obama meets with Cuban dissidents and civil society leaders at the U.S. Embassy.
Afterward, the business of the day is over and the President will attend a baseball game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cuban National Team. The game takes place at Estadio Latinoamericano. The Tampa Bay Rays are making a special, symbolic trip to Cuba to play baseball, a sport that is deeply embedded in both U.S. and Cuban culture.
When the game is over, the Obamas will leave Cuba and head to Argentina.
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