The First Cuban Rafter Returns to Miami’s Freedom Tower

Six Days to Freedom: https://amzn.to/4xfZhNG Miami Freedom Tower, Little Havana, and the incredible story of Reinaldo Cruz—the first Cuban rafter—come together in this deeply personal journey through Cuban-American history. We begin in historic Little Havana with breakfast at El Pub before exploring Calle Ocho and the monuments of Cuban Memorial Boulevard. Then we head downtown for a private look inside the newly renovated Freedom Tower, often described as Miami's Ellis Island because of the important role it played in welcoming Cuban refugees. But the most remarkable part of our visit is meeting Reinaldo Cruz. In 1964, Rinaldo and four friends escaped Cuba aboard a homemade raft constructed from inner tubes and bamboo. For six days they drifted through the Florida Straits with very little water, surviving storms, intense heat, cold nights, and even sharks before finally being rescued off the Florida coast. More than six decades later, Rinaldo returns to Freedom Tower and tells us the story in his own words. His son Alex Cruz has documented the full journey in his book, Six Days to Freedom. https://amzn.to/4xfZhNG We also explore the new Freedom Tower museum and its exhibits covering Operation Pedro Pan, the Freedom Flights, Camarioca, the Mariel boatlift, the rafter crisis, and generations of Cuban migration that helped shape modern Miami. Thanks for watching, and I'll see you on the road!💰Value for value: • Patreon: Patreon: travelingrobert • Membership: @travelingrobert Members and patrons get live updates from the road, early access, and bonus footage among other perks. Watch our solar and lithium install video: Massive RV Solar & Lithium Upgrade + Everg... SOK batteries: https://www.us.sokbattery.com/?ref=le... 🌎Website: https://travelingrobert.com Camping Essentials: https://www.amazon.com/shop/traveling... Production Gear: https://www.amazon.com/shop/traveling... Solar and Lithium: https://www.amazon.com/shop/traveling... Social: • Facebook Page: Facebook: travelingrobert • Facebook Group: Facebook: Travelingrobert • Instagram: Instagram: travelingrobert • X: Twitter: travelingrobert • TikTok: TikTok: travelingrobert 🎹Music: AppleMusic: robert-morales 👕Store: https://travelingrobert.myspreadshop.... 🛒Amazon shopping list: https://www.amazon.com/shop/traveling... 🗺️Travel Map (work in progress) https://travelingrobert.com/map.php 00:00 Miami's Freedom Tower & an Incredible Story 01:01 Breakfast in Historic Little Havana 02:41 Exploring Calle Ocho 03:57 Operation Pedro Pan and Cuban History 06:22 Cuban Memorial Boulevard 11:55 The Bay of Pigs Memorial 12:58 Hidden Monuments of Little Havana 14:27 Arriving at Miami's Freedom Tower 14:51 Meet the First Cuban Rafter 15:30 Escaping Cuba on a Homemade Raft 21:47 Inside the Newly Renovated Museum 23:11 The Original Cuban Rafters & Archives 24:19 A Legacy of Freedom in Miami #Miami #LittleHavana #FreedomTower #MiamiFlorida #CubanHistory #CubanAmerican #CalleOcho #HistoricMiami #MiamiHistory #Cuba #TravelingRobert #FloridaTravel #MiamiTravel #CubanExiles #RVTravel Disclaimer: Some product links are affiliate links which means if you buy something we'll receive a small commission.