A Bay area delegation has returned from Cuba.

The trip was initially organized for gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist. Crist backed out, citing a busy campaign schedule.

Some who attended were disappointed Crist decided not to go.

"I think he had an opportunity there to really make a stand," said Mario Nuñez, who traveled with the group.

For Nunez, the trip was special. It was his first time visiting Cuba. While there, Nuñez searched for relatives he's never met.  Nunez was surprised to get support from those who live in Cuba.

"There wasn't anyone who said, 'We can't help you; good luck with that,'" Nuñez said.

Another special moment for the group came when they visited a monument of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The monument is in bad shape.

"There are brass letters that are throughout the memorial that a lot of people, for whatever reason, have taken them," said Victor DiMaio, who was also part of the delegation.

"We are trying to come up with ideas about what we can do to fix that [monument]," he said.

Still, the monument inspired the group. Nunez said it's fitting to have the American civil rights leader honored in Cuba.

"I was also very touched that it was there in the first place," Nuñez said. "I had no idea, but it makes sense when you think about the island and the island's history - the fact that they rally around revolutionaries and Martin Luther King was certainly that for us in our history."