Cuba

anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
edited November 12, 2016 in Journeys
I just returned from 2 1/2 weeks in Cuba. I spent 8 days visiting with family who live in different parts of the province of Havana. It was almost 7 years since I had last visited. I saw some changes. Mostly the restoration of many of the historical buildings and hotels in Old Havana. Also, I saw many more tourists, mostly from Europe, Canada and China. I ran into only 2 other Americans during my whole time there.

Unfortunately, much hasn't changed, especially for the Cuban people. They still don't have internet. And basic necessities like toiletries, fruits and vegetables, to name a few, are just too expensive for most to afford. Only those lucky to have family outside of Cuba, that send back money, are able to afford these "luxuries".

I still have many photos to go through. I will start with sharing a few highlights and add more to this post as I get to them. Hope you enjoy them and thanks for looking!

1. Havana at sunset, with the bay off in the distance. I shot this from the rooftop of an apartment building.

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2. Shot of a young boy who lives in my Uncle's neighborhood. I saw him a few times, always with his birds in hand. He posed for me with his two fighting roosters.

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3. Classic Havana. The "almendron", what Cubans call the old American cars. Almendra is the Spanish word for Almound. They call them this because they are tough like an Almond. The building in the background is the Teatro Nacional. This is one of the buildings that was restored since my last visit. The street was also recently paved for Obama's visit.

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4. A cocker spaniel waiting at the door. It was not unusual to see dogs sitting in doorways or in windows like this.

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5. The drive along the Malecon (sea wall) in the city of Cienfuegos which is southeast of Havana.

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6. Another almendron in Havana. The church pictured was renovated a few years back to ready it for the Pope's visit. I like how the car and the church match.

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7. Another cool door. And more color coordinating!

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8. One of the many interesting faces that crossed my lens during travels.

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9. A shot of the city of Trinidad from up high. This is one of the oldest and best preserved cities in all of Cuba. It was founded over 500 years ago. A lot of tobacco pressing goes on here. Although I venture that now, most of it's economy comes from tourism. The most tourist I ran across was here.

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Stay tuned for more....
"I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

Moderator of the People and Go Figure forums

My Smug Site

Comments

  • David_S85David_S85 Administrators Posts: 13,248 moderator
    edited April 5, 2016
    #'s 2 (boy and roosters) & 4 (door and dog) are my faves in this set. I'd love to see more.
    My Smugmug
    "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
  • CavalierCavalier Registered Users Posts: 3,066 Major grins
    edited April 5, 2016
    clap.gifclap More, More! Hard to pick favorites, but #2 and 4 are special. And #7 - your timing is impeccable! I also love the Almendrons. Keep 'em coming.
  • denisegoldbergdenisegoldberg Administrators Posts: 14,382 moderator
    edited April 5, 2016
    Wonderful set! My favorites so far are 1 and 2, looking forward to seeing more.

    --- Denise
  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited April 5, 2016
    David_S85 wrote: »
    #'s 2 (boy and roosters) & 4 (door and dog) are my faves in this set. I'd love to see more.

    My two favs as well.
    Cavalier wrote: »
    clap.gifclap More, More! Hard to pick favorites, but #2 and 4 are special. And #7 - your timing is impeccable! I also love the Almendrons. Keep 'em coming.

    Thanks! I'm lucky that my travel partner (wife) is so patient with me. For shots like #7, sometimes I got lucky it was happening. Other times, I would hang around a bit until someone interesting walked by.
    Wonderful set! My favorites so far are 1 and 2, looking forward to seeing more.

    --- Denise

    Thanks Denise. I'll be added more soon. Have some headshots I have to edit first. Then I'll be posting more. Probably Weds night.
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

    Moderator of the People and Go Figure forums

    My Smug Site
  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2016
    More highlights...

    10. Forwarding a bit in our trip to the part in Santiago de Cuba. This lady was putting on some sort of street performance while the guy in the background played the congas. Her dance was a cross between ballet, tribal dance and twerking. It was impressive how well she moved for her age.

    Afro%2BLady%2BDSC_7091.jpg

    11. Lots of talented artisans in Cuba. No matter what city, there were small galleries filled with work. From sculpture to painting to intricate leather work. This shot is of a gallery in Trinidad where you can buy artwork made by local artists.

    ArtesaniaDSC_6419.jpg

    12. Another old relic. An old Chevy I found while walking around in Trinidad.

    Blue%2BChevyDSC_6592.jpg

    13. Close up.

    Blue%2BChevy%2BDSC_6588.jpg

    Keep coming back. I will add more as I go through my shots. thumb.gif
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

    Moderator of the People and Go Figure forums

    My Smug Site
  • EaracheEarache Registered Users Posts: 3,533 Major grins
    edited April 9, 2016
    Awesome work Alex! clap.gifclapclap.gif

    #1 tells quite a story... Mas, mas, mas!!!
    Eric ~ Smugmug
  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited April 10, 2016
    Not sure if you know this, but next to baseball and boxing, the game of dominoes is a favorite pastime in Cuba. I remember as a kid, I would tag along with my father to a butcher shop owned by a Cuban family in Culver City, CA named Camaguey. My father would place his order with the butcher and while he waited, he would play dominos in the stockroom with other Cuban men that he knew. This shot, and the next few, are of a game I came across in a park in Santiago de Cuba. They offered me a seat, but I declined. I didn't want to make a fool of myself. Laughing.gif

    14. The battlefield! No-look shot with an 85mm held above my head. Would love to take this shot from overhead, maybe from a ladder. Think I have to include one in my pack moving forward. HAHA

    dominos%2BDSC_6910.jpg

    15. The trash talker.

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    16. The thinker.

    dominos%2BDSC_6919.jpg

    17. The hustler.

    dominos%2BDSC_6924.jpg
    "I'm not yelling. I'm Cuban. That's how we talk."

    Moderator of the People and Go Figure forums

    My Smug Site
  • halconhalcon Registered Users Posts: 150 Major grins
    edited August 14, 2016
    Wow! Those are all really excellent.
  • sapphire73sapphire73 Registered Users, Super Moderators Posts: 1,975 moderator
    edited August 15, 2016
    Excellent photos! I especially like #1 and #2 but appreciate them all. Great to have your perspective on how Cuba has and hasn't changed.
  • ZwellsZwells Registered Users Posts: 10 Big grins
    edited August 31, 2016
    Missing home!
    I'm also from Cuba, Ciego de Avila to be exact. I love your photos and i have no CC, however just want to share the pain that i see on those photos, our lovely home, cities and people are just just looking so rough. It just hurts to see it, even though that is run down is still beautiful and i miss it everyday! the family and friends we left behind, the memories the food the warmth. Sorry i just had to share, its been a very long time since i have visited.

    Thanks for sharing!
  • Awais YaqubAwais Yaqub Registered Users Posts: 10,572 Major grins
    edited September 1, 2016
    great series, i really enjoyed going through them the boy portrait is marvelous.
    Thine is the beauty of light; mine is the song of fire. Thy beauty exalts the heart; my song inspires the soul. Allama Iqbal

    My Gallery
  • IntrepidBerkeleyExplorerIntrepidBerkeleyExplorer Registered Users Posts: 80 Big grins
    edited September 1, 2016
    Wow!
    I greatly admire the artistry of your Cuban photos.

    On my trip to Cuba in April I used video to good advantage, highlighting Cuban music and dance.

    With help from another website I was able to identify the year, make and model, of a great many Cuban classic cars that are in my video.

    Dave
    The Intrepid Berkeley Explorer
  • roaddog52roaddog52 Registered Users Posts: 1,323 Major grins
    edited October 25, 2016
    Thanks, all of these images tell a marvelous story. A wonderful, informative, eye opening journey.

    Phil
    I don't know where I'm going, but I'm going anyway.

    Luck happens when preparation meets opportunity!
  • EphTwoEightEphTwoEight Registered Users Posts: 552 Major grins
    edited November 1, 2016
    Cool stuff Alex!!
  • TMcEwenTMcEwen Registered Users Posts: 107 Major grins
    edited November 11, 2016
    Cuba looks so awesome. I would love to visit one day. It looks like a photographers dream. Thanks for sharing.
    - Thomas McEwen - (Nashville, TN)
    http://www.tmcewenphotography.com/
  • jerryrjerryr Registered Users Posts: 595 Major grins
    edited November 12, 2016
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