Cuba - Haunting Hemingway #19, 20, 21, 22 & 23

Photo# 19, 20, 21, 22 & 23
This is my last posting about my Cuban vacation, promise!

This series of photos has very little to do with photography and everything to do with documentation.

You see, I have inadvertently embarked on a quest to haunt Ernest Hemingway's ghost. I live in Toronto working for journalists (where he once worked as a journalist), I have been to Chicago (where he lived), vacationed at Walloon Lake in Michigan (where he used to vacation) and now I have visited all of his old drinking hangouts in Havana.

For once in my life I didn't care if the venues I visited were tourist traps, though I noticed most people just stopped to take photos outside rather than going in and actually having a drink. To me that was very odd, me I was drinking for Hemingway.

Like Ernest (if I am haunting him we may as well be on familiar terms) I had a mojito (ok, a couple of mojitos) at Bodeguita del Medico. A lovely bar with lots of wood panellng, not far from the Plaza del Cathedral, where they pumped out mojitos like nobody's business five or six at at time.

We wandered on, a little buzzed to El Floridita that is not only a former haunt of our dear Ernest but also claims to be the home of the daiquiri. If you are in the birth place of a drink you must sample it so we had two.

I loved the dinning room at the back of this bar, it was very 'old worldly' and I had an excited moment where I felt like I had been transported to another time, I admit that I automatically thought of Agatha Chrisite, I am sure Ernest would not approve.

Both locations, as is the case with many places in Havana, had a live band playing salsa music, so the scene was set perfectly.

By the time our demi-pilgrimage was complete I was very content and also a little dizzy, but what a way to go.

Thank you Ernest, your recommendations were excellent!

Photos: G. Szopa

Cuba - Gettin' Around Havana, Photo#16, 17 & 18

Photo# 16, 17 & 18
There are a multitude of choices for getting around Havana, though we did everything on foot.

I was quite desperate to catch a ride in one of the 'bubble taxis' as I called them but alas it wasn't meant to be.

As in other cities in the world, the horse and carriages were pretty much only for tourists. Yet, they looked so pretty and I gave a horse a pat.

We've all heard about the 1950s classic cars in Cuba. I was uncharacteristically cynical enough to think they would only be in tourist areas for show. I was utterly wrong, these cars are everywhere, driven by normal people. Most demonstrated Cubans loved of painting over things and were brightly coloured. My favourite was a 1950s Mercedes that had a fan in it, not air-conditioning but an actual motorized fan that was attached to the dashboard.

I promise this is the second last posting of photos from my Cuban trip. Thank you for your indulgence. The last post will concern my ongoing haunting of Hemmingway's ghost.

Photos: G.Szopa

Cuba - Che & Fidel, Photo#11, 12, 13, 14 & 15

Photo#11, 12, 13, 14 & 15
You can't go to Cuba and not mention Che and Fidel.

There are posters, signs, books and souvenirs dedicated to them everywhere. Some of it's propaganda, some of it's supportive graffiti and some of it's tourist commercialism.

The photos I've posted were taken in Havana (Che stencils), at the bus station between Havana and Varadero (Siempre Fidel) and outside the Communist Union in Varadero.

There appears to be a genuine affection by Cubans for them both that is far more interesting to me that the global 'cult of Che'.

Regardless, Che most likely wouldn't be too thrilled that his image has been made into an aesthetic commodity by 'Pepe the Crocodile'.

Photos: G.Szopa

Cuba - jaula pájaro, Photo#7, 8, 9, 10

Photo#7, 8, 9 & 10
Each jaula pájaro (bird cage) shot was taken in Havana as we wandered around the city. The third photo is of ceramic tiles inlaid into the pavement near our hotel. Note that the tile cage doesn't have a bird inside and the door is open.

If I was more deluded and pretentious I would probably make some kind of existentialist, esoteric comment on how the bird cages are a metaphor for Cuban society under communism.

However, given that photos were not taken intentionally with that thought in mind, and that such a metaphor would be quite removed from my own thinking on the subject I won't be doing that.

Instead, I invite you to just enjoy the photos as I have.

Photos: C.Leporati & G.Szopa

Cuba - hotel vista, Photo#7

Photo#7
This photo was taken in Havana from the balcony of our hotel. The hotel is halfway down the Paseo del Prado (The Prado), the border between Centro Habana and La Habana Vieja. Although the hotel itself is basic the location is brilliant and the view from the hotel quite lovely in both directions.

The view in this photo shows the port in the background, and the balconies of the turquoise building next door, that I really liked. In the other direction, we looked directly on to the Capitolo building (which was ironically architecturally inspired by the U.S White House). There is a photo of this view too, but what you can see most is me and given that I am in no way, shape or form a morning person (which is when the photo was taken) that shot will be not be seeing the light of day yet alone the web.

Photo: G.Szopa

Cuba - architecture, Photo#4, 5 & 6

Photo#4, 5 & 6
More shots of Havana architecture on the fringe of the old city, not everything requires a lengthy commentary.

Photographer's Note: The middle shot is slightly out of focus, as this photography novice is still learning how to control the zoom function properly. I think my favourite shot is the one at the top.

Photos: C.Leporati

Cuba - on the street, Photo#3

Photo#3
Once again this photo was taken in Old Havana but a little further away from the main tourist streets that have had their buildings and streets refurbished.

Although the refurbished streets were gorgeous archtitecturally, there was something about the areas that hadn't been 'touristified', as I called it, that was significantly more real to me and no less beautiful. Knowing that eventually these streets are bound to be 'done up' over time made me appreciate them even more.

As you would expect Greg and I had a number of discussions about how the architectural dilapidation that we found so charming is in reality probably a rough way to live. We also pondered how once the 'touristication' takes hold, where will the people living there go, as we assumed it would mean the further infiltration by hotels and the like and increases in rent costs etc.

Idealistically, although the tourist contribution to the economy is significant, it is a shame that changes are made to accommodate the comfort of vacationers before the residents.

Yes, I am being a little socialist and idealist.. Blame Che if you will!

Cuba - newspaper man, Photo#2

Photo#2
I met this gentleman in Old Havana and brought a newspaper from him. As we tried to speak to each other, I wished (as I did often while I was in Cuba) that I spoke more than basic, tourist Spanish. Regardless, we smiled at each other a lot and somehow managed to communicate.

I wish I was as photogenic and relaxed in front of a camera as he is.

Photo: C.Leporati

Cuba - uncharacteristic snap happiness, Photo#1

I am known for never taking photos, if I take a camera at all, when I travel. This trip was different, I was pretty snap happy, and Greg and I still have to collate and sort our photos.

I don't want to be entirely self-indulgent and inundate people with a never-ending stack of photos, nor do I want to act like I am the only person who has ever been to Cuba, or on a trip ever. Therefore, I will only post my favourite photos and hope people will indulge me a little.

Photo #1:
This photo was taken in Old Havana. I will be honest enough to say I like it primarily because the building was so beautiful, but also because it was one of the first photos I have ever taken that I think actually doesn't look too bad.

Photo: C.Leporati