Blog Archives
selfie
A short story:
I saw her. And she saw me. And then I moved on.
The end.
Havana, Cuba
photographed 11.7.2022
tropical gothic
This cemetery in Havana is one of the world’s largest, with over 450 mausoleums and 800,000 graves. My Lonely Planet Pocket Havana guidebook says there are an average of 50 funerals held here every day.
We had only about 45 minutes here, but I could have easily spent almost my entire week in Cuba exploring the place: you know how I am about cemeteries. I tried to make good use of my time, moving and shooting as quickly as possible. It was hard: I wanted to stop and savor what I was seeing. But that was the way it worked out: at least I got to see it.
This particular mausoleum had a tattered tarp hanging over part of the door, but I am not sure what its purpose was.
When we were leaving, cemetery security guards inspected the trunks of our cars: apparently stealing pieces of graves or mausoleums is a concern.
(Also, the place is so vast and has so many visitors that city bus routes go right through the place.)
(And, the photographer who made that iconic photo of Che Guevara – you know the one I mean – is buried here.)
Necrópolis Cristóbal Colón
Havana, Cuba
photographed 11.11.2022
transportation options
It is true that are old cars in Cuba.
There are other transportation options too, like newer cars, or horse-drawn carts, or pedi-cabs, or motorbikes, or buses. Or this bicycle built for, well, three, rolling down Avenida San Carlos in central Cienfuegos.
Cienfuegos, Cuba
photographed 11.9.2022
shadow boxing
The sweat-covered boxer from this post is the man on the left, giving it his all in full Cuban sun.
The men would pair up, sparring until the coach said, in a calm deep voice, “Tiempo.” They’d rest a few minutes, wipe their faces, drink some water*. And when the coach again announced, “Tiempo.” they’d start back up until the next announcement.
Gimnasia de Boxeo Rafael Trejo
Havana, Cuba
photographed 11.11.2022
*And if we were there, put up with a swarm of photographers intent on getting a Very Important Portrait of Very Sweaty Boxer.
boxing gym, after practice
Our days in Cuba were of course filled with photography. And it wasn’t just the things you’d expect, like old cars and older buildings. We spent part of one morning at a boxing gym, watching the men work out. It was an open-air gym, it was hot, it was muggy, and they were sweaty. It was rich with history and aspirations.
The gym is named for famed revolutionary Rafael Trejo González, who was killed leading student protests in 1930; his killing was a turning point in the battles against the dictatorship of Gerardo Machado.
Aspiring boxers train here under the coaching of Nardo Mestre Flores, whose goal is to keep alive Cuba’s rich boxing heritage.
Gimnasia do Boxeo Rafael Trejo
Havana, Cuba
photographed 11.11.2022
One Day | One Image 