Santiago de Cuba, a must go in the South of Cuba

Hi everyone! And today, a special hi to Darla whose email I'll be answering in this article. Darla is on her way to Guardalavaca, a beautiful beach on the South of Cuba, and asked me if she and her friends should make a visit to Santiago de Cuba?

The answer is Yes! Staying in the South of the island more than should you must save a day for Santiago. It's only about 2 hours away and you'll get the chance to know the 2nd largest city of Cuba. Although the age of the city can be seen a bit to much in it's old buildings, Santiago is still a beautiful and inspiring town with many things to offer to it's visitors.

To get a first feel of Santiago I would suggest a visit to the Céspedes Park. In this small yet important plaza of the city you'll find, side by side with the park, both the Cathedral of Santiago and the Municipality Building. Above, a photo taken from the terraces of the Hotel Casagranda (located in one of the corners of the park) towards the Municipality Building with the city in background.

Another plaza that is worthy of a visit when in Santiago de Cuba is the Plaza Antonio Maceo Grajales. The huge Equestrian Statue that lies on this plaza honoring the General's deeds in the fight for Cuban Independence (photo above) is simply unbelievable - yes, those small things to the left and right are trees, cars and people...

As I've said, also located in the Céspedes Park is the beautiful Cathedral of Santiago you can see in the photo above. Devoted to Our Lady of the Assumption, this Cathedral was the first one on the island and it was built around 1528 in a time where Santiago was the Spanish capital of the island. Without doubt, a must see in Santiago.

One other place to go is the Cemetery of Sta Ifigenia, place where among others lies the Cuban Independence Hero José Marti and also the Rum industrial Emilio Bacardí. Remember to stay for the Changing the Guard Ceremony (ask locally for the schedule so you don't have to wait for too long).

One final note for the cute Guaguas, the characteristic local "buses" that assure public transportation in Santiago de Cuba and the usual thanks to Open Galleries for the marvelous Santiago de Cuba pictures!

Aujin Rew: Cuba

Photo © Aujin Rew-All Rights Reserved

Born and raised in South Korea, Aujin Rew is a freelance photographer based in Singapore. Having studied engineering at Stanford University, she had recently undertaken long travels in South and Central America.

Whilst there are quite a number of galleries on her website, I chose to feature Aujin's work in Havana in which she makes a lovely use of the city's light. Don't miss her lovely photograph (fifth in the series) of a street scene in Havana...a scene with a number of protagonists frozen as if in suspended animation. To my mind, this photograph encapsulates all the ingredients of a successful street photograph in the real sense of the word.

I met Aujin at the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop in Buenos Aires, where she attended a class by the legendary Ron Haviv.

Alex Webb/Rebecca Webb: Violet Isle

Few people interested in photography don't know who Alex Webb is, so I'll keep this introduction brief.

He began working as a professional photojournalist in 1974, and joined Magnum Photos as an associate member in 1976, and a full member in 1979. He photographed extensively in the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, and in Turkey. His photographs have appeared in such publications as The New York Times Magazine, Life, Geo, Stern, and National Geographic, and has published many books.

Rebecca Norris-Webb is an international photographer and poet.

Violet Isle is featured by Magnum In Motion, and showcases Alex’s exploration of the streets of Cuba and Rebecca’s discovery of unique and sometimes mysterious animals. While the photography styles of this husband-wife team is distinctly different, they decided decided to weave their images together to create a multi-layered portrait Cuba.

While you watch the audio slideshow, you'll see this combination of the two styles...the typical street scenes, color saturated with lots of shadows, reflections, sun-drenched walls...and more ethereally, many caged birds, a metaphor for Cubans. The soulful soundtrack is Silencio by the Buena Vista Social Club.

Would I have preferred to hear a soundtrack of ambient audio and music recorded in the streets of Havana instead? Yes, of course...no question about it. That being said, anything by the Buena Vista Social Club is great.

Jeffry Plomley: Havana

Photo © Jeffry Plomley-All Rights Reserved

I caught Jeffry Plomley's work on The Leica Camera Blog, and was immediately drawn to his Havana gallery, which features excellent street scenes that are very nicely toned. A Canadian photographer, he has the ability of traveling to Cuba as freely as he wishes; something that we here in The United States cannot do as freely.

Jeffry tells us in the Leica Camera Blog that he considers Havana to be one of the world’s meccas for street photography. This is not an exaggerated statement, but one that I wholeheartedly endorse since I visited the island and its capital (legally) in 2000. In the first part of Jeffry's post, he also describes his choice of gear, packing two M9s and two M7s, with 21mm Elmarit Aspherical, 28mm Summicron Aspherical, 35mm Summicron Aspherical, 50mm Summicron, and the 75mm Summicron Aspherical. Phew!

There's also a wonderful gallery of Cuban boxing action, which I recall was a huge attraction to the photographers who were attending the workshop I enrolled in.

I suggest you choose the slideshow option, but watch it in full screen. Don't miss the one (#13) of an elderly Cuban patting a dog...grest shot!

Sam Chadwick: Cuba & More

Photo © Sam Chadwick-All Rights Reserved

Sam Chadwick is a travel photographer and a Hell's Kitchen (NYC) resident where he works on a variety of photographic projects and planning his next photographic travels.

He started photography as a main means of documenting his 5-day ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro. Since then, he traveled to over 50 countries, creating a large collection of images of people, cultures and environments. In 2007, he reached the semi-finals of the Shell Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and his images have appeared on Reuters.

You can see his many galleries on his website, from Guatemala, Belize, Nepal, Costa Rica, East Africa and my favorite Cuba.

Jan Sochor: The Palo In Cuba

Photo © Jan Sochor -All Rights Reserved
Jan Sochor is a freelance photographer, working between South America and Europe. He lived and worked in Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Spain and the Czech Republic during the past five years. His photographs and stories have appeared in numerous magazines, newspapers and websites, including Sunday Times, National Geographic, Reuters, Burn magazine, Foto8, 100Eyes, UNESCO, Boston Review, PDN online,and others.

In this 3 minutes audio-slideshow, Jan has now focused his lenses on the adherents of the Palo religion, also known as Las Reglas de Congo. Palo is a syncretic religion which developed in Cuba amongst Central African slaves. Due to forced evangelicalism, Palo adherents gave their deities names from the Christian faith to continue their spiritual tradition.

Palo's main tenets are the veneration of ancestors' spirits, and belief in natural powers. The Palo pantheon starts at the creator god, Nzambi.

Highly recommended viewing for those of us who document, and are interested in, global spiritual traditions.

Cuba podcast

Americans can travel freely to any country they choose. Except one. Cuba.

The subject came up on Lonely Planet’s new fortnightly travel podcast, done with Public Radio International's The World (where Tom Hall and I put topical news through a travel filter with PRI host Clark Boyd).

Also see here for my three questions with Lonely Planet author Conner Gorry, who has lived in the Cuban capital for seven years.

Robert Caplin: Cuban Life

© 2009 Robert Caplin-All Rights Reserved
I came across Robert Caplin's work through a recent interview published in The New York Times' Frugal Traveler. Moving from this interview to his website, I immediately saw that much of his work was typically that of a quintessential travel photographer.

Caplin started out in Athens, Ohio, with a Nikon N50 film camera, but subsequently moved over to Canon, currently crams his expensive gear into a cheap bag and is enamored of one of the least sophisticated cameras on the market today: the iPhone.

He is also a full-time freelance editorial, corporate and portrait photographer based in New York City, and works regularly with The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Bloomberg News, and has also been published in the National Geographic.

It's been a while that this blog hasn't seen work from Cuba, and Caplin's lovely work on Cuban Life fills this gap. Drop by and it will transport you to the streets of Havana. If only there was an audio track of Cuban Son!!!

Landon Nordeman: The Sugar Train (Cuba)

The Atlantic magazine recently featured this slideshow (they call it video) of photographs by Landon Nordeman during a train journey in Cuba.

It's accompanied by an evocatively written article by Michael Scott Moore titled The 12:39 To Matanzas, which I enjoyed. However, I can't say the same of the slideshow. Clearly cobbled together by someone with an inordinate affection for panning and camera movements, I don't think I've seen a single frame in the slideshow (or video) that doesn't have the annoying pan from one side to the other, or going from one direction to the other, without a real reason for the movement.

I always start off my multimedia classes and workshops by telling participants to keep their projects simple, and to use effects sparingly, and only when it's absolutely required to underscore a visual point. In fact, I'll use this slideshow to demonstrate to my future classes what not to do. As to the use of a sound track from a Buena Vista Club album, ambient sound recorded in the train, peoples' voices, perhaps an impromptu song by a passenger...would have helped turn this feature around. Heck, what about the guy with the accordion in the train?

Souvenirs from Havana, Cuba

Where should one look for souvenirs in Havana? Without any doubt I would point you in the direction of the local market. Between a wide variety of wood cigar boxes, paintings and craftsmanship, I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding there something you like.
Among a few cigars, some statuettes and some of the local craftsmanship there were two things I had to bring home with me. The first was the painting you see above. To this day, I'm still more than happy to have it in my living room.
The second was this little clay figure of Fidel that the locals, affectionately, called El Fidelito. Couldn't resist, and bought about a dozen of them...

Bodeguita Del Medio for a Mojito, Havana, Cuba

Still in Havana if, still like Ernest Hemingway, you to appreciate some Mojitos then the place you must visit is the bar called Bodeguita Del Medio. Located in the old Havana it's right in your "tourist path" and, since everybody knows it, it's impossible to miss it.
The place is fantastic and, although you will not find there the statue of Hemingway for company, you will most certainly be accompanied by a local band playing Cuban music. Again for the record here goes the Mojito Recipe...

Mojito recipe:

- 4 parts of rum
- 3 parts of lime juice
- 2 sprigs of mint
- 2 teaspoons of sugar (or more if you prefer it very sweet)
- fill with soda water and ice till the top
* Served straight up in a highball glass!

Floridita for a Daiquiri, Havana, Cuba

When in Havana, where should you go for a drink and what drink? Ok - if, like Ernest Hemingway, you fancy a Daiquiri then most definitely you must head yourself to a bar called Floridita.
The place is very nice, the service is fine and you even can count with the presence of Hemingway himself to accompany you for a Daiquiri, a statue of course ;), finally, for the record, here's the Daiquiri's recipe...

Daiquiri recipe:

- Nine parts of white rum,
* And do they have good rum there...
- Four parts of lime juice and
- One part syrup.
* Served straight up in a cocktail glass and with no ice!

Lonja del Comercio, Havana, Cuba

Located in the area of old Havana the Lonja del Comercio building is another landmark one must see. Built in the early years of the 20th century it used to function has a kind of a commercial/stock exchange.
To find it, just direct yourself to the Plaza de San Francisco de Asis (in english, Saint Francis of Assisi Plaza) - you won't miss it.

Universidad Nacional, Havana, Cuba

Another place you might wanna check out in Havana is the local university, La Universidad Nacional, in english, The National University. Bellow, a photo of the main entrance, marked by it's architectural style and long stairways.
Once a religious building it was reconverted, and now holds several faculties teaching from Natural Sciences, to Social Sciences and Economics.

La Plaza de la Revolucion, Havana, Cuba

The Plaza de la Revolucion or, in english, the Revolution Square is definitely a must see place in Havana. The place is unbelievably huge. All around the plaza are several landmarks as well as several Government Facilities.
Above is the Memorial to José Martí (the national hero of Cuba) and bellow the radio building where one can see a huge photo of Fidel holding a rifle and with the slogan "Cada Cubano Un Ejército", in english, "In Each Cuban One Army".
It's also in this plaza that Fidel Castro used to make some of his speeches in important days such as May 1 (International Workers' Day), and July 26 (Beginning of the Cuban Revolution).
The last photo is of the Ministry of the Interior building in which wall lies the the famous Che Guevara image allong with the words "Hasta la Victoria Siempre", in english, "Forever Onwards Towards Victory".

Coco Taxis, Varadero and Havana, Cuba

A few days ago I was talking about Guardalavaca the cute taxis they have over there, today, let me tell you about the Coco Taxis... Given their's color I'm sure you can easily spot them. Available in both in Varadero and in Havana (the ones in the photo were parked in the plaza just beside the Capitol of Havana) - a ride is mandatory!
But then after all, what is a Coco Taxi? Ok, the best definition I can find is: a scooter involved in with a big yellow plastic body, kind of a giant yellow egg with wheels... They take two persons and the price is usually very cheap. One word of advice - no seat belts whatsoever and they're all driven by an amateur race drivers...

Playa Turquesa and Guardalavaca Beaches, Holguin, Cuba

Ok, ok, before going to the local village of Guardalavaca - I can't help myself - it's just this one more photo from Playa Turquesa...
Bellow a "Cubanito" (the local cab) parked in the entrance of Guardalavaca, which is just besides the market. Unfortunately I don't have photos from there, but can assure you, it's worthy of a visit.
Just for the fun of it take a small ride, but be advised - if you love your back - nothing further than 1 or 2 km.
Finally the Guardalavaca beach (photo above)... Although much bigger than the Playa Turquesa beach it's also a fantastic spot. In one word: beautiful, beautiful, beautiful... ;)

Playa Turquesa, Guardalavaca, Holguin, Cuba

Hi there! Sorry about the absence in the past few weeks but I've been working like crazy... Luckily I managed to survive so here some photos of Playa Turquesa, a fabulous beach in the South of Cuba.
As you can see the place is magical. The rain forest merges with the beach and, instead of the usual palm trees and beach umbrellas, you can find a wide variety of trees that make this beach unique...
How to get there? Ok, the place is very near the small village of Guardalavaca and you can reach it easily driving from Holguin (about 80 kilometers) or, a bit more distant but easier to book a flight, from Santiago de Cuba.
Above, another one of my travel friends ;)

Trinidad, Cuba

As promised here are the photos of the city of Trinidad. A beautiful place where one can admire the curious architecture with has many influences from the time of the Spanish occupation (the city was founded by them around 1504).
Above a composition of several photos from the city's entrance, streets and market. If you go there be sure to check if it's a market day - since it's a rather isolated place you'll find there some very original craftsmanship.
One final note for an explanation they gave about the funny pavement of the city street's, they told that they were made from stones the Spanish brought in their ships for ballast (don't know if it's a true story but of one thing I'm sure - I'm Portuguese and in Portugal, as in Spain, we have many old villages with streets just like that).

Hotel Nacional, Havana, Cuba

My comment to this hotel? Absolutely beautiful. I would risk saying that it's not an hotel... It's a Landmark where one can stay for a few nights.
The staff is very friendly and although it's an hotel older than usual it was a very nice experience staying a couple of nights in a place where even the furniture seems to have some kind of history to tell...

Link to the hotel official site with online reservations through here