Cuba

Created 9-Mar-12

78 photos

My trip to Cuba in Jan./Feb. of 2012 was a journey into the past...a heartbreaking look at a glory that was.
The people were warm and friendly and open to conversation about their lives. The architecture was nothing
short of stunning even where only hints were left after the ravages of time and lack of care have taken their
toll. Islands of pristine preservation exist where its prudent to maintain tourist oases. Step into one of the
many historic and well preserved tourist hotels and be transported into a time of black and white photography.
Here the glory still exists and brings to mind the days when Cuba was a playground for the wealthy and those
looking for an escape from everything that represents home. Wander through cobblestone streets and find
yourself in an open air plaza where history is alive and still speaks to your expectations...a colonial past that
retains as much vibrance today as it did hundreds of years ago.
And then there are the cars...nothing at all can prepare the uninitiated for the endless parade of vintage vehicles
that are everywhere...day and night in all parts of the city and the countryside...eye candy for photographers
and those with only cinema memories of a time long gone. Varying states of preservation from cherry to
barely held together can drive by in a matter of seconds, not minutes. Most all have been converted into the
service of taxis and transport you not only from point A to point B but also to a time you may never have
experienced.
I have included images of the good and what some may call the not so good, but since this is a country where
beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder, reserve judgement until it's your own eyes that take in the glory that
was...a country that can amaze with sights and sounds that are unlike any other. Cuba was amazing.
These images are pages from my self published book...hundreds more images from my trip didn't make it into
this upload but they do exist in my files.

Categories & Keywords

Category:Travel and Places

Subcategory:Caribbean

Subcategory Detail:Cuba

Keywords:Che, Cienfuegos, Cuba, Cuban, Cuban Architecture, Cuban Glory, Cuban Landscapes, Cuban Legacy, Cuban People, Cuban cars, Fort, Havana, Malecon, Mirador, SantaClara, Trinidad, facades, vintage