Sit, Sip, Smoke, and Snipe

When it’s hot in Havana or when you just need a break:

SIT – Find and open air bar or cafeteria. Like Cafe’ Bembe’, Bar Metropolitana, or Chago Habana.

SIP – Order your favorite cold beer …. Crystal, Bucanero, La Garta, or a cocktail …  Caiparisima, Canchanchara, or Mojito.

SMOKE – Cigars, of course. Cohiba, Romeo y Julieta, or Montecristo.

SNIPE – Play “sniper” with your camera. I generally prefer a long lens, but they key is to be ready when something or someone interesting appears. The problem is that you only have two hands for the camera, cigar, and drink. The more you practice … (ahem)…. the better you get.

Patrons

 

Bartender

Entertainment

Menu

Body language

 

Faces

 

Transportation

 

Fumigation

Reflections

Shadows

Ninos

WTH ….A man with his pants down.  Hahaha

In action

 

Where They Live – Esmerido

Esmerido Lives  next to my friend Pablo …https://wp.me/p4fUlX-1mC …  and survives on a monthly pension of about 12 dollars.

It’s a cozy looking little apartment that he keeps clean and organized.

The problem is that, like so many other buildings in old Havana, this one is falling down around him. Two years ago a fire that started on the ground floor in the rear of the building caused extensive damage. A portion of the roof was lost and floors and walls collapsed in that area. Now rain water accumulates causing an abundance of mold and mildew to grow unchecked. The air is so thick with the odor of decay that it almost seems possible to cut it with a knife.

 

 

Lines

Queues, lines, colas. Whatever word you choose, It all boils down to waiting. When the word goes out, either in person or by telephone or by Facebook messenger that products are available, Cubans rush to get in line and wait. The average person does not know when the next shipments will arrive so waiting is their only option.

In Cuba something is always in short supply. During my many visits, I have witnessed shortages of sugar, flour, coffee, chicken, fish, soap, detergent, soda, and even beer.

I have heard it said that Cubans are patient people. I disagree. I believe they are no more or less patient than anyone else. They have just been beaten down and oppressed for so long that they have resigned themselves to the failures of their government.

Sixty years after the revolution the country still cannot feed itself. Cuba has to import over 70% of it’s food. One can regularly see bags of rice from China and Viet Nam and boxes of frozen chicken from the USA. In the country that used to lead the world in sugar production, I once saw bags of sugar from France.

All of these images are from one day in Havana:  February 24, 2020

This is a line for potatoes. I read a story from a Cuban blogger that told of one woman’s five hour wait to  buy some potatoes.

 

Lines for soap.  Only a few people are allowed into the store at a time.

 

Lines for detergent.

 

Lines for cases of beer.

 

Update: April 22, 2020

Lines continue and shortages worsen. With the country shut down, the tourist dollars have dried up. There is insufficient money to pay for imported goods.

Lining Up and Muzzled

 

 

Meet Roberto

It started with a cigar. Actually two cigars. I was smoking and so was he.  I yelled “tobacco” and gave him a  thumbs up. He smiled and waved us over.

“I like tobacco” he said.

We were walking where tourists never go and I think Roberto was happy to have some strangers to talk with. After telling us that he was 84 years old, he proceeded to do some deep knee bends to show us that he was in good shape.

Roberto struck this pose on one of his squats. Then we all laughed.

 

He wanted to show us this newspaper article from the late 1950’s. He was in Miami working at a hotel when a reporter came to interview some of the staff. He got his name in print and saved the article for all these years.

Of course there were photographs too.

Roberto was also proud to show us this certificate he received for completing a hunting safety course.

That’s how it goes in Havana. You never know what interesting people you’re going to meet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Way We Used To Play

Years ago, If you lived in the city, you played in the street.

In Havana, that’s exactly what children still do.

Get some wheels and find a hill.

Jump onto a pile of sand and roll down the side.

 

Play a card game and use old cigarette packs as currency.

 

Find something to climb on, run around, and hide behind.

Hopscotch

Basketball

 

And of course, there’s always futbol.

 

Playing Marbles:  https://wp.me/p4fUlX-11B

The Shortcut

My good friend Romnis took me to Cero to walk and photograph. It’s a rough neighborhood and there are no tourists here. All the more reason to go. We found this overgrown pipeline and followed it for a while until we discovered a way underneath.

This woman cautioned us because it was muddy and slippery.

Then, off she went.

From the other side, we could see that it was used quite often.

Café ?

I heard someone calling “café ? café ?” I looked up and saw this older woman waving at me from her balcony.  She pointed to a doorway at street level and waved me up.

She wanted to talk.

She showed me her ration book and explained how it worked. I already knew about this system of subsidizing certain basic foods such as rice, beans, cooking oil, sugar, and coffee; but I listened anyway.

She wrote her address for so that I wouldn’t forget to visit again sometime.

After drinking coffee and showing me her apartment, we went out on the balcony.

That’s the way things happen in Cuba.

Tons Of Water

Water is heavy and there are tons of it looming on rooftops everywhere in Havana.

The old buildings have been divided into many more rooms and apartments than they originally held and everyone needs water.

Structures that are cracking and crumbling from years of neglect are expected to hold new plastic tanks and the old ones made of concrete. When full, there is a lot of added stress on roofs and concrete block walls.

Why store water on the roof? Because there is little pressure in the water lines that run beneath the streets. The water “flows”, mostly at night. People fill their rooftop tanks with small electric pumps and rely on gravity to provide the pressure to their faucets.

 

Check out:    https://wp.me/p4fUlX-Ei

Yo Voto Si

Sunday, February 24th, the people of Cuba ratified the new constitution.

It was  a slam dunk.

“Are you voting yes? I would ask my friends.

“Of course” was the standard answer that accompanied the astonished look that I received.

The whole campaign was preceded by months of propaganda. Signs, billboards, and community organizers all urged people to participate in discussions and share their concerns ….. before voting “yes”.

Most of those who did not favor the new constitution simply did not vote. There were scant few who voted “no”.  Why take the chance of being singled out for retribution?

Voting places were set up according to one’s municipality.

School children were in their uniforms and helped.

As I understood it, there was not a secret ballot and anyone could check the sheets to see how their neighbor voted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One Afternoon

A typical walk for me starts without a destination and without an agenda. At the first intersection, I decide almost subconsciously, which way to turn. I might see some interesting activity in one direction. Or, I might realize that I haven’t walked a certain street in a while. Of course, if I encounter a street that I think I haven’t been on before, I’ll choose that option.

When I’m in the right mood, I like to walk very slowly, stopping often to watch and see what is happening around me. I wonder where people are going, what they are doing, what they are buying, and what they are talking about. I want to know where they live and how they live.

Sometimes I feel badly for them, but often times I am impressed with their openness and honest good nature. People always ask about one’s family.

I make eye contact with people, hoping for a smile, a nod, a wave, or a few words.

I’m never disappointed.

These images were all made in one typical afternoon in Havana.