Quiet, idyllic, and peaceful, Puerto Esperanza is a little fishing village north of Vinales, Cuba.
In February 2019 my friends and I hired a driver to take us there and wait while we explored.
We met a Canadian gentleman who invited us up to the balcony of his casa. where the host made coffee for us. He told us that he has been coming to this village for years. I can see why.
He also got us past the gate and into the marina for a few quick images.
The western province of Pinar Del Rio in Cuba is noted for producing some of the finest cigar tobacco. The little town of Vinales is a favorite destination of mine.
In late January and early February the tobacco is harvested by hand.
The leaves only have a short span of optimal quality. A few days one way or another can make a huge difference. It takes skill to know which leaves to cut and when.
Of course, all the work is done by hand.
A razor sharp hook-knife is used to lop off the chosen leaves just below a split in the stalk.
This allows the cuttings to hang freely over a pole. Later the poles are stacked in a barn to dry and cure.
Trash
Chemical waste
Sewage
All these things, and more, pollute the rivers and streams of Cuba’s cities.
I’ve seen the pollution. I’ve asked people why the rivers are so dirty. Of course they blame the government and they are partly correct, regarding industrial waste and sewage. But I constantly see Cubans drop papers, wrappers, pizza boxes, cans, bottles, cigarette packs, and garbage. It’s a learned behavior that starts when they are children.
The beaches that the locals use are also affected:
Camaguey
Camaguey
Camaguey
Camaguey
Santa Clara
Santa Clara
Santa Clara
Santa Clara
The water here was actually gray!
Holguin
Holguin
Havana
This church group from Canada makes an annual trip to Cojima to clean trash from the shoreline.
La Loma de la Cruz
At the northern end of Holguin, a stairway built in 1950 ascends 465 steps (irregular in width and height) to the top of a hill with panoramic views, a restaurant and a 24-hour bar.
A cross was raised here in 1790 in the hope of relieving a drought. During Romerías de Mayo, devotees climb to the summit on May 3 where a special Mass is held.
Taxis are available to drive sightseers to the top, but I wanted to be able to say that I climbed the steps. The climb is probably best made in the cooler morning hours, but I wanted the evening light. So in 90 degree heat and 90% humidity it took me 25 minutes to reach the top.
Landscapes in Havana?
Why Not?
You only have to know where to go and when.
Landscapes take time.
Time to scout.
Time to learn:
– where to be to find an interesting subject and a composition.
– when to be there …. the season, month, day, and hour.
– what light you want …. morning, evening, or something in between.
So you go, armed with all your knowledge, and then you are still at the mercy of the weather.
Sometimes you get shut out, but sometimes you get lucky.
Having been to Vinales, Cuba only twice before, I considered myself lucky on the third trip.
We had some delicate valley fog one morning so four of us grabbed a taxi and offered the driver some money to take us about 4 miles out of town and drop us off. We planned to walk back and shoot on the way. It took some explaining to convince the driver that we were serious.
mstevensphotography 