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.
We met Orlando quite by chance early one morning while we were photographing. After introductions he invited us back to his farm to photograph.
Now, Orlando is a businessman as well as a farmer. He caters to tourists, providing horseback rides, guide service, and tours of his farm. We all knew this, but he was such a nice guy and the photo-ops were great. Besides, it was only 8:00 am and the light was good. What photographer would want to go on a tour at noontime?
We walked back to his house and went inside.
We were offered coffee.
Orlando lit a small wood fire
Then got to work grinding some beans.
His mother, Marta, took over in the kitchen.
She put on quite a show smoking a cigar and boiling the water…..
…..and making the coffee.
The coffee was good!
Next, we had the cigar rolling demonstration.
One for me.
Of course we bought some cigars and even some guayabita rum.
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.
We were about half way from Havana to Vinales when our taxi driver slowed rapidly. I detected, almost instantly, the smell of coolant on hot metal. We had blown a hose.
Luckily, the hose had split right next to the clamp, so all that was necessary was to loosen the clamp, shorten the hose, and re-attach it.
Of course, we would then need to re-fill the radiator. That proved to be the hard part.
We donated all the drinking water we had in the car, but it was not enough.
We drove about a mile and stopped to ask this farmer where we could get water. He was grazing some cows and told us that there was water right under this bridge.
Our driver made two trips to the stream to fill the radiator.
The farmer enjoyed the show and had a good laugh.
He wore no shoes.
I asked him where his shoes were and he just motioned to the other side of the road. I hope he had some.
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.
Simple things can provide genuine enjoyment and funny moments.
Bring some balloons and make a big deal out of blowing them up. You know, the old Tom Sawyer and the fence white-washing scene. (You tell them they cannot possibly blow up these balloons and they will tell you that they can.) Soon you’ll have a crowd of children and some adults wanting to get in on the fun.
Easy start with his hat on.
Soon realizes the difficulty and loses his hat.
Expressions are priceless.
Confidence. “I got this”
The hat goes back on.
Husband and wife
Their son actually has an easier time.
One evening, while sitting on the patio of our casa in Vinales, Cuba, I heard a very loud and strange sound. I looked up from my sip of rum and saw these beasts dragging something down the hill. A sheet metal and wooden box had been set on top of an old tire and chained to the animals. After the gentleman made a couple of stops it became clear that he was hauling away trash in this curious contraption.
There are several large, well-known caves in and around Viñales, Cuba as well as many that are smaller and less popular.
On a guided walk through the tobacco farms we had the option to explore a small cave. After descending a few meters from the farmland, our guide Richard, lead us through a narrow opening in the limestone. We all grabbed our small flashlights as we were assured the passage would open up and become a less claustrophobic scramble to the other end.
I’m not a big fan of caves, but this one was just my size … ten minutes long.
Richard
Going down
Looking back
Looking ahead
The way out
Richard hugs his son as our tour ended.
Viñales, Cuba is known for tobacco farms, but farmers also raise a few pigs and keep some hens. They are quick to point out that their farming methods are all natural.
I’m thankful for shoes.
I realize that millions of people in the world go without shoes, but other than children at play, I don’t recall seeing many in Cuba without footwear of some kind.
We were about two kilometers from the main street in Vinales when
We spotted this man walking on the paved road, in the hot sun, in the middle of the day.
He had no shoes.
How far had he come?
How far was he going?
We tried to communicate with him, but could not understand what he was trying to tell us.
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