Cuba

Adrian waits outside the old theater while we shot inside. This was deep in the heart of Old Havana.
Suli and Dany and the River of Sacrifice......
For the second part of our day shooting Afro-Cuban dance, they took us to this wildlife recreation type area, with a lush forest with a river and walking paths to photograph a pair of dancers named Suli and Dany.

But this place was different, It smelled like dried blood and there were bones of chickens, as well as other things we did not recognize, feathers and ripped articles of clothing all over.
While we were at this location shooting, we noticed not one but two separate ceremonies going on at different times throughout the afternoon down by the river. As we set up for the first series of photos, we watched a headless chickens float down the river past us coming from one of those ceremonies.
This was without a doubt, one of not only the most fascinating, but wildly bizarre days we spent in Cuba.
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Suli in her "Queen in Waiting" Glory
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Old Ford........
At the Ballet School of Havana
Ramses pulls it off again. an opportunity to look behind the scenes, we visited the Famed "Ballet School of Havana". We watched some of the company that had preformed in Cinderella at the Grand Theatre showing a few nights before.
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
More Physical Athleticism in this school than you can even imagine...
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
And the Piano Player played it again, again and again...
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Back on the Streets of Old Havana....
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Rahel talks about his work....
Ramses took us to the studio of his friend and local artist Rahle, who did this beautiful work that we thought reminded you of Andrew Wyeth. Rahle had to stop in the middle of a painting due to running out of paint.
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Entrance to Rahel's studio....
Broom Lady
This lady walked and sang a constant song, that I think translated into buying your cleaning supplies from her.
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Fresh Pineapples for sale....
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
We all gota' get around somehow....
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Another view of Cuba...
Fishing the Channel to the Port of Havana...
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Ontario CA Birds Canada John Stager Ice Cold Winter
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
And what is it?
Ontario CA Birds Canada John Stager Ice Cold Winter
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
At the Mediterroaneo Havana....
Every lunch and dinner, we were treated to some exotic restaurant, either on a rooftop, in the back of or on the 4th floor of an old building, or just in a storefront. I think was the most obvious contrast to me between communism and capitalism. I don’t know for sure, but I felt like these small restaurants were start-ups in a socialist world. The food and the people who took care of us were out of this world.
Keylime Pie somewhere...
A mojito on a rooftop...
We had to walk through an old building, up 4 or 5 flights of steps, but came out in a marvelous rooftop restaurant where we drank and ate...
The Last Supper...
On our final day in Cuba, Rad got us these old taxies, brightly colored convertibles, Ours was a 55 Chevy with a 4 cylinder Russian engine.
From our spot in Havana, we drove out to a little fishing village far away for a fresh caught dinner that was another exotic adventure that could have stood all alone.....
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
On the way to Dinner the last night.
I'm shooting out of our convertible as we drive through these little villages and towns on the way to dinner....
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
The 3 of us off to Dinner...
a Scene from the Godfather...
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Ramses at "Julio" our last dinner in Cuba...
This was our destination, a little house on the water, where ate fresh seafood and drank run and expresso.
Our Hosts at Julio...
Shooting Cars on the Malecon...
Ontario CA Birds Canada John Stager Ice Cold Winter
Shooting Cars on the Malecon...
Ontario CA Birds Canada John Stager Ice Cold Winter
Shooting Cars on the Malecon...
Ontario CA Birds Canada John Stager Ice Cold Winter
Shooting Cars through the Back Window...
Adrian got us everywhere in a pretty sleek Mercedes Sprinter Van. He could put it anywhere...
Adrian, Our driver who could put a bus places that buses just can't or shouldn't go.
Cuba Havana Rad Drew
Rad Drew
Rad's Company, Rad Drew Photography put the trip together. Rad has been leading trips to Cuba for probably 10 years now. He's the Man....
Ontario CA Birds Canada John Stager Ice Cold Winter
Lia, Our local guide that added color and context to everything.
She was also our lighting expert and assistant to Ramses, as well as a student of the University of Cuba (Universidad de la Habana)
The After Hours Club....
We would go over to the Hotel Melia Cohiba, where we could buy an hour of internet time (we had no other connection with the outside world), and doing Cristal and Havana Club....