A lone hiker stands atop a rocky outcrop overlooking the rugged landscape of Antelope Island and the hazy waters of the Great Salt Lake in Utah.

Gary Donaldson

La Habana Vieja

2015

Street market in Old Havana, Cuba, with pedestrians and vendor stalls beneath layers of colorful, weathered buildings, balconies, and laundry hanging above the street.
Old Havana, 2015. A city layered upon itself. Street vendors, balconies, laundry, and centuries of existence written on the weathered walls between them.

A cascade of colonial facades in colors of faded pastels. Laundry drying in the Caribbean sun, strung like banners above the street. Webs of electrical wires hover above vendors selling the essentials of everyday life in this storied city.

This crowded street in Old Havana is just a few blocks from the Prado, but it’s not carefully arranged for the visitor. No tours down this narrow street.

There’s no hurry. The pace here is a stroll. Salsa music flows into the street from an open door, mixing with the warm, spicy aromas of Cuban food. Another afternoon in Old Havana.

Another Perspective

After making the rather lyrical image above, I made my way across the street, heading back to where I was staying in Old Havana.

I stopped at the corner and turned around to absorb everything from the scene I had just left. And there I was again – a lanky gringo with a camera, waiting for the pieces to come together.

A busy intersection in Old Havana, Cuba, with two vintage American cars, pedicabs, pedestrians, colorful buildings, and a narrow street extending into the historic neighborhood.

Vintage American cars and pedicabs move through an intersection as everyday life spills from a narrow street in La Habana Vieja.

Comments

This blog is a place for stories and conversations. Add your voice below – I’d love to hear it.

Keep Exploring

  • Featured Autumn Gallery

    Featured Autumn Gallery

    A few photographs from the 5-Mile Radius Project made over the past week. Enjoy!

    Read on

  • Bison of the Black Hills

    Bison of the Black Hills

    Bison move quietly across the autumn prairies of Custer State Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Their scattered forms echoed by the pines along the distant hills, both are integral elements in the essence of this place.

    Read on

  • Elk of The Black Hills

    Elk of The Black Hills

    A century ago, this would have been an impossible photograph. Elk disappeared entirely from the Black Hills. Their return is a story of restoration, conservation, and a different relationship between people and the wild animals that share this landscape. A few photographs and some history from Custer State Park in South Dakota.

    Read on

Subscribe to receive new Field Notes by email when they are published.

You’ll receive a confirmation email from WordPress. Simply click Confirm Email to finish. No WordPress setup is required.

No ads. No daily emails. Just an occasional notice when there’s a new Field Notes to share.