CUBAA PHOTO ESSAY

by Morris Bibliowicz

SUMMER 2004

STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM

CITY COLLEGE OF SAN FRANCISCO

•Varadero

•Trinidad

CCSF Group Visits Havana, San Antonio de los Baños, Pinar del Rio, Matanzas, Varadero, Trinidad and Cienfuegos.

Landing in Cuba

La Havana First Impressions

La Havana Vieja

Rooftops View from Palacio O’ Farrill Hotel

Palacio O’Farrill Hotel

Water delivered by truck to residents due to drought

1937 replica of Spanish castle used as police station, La Havana Vieja

La Havana Vieja Unesco Recognized Site

Ample restoration work is under progress headed by the office of the Historian of Havana, Eusebio Leal. Plaza Vieja one of several plazas

in Havana Vieja has been nearly completed

Restoration work being done at Palacio de las Ursulinas

Streets of Old Havana

La Bodeguita del MedioOne of Hemingway's’ old Hangouts

Entrance to a church, La Havana

Dancing at Plaza de la Catedral

Enrique Saya delivers a lecture to CCSF group about El Son Cubano and the History of Cuban Music. Professor Greg Landau translates.

CCSF group visits ICAIC, the Cuban film institute. Alex Fleites delivers a lecture on the history of Cuban film, assisted by Dagmara who translated for

Alex. The lecture was followed by a screening of the award winning Cuban film Strawberries and Chocolate (Director: Tomas Gutierrez Zalea)

CCSF visits the Havana cementery. Ada Villavicencio y Torre who

formerly worked at the cementery poses for the camera

Roberto Surralo (right) and Alex Busides (left), vice presidents of UNEAC (Cuban writers association) deliver a lecture to CCSF group.

UNEAC promotes literature in Cuba and has 2800 members. Professor Landau (center) translates for the group.

Hotel Nacional, Havana Icon

CCSF Group Visits Barrio Chino

Dónde vas con mantón de Manila,

Dónde vas con vestido chinés,

Voy al parque a bailar la verbena

Y a meterme a la cama después.

Vieja habanera

Casa de las Americas

CCSF group attends a lecture on types of Cuban music at Casa de las Americas

Generos de de la musica cubana

Professor Landau translates for the group

El TRESPivotal instrument of Cuban music

MÚsica Campesina

Troba Cubana

Son

Rumba …

Bolero

Charanga

Salsa

GuaguancÓ

CanciÓn Proteta

Rap Cubano

ReguetÓn

Pop

Estrellas Cubanas

A series of concerts sponsored by UNEAC ( UniÓn de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba)

This group “Estrellas de Cuba” has been playing for 45 years.

Troba sin Traba

Before the concert starts, UNEAC opens a space to young and upcoming artist. In this picture Mayansa sings for the public

The entrance to the house where the concert took place

CCSF Visits FundaciÓn Fernando Ortiz

• Founder and well known author Miguel Barnet Lanza delivers a lecture on Afro-Cuban religions, syncretism and transculturation.

• Greg Landau translates for the group. To the right of Barnet, one of his students who has studied extensively the Arab influence in Cuba, hence his nickname “Arabe”

Callejón de Hamel

Callejón de Hamel

A side street in Havana painted by Salvador Gonzalez where the painter promotes and sells his paintings

Museo de la Revolución

Painting above the entrance door of the museum. This is a world class fine arts museum where a visitor can get lost for days. Our group was fortunate to have a marvelously knowledgeable guide who walked us through several periods of Cuban painting. A highlight of the trip.

Visit to Guanabacoa

A museum dedicated to Afro-Cuban Culture with emphasis on Santeria

Havana Quinta Avenida

This part of Havana is where embassies and foreign companies locate.

La Havana, Rio Almendares

El Faro del Morro, El MalecÓn

Visit to San Antonio de los BañosRio Ariuanao

Our bus driver Rene, improvises with a local group playing drums and percussion on the streets of San Antonio de los Baños

CCSF group takes a refreshing pause drinking coconut milk

Pinar Del Rio

Palma Barrigona Pot Belly Palm Tree

Visit to Tobacco Farm

Tobacco leaves drying

CCSF’s Laura Tran

Viñales

Viñales, view from Hotel Los Jasmines

Casa de la Cultura, Matanzas

Ms. Nora AsunciÓn Hndez Gonzáles, specialist in Cuban folkloric dance and choreographer, explains to CCSF group differences in dance steps, types of dance, movements and cultural nuances.

Santeria Drums and Ceremony

A group of young children are being trained by a master santero to carry on with tradition and customs

Varadero Beach

Trinidad Colonial Town, UNESCO Site

CCSF group listens to Lizette, our tour guide, as she talks about

the architecture and history of Trinidad

Cienfuegos

Sugar mill landlord and slave owner’s house. Built in the style of the Alhambra. The house was bought by dictator Fulgencio Batista in the 1950’s to set up a casino next to the Hotel Jagua where CCSF group stayed in Cienfuegos. It is now a restaurant.

José Garcίa Montebravo Painter in Cienfuegos

A freed slave woman, on her 90th birthday, has her picture taken with shackles on, as testimony to her former status.

Circa 1900.

CCSF Group visits Museo Benny More, the house where Benny More, “El Bárbaro del Ritmo” was born

Santa Isabel de Las Lajas

CCSF Group visits painter Juan Manuel Casanova

Casanova uses mixed media to convey his message on the canvas

Clasicos de Cuba