Friday 18 January 2013

Crumbling Cuba

Last month I was in Cuba. It seems a long time ago now. The city of Havana appeared to be falling down; it reminded me of the bomb damaged cities of my childhood. Some of the scaffolding on the facades of formerly handsome  buildings had been in place for so long that it had rusted and been taken over by climbing plants.
There are examples of marvelous restoration work, as in La Plaza Vieja, funded by European money.


But for the most part it is a case of serious neglect.
In spite, or because of this, I found it utterly captivating.









The colours and the patina of neglect
 produced the most delicious wall surfaces.
I totally exhausted the memory card in my camera!
We drove in style

to take a look at the Hotel Nacional

This hotel has played host to many famous faces.

Time for a bit of tourist posing!
While a mural on a street in Havana celebrates famous citizens.




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4 comments:

  1. Eliza18 January 2013 at 16:36

    Absolutely beautiful. I love the images you captured...great photography!

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  2. Share my Garden21 January 2013 at 04:59

    It would be well nigh impossible not to take good photos in Havana, Eliza. Everywhere you point the camera is photogenic!

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  3. Tamera Beardsley21 January 2013 at 08:16

    I am so enjoying you beautiful photos of Cuba? How did you end up traveling there? One of my good friends left Cuba with her family during the revolution, and I have become intrigued with the country. Your photos have such ironic haunting beauty! Thank you so for sharing!

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  4. Share my Garden2 February 2013 at 12:59

    Dear Tamera, There are more photos of Cuba to follow! I wonder what your friend would think of the country now, in it's state of beautiful neglect.
    Two-centre holidays in Cuba are being heavily advertised in Britain; a few days in Havana and the rest at the beach. The highlight of our holiday was Havana, I think that it would be ridiculous to travel to Cuba only for a beach holiday. Our experience raised a lot of questions (which I shall not be raising on my blog!)

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