Our Man In Havana

When my longtime friend, Loren Rea, told me I needed to meet some Cuban guy the next time I headed south, I figured I’d make a new contact, which is always a good thing. What I didn’t realize was just how cool “Don Yoyi” would be. Loren had seen his artwork at the Salt Gallery[…]

Since Christmas Eve of 1958, El Cristo de La Habana (Christ of Havana) has kept an eye on the Cuban capitol from high on a hill, across Havana Harbor, in the suburb of Casablanca. Located near the stone walls of La Cabaña, part of the Morro Castle defense system, the marble giant was dedicated just[…]

Of all the touristy places in Cuba, Old Havana definitely takes the cake, and if there’s an epicenter, it has to be the Cathedral Plaza. The former “Swamp Square,” as it was known in the early 1700s, is now a swamp of another variety. Countless hustlers try to sell “real” Cuban cigars, with a special[…]

Here we go again. Just when I thought everything was in place, I find myself frantically preparing for another guided trip across Cuba. I’ve had months to prepare and while I think I have everything I need, without fail, something will be forgotten. For this week’s installment, there is actually a presence of mind in[…]

Two years ago next week, former President Barack Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to set foot on Cuban soil in 88 years. It was an amazing sight regardless from which country you came, or which way your politics lean. The crush of reporters and photographers that week was even more intense than that[…]

Wow! Wanna talk about “Fake News?” My weekly self-imposed history lesson about Cuba really opened the proverbial can of worms this time. While searching for a photo for this week’s edition, I found this ho-hum statue shot I did 15 years ago of Christopher Columbus in Cuba’s first town, Baracoa. There’s simply way too much[…]

I find myself writing and talking about Vinales a lot, but the fact is it has always been my favorite spot in all of Cuba. In a way, the three-hour or so drive is kind of like driving to Miami, but the payoff is much better. As a matter of fact, I have a recurring[…]