Uploads from © noborders, tagged day2

the enigma of that ubiquitous standing guy...

nobody@flickr.com (© noborders) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:00:58 -0700

Part of my series Cuban streets at night, a photo taken another night in the same neighbourhood in old Havana.

I was wondering why at several crossroads, there was a lone young guy standing still for hours it seemed, only his head moving in all directions. Sometimes the place was too dark and I did not think to try to remember his clothes, only now, looking back at the photos do I see that he was indeed the same guy standing at different places.

... Was he following me ? I had been told repeatedly to be on my guards as the problem of theft had increased the last weeks, so maybe was he working with accomplices ?

But on the other hand, he could also be there to police or monitor the neighbourhood ! The next day, in broad daylight, the same guy was again standing immobile at a junction just outside my "casa particulare", so I dared saying with a smile "¡ olà !", and he replied by nodding his head very seriously. From that moment, we nodded at each other each time we met, but I never got anything else from him ; still, I felt reassured that he was rather harmless.

... Another of these unsolved mysteries...

the baseball passion - portrait of a discreet spectator

nobody@flickr.com (© noborders) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 02:36:27 -0700

He did not take part to the fierce debates opposing supporters of various teams, but he was there, in a park of Havana, every day to listen attentively to the most animated ones : you can see his face in other photos of the same set.

(NB : please, have a quick look at the pages of the whole set seen in "detail" : this series is to be seen as a sort of film and that's why not all photos are good, I wanted to show as many face expressions as possible !).

Details of the story can be read in the text accompanying this set.

scary neighbourhood (b)

nobody@flickr.com (© noborders) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:39:00 -0800

(Part of the set Cuban streets at night). Not sure that this old house would be renovated soon, the scafholdings seemed to have been there forever, maybe to prevent it to crumble more. But some life inside...

This photo too was so dark that there was not much to see, now it's grainy and there is probably more light than what I saw. A very strange neighbourhood, a bit scary in some of these streets but I'd love to go back, flirting with danger : a new passion ! :-)))

(Not so scary after all, let's not exaggerate and I don't like to sound negative, but its better to tell the truth : it's in those neighbourhoods, the centre and the south of Old Havana that on 2 occasions, my camera was grabbed suddenly ; both times, by *unexperienced young* thieves, - but if there are successful robberies, the area could become more dangerous with gangs threatening with knives etc).

typical entrance of old building, Havana

nobody@flickr.com (© noborders) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:38:53 -0800

(Part of the set Cuban streets at night). Typical electric meters which are seen at the entrance of each building with appartments.

I was taking a photo of this entrance room, just next to the street, when these 2 guys entered and started discussing for a moment ; they were so much taken by their conversation that they did not acknowledge my presence, undisturbed by the fact that I had been shooting and that I did not stop later on ; the ideal conditions to take photos but the bleak neon light was far from ideal !

scary neighbourhood

nobody@flickr.com (© noborders) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:39:06 -0800

(Part of the set Cuban streets at night) ... Why that strange attraction and fascinations for these kinds of places at night ?

This photo was so dark that there was not much to see, now it's grainy and there is probably more light than what I saw. A very strange neighbourhood, a bit scary in some of these streets but I'd love to go back, flirting with danger : a new passion ! :-)))

(Not so scary after all, let's not exaggerate and I don't like to sound negative, but its better to tell the truth : it's in those neighbourhoods, the centre and the south of Old Havana that on 2 occasions, my camera was grabbed suddenly ; both times, by *unexperienced young* thieves, - but if there are successful robberies, the area could become more dangerous with gangs threatening with knives etc).

a renovated building, people coming back from work

nobody@flickr.com (© noborders) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:38:43 -0800

(Part of the set Cuban streets at night) ... Slowly and specially in the north of Old Havana, some buildings are being renovated.

Of course it's urgent and necessary, I only hope that the present inhabitants of Old Havana will be able to remain in their old neighbourhoods and that these areas will not be "gentryfied" with richer new comers moving in, the former ones being evicted and relocated far from the centre as is often the case in other countries.

... "who just shouted in the night ?"...

nobody@flickr.com (© noborders) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 05:30:16 -0800

Part of my series Cuban streets at night, this one (not my favorite) was taken just a minute after the first (unsuccessful) assault of my camera.

I did not know that I was still able to shout with that strength (having lost my voice teaching ski years ago, repeatedly giving instructions far away in the cold) - surprised myself by the shout, but this man was in fact the only one to be curious, the others in the street did not pay much attention... no one offering assistance but this man (please, end of story = next photo).

yet another proposal (!!!) :(( ... ;))

nobody@flickr.com (© noborders) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 05:30:10 -0800

Photo taken through the fence separating his living room from the street, (a following of this photo).

I had come to meet him after my big shout and of course wanted to talk about what had just happened to me (after all, seconds before someone had tried to fly away with my camera, took it from my hands !), but instead he asked me something IMO totally irrelevant (unfortunately, it's a question that I'm so much used to hear, travelling most of the time on my own) : "where is your husband, are you not married ?... why are you walking alone ? ... no, it's not dangerous - but it's not fun !" ;

... When I don't feel in danger with a person, generally I tell the truth, that I'm single and travelling alone and enjoying it very much because I meet more people this way than when I'm travelling with someone else or with many friends.

... But then, as happens often, he immediately told me : "come in !!! I happen to be single too now, I'm freshly divorced and I don't enjoy being alone, let's spend the night together !"

Not possible to reason him :-)) -- and better not to waste my time, no way to tell him that I was not tempted in the least -

(NB : there is a high rate of divorces in Cuba, maybe partly because most women work - it would be interesting to learn more about this !)

the little boy and his mother had been watching me for a while

nobody@flickr.com (© noborders) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:54:52 -0800

They were on the doorstep of their appartment building and I was very much impressed by the architecture. Then, the boy joined me, wanted to see the photo and asked to be taken again (photo below).

"A Dog's Life" ("une vie de chien")

nobody@flickr.com (© noborders) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:54:57 -0800

A veterinary in Turkey (where I'll be back very soon) remarked that this French expression, meaning that the dogs have the worst life on earth (talking of stray dogs, of course, who have to fend for themselves), was the most silly thing that he had ever heard : "as usual", he told me jokingly, "you French speaking people have understood nothing !" :)))

It's true that I did not meet in Cuba any really miserable dog like I saw in many countries in south Asia for instance, - "pariah" animals,

... and it's also true that all the dogs met in Cuba were very sweet, discreet, generally not barking excessively at night (except some of the ones who were owned by someone).

........................
(Havana at night is even more atmospheric than day time ; I was out with my camera each night, even when it was raining hard - exciting and each time new adventures...)

it's not what it seems...

nobody@flickr.com (© noborders) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:54:47 -0800

He may look aggressive that way, but this boy was thrilled to pose for me and enjoyed watching himself on my LCD ;

It's because of the light just above him that I asked him to lift his head which gives him that attitude but he was really a good and sweet boy who accompanied me for a little tour at night.

Some weeks later, back in Havana, he recognized me : he ran, calling me and then spontaneously, kissed me on both cheeks as if I was part of his family - I was touched and moved ; such are the people in Cuba, kissing very often and very naturally. (Almost all my lodgers did so, something that I also liked a lot).

just before closure, after last customer left

nobody@flickr.com (© noborders) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 12:55:02 -0800

These little corner shops in Old Havana, often they did not seem to have many things to sell but sometimes, even if almost nothing was visible on the shelves, long queues with people were standing patiently and quietly, probably for just one item that had arrived, the news spreading from one person to the other.

the baseball passion - day 2 (portrait) 2

(NB : please, have a quick look at the pages of the whole set seen in "detail" : this series is to be seen as a sort of film and that's why not all photos are good, I wanted to show as many face expressions as possible.

Details of the story can be read in the text accompanying this set.

the baseball passion - day 2 (a guy silent before suddenly gives a long speech :) 8

the baseball passion - day 2 (a guy silent before suddenly gives a long speech :) 5

the baseball passion - day 2 (M. X likes to provoke everyone, for the love of discussions :)) 1

the baseball passion - day 2 (a guy silent before suddenly gives a long speech :) 9

the baseball passion - day 2 (a gentle winck)

the baseball passion - day 2 (a guy silent before suddenly gives a long speech :) 17

the baseball passion - day 2 (M. X & "partner-in-discussions" :)) 4