The colors of Cuba

Here are some recent photos I love:

Rosalía and the Cuban Siamese cat she gave me.Semi still remembers his first "owner."  Rosalía is a retired nurse-midwife, a local celebrity, as she has helped deliver more than 1,000 babies.

Students watching the kayaks and waiting to learn to steer a sailboat.

Front of the building that houses my apartment. This "quinta" isan example of the classic Cuban ‘farmhouse’--it is the landlord’s mansion.  This was the final building acquired by the seminary.  The original house was first subdivided into five large apartments, with each apartment now sharing a portion of the large inner courtyard.  In 2008, three more apartments were built on top.  I live in one of those.

My "home" in Cuba.This is the rear of the old farmhouse mansion.  My apartment is reached by climbing a staircase whose opening you can see just by the tall palm tree in the picture.

The street of stairs. This family lives in the same building with me.  Both parents will be my students.  We descended the street of stairs as a shortcut leading to a footbridge over the River Yumurí, on the way to visit a castle-museum.

These Optis were the sailboats on which the younger ones learning to race.

Kayaking on the San Juan river.From the Bay toward the city of Matanzas. The first overpass is the Viaducto, the freeway from Havana to Varadero.  The bridge behind it is the all-steel one over which I passed to reach the nautical center.

One of the younger students swims around the boat ramp.

Getting the little sailboats ready to go in the water.

There are two Hobie Cats whose sails are under repair.

The juxtapositioning of the Cuban flag and the sail were a feat of the little camera Ron gave me…nothing to do with any photographic talent on my part.

A Laser getting ready to go.

Laser in preparation for the water.

A brief moment of shade.

Holding the wishbone to the windsurfer.Jorge is the instructor who invited Alice to navigate his boat as he instructed the younger ones learning to race.  Here he is holding the wishbone to a windsurfer he’s just dragged back from repair. A bit later, the young woman champion racer went flying before on the windsurfer, but I had already put the camera away.

Bringing back the windsurfer sail.

Part of the beach by the Matanzas bay.

These bici-taxis are all over Cuba.

Crossing back over the bridge into town.

The railroad bridge.

A bike for two. One often sees three people on one bike.

Taken last night in another apartment at the seminary.Three Canadians and one Cuban.

Semi and I at the kitchen table too early this morning.

My living room. Rocking chairs are the staple furniture of choice of every Cuban home.