Cuba

Dilapidated, faded, and gorgeous: Havana, as soon as you step out of the airport, what greets you are the old 40s and 50s cars running in different stages of disrepair, the first immense billboard with Che Guevara’s iconic face, and the light.

This past february, it was both mellow and bright, absolutely perfect for photography.

Cuban people are endlessly welcoming, curious about where you are from, delighted that you want to see their places. They are charming and engaging, touch you familiarly, and laugh a lot. They are also proud and dignified, but clear-eyed about their circumstances: conversations will most likely include a question like “would you happen to have some mascara or hand-lotion that you could spare?” Or candy, or a couple of cucs, the tourist-only currency, significantly more valuable than their own pesos. Havana is a large city, but for the first timer Old Havana, Central Havana, and the more modern area of Vedado are the places on which to concentrate, each with its own distinct flavor. The harbor marks the edge of Old Havana, and across the shipping canal, the ancient fortress of El Morro and the sleepy village of Casablanca offer stunning views of the Malecón across the rocky coast and Havana spreading west.

My favorite place? Very early morning on the corner of Nep-tuno and Consulado, in Centro Havana, where the old taxis called “almendrones” (giant almonds) gather to fill up to the gills with people to take them all different directions to work.