π¨πΊ Havana Blues
When I finally returned to Havana after my three-week stay in the nearby beach town of Guanabo, I was almost immediately greeted with a 48-hour nationwide blackout, similar to the ones they'd had several times in the months before I arrived. Luckily, it was at the weekend, so I didn't miss much work, and the family I was staying with had the foresight to fill up every empty receptacle in the house with water (since the water is pumped up, so no electricity also means no water, once the rooftop tank is empty).
In the silver linings department, when you're without electricity, running water and (mostly) internet for 48 hours, you appreciated them all the more once they return. Plus an island-wide blackout is a great excuse for taking it easy, especially in Cuba. And of course the moon and stars appeared much brighter at night than they otherwise would have. All in all, not a terrible experience, and definitely one that felt authentically Cuban.
Power's out
When you planned to have a quiet weekend at home catching up on work and other things, but then the entire national power grid collapses, and they're saying it might be 2-3 days without electricity.
On the bright side, the moon looks a lot more impressive than it otherwise would!
Plus it's luckily only 100% humidity tonight. If it were 300% or 400% humidity, I'd probably want to turn the fan on - especially since opening the window is a nonstarter on account of famished mosquitoes....
Sunrise addiction
When your battery is at 5% and you've only got one powerbank that might need to last days, but still can't help obsessively taking some sunrise photos from the roof....
Praying to Commie Jesus
Still waiting for a miracle when it comes to getting Cuba's electricity back online after the national grid collapsed on Friday and caused island-wide blackouts. They're saying it might still be another day or two.
But after close to 48 hours, at least the internet has improved from (virtually) nonexistent to just painfully slow. Let's see if it's strong enough to post this photo of (the original well-meaning idealistic Commie hippie of) our Lord and Saviour I took yesterday....
NB: Just to be clear, that last bit is meant to be taken entirely as a compliment!
Power's back(ish)
When the power is out in the entire city except this one block in this one (allegedly) dodgy neighbourhood.
The street light was what initially caught my eye, but then when you turn the corner every third house was blasting music and all the ACs were on.
NB: This was earlier today around noon, but as of now (ie 10.30pm) it seems power has been restored to most of Havana, after some 48 hours (give or take, depending on the district) sin electricidad....
This week's trends
Electricity= In (hopefully)
Sun = Out
NB: That skyscraper on the far left is the newly opened tallest building in Cuba, which is quite controversial for a bunch of reasons. I've been meaning to post about it for months, but procrastination flows more naturally in Cuba than perhaps anywhere I've ever been. Maybe maΓ±ana....
Caracas unguarded
I'd wanted to take a photo of this facade for months, but whenever I've passed - and it's been dozens of times, at all times of day and night - there's always a guy sitting in that chair outside the door, or milling about within a few steps of it. Always. Until yesterday. Small victories....
Unfortunately, not the best light. But beggars can't be choosers.
Anyway, the moral here is to never give up, keep following your dreams, know that patience pays off, set realistic goals and aim low - the lower the better!
Havana Blues
Street vendor street art in Old Havana
Economic Society of Friends of the Country
The cute little neoclassical guy in the middle there was formerly the 'Economic Society of Friends of the Country', and is now a primary school.
Hope the kids attending realise how cool their school is....
Havana Blues II
This is the facade of the famed Romeo y Julieta cigar factory here in Havana.
Yellow
πΆ Look at the stars
πΆ Look how they shine for you
πΆ And everything you do
πΆ Yeah, they were all yellow
πΆ I came along
πΆ I wrote a song for you
πΆ And all the things you do
πΆ And it was called "Yellow"
(This one is dedicated to the shirtless old guy with the hairy belly, who succeeded in making me homesick for the Balkans yesterday, even though that likely wasn't his intention. Not all heroes wear capes, or shirts...)
Writers write?
βThat 'writers write' is meant to be self-evident. People like to say it. I find it hardly ever true. Writers drink. Writers rant. Writers phone. Writers sleep. I have met very few writers who write at all.β
- Renata Adler, ππ±π¦π¦π₯π£π°π’π΅ (1976)
Having a singular favourite quote is like having a singular favourite book, film, food, song, city or most anything else. An impossibility. For most things, there's a top tier of more or less equals, all 11/10 in the personal taste department.
That said, when it comes to lighthearted literary lines, this one has long been my first among equals....
Las Vegas at Home
I wanna go to Las Vegas this weekend!
But we've got Las Vegas at home!
Las Vegas at home:
The Power of UV
When your door gets so much sun it becomes art....
Camera shy
I tried. But the subject was uncooperative....
Buenas noches Habanaβ¦
Always love seeing a day moon. Even if it just ends up looking like a tiny out of focus smudge in photos....
When you go to print some documents for your visa extension and find a surprise in the machine. Unfortunately, not for sale though....
Golden hour in old Havana
Centro Filmico
Formerly a film studio (opened in 1957) and now a bank, at least the giant mural on the facade hasn't lost any of its luster over the intervening decades....
Villas of Vedado
I don't know much about architecture, but Havana's Vedado district has all kinds of cool looking villas. Like this one....