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Children lounge on an old car near the home of Benito, a farmer who opens his operation to tourist visits.

Balcony

Someone dangles their feet above Refugio Street.

Parade Rest

Forty minutes into the parade, these costumed women took a rest to smoke and fan away the sticky heat. The 6 de enero parade celebrates Epiphany and commemorates a successful 1896 rebel invasion of La Habana during the war for independence; it also combines many distinct Afro-Cuban cultural elements in an hours-long loop of the old city.

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Two tourists photograph each other; in the background, a local fishes in the breakers.

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A man walks along Playa del Este.

Franqui Guts a Barracuda

Frankie guts a barracuda. Frankie and his partner Yerani fish around reefs two kilometers out to sea using inflated inner tubes with a styrofoam center.

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Frankie and Yerani sold this line of about ten fish for 8 CUC. The two sell their haul up and down the beach, making multiple fishing trips a day.

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Orlando has played the guitar since he was nine years old.

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Orlando's hands after a lifetime of guitar calluses.

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La China checks her phone.

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A tourist couple caught in a Tropicana performer's spotlight.

Gears

On a rainy day, a man uses his apartment's pulley to bring a bicycle up from the street.

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A man barbecues in the narrow courtyard between two buildings.

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January ‎6, ‎2016, ‏‎11:39pm: A dancer at the Tropicana night club meets a tourist's camera eye. Tropicana employs more dancers than any other institution in Cuba.

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Boys performing in the 6 de enero parade wear sneakers with their costumes.

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A stiltwalker in the 6 de enero parade. "You want to try?" he offered when I asked how he liked the view from up there.

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A woman holding her cat watches the parade pass.

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Pedro Pablo Pérez Pérez, a licensed historical interpreter, charges 2 CUC for three photos.

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A woman dances on the edge of the parade.

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A young girl reacts to the parade performers.

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A stiltwalker calls out to somebody in Plaza Vieja at the end of the parade.

Ray

Ray, our driver, after dropping us off at the hostel on the first day. Ray worked hard to keep his van running; it's a tough job.

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A stiltwalker in the red and white clothes, double-headed axe, and lightning insignia of the orisha Chango.

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After the parade, a stiltwalker checks her phone, and catches me taking her picture.

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A Yemaya dancer waits for the concert to start.

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A man with a hole cut in his shirt to show off his tattoo of Che.

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Convertible Cadillac on the Malecon.

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Ernesto is eighty-three, has two children, and has been a musician all his life.

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Saying goodbye to our hosts and friends.

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Alina and her sister Moni in Alina's kitchen.

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Farewell night with dancing, rum and cokes with paper umbrellas, and cake with candied fruit and the sweetest icing I've had in my life.

© 2016 By Rachel Brown. Proudly created with Wix.com

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