Plaza de la Revolución
Havana, Cuba
August 2013
Che’s image is a real and lasting symbol of strength and unity which we saw regularly in Cuba. I would be lying if I said I didn’t start to fall a little bit in love with him myself.
Malecon /
Malecón
Havana, Cuba
August 2013
The Malecón stretches for four miles along the coast of Havana, from the old town in the east to the Vedado neighborhood in the west. In the late afternoons the locals walk and socialize along the esplanade.
Playa del Carmen /
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
August 2013
It’s not easy to take a photo in Playa del Carmen which does not have about five hundred tourists in it. But here is one. Playa is like a smaller Cancun, which means everything feels very inauthentic if you go there after two weeks of traveling in less touristed parts of Mexico. Highly commercialized and developed, Playa features a long paved pedestrian mall lined with cafes, bars, shops and ATMs that allow you to withdraw US dollars. The beach clubs lining the sand offer shaded lounges for use if you purchase drinks and food. We took advantage of this, enjoying mojitos and hot chips and guacamole and beers, with live bands behind us playing covers of everything from Daft Punk to Steely Dan. By late afternoon, there were clear views of the empty beach as most people retired to their hotels to prepare for an evening of dancing in the massive night clubs surrounding the beach. This was my favorite part of the day, as we stayed as long as we could by the water, not wanting the time in the open air to end, knowing we were about to leave Mexico.
Xoxocotlán /
Xoxocotlán, Mexico
August 2013
Hot, hot, hot day. About 20 minutes by car outside of Oaxaca city is this small town called Xoxocotlán. We were fortunate that they were holding their weekly market when we visited, so we were able to see local men and women completing their weekly shopping.
Leopards /
San Cristobal de las Casas
Mexico
August 2013
Leopards!
Xochimilco /
Xochimilco, Mexico City
Mexico
August 2013
This was magical. We drank beer, we floated down the canal, we saw craftspeople selling blankets and clothes and plants and toys. For one hundred pesos we were serenaded by a mariachi band from their boat to ours. Mexico is magic.
San Juan Chamula /
San Juan Chamula, Mexico
August 2013
Some of the most interesting experiences that we had in Mexico could not be photographed. In San Juan Chamula, I had one of those moments. These pictures are not related to that moment.
Germantown /
Germantown, Philadelphia
September 2013
There was something about this third floor apartment in an old house in Germantown that was a little bit creepy. Maybe it was the tiny doors that lead between all the rooms. Maybe it was the costumes and skeleton mask stored in the space between two rooms. Maybe it was the huge dolls house or the painting of bodies on a boat. Whatever it was, we decided that it probably wasn’t a good idea to sleep alone.
San Cristobal de las Casas /
Houses
San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico
August 2013
Some of the amazing colors of homes in this beautiful town in Chiapas.
Cooking /
Cooking class, Oaxaca
Mexico
August 2013
This cooking class was one of my favorite experiences in Mexico. First we bought all of the ingredients in a small local market, and then we took two cars to our chef’s home where we set up in her beautiful kitchen. We learnt to make tortilla soup, zucchini blossoms stuffed with oaxacan cheese, chiles en nogada and coconut flan. The atmosphere in the kitchen was lively and collaborative. We were all involved in helping prepare each dish; we diced fruit and vegetables, stuffed chiles, washed blossoms, peeled the skin off walnuts, and sliced fresh cheese. We all agreed it was one of the best meals we’ve ever played a part in preparing.