pLAy B-A-L-L

‘Baseball Practice’ Image Art & Fine Art Photography by Jo Ann Tomaselli ~ click on image to view high res image.

Gallery @ JO ANN TOMASELLI ~ FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

I like to think that this little guy is one of the next famous major league baseball players. Things are changing so fast in Cuba that it’s not unlikely by the time he grows up the embargo will have ended and he’ll have the opportunity to travel freely between the US & Cuba.

On my recent trip to Havana, the bus I was on had by-passed the historical district where I wanted to go, so I had the driver pull over and let me off; he told me I could catch a cab.

My Spanish, while good enough to order a beer and ask for the bathroom, is not really up to par even after years of high school and adult education classes. But I figured I could get by and, just like in any big city, I’d use the universal cab language and put up my hand to wave down a cab.

There I stood on the street, on the side where most cars seemed to be headed on this quiet Sunday afternoon, raising my arm and dipping my pointer finger into a half arch at every passing antique car cab all the while inhaling the toxic exhaust.

After 20 minutes a kindly passerby, who spoke as much English as I spoke Spanish, explained to me that no cab would stop for me because they couldn’t take my tourist money nor could they drive out of this district to deliver me to the tourist district – it was off limits to them.

He pointed in the direction I was to walk and told me when I reached the main intersection, I should turn right and from there I could catch a cab downtown.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss; sometimes it lets you take the steps you might otherwise resist. In my limited understanding of Spanish, I thought he said the intersection was at the 1st traffic light, which I could clearly see down the road.

30 minutes later, after a steady pace, a fascinating view into the inner city life of Cubans and an aromatic encounter with the kitchens and garbage of Havana, I arrived at the indicated intersection and hailed the first transport vehicle that passed – a pedicab.

This was fortunate for me because traveling at a slow speed with someone else doing the driving is a great way to photograph!

It was here, in the back-street slums of Havana, that I found this barefoot boy practicing his swing for the major league baseball team of his dreams.

See more of my Cuba travel photography @ http://jo-ann-tomaselli.artistwebsites.com/art/all/cuba/all

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