National Geographic Photo Contest

Tomorrow is the last day to submit photos to the National Geographic Photo Contest 2010. The first thing I did this morning was to send three shots some of you voted for in late October. Below are the pictures I sent. Keep fingers crossed for me! And a big "thank you" for all of you who helped me choose the best  pictures.

1. Contrasts

2. On Top of the World

3. On Fire

Fisherman's Diary

My boyfriend Yuniel is obsessed with fishing. And I am obsessed with taking pictures of him fishing. The following is a photo report of one day I spent fishing with Yuniel in Cuba. I named this "Fisherman's Diary," because through these photos you get an  idea of how people fish in Cuba and how bored I would be had I no camera with me:) Enjoy and feel free to share your ideas about fishing.


El Caleton. Matanzas, Cuba, Fishing spot.



First try.



Looking for bait.

Fishing instruments - all you can find.

Cousins giving it a second try.



Same + Cristal

First and last victim. We did let it go eventually.

In progress.

Avangard.



Double Rainbow

I took this picture when boating a few months ago in Miami, Fl. It was a beautiful morning, right after a perfect storm. Double rainbows are rare but have scientific explanation. The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research gives the following explanation:

"The rainbow we normally see is called the primary rainbow and is produced by one internal reflection; the secondary rainbow arises from two internal reflections and the rays exit the drop at an angle of 50 degrees° rather than the 42°degrees for the red primary bow. Blue light emerges at an even larger angle of 53 degrees°."

Note that the colors of the two rainbows are reversed. Amazing!

Hops+Malt+Barley-Fermentation=?

Have you ever tried Malta? Have you ever wondered what’s inside this delicious soft drink? If you haven’t, then read the headline of this post and if you are good at math, then you got it! Yes. Malta is actually a beer that has not been fermented. Malta originated in Germany in the 19th century as Malzbier that translates from German as “malt beer.” Up to the 1950s, it was considered a fortifying food for nursing mothers, recovering patients, and elderly. Malta is often perceived as a Latin American drink, but, in fact, it is enjoyed in Germany, as well as some parts of Africa like Nigeria, Chad, Ghana, Cameroon, and in the Indian Ocean.

Malta is made out of hops, malt and barley, so it has very similar ingredients to beer. But it does not taste like beer at all. Malta is also a very good source of vitamin B. As everything that is tasty, Malta is high in calories: 140+ depending on the serving. There are more than 40 Malta brands. This particular Malta (pictured) is of the Bucanero brand, the largest brewery in Cuba which also produces Bucanero, Mayabe and Cristal beers. I took this picture when having lunch at a local restaurant in Playa Giron, Cuba.

Enjoy some Malta, if you haven’t yet!


P.S. Many Latin Americans enjoy it with condensed or evaporated milk. Tastes good!

Accidental encounter

The most beautiful sceneries are not advertised in glossy magazines, nor are they featured in popular TV shows. They are found by accident. I think that is awesome being able to discover things yourself and see them for what they really are. This summer I had a memorable accidental encounter with a place called “La Arboleda.” We were driving with no reason in a rainy day and ended up in this unforgettable place. Purity and tranquility were the first two words that came to mind when I stepped into La Arboleda’s possessions. Everything was so dazzle green! It seemed like someone had painted all trees and grass bright green colors just before our arrival. It was simply UNREAL!

“La Arboleda,” named so because of its beautiful grove of trees, is located in the Province of Matanzas, Cuba. Hidden between hills and mountains, this place is not easy to be found. But it is worth visiting! The tropical greenery, warm breezes from the Canimar River, chirping birds – all this makes “La Arboleda” the perfect vacation destination for those tired of the busy dust-laden city. Ride a horse, rent a kayak or a water bicycle, or just flop onto hammocks and enjoy some delicious Cuban food. There is something for everyone to enjoy!

I felt so relaxed after staying in “La Arboleda.” I enjoyed the food, the cool water of the Canimar River and made lots of pictures of the flora and fauna of this amazing place. I highly recommend “La Arboleda” if you want to disconnect and enjoy a calm stay in close connection with untainted nature. Discover it for yourself!

Get to know the world - travel through photography!

Stunning Silence

These types of photos are among my favorite: silent, still, and nevertheless beautiful. I took this particular picture in Matanzas, Cuba, in a rancho called "La Arboleda."  It is the perfect destination to escape from the noisy and busy world. Tropical greenery, palms, grove of trees, warm breeze from the Canimar river - a perfect match for a perfect getaway! More photos and description of "La Arboleda" to come soon. For now, just enjoy this beautiful scenery!

Get to know the world - travel through photography!

Welcome to Miami!



Bird's eye view of Miami Downtown, August 2009.



I want to dedicate this post to the beautiful city of Miami, which I have been calling home for three years now! Enjoy the bird's eye view of this evergreen city.  I took this picture from a plane, when going to Russia for summer vacation last year, and it came out pretty good! By the way, for those who don't know, Miami is the only major city in the U.S. to be founded by a female - Julia Tuttle. It is also the nation's only major city that is bordered by two different National Parks - Everglades National Park to the west and Biscayne National Park to the east!

Gotta love you, Miami!

Get to know the world - travel through photography!

Helia for sun and Anthus for flower

It is a gloomy rainy day in Miami, Fl. I hoped these sunflowers could bring a bit of sunshine and joy to your households or offices, wherever you may be when reading this post. I took this picture in the Cienaga de Zapata crocodile farm in Cuba. Aren't they beautiful? In fact, sunflowers are one of the most popular garden flowers, very easy to grow. They are also one of the world's leading oil seed crops, secondly to soybeans. Sunflowers are pretty amazing, as their powerful root system removes large amounts of toxic metals, even uranium (!)

Most people think that sunflowers follow the sun. But they don't. It happens only when sunflowers are very young, not even ready to bloom. First thing in the morning, sunflowers point toward the east, by noon - straight up, and by the evening - to the west.

So, if you have been wondering how to keep the sun shining all day long, consider growing sunflowers!


Get to know the world - travel through photography!