God Bless America by wysiwig
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Description
The new U.S. embassy building was completed in 1953. On January 3, 1961, President Dwight D. Eisenhower severed relations following the Cuban Revolution. On July 20, 2015, after fifty-four years, relations were restored by Cuban President Raúl Castro and President Barack Obama. On August 14, 2015, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry officially reopened the American embassy in Havana.
With that knowledge I set out to visit the building, perhaps have a look around and talk to someone who worked there. After a two mile walk along the Malecón I approached the embassy grounds. The building was surrounded by a fence but by sticking my lens through the bars I was able to get a picture. I walked over to the main gate, which was closed, to get another shot. As I did an embassy guard came out of his little box and began speaking to me in Spanish. When I indicated I did not understand he began waving me away from the gate.
A voice behind me said I had to stand six feet back from the sidewalk which bordered the fence if I wanted to take pictures. When I asked why he said he didn’t know. He was just an embassy driver translating for the guard. “What, are they afraid someone might see them?” I responded. He just shrugged his shoulders. It turned out this was an embassy rule not a Cuban rule. Always nice to be welcomed by your fellow countrymen.
Comments (7)
Cyve
Great building and great capture !!!
Faemike55
great capture and interesting narrative. makes you wonder, don't it?
anahata.c
I can't know, of course, what was in your head when you shot this or chose it for your narrative. But I can't help but think you let it 'end', on the bottom, in that desolate patch of land---with that bare marble, looking soiled (even though that may be the marble itself), and that dried-out patch of grass. I can't help but think you included that to reflect the desolate attitude of the embassy, and maybe of some of our officials across the world. In addition, your slant adds to the sense of disorientation; and, on the bottom, it disorients even more. My point is, it feels like you shot/chose/cropped this to express the emptiness of the embassy's attitude itself. We scroll down 'into' it. The photo itself is marvelous: It has that "scroll down into another world" feature, which I love. The upper facade is a dizzying flow of geometrics; and when we get to the bottom, the US seal sits over really ugly stone. It's really powerful to me. And the lower-window reflections are like snakes slithering upwards: a fine detail! Visually electric while also being drab (drab expressively, capturing drab facelessness), and it fits your narrative perfectly. Another terrific capture from you, with a revealing narrative to match. This gallery is a treasure
intro
Another welcome and thought provoking shot!
durleybeachbum
Well, what a pointless place! Outrageous rules. I have to say the building looks very Third Reich.
MrsRatbag
At least the glass of the windows seems to speak the language of art...the humans? Not so much...
kgb224
Superb capture my friend. God bless.