Smoke on the Stairs

Many of the buildings of Havana Vieja have dark, somewhat foreboding stairs wells just inside their doors. Often they are dark near the street, but rise up toward light coming in from open windows or courtyards on the second level. Many people spend much of their social life in these dark, cool stair wells. It is a chance to remain cool, visit neighbors, and let children play together on the ground level. Here, Yunieski has stopped to relax with a smoke before heading back out to the hot, sunshine of the street.