Abraham and his family and staff continue to welcome me with open arms to their coffee beneficio here in Esteli, and I continue to be enchanted by the beautiful light, the rustic building, and the hard-working team. And so I continue with my photo essay (view the previous post here), a bit of visual poetry...
March 14, 2010 - 3:23 pm - i like these the best of all...
I spent an afternoon on a local tobacco farm, during harvest, here in Esteli, Nicaragua. While I’m not a proponent of smoking, nonetheless tobacco farming and cigar manufacturing are major enterprises here, and are worthy of investigation. Esteli creates a major part of the cigars manufactured in the world, and grows a rich...
March 12, 2010 - 7:06 pm - Wow! I never knew tobacco could be beautiful... excellent work!
Tucked away in a barrio in Esteli, Nicaragua, on the edge of a dry, dusty stream bed, is the family-owned coffee processing company of Abraham Enrique Castillo, Beneficio Centro America.
It’s not a large facility, although at one time it was twice its current size, before their land was seized and inhabited by others. Nor is...
March 14, 2010 - 2:32 pm [...] light, the rustic building, and the hard-working team. And so I continue with my photo essay (view the previous post here), a bit of visual poetry from the highlands of Nicaragua: #gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 [...]
I spent the day today volunteering photography for a local non-profit here in Esteli, Nicaragua, called Instituto de Formacion Permanente. Among the many things they do in the city and the region, they have a Saturday day camp for children. I joined them in the city at 8am, and we took a packed bus just...
Alberto Gutierrez could be called many things: hermit, farmer, eccentric, recluse, sculptor, folk artist, walking piece of history, national treasure. I don’t know that all of these would be accurate descriptions, but I do know this: he is a talkative, friendly fellow, who loves art, loves poetry, and loves his property in Cerro Jalacate, in...
February 27, 2010 - 1:09 pm - Bravo Fritz! What a lovely character portrait of this talented man. Thanks for a thoughtful view of the country and one of its people.
Now, here is a man who appreciates his craft.
I’ve spent a few hours in the Nica Libre cigar factory here in Esteli, getting to know the process of cigar making, and photographing it. While I don’t care for cigars myself, nonetheless, I find the process to be fascinating and the product to be beautiful. And...
March 11, 2010 - 7:07 pm - James, this isn't a family shop--I'm not sure there are any here. There are 16 fabricas here in Esteli, and this seems to be one of the smaller ones. But they produce a lot of product, and it's well rated in online forums. Remind me when I return; I have a cigar with your name on it!
March 11, 2010 - 7:03 pm - Well Stacee, I didn't take you for a cigar lover, but I'll have one for you when I return!
February 20, 2010 - 12:44 pm - I want a cigar. Is that lengthy?
February 19, 2010 - 8:01 pm - Fritz, thanks for sharing these images from your adventure. It's amazing to see these craftsmen creating a product, by hand, that many of us in the more developed world may take for granted. I can almost smell the pungent air as the fermented tobacco leaves are laid flat and transformed into these beautiful little uniform works of art. Is this a family cigar shop by any chance? James
February 19, 2010 - 7:43 pm - Meaningful or just lengthy? ;) You know I could go on for pages... tee hee I do love the first photograph you posted... seems like he's creating his own job security by smoking his own work. :) I love looking at their hands. They work so hard... most of us have no idea, here in the States, what work like that is like. I love that you not only take beautiful photographs, but that you stop to learn their stories. "Everyone has a story... tell me yours" is a phrase I'm trying to adopt so I'm not tempted to talk too much or make it all about me. :) We miss you guys, but are so thankful you're having a wonderful adventure together! I love that you let us "travel" with you by posting stories and photographs! Thank you for being such an awesome role model in so many ways. (and I'm not saying that for a cigar, I really mean it!) - Stacee
March 12, 2010 - 4:02 pm [...] interesting to note the similarities between cigar making and coffee production, both of which are major enterprises in this area. Listening to someone talk [...]
The other day, while photographing in a Nicaraguan cigar factory, I noticed in the courtyard several cages containing exotic animals. One contained a cat of some sort, perhaps a lynx or bobcat, pacing his 4-foot square cage. Another contained several parrots. And the third contained 2 capucin monkeys.
Monkeys are pretty cute creatures, and strangely familiar. ...
On the Road Again
So I’m sitting on an American Airlines flight between Dallas and Miami, on the way to Nicaragua, reading Nexos, their Spanish-language in-flight magazine. After twenty minutes, my head is already spinning, as I try to recall the meaning of words I haven’t studied in 20 years. I made my way through a...
February 14, 2010 - 1:50 am - My God, those pictures are so beautiful! I am so happy you guys have such a wonderful opportunity to spend time there. Also, perhaps, the slightest bit jealous :) Can't wait to see more.
Thailand has a plethora of beautiful islands off of its coasts. Some are well known and filled with tourists, such as Phuket or Koh Chang. Others are much less touristy, where the slower pace of life is preserved and enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.
Koh Maak is an island in the Gulf of Thailand, southeast...
An Australian getting married to a Cambodian on a beach in Thailand. That’s a recipe for a beautiful day.
Seth and Gabi and their families and friends gathered together at a small resort on the beach south of Bangkok, and we all had a great time. Seth’s a talented musician and sang during the ceremony. And...
by fritzphoto
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