The late Fidel Castro banned imports of vehicles in 1959. Cuba doesn't have an auto manufacturer, so the cars that were imported in the 50's were there to stay. The communist leader also banned the import of car parts, according to the "Independent UK Newspaper."
Read MoreWhat Cuba Could Be
The sun falling on downtown Havana showed the true Cuban dream of success had washed away into the Caribbean years ago. An area that was alive with music, families and more in the 1940's and 50's is decaying as if it was struck by a curse in 2000's.
Read MoreYou are confined to your state - No leaving
Taxi drivers in Cuba are the most open when they talk about the dream of travel. Why? Because they meet travelers from around the world daily.
Read MoreBlue Skies and the Colors of Cuba
Every once in a while I came across that picture perfect setting that highlighted what Havana, Cuba once looked like in the 1940's.
Read More9:30 at Night - Capital of Cuba
Cuba at 9:30 PM Eastern Time: The capital of Havana is only a whisper outside on a Thursday night, other than a few passing cars. As you walk into one of the many apartment buildings you hear kids playing in one unit and as you continue down the florescent lit hallway, you hear the sound of a small yelping dog.
Read MoreA tune for the plants with a touch of aqua
Hours passed as he sat on the curb of a Cuban hotel in downtown Havana strumming his ukulele. As the hours went by he would get up and pour some of his water bottle on the plants directly behind him, one by one.
Read MoreThe Streets of Cuba
You hear songs talking about Havana and you may watch old movies make mention of the romantic capital of Cuba - so you would think it is just that... beautiful.
Read MoreCommunist Vladimir Lenin
In downtown Seattle there is a statue of communist Vladimir Lenin that stands 16 feet tall.
The statue was originally on display in Czechoslovakia in the late 1980's, but shipped to Seattle Washington in 1994 after an American found it in a scrapyard in 1993.
A teacher in Washington told friends and the media that he found a homeless man living inside the hollowed bronze statue.
The goal of English teacher Lewis E. Carpenter was to keep it for its artistic merit. Carpenter also wanted to display the statue of Lenin in front of a Slovak restaurant in his hometown of Issaquah, Washington. However, he died in a car wreck before building his restaurant which means the statue never went up. In fact, the statue made it from Czechoslovakia to America shortly after his death.
In the end, the statue was delivered and the family of Carpenter planned to sell it and have it melted down.
However, the owner of a foundry in Seattle decided to have it displayed in the Fremont area of Seattle, Washington.
In 1995, it was unveiled at the corner of Evanston Avenue North and North 34th Street. In 1996, it was moved up to Fremont Place and North 36th Avenue.
In case you are wondering how much such a statue of a communist goes for... it is for sale with a price-tag of $250,000 on it. Yes, it is still for sale.
On a side note, the English teacher who died before his dream was realized had to take out a new mortgage on his home to pay for the statue to be shipped overseas. That shipping rang in at $70,000. The cost of the statute however, free.
I guess my question, art or not, why would you want a 16 foot communist leader in front of any business? Especially one that is believed to be behind mass killings during his rule over the Soviet Union. That is likely why ever since the statue went up in Washington State, people have painted blood on Lenin's hand and mouth.
Ocoee River
There was lots of action on the Ocoee River this weekend. The river flows through the Southern Appalachian Mountains of the Southeastern United States. Whitewater competitions got underway this past Friday.
Hear the complete story below (5 Min and 45 Sec)....
Gold mining in Alaska
Mining for gold in Alaska was once what made Alaska a place to explore. It put the once nearly deserted state that has the land mass of most countries on the map.
You can find remnants of Alaska's past in areas like Juneau still sitting deep in the woods. This mining car is one of several historical reminders that Juneau was part of the writing of Alaskan history when it comes to gold.
For Alaska, the gold boom started in 1870 or so with the first big loot being discovered in Juneau.
The old White Pass train
The old White Pass train travels the scenic Yukon Route multiple times daily in Skagway, Alaska. The locomotive and passenger cars are on what is called a narrow-gauge rail that originally linked Skagway to Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon.
Read MoreThe busy streets below
The hustle and bustle on a Saturday night in downtown Nashville, Tennessee.
The Gum Wall in Seattle, Washington
The infamous bubble gum wall in Seattle, Washington is a site to see. It is full of ABC (Already Been Chewed) gum of all colors – some faded and some nice, bright and wet (gross).
Read MoreNugget Falls
Nugget Falls sits to the right of Mendenhall Glacier and actually flows from another nearby glacier known as Nugget Glacier in Alaska.
Read MoreThe House of Skis
On the way to Eaglecrest, 12 miles from Juneau, Alaska, motorist pass this house of skis on Douglas Island. Eaglecrest is a 1,540 foot vertical mountain that is a popular area for skiers far and wide.
Read MoreThe Mounains
Alaska... “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity” ― John Muir, Our National Parks
Thank you Russia for selling America Alaska for $7.2 Million
This is Gold Mine Creek… In 1880, Joe Juneau and Richard Harris found large pieces of quartz mixed with gold in this very same waterway. Juneau later created the Treadwell Mine which became the largest gold mine in the world.
Read MoreThe Amazing Mountains
The mountains in Alaska jut from the earth sharply and are kissed by the crisp cold air as the warmer air below makes its way up. Snow from the top then mixes with the warmer air on its trickle down and creates even more fog, preventing you from seeing the peeks.
Naturalist and father of our National Parks once stated, John Muir stated, “The mountains are calling and I must go.” No truer words were spoken as he was considered a “Wilderness Prophet,” which was his nickname. Muir was one of the true explorers of Alaska in search of beauty, which he became engulfed in.
Amazing Alaska
Some mornings you wake up barely breathing. The next morning you wake up to see what takes your breath away.
"The most beautiful gift of nature is that it gives one pleasure to look around and try to comprehend what we see." - Albert Einstein
Photo: I took this in Alaska - Twin mountain tops high above the frigid ocean #alaska, #sonyalpha
David wanted noodles in downtown Victoria, Canada
David lives in Victoria, Canada and as he was walking out of a Japanese Sushi restaurant he looked at me and described how they wouldn't give him any leftover food for the night. I looked at the sign on the door which read, "CLOSED."
He said, “I really wanted a bowl of noodles, that's all.” I told him that I would buy him a bowl of noodles if he knew where another Japanese or Chinese restaurant was located. I then followed him for the next three blocks simply observing those we passed at about 9:45 on a Friday night. Some would move to the far opposite side while others refused to make eye contact. David never noticed, but I couldn't help but to notice.
We finally arrived and as we walked in the woman behind the counter handed David a menu. He quickly scanned over it unable to make a decision. I told the employee that he would simply like a large bowl of noodels and David jumped in and said, “With seafood on it, like shrimp.”
I paid and told David it would take about 10 minutes for his order to be prepared. He followed me outside and I snapped a couple of photos of him.
As I turned to walk away David said, “Wait, let me go inside to make sure you paid.” I laughed and said, “Good idea, let's double check.” We headed back in and he asked the hostess, “Did he already pay for my noodles?” She smiled and told him, “Yes, he sure did.” David then shook my hand and thanked me.