“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now…Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.”
~ Earl Nightingale
from the inside
I rarely like what I shoot, but I really like this photo of the young man making cigars. Yesterday, Judy and I set out on the streetcar to Ybor City. According to the Ybor City website, it was the melting pot of Tampa in 1880 with an influx of immigrants from Spain, Cuba, Germany, and Italy. It quickly became the cigar capital of the world until roughly World War II.
the old fashion way
Like most urban areas, Ybor city fell into disrepair during what I call ‘the mall decades’ until, of course, artists gentrified the area in the 1980’s. The cigar industry in Ybor is still a major attraction for tourists and locals alike. This particular cigar shop invited photos. I was too busy taking them up on the offer to notice the tip jar. Fortunately, Judy did, and she dropped a couple of bucks in. Thanks to Judy we walked out without looking too cheap. The idea that people still hand roll cigars in shops that are over a hundred years old is fascinating to me. What a great photo series someone could do on this hidden industry. I’d really like to know the story behind wooden Indians and cigars. If anybody knows, I’m all ears. And thanks again, Judy, for being such a great tour guide!
wooden indians?
2 Responses
I love these photos Kopana – they are stunning!
Thank you, Shar <3