Organized as a Meetup.com group for photographers, we made the conscious choice to stay in the old part of Havana instead of a resort. Havana had been, and continues to, go through a massive transformation as the old city becomes gentrified and joins the global community. Often you’d see a crumbling old building next door to a brand new, Starbucks type cafe.

The best thing about going with a group of 30 photographers? “Who wants to get up at 5 a.m. and take some sunrise photos?” Five hands go up.

According to the locals, the classic cars are kept with great pride by the owners, often restoring the exterior while replacing the engine with a modern one.

We also took a day trip to Vinales, a small town in the lush, green countryside outside Havana.

The Havana of yesterday is quickly disappearing, and it was a great opportunity to capture it in photos before it’s gone forever.