Jan Sochor Photoblog http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx Photoblog diary – photo series & pictures (South America, Central America, Europe) Indignados movement anniversary [Madrid, Spain] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=indignados-protest-camp-madrid It has been a year now since the ‘plazas’ in all Spanish cities were flooded and occupied by mostly young people, discontented with politics, corrupted politicians, financial institutions, bankers and all the holders of power in the modern consumption society. These youngsters, camping in tents on the city squares, called themeselves ‘Indignados’, the Angry ones. A year has passed and ‘Indignados’ haven't disappeared. The Occupy movement has spread across the Europe and the United States. Now, ‘Indignados’ claim that there is even more injustice to complain about and more objectives to fight for.

]]> Wed, 16 May 2012 08:49 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=indignados-protest-camp-madrid Selaron's Stairs [Rio de Janeiro, Brazil] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=selaron-stairs-rio-de-janeiro-brazil Selaron's Stairs (Escadaria Selarón) are a colorful mosaic tile stairway in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. World-famous staircase, mostly covered by vibrant yellow, green and blue tiles (inspired by the colors of the Brazilian flag), is the masterpiece of Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón who considers it as “a personal tribute to the Brazilian people”. Connecting the neighborhoods of Santa Teresa and Lapa, the stairway is made up of 250 steps and measures 125 meters long. In 1990 Selarón began work on the stairway, creating a constantly evolving piece of art, now adorned with over 2,000 brightly colored tiles collected from over 60 countries. Selarón funds his one man's project through donations and the sale of his black-and-red paintings which mostly depict a pregnant African woman or himself. Living his passion, the eccentric 65-year-old artist claims that “this crazy and unique dream will only end on the day of my death”.

]]> Sun, 13 May 2012 19:23 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=selaron-stairs-rio-de-janeiro-brazil Dog in the air [Quito, Ecuador] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=police-rescue-dog-rappel-ecuador A member of the Police Rescue team, with his dog attached, rappels down in the air during a public demonstration of the Police forces in Quito, Ecuador.

]]> Thu, 10 May 2012 10:21 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=police-rescue-dog-rappel-ecuador Women wrestling [Mexico City, Mexico] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=women-wrestling-mexico A Mexican female wrestler trains with her male sparring partner at a combat sports gym in Mexico City, Mexico.
(The whole photo essay about women wrestling in Mexico will come up shortly.)

]]> Sun, 06 May 2012 20:53 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=women-wrestling-mexico Scream [Salvador, Bahia, Brazil] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=radical-protester-screams-brazil Desocupa João: Anti-local government march in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

]]> Tue, 01 May 2012 08:33 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=radical-protester-screams-brazil La Trompetista [San Salvador, El Salvador] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=trumpet-player-girl-san-salvador A Salvadorean school girl, sitting among her class mates, plays trumpet in front of the school in San Salvador.

]]> Wed, 25 Apr 2012 07:40 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=trumpet-player-girl-san-salvador Suburbia: Public housing in Cuba, II. [Alamar, Havana, Cuba] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=public-housing-havana-cuba Many Cubans live in large concrete apartment blocks called “Russian buildings”. They were built during the time when Cuba was supported by the former Soviet Union and took over their concept of social housing.

]]> Fri, 20 Apr 2012 18:27 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=public-housing-havana-cuba Holy Week in Santa Elena [Santa Elena, Ecuador] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=holy-week-ecuador Catholic followers bath the wooden cross in the Pacific ocean during the annual Holy Week ritual.

]]> Sun, 15 Apr 2012 08:27 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=holy-week-ecuador Enjoy Brazil [Salvador, Bahia, Brazil] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=enjoy-music-bahia-brazil A Brazilian man enjoys music playing on the street of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

]]> Wed, 28 Mar 2012 12:34 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=enjoy-music-bahia-brazil Shoe shiner in Rio de Janeiro [Rio de Janeiro, Brazil] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=shoe-shine-rio-de-janeiro-brazil A handicapped Brazilian shoe shiner works on taxi drivers' shoes on the street of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

]]> Sun, 25 Mar 2012 20:49 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=shoe-shine-rio-de-janeiro-brazil Clown shoes [San Salvador, El Salvador] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=clown-shoes-colorful-costume The clown performance is considered a regular job in most of Latin American countries. Clowns may work individually or in groups, often performing advertisement like acts in large open-to-street shops or they take part in private shows, like children birthdays, family events etc. There are many clown conventions all over Latin America where clowns gather and exchange their experiences offering workshops of the comic acting or the art of make-up. For some of them, being clown is a serious lifetime profession.

]]> Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:11 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=clown-shoes-colorful-costume Samba in Rio de Janeiro [Rio de Janeiro, Brazil] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=carnival-samba-rio-de-janeiro-brazil Samba school members, wearing fantasias, dance on Sambodromo during the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

]]> Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:18 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=carnival-samba-rio-de-janeiro-brazil Being sexy at Carnival [Rio de Janeiro, Brazil] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=carnival-rio-de-janeiro-brazil-bleach-hair A young Brazilian boy bleaches his hair with peroxide before the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Bleached hair are widely considered as “sexy and attractive” amongst the black youth in Brazil.

]]> Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:28 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=carnival-rio-de-janeiro-brazil-bleach-hair Glue sniffing [San Salvador, El Salvador] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=glue-sniffing-el-salvador Young Salvadorean boys live on the street and sniff the shoe glue, San Salvador, El Salvador.

]]> Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:27 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=glue-sniffing-el-salvador Mara Salvatrucha [Tonacatepeque, El Salvador] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=mara-salvatrucha-gang-el-salvador An incarcerated member of the Mara Salvatrucha gang (“MS-13”) shows proudly his tattoo inside Tonacatepeque prison, El Salvador. (The whole photo essay about youth in El Salvador will come up shortly.)

]]> Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:51 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=mara-salvatrucha-gang-el-salvador Suburbia: Public housing in Cuba, I. [Santiago de Cuba, Cuba] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=public-housing-in-cuba Many Cubans live in large concrete apartment blocks called “Russian buildings”. They were built during the time when Cuba was supported by the former Soviet Union and took over their concept of social housing.

]]> Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:20 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=public-housing-in-cuba Hands up [San Salvador, El Salvador] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=police-vs-gang-violence-san-salvador Police (911 Emergency Unit) vs. Mara gang violence on the streets of San Salvador, El Salvador.

]]> Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:00 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=police-vs-gang-violence-san-salvador 18th Street Gang (M-18) [San Salvador, El Salvador] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=mara-18-gang-el-salvador A former member of the 18th Street Gang (M-18) seen on his way to the church in San Salvador, El Salvador. (The whole photo essay about youth in El Salvador will come up shortly.)

]]> Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:11 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=mara-18-gang-el-salvador Rapa Das Bestas [Torrona, Galicia, Spain] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=wild-horse-spain A rancher tries to catch a wild horse during the Rapa das Bestas (Shearing of the Beasts) festival in Torroña, Spain. (The whole photo series covering ‘Curro de Torroña’ will come up shortly.)

]]> Mon, 21 Nov 2011 01:37 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=wild-horse-spain Barber shop in San Salvador [San Salvador, El Salvador] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=barber-shop-san-salvador An old fashioned barber shop (‘la barbería’) in the centre of San Salvador, El Salvador.

]]> Wed, 09 Nov 2011 01:26 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=barber-shop-san-salvador Ghetto of Chanov [Chanov, Most, Czech Republic] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=gipsy-ghetto-chanov Young boys, wearing hoods, warm up by a fire on the street in the Gipsy ghetto of Chanov on outskirts of Most, Czech Republic.

]]> Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:24 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=gipsy-ghetto-chanov Bodybuilding gym in Cuba [Alamar, Eastern Havana, Cuba] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=bodybuilding-gym-cuba A young Cuban man works out at a bodybuilding gym in Alamar, a public housing complex in the Eastern Havana, Cuba.

]]> Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:35 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=bodybuilding-gym-cuba Immigrants cross the river [Rio Seco, Mexico-Guatemala border] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=immigration-usa-central-america Two young immigrants, running away from Honduras to the United States, cross illegaly the river Rio Seco in Chiapas on the Mexico-Guatemala border.
(The whole photo essay about immigration from Central America will come up shortly.)

]]> Tue, 27 Sep 2011 03:00 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=immigration-usa-central-america Circus at the End of the World [Amazonia, Ecuador] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=circus-at-the-end-of-the-world The Circo Anny circus belongs to the old-fashioned traveling circuses with a usual mixture of acrobat, clown and comic acts. Due to the general loss of popularity caused by modern forms of entertainment such as movies, TV shows or internet, these small family enterprises balance on the edge of survival. Circuses were pushed away and now they have to set up their shows in more remote villages. The circus art and culture is slowly dying.

]]> Sun, 11 Sep 2011 01:12 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=circus-at-the-end-of-the-world Boxing gloves [Mexico City, Mexico] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=boxing-gloves-mexico-city Colorful boxing gloves hung off a rack in the boxing gym in Mexico City, Mexico.

]]> Tue, 15 May 2012 14:34 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=boxing-gloves-mexico-city Exorcism [Mexico City, Mexico] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=exorcism-mexico A Mexican woman fights with demons during the exorcism ritual performed in a small church on outskirts of Mexico City, Mexico. (The whole photostory about the exorcism practice in Mexico City will come up shortly.)

]]> Sun, 28 Aug 2011 13:50 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=exorcism-mexico Havana reflections [Havana, Cuba] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=havana-reflection

]]> Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:05 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=havana-reflection Magdaleno M. [Tapachula, Mexico] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=cirrhosis-liver-mexico Magdaleno M., a 35-year-old Honduran immigrant suffering cirrhosis of the liver in the end-stage, lies on the bed in a refugee shelter in Tapachula, Mexico.

I met Magdaleno M. while I was working on the immigration story in the south of Mexico. Magdaleno had left Honduras many years ago. After living some years in various Central American countries he ended up in a small albergue at the Guatemala/Mexico border because his illness had progressed to the point where he no longer was able to care about himself. Magdaleno suffered hepatitis C which is one of the main causes of cirrhosis in the less developed countries. The hepatitis C infection is often asymptomatic, goes chronic and after many years can lead to cirrhosis. At the time I met Magdaleno, the massive ascites (fluid retention in the belly) did not allow him to walk. Although he suffered severe pain he agreed with my presence and we spent some time talking about the immigration issue and his life. Two months later, an email message came from the albergue saying that Magdaleno died this week.

]]> Sat, 30 Jul 2011 09:59 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=cirrhosis-liver-mexico Prostitute [San Salvador, El Salvador] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=prostitute-san-salvador A Salvadorean woman, working as a prostitute, leaves a discotheque in San Salvador, El Salvador.

]]> Wed, 20 Jul 2011 08:38 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=prostitute-san-salvador Havana Zoo [Havana, Cuba] http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=zoo-havana The largest and the oldest zoo in Cuba (founded in 1939) is located in a centric neighborhood of the capital. Since the 1990s Cuba struggles with chronic economic crisis and therefore the strong marks of rundown and lack of sources are evident within the whole zoological garden. A lot of cages are empty and out of use for long time, the remaining animals are captured in poorly maintained pits. Concrete enclosures have no vegetation, all facilities are unkept. The food supply is often inadequate and visitors throw junkfood to the animals because there are no zookeepers around.

]]> Fri, 01 Jul 2011 08:04 +0100 http://www.jansochor.com/photo-blog.aspx?id=zoo-havana