Every once in a while, you’ll stumble upon something that, even as a seasoned traveler, will leave you breathless. Those moments usually come when I’m least expecting it.

I was wandering around Trinidad that afternoon, trying to scratch below its touristy surface. In a neighbourhood far away from the crowds, I found a Cuban man sitting on his front porch, calm and serene, with a chicken on his knee.

He was watching the world go by.

I smiled at him.

From a distance, I sought permission to take a photo. He tilted his head in assent.

Without hesitation, he looked straight into the lens of my camera.

He wasn’t posing. He was simply enjoying the company of his pet chicken at the end of a long day.

This post is part of a photo series covering my trip to Cuba.