*** If you are looking for an interesting, enlightening article (something that you’ve never read before that’ll make your jaw drop) this isn’t it. When I visited Cuba, I didn’t go to photograph poverty and prostitution, or write a scandalous post generalizing a destination in order to get traffic and a ton of likes. There’s more to Cuba than that. You want the scoop on prostitution!? Just go to the most popular club in your city (because prostitution – or “escorts” – is a booming business in a more developed countries as well).***
I did a lot of homework before going to Cuba, reading reviews, blogs, guides watching movies on youtube etc. But once I put my feet on Cuban ground my enthusiasm made me forget everything I read and saw. I was like a blank page, I inhaled every view, I wanted to develop immediatley all what I tried to cummulate in my mind. Specially… the People.
People of Cuba are beautiful.
They smile genuinely a lot specially when they pose to your national geographic best shot. They have learnt how to smile from their parents, grandparents, aunties etc. But once they stop looking into the lense the eyes tell different story.
People of Cuba are tired. They are tired of their past, present and maybe the future. They are tired of posing with massive cigars, they are tired of having gigantic lenses touching their noses, they are tired of keeping the myth of Cuba live becasue that is what makes tourists come. Jose Marti once said “We light the oven so that everyone may bake bread in it” and we all bake our breads leaving only crumbs behind.
People of Cuba are very strong deep inside, and this is the other story seen in their eyes. They don`t dream big, they dream bigger, biger than some of you reading this post. There is some type of pride in them and you can feel it. They are gentle and polite and very hospitable.
After years of traveling I have special place in my heart for people of Myanmar and people of Cuba. No scoopy articles will change my mind. I prefer to appreciate humans of the world rather than point out how they fall.
So in the end I would like to ask you to respect other cultures, promote their beauty not flaws, flaws promote themselves quicker than your popular post. And please don’t tell me you don`t have cabbage in your country… Isn’t this too much…?
Such a sad view.
Should you be traveling to Cuba don`t forget to visist: