As for the politics, we Mexicans endured it for over 70 years. They just kept switching the guy at the top every 6 years. I give the current Cuban system five years tops before they finally cave in. Maybe sooner. Still, go while you can. It is a very beautiful country with very lovely and warm people. Can’t say that about other countries I have visited.

If you want to feel less guilty, stay with a local family and eat in their home. Service is way better than the government run restaurants & hotels.

Oh, and since this post is about Photography, Rick & Scott consider me for your next trip to Cuba. I would love to go.

Gotta go. I have a call on my iPhone (Made in China) and have to get dressed for a meeting. Hmm, most of my clothes were made in Vietnam (go figure).

Cubans are willing to die to get out of Cuba (don’t get me started)

PS. For all the naysayers – Cubans are incredibly nice people who love love love the tourists that come and visit their country. We took a bunch of products that are tough to get there (toiletries, makeup, children’s books/school supplies) and spread those around to a lot of the local people we met. They loved it and were more than happy to help show us a good time. They also told us how appreciative they were of us visiting their country, bringing these things and helping their incomes out with tips etc.

Plus they are very aware of what cameras are and what is going down… go to old Havana and you will find no less than 5 women in every block who dress up in the old formal cuban style with huuuuge fake cigars that all try and pose with you for a few pesos. They love it.

One story was about a bakery that people would line up for each morning and that would run out of fresh baked bread very quickly. The other shooter looks to my friend and says – look at that, under this oppressive government people have to wait in line just for food.

When they got back to the States they got together for diner. The other shooter picked my friend up and had to stop at the grocery store to grab something for their diner. When they got to the check-out line my friend said – look at this, people have to wait in line here … just for food.

Life is how you perceive it. Are evils that are committed by those in power? Again it is all in how you, your group of friends, your society, those you connect with perceive it. We cannot escape that and even when we try to be impartial in what we shoot we still bring to each photo our past and our prejudices. We shoot the way we are taught and live the way that we believe is right.

How we feel about Communism, Cuba, Free Market Capitalism, all of those things are part of how we shoot.

I was in Mexico once and a cab driver asked me if I’d ever been to Cuba. He had.

There’s people traveling to China all the time and I don’t see you protesting that. What about countries in Africa? Are you going to embargo that too? No more safari expeditions.

Dialogue? I didn’t say it was easy. Look at all the listening and inquiry and understanding of the other’s point of view on this thread — not. Mostly, people don’t make the effort and that’s the problem. Sometimes it takes decades or centuries for the truths to be told. Still, imho, the only way out is through.

But, ahem, this is a photography blog right? At least it was back before that nerve got touched. Any non-flame-throwing, constructive ideas out there? Is there any middle-ground or useful stance with respect to shooting in Cuba?

It must be nice to be a rich fat spoiled American with a it’s not my problem attitude.

“I believe dialogue is the only answer”
How exactly do you have a “dialog” with someone that does not believe in freedom of speech?