Note From Cuba

Luis (middle) is a Student at the Havana College.
I spent 3 days with him and his friends... they treated me like family and I did the same in return... Heres what he wrote me.

"Hi Samuel, you can´t imagine how much I miss you, and the rest of the
group too, you know you change our life for ever because we never
tough that one day we going to meet someone so special like you.
I feel sad because I can´t meet you since the first day you was here in
Cuba, we just spend 3 days with you, I have to say that
you are like a god*,
because not everyday someone meet a nice boy like you.
You are young but you have a great heart, more bigger than your body,
you are kind, brave, honest, a real friend, and you accept me like I
am, today I check in the internet all your webpages, photos, your work
is really cool, I have to congratulate you, for all the good things
you made and make in the present too. I know that you going to be very
famouos one day and this day is very soon. Please never forget me, I
am still crying because you leave. We wait outside of the airport
until your plain enter to the sky, well I guess that you are in
mexico now I hope you see this email anyway I´m going to send it for
your normal email too, well bye for now but I have still many things
to tell you, excuse the way I write but I´m not so good writing, I
understand and speak well but I have many trouble for write in english
ah!!!, bye little mouse take care and you was so kind and good with me
that I have to say I LOVE YOU a big hug your friend Luis."

I'll post more from Luis and his thoughts on a Post Fidel Cuba... He's mentioned that he wants to marry a girl from Equador. He writes "...maybe I get married with a friend she is from Ecuador and can help me to get out of this country."

When Luis sent me that note, it made me sad to read it, but it also made me happy to know that I could go somewhere, meet a group of people and effect their lives in such a way...




*I think he meant hero.

La Playa 2

Feb 3,2008 Habana, CUBA

I spent yet another day on a Cuban beach! Which means another 2 hours of crowded bus rides...(from Hedado to the south eastern beaches) and this time I mean it was CROWDEDDDDD!!! I am literally making a statement in saying that I would breathe the breath of at least 2 new people everytime I inhaled... it was like a rolling box of humans, nothing but humans... i imagine being hauled to jail would be a somewhat similar feeling, except at that point you don't have to fake like you're enjoying it.

Alright Samuel, no more complaining...
Look why I took that wretched bus trip.
La Playa!!!

This was a highlight of the trip.
and the highlights inside the best day include:

1. Havana Club white rum (mixed with lime sodapop...mmmhmmm!)
2. Getting berried in the sand. (I would show pictures, but they are too graphic in terms of particular sand phallus' they attached to my sand body)
3.Ummm...the topless cuban women...(Sorry you had to read that mom)
4.The water. It was beautiful!
5.Getting to know my cuban friends more.
6.Relaxing and getting tan and then really tan and then burnt. (I wasn't that burnt and it quickly turned into a golden tan.)

taking some slick pictures!

heres a few.

My Cuban Familia

Castaway styled beach front property.

The other Cuban beer. its muy fuerte! Heres a picture of me enjoying myself...are you getting upset that I'm having so much fun without you??? haha

YES! i was as happy as I look.

It was a fun day and it was topped off with more homemade food, relaxing in the girls bunk bed rooms and watching the coast erupt from the crashing waves against the brakewall.

Tomorrow I return to Mexico City...I'm sad...but excited to return to Long Beach in 2 days!

Fidel Resigned!!

HAVANA — Fidel Castro, bedridden for 19 months, on Tuesday gave up the almost unlimited power he has wielded in Cuba for nearly 50 years, but whether the surprise announcement represented a historic change or a symbolic political maneuver remained unclear.
It is expected that his brother Raúl, 76, will be officially named president, and some experts consider him more pragmatic.

Raúl Castro has talked about bringing more accountability to government and possibly working to improve relations with the United States. But since taking over temporarily in the summer of 2006, he has largely operated in his brother’s shadow, and, except for facilitating huge investments by Canadian and European resort developers here, he has brought about little change.

It was not clear what role, if any, Fidel Castro would play in a new government, or whether he would retain other powerful positions, including head of the Communist Party. But he signaled that he was not yet ready to completely exit the stage.

-NY TIMES

I think its pretty exciting that this is happening...yes, I wish I was still there when the news broke (just 10 days too late!!) If the Cuban government can merge their current culture with some US styled freedoms and economy (minus the trillions in debt the U.S. has to China) they will be in good shape sooner then they could have hoped.
My friends in Cuba are yet to respond to my questions of change and their added responses... but I'm agreeing that not much will change as long as Fidel is Alive. So much is centered around dying for your country...like their old school coin with Che's head adorning the front reads "PATRIA O MUERTE" (Patriotism or die)* I think that time (a few years) is needed, but your future looks good my Cuban friends!

Also, due to this sudden surprise, it has sparked 10 times more interest in my photojournalism work. I'll be signing a contract with Zuma Press sometime this week.

Cheers to a new future! (Cuba and the United States) Lets just hope that our futures blend... although it would be nice to set a ban on American fast food in Cuba... its so refreshing not to see a McDonalds, or KFC...those restaurants are a big reason why our country has a spare tire around its waist.

Alright, I'm out!

-S

P.S. More journal entries to come from Cuba. Hopefully some imported Cuban Rum mojitos too!
P.S.S. LBpost.com added some images of mine CLICK
* Thanks Tanya T. for the translation of my coin.

Cuba:Journal Entry #1 (29.1.2008)

I’m in Cuba.
Its weird to say that.
I’ve been looking forward to this moment for a long long time! But now I’m thinking I may be staying to long. I already felt ready for home before I came to Mexico City, now I have a week on my own to explore, to see a country shunned by the US. A beautiful people and culture (the women here are stunning!)
I’m tired, I haven’t eaten much and I'm lonely.
The people here are not used to seeing people from the US, I get only gasps and then smiles when I inform of my citezenship. It is illegal for US citizens to travel to Cuba. But there are a few loop holes with the system and I've found one. The Cuban people are a welcoming one and have nothing against the people of the united states. They only think our politics are bad.
I’ve rented a small room from a local. Its nice, there is a small courtyard, windows that open up to the street and a nice bed.
This town is pretty, but in a weird way. Its not painted well, the homes aren’t nice and the streets are run down. But the people here are so happy with what they have. All the children are playing baseball,basketball and soccer everywhere you look.
I walked through much of the lower east side of this beach town. Not many shops. Not many stores, just homes and 1950’s vehicles everywhere! Its an odd expierence and I’m lucky to be experiencing it… I just need to get used to the loneliness…its pathetic I guess…I’m really starting to feel just how great friendships are… Audrey,Ceasar,Ann,Cole,Brittany,Ralph,Ira, Justin,Courtney ,Josiah,Heather all of my best friends are sooo key in my life. I’m just realizing this now that I can’t speak to anyone without getting weird looks and I’m way out of my comfort zone.

Here goes nothing!
I hope to get great pictures these next 5 days… Also to get closer to Jesus.
I haven’t been gone even a week yet and I’m already ready to come home…I must be one heck of a home body… or just sick of the 3 flights I’ve taken this far, plus the hassel of getting to this destination...there is nothing like being questioned 4 times in a different language once you set foot on a new terrain.

Thank God for the US and English speaking friends.
I’m going to sleep in hopes of dreaming of a bi-lingual eperience.


(They call this transporter bus "The Camel" notice the 2 humps)


(A run down stadium)


(The local gym. Working out at night is the only option to avoid the heat))


(Sunset from my window)