I went to Cuba to see for myself: click Back to Cuba

What I found surprised me. A vast resource of the most unbelievably good, hardworking, and loving people.

I went to Cuba as a photojournalist. I don't know why, except for the fact something inside me said I should go. Of all the places I have seen in this world, Cuba is most special. Bad roads, decaying cities, food  shortages, inadequate medical supplies, etc. you get the idea. They do not have many, many, things. What they do seem to have is the most precious of resources, people: friendly, caring, loving, hardworking, with all races seeming to live in great harmony. My biggest surprise was to find out they love Americans. Yes, they really like us. Go figure! I wish we deserved it. They have a saying in Cuba: "Bad things don't last forever". I think our term for that is Hope. My hope is that someday our politicians in their thousand dollar suites will drive their Mercedes to the airport, fly to Cuba, sit down with someone, break bread and find what I found. You can only hope.

One thing you will find if ever you are able to travel to Cuba is, you will return with an empty suitcase. The people are so needy you can't help but to give away what you have. Many pack in advance with just that thought in mind. Among the various things I left behind was my English/Spanish dictionary. This went to the policeman you see pictured below.  He had a "tuff cop" job working the streets of Havana. His beat was the neighborhood where I was staying. You can see what he was like when he can let his guard down. Moments before I jumped in a cab for the airport he handed me the note below. I believe written completely from that dictionary......Bill