PHOTOGRAPHY AND TEXT BY BERT STEPHANI
Cuba has a complicated relation with the USA. The recent visit of president Obama was a very important step in reforging the historical bond between America and that little island off the coast of Florida.
When I was in Havana in the beginning of the year, I noticed that the government still desperately tries to hold up the worn out image of communism/socialism. At the same time, most of the people seem to be sick and tired of it. After all, it takes only one little step outside "tourist Havana" to see that the system has failed in many aspects. The people of Havana are proud to be Cuban but a lot of them are at the same time longing desperately for America.
The Cuban and the American flag share stars (well, just one star in Cuba's case) and stripes. In the streets of Havana those two flags seem to blend. Just like the idolization of the USA blends with Cuban pride.
