Hidden Cuba

Renowned American photographer Jack Watson travelled to Cuba on a legal humanitarian visa. He chronicled his journey with breath-taking, and often heart breaking images of the Cuba people, cites, and countryside. Watson describes his visit: 'I had stepped back in time 50 years - this was my first impression of Cuba. My journey, which began in Havana, consisted of travelling by bus, pedicab, coco cab, 1957 Chevy, and foot. I was here primarily to help the Cuban people, but giving away medicine, vitamins, and money felt like using aspirin to treat the plague. I covered hundreds of miles, travelling in an oval-shaped route with stops at Cienfuegos, the Bay of Pigs, Trinidad, and Varadero Beach in the province of Matanzas - and then back to Havana. As the title of this book indicates, this is an unauthorised journal of photographs taken during my visit. While I certainly share similar and compassionate thoughts about humanitarian aid toward people in need, I felt a greater calling in compiling the images for this book. If one picture is indeed worth thousands of words, then this is an encyclopaedic portrayal of the real - hidden - Cuba. This is not a travel guide; I will leave that for the tourism industry. It is, however, a behind-the-scenes look at the Cuba that tourist never see. I have tried to present a wide portrayal of images that will allow the viewer to see all aspects of Castro's Cuba. You cannot look at the glitz alone and make logical conclusions about this country; while there is some beauty, there is more decay. While the country is admittedly a communist enclave, when looking at these images one has to ask if this form of government was the right choice for the Cuban people. You be the judge - the story is in your hands.