I

I
originally planned to go to Cuba for two weeks, which turned
into a month, which turned out to be the first of many inevitable
trips back. It wasn’t so much a holiday but an eye-opening journey
back in time to circa 1959. We stayed West, and did it thoroughly,
going from coast to coast and back on ourselves to our favourite
families that we stayed with. Each time we left another home it was
difficult not to get too upset. It was pretty intense, actually,
imagine gaining and losing a handful of family in the space of a
week, each week.

We all fell in love with the country. Not only were the vast
landscapes jaw-droppingly beautiful and exciting (made even more so
by the fact we were travelling by original 1957 Chevrolets) but the
richness and exuberance of their culture (one that is being lost
fast in Latin America, we learnt from a Columbian, now a life-long
friend) is still very much in tact. Most had very little material
wealth, but were richer than most Americans. With free healthcare,
education and a long (and living) line of close family, it made me
appreciate the meaning of a true civilised society. These
photographs do not do it justice. I can only tell anybody who feels
a real urge to re-kindle their faith in humanity to go there, and
soon.

@stephwilsonshoots
| www.steph-wilson.com

This is the second chapter in a series of photos on Cuba. Read
our Senior Editor Kate Hamilton’s guide on travelling
in Cuba – “Steer clear of the hotels and stay at a casa: listen
to live music, eat home-cooked lobster, swap stories and sip rum on
the porch.”