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Changing face of Cuba

For over 50 years Cubans have endured enmity and a trade embargo, and are now set for closer US ties.

Cuban lifestyle [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
The old part of the Cuban capital, Havana, is vibrant and full of colour. [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]

By Saif Khalid

Published On 20 Jul 2015

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Havana, Cuba – The United States of America has finally revived diplomatic relations with the neighbouring island nation of Cuba after more than five decades.

The communist nation was kept on a tight leash by the world’s most powerful nation, since severing of diplomatic ties in 1961 nearly two years after the Cuban revolution brought Fidel Castro to power.

Cuba, a nation of about 11 million people, endured nearly half-a- century of enmity, crippling trade embargo, and American spy plots.

It was cut off from international trade but Cubans learned to live with limited resources.

Despite the odds, the country developed one of the finest healthcare systems in the world.

Art and culture, particularly music, also flourished under communist rule. In spite of sanctions, Cuba managed to attract international tourists on the back of its rich cultural heritage and pristine beaches.

Nearly two million tourists visited the island in the first six months of this year, bringing billions of dollars into the country.

Booming tourism has offered Cubans an extra income that they could not have dreamt of with low-paying government jobs. Waiters are one of the biggest earners compared to much-respected professions of medicine and teaching that pay as low as $40 a month.

Cuban lifestyle [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Cuban music and salsa dance is a treat for the tourists. Music is one of the finest cultural heritages of the island nation. [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
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Cuban lifestyle [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
In 2006, the Cuban government built a permanent art installation with more than 100 flags to mask the 'US Interests Building' in Havana after the US began displaying messages on an electronic board. The US embassy will be housed in the building nearly 54 years after diplomatic relations were severed. [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Cuban lifestyle [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
With little economic activity, Cubans can be found sitting on the sidewalks of old Havana [Habana Vieja] streets or by the seaside. [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Cuban lifestyle [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Since Raul Castro took over from his brother Fidel, he has loosened commerce laws that have encouraged Cubans to run small businesses such as pizzerias and small cafeterias. [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Cuban lifestyle [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Old Havana is an architectural treasure. The fading glory of Spanish colonial era buildings is a common sight. The heritage buildings however, are in dire need of restoration. [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Cuban lifestyle [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Cuba was also home to American literary great, Earnest Hemingway. Hemingway wrote several books in Havana including 'The Old Man and the Sea'. His statue is mounted in Floridita bar, which he frequented during his stays in Havana. [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
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Cuban lifestyle [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Cuba's old cars have become prized possessions with tourists preferring these classic models from American car makers Chevrolet and Ford. These vintage cars from the 1950s add charm to Cuba. [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Cuban lifestyle [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
A man makes cigars in Vinales in the western state of Pinar del Rio. It is one of the few economic activities that bring much-needed money to the government's coffers. Cuban cigars are sought after across the world for their quality. [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Cuban lifestyle [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
A farmer in Vinales stands inside a tobacco house. Farmers in the area were not happy with the government which purchases almost 90 percent of their produce. They said that the government should allow them to sell the produce in the market. Cubans can be seen secretly selling cigars to tourists. [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Cuban lifestyle [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
The mausoleum of Che Guevara, the Argentinean revolutionary, is located in the town of Santa Clara. Che, who was a hero of the Cuban revolution, later died fighting alongside rebels in Bolivia in 1967. He was buried with state honours in 1997 after his exhumed remains were brought to Cuba from Bolivia. [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Cuban lifestyle [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
A man uses a telephone booth in the Cuban city of Cienfuegos. The state heavily controls telephone and internet services and as a result mobile and internet connectivity are still very low. With easing of rules in recent years, more and more Cubans are opting for mobilephones rather than landlines. [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Cuban lifestyle [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Che Guevara is clearly Cuba's most ubiquitous icon. His pictures and billboards far outnumber even that of Fidel Castro. His paintings are sold like hot cakes. [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Cuban lifestyle [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
This church is a witness to the nearly 500-year-old history of the Cuban city of Trinidad. Established by Spanish colonisers, Trinidad is well-preserved and is a designated UNESCO world heritage city. [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Cuban lifestyle [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]
Baseball is the most popular game in the island nation of 11 million people. Children can be seen playing on the streets and with the thawing of relations with the US, Cuban players may get the opportunity to play for various US clubs. [Saif Khalid/Al Jazeera]