Renowned American photographer Jack Watson traveled to Cuba on a legal humanitarian visa. He chronicled his journey with breathtaking, and often heartbreaking, images of the Cuban 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 traveling 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, traveling 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 unauthorized 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 encyclopedic portrayal of the real, hidden Cuba. This is not a travel guide; I’ll leave that for the tourism industry. It is, however, a behind-the-scenes look at the Cuba that tourists 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.”