President Barack Obama announced a normalization of relations with Cuba on Wednesday afternoon.
This is a huge deal, because the two countries have had virtually no trade or travel relations since the 1959 revolution that put Fidel Castro in power.
Havana, Cuba's capital city, is a mystery to most people — especially Americans. But it is a beautiful hub full of welcoming people.
Before World War II, Havana was seen as "the rich man's playground," the biggest sugar producer, and an escape from prohibition.
Source: Havana Before Castro
When Fidel Castro and Che Guevara marched into Cuba in 1959, the communist revolution turned the country upside down. Here a man reads Granma, the official newspaper of the Cuban Communist Party, where the year reads "año de la revolución 53" (53rd year of the revolution).
Source: "A Day in the Life of Havana"
Habana Vieja, or Old Havana, is the oldest part of the city and is central to tourists. Unlike other areas of the city, the buildings are restored and the streets cleaned.
Source: "A Day in the Life of Havana"
See the rest of the story at Business Insider