• A taxi driver takes a group of tourists to the Capitol building in Havana, Cuba. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • Foreign travelers snap photos of the scene after taking a tour bus in Havana. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • A woman walks into a clothing store in the Plaza Carlos III shopping center in Havana. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • A Cuban man shops for shoes in one of the shops in the plaza. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • Two Cuban men inspect battery powered scooters for sale in one of the shops. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • A few men plow a field in the town of Quivican, on the outskirts of Havana. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • Flowers are sold in the Vedado neighborhood in Havana. The prices are based on Cuban Pesos or National Currency. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • A man shops for corn in an open air market in the Vedado neighborhood in Havana. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • Patrons shop for fruit and vegetables in a produce market in the neighborhood. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • Vegetables are delivered to a produce market to patrons in the neighborhood. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • Patrons shop in the neighborhood produce market. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • Tourists pose for a photo on the steps of the Capitol building in Havana. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • A Cuban fisherman stands on the seawall at the entrance to the Port of Havana as a container ship leaves the port. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • Manuel Bustillo and daughter Nisvelyz Pacio, 12, are inside the patio connecting his wife's family's house in the town of Quivican, outside of Havana. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • In Old Havana, lines form outside a telephone company store as people buy cell phones, calling cards and other related accessories. Since Raul Castro's government relieved cell phone rules, more Cubans spend money on these items. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • In Old Havana, the buildings are constantly undergoing reparations to help prevent them from collapsing. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • A building undergoing restoration in Havana's Malecon is supported by wood beams. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • A woman and child stroll past an apartment building in Old Havana. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • Old cobblestones from the Spanish era are replaced with pieces of wood cut in the size of the stones in a square in Old Havana. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • On a slow night for customers, a dog sleeps on the floor of a restaurant in the Barrio Chino neighborhood in Havana. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • Teresita Hernandez, left, looks at a cell phone given to her by her daughter, Maribel Perez, and her son-in-law, Manuel Bustillo. The couple were visiting from Miami. Hernandez lives in the town of Quivican, outside of Havana. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • 8/1/09 MHD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD Teresita Hernandez, left, looks at a cell phone given to her by her daughter, Maribel Perez and Manuel Bustillo, her daughter's husband, who were visiting from Miami. Mrs. Hernandez lives in the town of Quivican outside of Havana, Cuba. Also in the photo is Maribel's daughter Nisvelys Pacio, 12. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • Hernandez, right, gets help from her daughter washing dishes. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • Manuel Bustillo, a Miami resident and native of Colombia, is traveling to Havana with his Cuban wife and their children. He checks the family's blue shrink-wrapped luggage before boarding a charter flight to at Miami International Airport. JOHN VANBEEKUM / FOR THE MIAMI HERALD JOHN VANBEEKUM / FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • Security Coordinator Anthony Da Roza of Ultra Aviation Services helps passengers traveling to Cuba move their blue, shrink-wrapped luggage into the right line at Miami Internaional Airport. JOHN VANBEEKUM / FOR THE MIAMI HERALD JOHN VANBEEKUM / FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • Before boarding a charter flight to Havana, 75-year-old Nylado Herrera of Hialeah holds on to the five hats he's wearing and plans to give as gifts to his grandson and cousins in Cuba. JOHN VANBEEKUM / FOR THE MIAMI HERALD JOHN VANBEEKUM / FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • Vivian Mannerud, president of Airline Brokers, Inc., helps check the paperwork for a passenger before he boards a charter flight to Havana at Miami International Airport. JOHN VANBEEKUM / FOR THE MIAMI HERALD JOHN VANBEEKUM / FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • Vivian Mannerud, president of Airline Brokers, Inc., laughs with 75-year-old Nylado Herrera of Hialeah as he explains that he's wearing five hats to give as gifts to his grandson and cousins who live on the Isle of Youth in Cuba. Herrera was waiting to board a charter flight to Havana at Miami International Airport. JOHN VANBEEKUM / FOR THE MIAMI HERALD JOHN VANBEEKUM / FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • A car goes down the street as another day ends in Havana. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

  • A young woman and an old man look in opposite directions down a street in Old Havana. FOR THE MIAMI HERALD FOR THE MIAMI HERALD