Camagüey is less visited than other large Cuban cities, but has numerous elegant buildings with art deco tendencies. Whenever I see this façade, however, I’m actually reminded of an encounter I once had in Mexico. Some cowboy-hatted dude started a conversation by asking, as usual, “Where are you from?” “America,” I said. “So am I,” he said. “This is America, too, you know.” “Right,” I said. “Sorry, I meant los Estados Unidos.” “So am I,” he said again. “This is the United States of Mexico. See what I mean?” The guy was being a provocateur, and he wouldn’t let it go, but I learned something from him about the way this vast Hispanic hemisphere bridles at the arrogance of the North. next back photo home