A boy in Havana, Cuba, explores the Internet on his phone near a photo of Che Guevara. In June, the country's government installed Wi-Fi hotspots in major cities.
Giorgio Palmera/Echo photojournalism
A young woman in Havana uses her phone in an old Chevrolet.
Giorgio Palmera/Echo photojournalism
"My feeling went back to the first time me and my friends were discovering the Internet and smartphones," Italian photographer Giorgio Palmera said. "The Cubans are acting the same, with the big difference that we had the opportunity to express all of these emotions in private places. However, for Cubans, all this takes place in the square, creating an interesting and colorful live theater."
Giorgio Palmera/Echo photojournalism
A young woman in Havana chats with a friend using Wi-Fi.
Giorgio Palmera/Echo photojournalism
Girls use smartphones in Havana.
Giorgio Palmera/Echo photojournalism
A young Cuban uses a tablet computer in a private barbershop.
Giorgio Palmera/Echo photojournalism
Cubans are using Wi-Fi to talk with relatives in the United States or elsewhere, Palmera said. But they are also using social networks and creating their own blogs.
Giorgio Palmera/Echo photojournalism
"A year ago, when I came back to Cuba after 20 years, Internet existed only in large tourist hotels where it was forbidden for Cubans to buy Internet cards," Palmera said.
Giorgio Palmera/Echo photojournalism
Palmera said an hour's connection to the Wi-Fi hotspots costs about 2 euro, which is just a little more than $2 U.S.
Giorgio Palmera/Echo photojournalism
People explore the Internet at a new cultural center in Havana.
