David Fejzuli

In the 1950s, Havana shines as a vibrant metropolis—alive with music, casinos, and cabarets. However, beneath the allure lies a city controlled by the American mafia, where luxury contrasts sharply with the poverty endured by most Cubans. U.S. tourists escape Prohibition and moral restrictions back home. Icons like Ernest Hemingway, Frank Sinatra, and Ava Gardner revel in the city’s rhythms, frequenting hotspots like the Hotel Nacional and the Tropicana nightclub. Yet beneath the surface, corruption and oppression grip Cuba. Dictator Fulgencio Batista secretly partners with the mafia to build a “Las Vegas in the Caribbean” fueling unrest as the Cuban people suffer. This tension paves the way for Fidel Castro and his revolutionaries, who, on January 8, 1959, triumphantly enter Havana and end U.S. dominance on the island.

The desert city of Las Vegas embodies the American Dream in its most extreme form. Turbo-capitalism and gigantic shows are a magnet for gamblers and adventurers. Since its founding, Las Vegas has developed into a global entertainment center, attracting millions of people and generating billions of dollars in revenue. From a dusty backwater, it has become a glittering gambling metropolis.

Marrakech, one of the most beautiful cities in North Africa, developed into a center of attraction for the elite in the 20th century: The cosmopolitan nature of the city, the riads - traditional houses with a garden in the courtyard - and the souks - the markets - all attract famous personalities such as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.