Photo assignment: In the shadow of Guantanamo Bay

1 of 10 Whilst in Cuba Matt Rutherford visited the city of Guantanamo to see what life is like near the high profile US Naval base where over 600 "enemy combatants" are detained. This is what he found...

2 of 10 The city of Guantanamo itself is strikingly normal, despite the massive military complex nearby.

3 of 10 There is no Cuban military presence in the city, only the typical features of a Cuban conurbation - life being lived out on the streets and 1950s Cadillacs competing in slow decay with the colonial architecture.

4 of 10 Cuban ethnic diversity is wide and varied, with descendants of Spanish settlers, African slaves, and indigenous Indians mixing through the generations.

5 of 10 Owners of guest houses and taxi drivers epitomise the growing divide between those who have access to tourist dollars, and those who don't.

6 of 10 Whilst they can easily earn many times more than a Cuban doctor or teacher those without the dollar face continuing hardships

7 of 10 Cubans are always happy to talk to visitors, and Guantanamo is no exception. Most will point out their objections to the US base, but admit that it has very little affect on their lives.

8 of 10 The 20km between the base and the city are filled with cacti-studded ranch land and Cuban cowboys, giving the area a frontier atmosphere.

9 of 10 'We are against Terrorism' - Cuba has displayed solidarity with America since the attacks of 11 September 2001, however they have opposed the concept of a 'war' on terrorism, and attacked the Iraq war.

10 of 10 The US naval base in Guantanamo Bay has been likened to a theme park of Americana, with its own McDonalds and golf courses. The viewing area is tacky, with piped music and a bar, you get the impression this is a subtle Cuban statement on the show below.