the united states to end its harsh trade embargo against its island neighbor. i was in cuba for the pope's historic visit where i witnessed the impact of that blockade on the people. >> reporter: the casual observer may see all of this and think cuba is the land of plenty. but look a little closer and you will find a lot of people just looking. the typical couple comes here perhaps once every two weeks, examines every stall, and scrutinizes every price because the average salary is less than $10 a month and the u.s. embargo means that every pepper, every peanut is a luxury. this is where most people buy their staples, at the state grocery store where prices are subsidized and amounts are fixed, when they're available. every cuban household gets a monthly ration book, one bar of