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<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nWe did very little research on Cuba before jumping on the plane. I read one travel website the night before we left Mexico. We were as ill-prepared to visit a new strange place as we usually are. I did manage to glean that the best and cheapest places to stay are in private homes called Casas Particulars. We scored a good taxi driver at the Havana airport who had a friend with a house\u2026 he made a phone call to Martica en-route into the city. We had our place to stay. Martica, her husband and her son are among the lucky few who\u2019s family got to keep their home after the Revolution. They try to make ends meet by renting out bedrooms and serving meals to their boarders. There are hundreds of homes like this throughout the city. We had several long conversations with Martica over meals about her daily life, all in Spanish as she spoke no English. Her resigned demeanor painted a picture of hopelessness, and Kat cried when we left her.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
We arrived in Cuba in the early afternoon and were settled into Martica\u2019s house by 3pm so we went out walking in search of bottled water. The grocery store we found had shelves barren of meat or vegetables or much of anything else except lots of soda and alcohol. The cereal boxes were all little single packs. We learned later from a taxi driver that beef is illegal to eat. If you kill a cow its 30 years in prison, if you kill a person, it\u2019s eight. Why? \u201cBecause Fidel says so,\u201d we were told. We also quickly learned that paper products are non-existent. No toilet paper, no napkins and of course no paper towels.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Ciego Montero bottled water, number 1 in Cuba. That\u2019s because it\u2019s the only one in Cuba. It was very minerally and tasted pretty bad. But an option was not a choice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Once we had water we wandered the streets around Martica\u2019s neighborhood. The old world architecture was stupendous. The level of decay was heartbreaking.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Ok, I admit it. The number one reason I wanted to go to Cuba was to see the old cars. They did not disappoint. The whole country is teaming with them and in Havana they seem to outnumber post 1960 vehicles by about 3 to 1. More on the cars later.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The cars were cool, but the people we met and got to know were magical.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Propaganda about the Revolution can be found anywhere there might be a foreign tourist around to read it. You\u2019d think it happened yesterday, not in the \u201850s. We never saw newsstands, newpapers or magazines. There are no ads on TV, only government propaganda between shows we were told. We only saw one working TV in the two houses we stayed in. It was showing a Cuban baseball game!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Human backhoe.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Some fruits and veggies are sold in the streets from homemade carts, but it was clear that a poor Cuban\u2019s diet is mainly carbs from bread-based meals, usually fried. Small, mostly bread sandwiches with a thin slice of ham and cheese and \u201cpeso pizzas\u201d (dough with cheese) could be bought for pennies on the street. Meals in restaurants were very expensive. The exchange rate of the Cuban CUC is about one to one with the U.S. dollar.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n In a country where most of the populous owns next to nothing, the pride in the faces of the owners of the old cars is like a window in to their souls. This old Buick has a Mercedes diesel. About 99% of the pre 1960 cars have had most or all of their running gear changed out to Russian, Japanese or Korean bits. Almost all are diesel.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Around 5pm we came across this crowd in the street. They were all clamoring to get into Las Vegas \u2013 Bar that is. The Las Vegas Bar resembled its namesake about like the rest of the Cuban lifestyle resembles life in America.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n If it weren\u2019t for the modern bus, this shot could be 1955.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Our first evening we were charmed into riding around with Alfredo in his Coco Taxi, a small Tuk Tuk like three-wheeler with a two-stroke motorcycle engine and a bright yellow fiberglass body that looked like half a lemon rolling down the road. (I can\u2019t believe I didn\u2019t get a picture of one, they were everywhere) As we rolled along, we asked him questions about his life. He struggles to pay a high monthly flat fee to the government for his taxi license in addition to trying to purchase the tiny taxi from the government. Alfred was raised by his Dad because his mother was \u201ccrazy.\u201d His Dad \u201cliked Castro,\u201d but Alfred\u2019s opinion of the dictator is \u201che is an asshole.\u201d Not the first, or the last time we heard Fidel described with such glowing reverence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cAsk me if I give a sh*t\u201d seemed to be the attitude of this government guard at the telephone company. We went there with Alfred who needed to pay for more minutes on his cell phone. The phone Co had closed early, a situation that made Alfred very upset. He argued with the guy then turned away, resigned to the fact that this was life and he could do nothing about it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Alfred took us to the Necropolis De Colon, a huge vacant concrete square with these huge neon images of Fidel Castro and Ernesto \u201cChe\u201d Guevara that glow all night long.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Later in the evening, after he\u2019d driven us all over the city sightseeing, we bought Alfred (and ourselves) a few beers to cheer him up.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The next morning we walked to the Hotel Nacional de Cuba. It appears to be one of the few grand old opulent structures from bygone days that the communist government has maintained as a tourist destination. I found it ironic that they are capitalizing on the famous people and the lifestyle they so detested before, during and after their Revolution.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A view of Havana from the beautiful grounds of the National Hotel. I wonder how many free-spending tourists stay at this hotel, marvel at the food and the views, then ride around in air-conditioned buses viewing other government approved sites, only to go home and proclaim they\u2019ve seen Cuba and it is grand!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n We rode around in this cool 1955 Plymouth for a while. Its owner, like every old car owner we talked to, was so proud of his car. As we understand it, (remember we are interperating all this in Spanish,) up until three years ago, people were not allowed to own these cars unless they had been in their family since before the Revolution. Since Raul Castro has taken over the reins from Fidel, he has loosened the rules regarding car ownership. Before, one could lease a car like this from the government, but now they can own them outright and modify them as they see fit. This Plymouth sported all Toyota running gear.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cEnd the Injustice!\u201d This huge billboard was along the highway coming from the airport. Our taxi driver tried to explain to us what it meant, but in the Spanish\/English translation we didn\u2019t get the whole story. Evidently these five Cubans are being held by the U.S. government for something (?) while Cuba is holding a CIA agent who was caught trying to establish Internet service in the country. Both governments are at a stalemate over the issue. The same taxi driver described Fidel as \u201cLoco\u201d and his brother Raul as \u201cStupido.\u201d This is the main office of the only bus company that services the whole country. There were no computers or even a normal ticket counter. Everything was written by hand and kept in school-kid like folders. We tried to take a bus to a location in the country but it was booked up for the next three days!\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Just hanging out with the laundry. There seemed to be many more people not working than vice-versa on the streets of Havana. Why work when there is nothing to gain from it?\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n I just love this shot.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This street artist seemed quite fond of Hugo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This was a beautiful walkway from the Capital to the Malecon. The architecture of the buildings on either side was striking. Unfortunately, many of them were in serious decay or gutted out all together.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n These human-powered taxis were another way to get around.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Patriotism in spite of it all.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Mobile hardware store.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The only reading to be found.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Street graffiti.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Strange access to a playground.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Showing off to the neighbors. Love that blue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This hairdo seemed to be all the rage.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The Capital.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n My Dad had a Buick like this in college. A 1948 Roadmaster convertible.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This is not a Saturday gathering of an old car club. These are all working taxi cabs waiting for fares in the Parque de la Fraternidad in downtown old Havana. Hundreds of pre-1960 American cars still ply the streets and highways of Cuba. I had heard about them for years and they were my main reason for visiting Cuba. After the Revolution in 1959, all importation of American goods ceased. As I understand it from asking around in my terrible Spanish, for years, no new vehicles from any country were allowed into Cuba, and only certain individuals who had cars prior to the Revolution were allowed to keep them. Over time the government \u201cacquired\u201d most of them and leased them back the people. Only in the last three years have individuals been allowed to own them outright. The pride of ownership radiates from the owner\u2019s faces. These cars provide a glimmer of joy in an otherwise bleak existence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Not just old cars abound. Many great old trucks are running around too like this 1951 Ford. If you look closely you\u2019ll see it is actually a newer truck underneath, (probably Russian) with the Ford body widened to fit. Cubans are the Kings of Bondo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This 1959 Chevy wagon has been modified with an opening back door and is converted inside with side mounted seats facing inward. It is used as a bus.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Almost every car is extensively modified mechanically. Almost all are now powered by small diesels from Japan or Korea. All seem to have later manual transmissions, even if they were originally automatics, and most rear axles are Toyota or Russian in origin. In addition, many have lost their original independent front suspensions which wore out long ago on Cuba\u2019s potholed roads. Many, like this \u201946 Ford, now have beam front axles and leaf springs. (Ok all you collectors reading this. Yes, I know, \u201946 Fords always had beam front axles with a single leaf spring. Bad example I guess, but it is a cool pic of an old Ford and it now has TWO leaf springs!)\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Lots of Willy\u2019s \u201cCrackerboxes\u201d running around.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Convertibles seem to garner a higher fare as taxis and get to park in the fancy area with the tour busses. It doesn\u2019t seem to matter if the car was originally a soft top. Both of these Chevys, a \u201954 and a \u201955 have had their tops chopped off while the Buicks are the real deal. The black ugly car is a Russian Zil limo from the \u201860s \u2013 \u201870s. I don\u2019t even know what the cool building in the background is! It\u2019s all about the cars!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Most of the interiors have been upgraded as well with tuck and roll upholstery and modern steering columns. (No airbags here though!) Note the truck four speed shifter sprouting through the floor of this Buick, a car that most certainly had an automatic originally.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n While most are rough edged working cars, this Willy\u2019s wagon was a show piece with its Mitsubishi diesel covered in chrome.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n There was another parking area in front of the Capital building that only contained perfectly restored cars that seemed to be there for display. These convertibles, a \u201958 Edsel, \u201855 Chevy and a \u201959 Buick could have won awards at any car show in the States.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n On our way back to Martica\u2019s house we caught a ride with this guy in his \u201953 Chevy. It had a Hyundai engine, Toyota transmission and a Russian rear axle. Note the Subaru steering wheel connected to an Audi steering box. It kind of reminded me of that old Johnny Cash song.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Just down the street from Martica\u2019s we came across this impromptu jam and dance session that had broken out in the street for no apparent reason other than love. We realized that there was something other than old cars that gave the Cuban people joy. Music. These guys rocked! After about a half hour it just broke up and everyone went on their way to wherever.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Our final dinner at Martica\u2019s. She really pulled out the stops for us, serving us chicken and a salad. Things that many Cubans can\u2019t afford to eat. During our meal we talked with her about the many things we take for granted like eating anything we want, travelling when and where we want, skin care products she can\u2019t get, toilet paper and the Internet which is banned in Cuba. She had such a fatalistic approach to her life, like, \u201cthis is how it is and it is never going to get any better so I just exist.\u201d We are sooooo lucky.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The next morning we hopped in this Chinese made Geely and headed for the countryside. After we had found the buses full to anywhere, we struck a deal with a taxi driver outside the bus station. He agreed to take us an hour and a half outside of Havana to the small resort village of \u201cHotel Moka\u201d which he recommended. He\u2019d drop us off, then come back two days later and pick us up and take us back to the Havana airport, all for 100CUC or just under $100US. The bus would have been half that, but the experience we got from this arrangement was priceless.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Our first conversation with Alain, our driver, was about the USA and his feelings towards Castro and his country\u2019s government. \u201cCastro is a sommabitch\u201d he told us emphaticly. He showed us the home screen on his cell phone \u2013 an American eagle and flag. Wow! If Alain could float his taxi we\u2019d have been on our way to Florida. He told us many things as we rolled along, again all in Spanglish, so I hope we got it all right. The most profound thing I remember him telling us was when we asked him why nobody ate vegetables, only fruit. All around us were endless acres of fallow farmland with a year round growing season and plenty of rain. \u201cNobody wants to do the hard work it takes to grow crops. Why work hard on land owned by the government who will only pay them a paltry salary for their labor?\u201d We asked, why aren\u2019t more things grown on the sly and sold on the black market? Answer: \u201cPeople have no money to buy anything.\u201d \u201cFruit just grows wild so there is no labor in producing it. Just pick it up.\u201d \u201cThere is no incentive in my country for the people to do anything.\u201d The Russian Embassy. A rather imposing structure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Once out of the city the highway was good, but empty. Horse drawn carts shared the tarmac with the few trucks and cars.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Roadside fast food. These guys were selling roasted chickens and homemade cheese. Free enterprise in a communist world.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n When we arrived in Moka we were invited to stay with the family who owns this spotless house in the village. Elizabeta and Tomas live with their granddaughter, Marita, who is three. The little girl\u2019s parents are working overseas. Tomas makes a living as a musican. What a treasure this family was to find!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Our room.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Elizabeta\u2019s kitchen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A view of the village and the small lake from the only actual Hotel.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Housing apartments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Portable clothes line. This guy keeps pigeons in cages on his roof as pets. In the morning and evening we watched him release them to fly around. Then he would give a special whistle and they would come back and settle in to their cages.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gotta have at least one Flatfender picture, even if this \u201852 CJ3A was now 2WD and had a Suzuki rear axle.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Necessity is the mother of invention.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n On a walk through the jungle we came across these two guys spear fishing in the river. He caught three fish during the five minutes we watched him!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Then a few of their buddies showed up with two bottles of Vodka. So much for the fishing. We shared a couple of sips with them and they told us how they had always lived in this area of the jungle. Only in the last ten years or so had anybody from elsewhere come to swim in their river.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Our Vodka friend\u2019s home.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n It was very hot and muggy so swimming in the river seemed like a good thing to do.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n These Cuban tourists were enjoying the river in the designated tourist area downstream from where we met the locals. They were munching on a huge hunk of roast pig.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Back in the village, the old cars were still the stars. These trinkets, sold in the tourist kiosks, were made by hand out of old soda cans or chunks of wood.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This is what Kat had to put up with the whole time we were there!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n But this \u201948 Plymouth was worth looking under. I discovered it was 4 wheel drive! Its clever owner, shown here showing off his power windows through a cloud of Cuban cigar smoke, had grafted a 4WD Hyundai SUV chassis and running gear under the old beast.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Just one more! Not all cherished cars are old American ones. In the \u201870s Russian cars began to be imported. Now they are old and are being refurbished by proud new owners. This Moscavitch now has a Renault diesel.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n What is a Dana 44 doing under a Russian car? That\u2019s like pouring vodka all over apple pie!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Little Marita was the cutest thing ever. She was way wiser than her three years. An old soul.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n I think she wants to be a hair dresser.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n On our final afternoon in Moka we had the best treat of the trip. Tomas took us to his mother\u2019s apartment in the village to let us listen to him practice music with his band partner Miguel.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Greeting Mom.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Proud Mama.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n I doubt these images convey the soulful energy that was in the room as these guys played, but I hope they give an idea. Through their music, these guy\u2019s lives, and those of the two elderly listeners, are transformed like magic. Though they play all the time professionally and have heard their songs hundreds of times, creating the music once again removed them from the stoic resignation of their daily lives. It was a very special experience for Kat and me.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Music puts smiles on Cuban faces.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>
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\n\u201cEnd the Injustice!\u201d This huge billboard was along the highway coming from the airport. Our taxi driver tried to explain to us what it meant, but in the Spanish\/English translation we didn\u2019t get the whole story. Evidently these five Cubans are being held by the U.S. government for something (?) while Cuba is holding a CIA agent who was caught trying to establish Internet service in the country. Both governments are at a stalemate over the issue. The same taxi driver described Fidel as \u201cLoco\u201d and his brother Raul as \u201cStupido.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>
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\nClassic Socialism. Take heed America! Visit Cuba before you vote next time!\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMoka appeared to be a government built resort town within a National Park. We saw very few foreign tourists but there were quite a few Cubans there for the weekend. There was a nice Hotel with a swimming pool and a tennis court. We snuck in and tried out both.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>
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