Next Set: Havana Transport!
As mentioned in the previous post Cuba is stuck in a 50s car timewarp. There were a lot of Soviet era Ladas and some modern cars but mostly it's 50s Dodges, Chevrolets and Cadillacs varying in condition from barely held together to immaculate. In Cuba it is a general rule that if there is an empty seat in your car and there is someone at the side of the road you MUST pick them up and give them a lift (not a rule for tourists. nor are they allowed to give a lift to a tourist). As such you will see straggling lines of people with their thumbs out and traffic police here and there helping people to secure a lift to wherever they're going. Car pooling epitmoses their ethos of Communism and working together (and more importantly saving on fuel costs, public transport, etc.). It really adds to the sense of everybody being in one gigantic struggle together.
Other forms of transport would shock you - it's like going back in time - a hundred people packed onto the trailer part of truck, horses and carts, bicycle taxis... it's
very different and adds a lot of character to the place....
Sweet Dodge...
Check out this ride (and check the car too)...
More classics...
And it doesn't get much better than feeling the sea breeze along El Malecón in a taxi like this!!
Another cool little travel option are the three-wheeler coco-taxis, weaving in and out of the mayhem that is Havana traffic...