Classic Cars of Cuba or “What Everyone Wants To See”
It’s one of the things people are most excited to see in Cuba, and one of the first things people ask about when you return. “Is it like going back in time?”, “Does it feel like you are in a walking museum?”. The short answer, yes. The long answer, it is so much more than that. As someone who started Away She Roams to share pictures of my travels, it would be silly of me not to highlight the cars, simply for what amazing backdrops they make. However once I got past the awe and excitement of a classic 1950′s FORD picking me up from the airport and quickly noticing it did not stand out on the road, I was able to see these cars for what they were. A true representation and symbol of how resourceful and smart the Cubans are.
A lot of people who use their cars as Taxis, will paint the outside so they look shiny, new and bright because that’s what people want to see. I know I did! What you don’t really think about going in, is not just that these cars are very old, but they have been driving the entire time. Most of the time back home we see a classic car and it is either in a museum, has been restored, or has been taken care of in the most pristine manner by a true car lover. In Cuba, they are just cars! Once you get inside.....well, 9 times out of 10 it’s not as pretty as the outside. However, Cubans will figure almost ANYTHING out! Most of the old cars had new stereos, even DVD players wired up....playing top 100 music videos! I did not see one gas gauge that actually worked, the gear shift was on the steering wheel but somehow the drivers had always come up with a new system of how they used that gear shift, and we even stopped for gas at someone’s house one time. The driver went into the back and came out with a bucket of gas that they poured into the car using a funnel! I would imagine it’s reasons like that, that require all cars to have a fire extinguisher (picture below). I asked a driver one time how they keep the cars running after so long, and he told me that they create molds from the original parts and re-create them. What I truly learned amidst all my oohing and aaaahing at these cars, is without a doubt if you give a Cuban a problem, and I guarantee they will figure it out!