Very nice. I like the way you’ve provided visual context. Paul > On Jun 14, 2018, at 9:23 PM, Subash Jeyan <[email protected]> wrote: > > thanks for that. really enjoyed the photos as well as your take on > that... > > subash > > > On Thu, 14 Jun 2018 11:47:43 -0400 (EDT) > Igor PDML-StR <[email protected]> wrote: > >> I had a very brief visit to Cuba last year. >> One of the things that everybody who visits Cuba realizes is the old >> cars on the streets. I've heard this long before the trip, and saw >> plenty of photos. But the personal impression was much stronger. >> >> If you are not interested in reading the story, - feel free >> to skip it: https://42graphy.org/galleries/2017-havana-cars/ . >> >> >> While looking at the cars, I realized that the cars essentially tell >> the geo-political history of that country. >> >> You see many "classic" pre-1959 US models, including Oldsmobile, >> Chevrolet, Buick, Ford, Plymouth. >> Those symbolize the vicinity and the close connection to the US prior >> to the revolution. >> >> Then you see Lada (aka VAZ), Moskvich, Volga (and Kamaz and ZIL >> trucks) - brands from the Soviet Union - covering the "Soviet Block" >> era (1960-80s) >> >> And then, you see European makes: Fiat, Renault, Peugeot, Mercedes (I >> don't remember, maybe also VW), Korean Kia and Hyundai, and a >> few Chinese makes: Geely, Emgrand, GAC, as well as Chinese-Australian >> (SAIC) Maxus and MG. Most of these cars are from post-2008, the era >> when _some_ small private business has been allowed in this highly >> regulated country, and especially post-2014, when Raul Castro, has >> abolished the need for official permission to purchase a foreign-made >> car. They are still much more expensive compared to what you pay for >> them in the US and in Europe. >> Actually, it is MUCH MORE, in capital letters. >> >> I've heard that some people make a trip to Moscow, which is easy >> logistically, buy auto-parts, and then resell them in Cuba, - thus >> covering the cost of the trip and earning money for living. >> >> >> The presence of the cars from China is a sign of the growing >> economic relations with China (presumably, it is the biggest (or the >> 2nd biggest, behind Canada) trade partner for Cuba now). >> >> The "classic" cars serve too major roles: >> 1) The better preserved/restored ones (most convertible) are used for >> the "fancy" tours around the city, - and you see many of those cars >> parked along the "Central Park" - Parque Central - in the historical >> part of the city "Habana Viejo" (old Havana), - next to the three >> luxury (and very expensive! - $300+ per night at Hotel Parque >> Central) hotels. >> >> >> 2) The "regular" cars, often with the crude patches on the body >> (sometimes with large rough bolts, sometimes, - torch-welded), - are >> used as the city transportation. This includes private taxis and >> so-called "collectivos", which stands for "collective taxi". This is >> a type of a taxis that circulate along the well known routes (just a >> handfull) - throughout the city. You can get in and get out along >> those routes, and pay a fixed price (at least for locals, but we've >> also used this): 10 or 20 CUPs, depending on the part of the city >> where you go (about 40 and 80 US cents, respectively). >> These collectivos can get packed: a couple of times, I was riding >> among total of 8 passengers (in a bigger, almost SUV-ish or >> station-vagonish old car with the 3rd row of seats) >> I've seen a few private taxis using old Lada and even Moskvich. (If >> you are not familiar, - those are rather small cars, no larger than >> Dodge Colt or Toyota Tercel from 1980s) >> >> >> Also, you can take a collectivo to travel to a different city. In >> that case, I've read, the prices are on par or above the price >> for the bus (Viazul, - the buses that targeting foreigners, and >> Astro bus, where there is a large price difference for locals and >> foreigners). The advantage is that there is a bit more flexibility >> w.r.t the time, but you are riding in a car that might not have an >> A/C (Viazul bus has), and might break in the middle of the road. >> >> The curious thing is that quite a few collectivo drivers would >> caution you about not slamming the door, - as the doors and door >> latches are often a fragile point on some of the "classics". >> >> >> So, here is a photo gallery that illustrates this story: >> https://42graphy.org/galleries/2017-havana-cars/ >> >> Unfortunately, I've failed to take a reasonable photo of a >> "half-taxi" - a moto-scooter with a roof that can take 2-3 >> passengers, such as this one: >> https://www.losviajeros.net/fotos/america/Cuba/index.php?fn=coco_taxi >> >> >> For me, it was a fun and quite an adventure to ride the collectivos >> and and negotiate the prices with others, - mostly of the "jalopy" >> kind. It was an inexpensive and reasonable way of getting to and from >> a small family-owned B&B that I've chosen to stay at. >> I've read that prior to 2011, it was forbidden to take foreigners >> into a car that didn't have a special taxi permit, but that rule has >> been relaxed since that. >> >> I hope you enjoy the photos and the story they tell. >> >> All comments and critique are welcome! > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions.
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