Some of you know I'm just back from a Cuba trip (yesterday). It was a fantastic trip on a cruise ship hitting many ports around the whole island country. We met some really great people and the cultural exchange was awesome. We did this through Road Scholar (note the name) as an educational trip since US Direct tourism is still not allowed. We actually flew to Jamaica and spent a few days there first but that's another story.
Our Canadian friends have been traveling there for the last few years and those in other countries you have known this for some time (not being restricted to travel to Cuba) but what a wonderful country!
The people are amazing. All are VERY well educated, very articulate, have a wonderful culture unique to the west indies - I was amazed! Part of our tour was to actually meet the people, have meals with them, visit their houses and get to know them. We saw Earnest Hemingway's house too - cool.... I don't do the usual tourist crap but most of you know this is what my travels are about anyway.
We all know about their old american cars - yes there are a LOT of them. If you're friends with me on FaceBook you have seen the videos of us riding around in them - amazing. You can always Google them if you don't know but what I found out was the USA did a lot of testing of their vehicle lineups in Cuba in the 1950s especially GM> that explains a lot. One historian told me in 1956 alone GM sold 186,000 cars there.
Mechanical: Blown Away how these guys fabricate to keep things running. Genuine parts when possible, lots of fabrication when needed and a lot of fab to make Russian engines/transmissions/etc work with old American cars.
Motorcycles: mostly 2-strokes, some 4-strokes and a couple of electrics. Some of the 2-strokes has massive barrels and heads. Mostly singles but a few twins bur rare - no triples..... As the pics show some older bikes too but I had the feeling older bikes are for just a few guys who keep them going - motorcycles seem to be a throw-away thing and not regarded as much as a donkey. Cheap transportation and that's it, like much of the world views motorcycles.
Enjoy the bikes below and for those on FB keep watching for more videos and pictures.
on Cuba to make a trip: not cheap they said 4.000 € but don't know what they offer for this price 