CFFC: Classic Cars in Cuba

There are many reasons why Cuba is a destination spot for photographers.

The friendly and beautiful people. The tropical vistas and beaches. The frozen in time architecture. But for some, the single most distinguishing reason is the chance to see classic Cuban automobiles.

Leftovers from the American heyday, the solidly built Detroit machines survived the ravages of time, embargo and economic hardship. With remarkable human ingenuity, Cuban mechanics kept them running, repairing and rebuilding with parts salvaged from other vehicles or improvised with materials on hand.

One morning, while I was exploring the village near my hotel, I spotted this green Chevrolet in a beach side parking lot. I walked around the vehicle several times, inspecting it inside and out, taking multiple shots from different angles. I half expected the owner to show up and confront me. He never did.

One thing that puzzled me about this car, was the large branch sticking out of the rear bumper. Try as I might, I couldn’t imagine what it was for. Since no one was around to clarify, I let it go as “one those things.”

Two days later, the mystery solved itself when I saw the same car in town. It was parked on the side of a market street and the owner was selling garlic. The branch in the rear? A handy display for the long braids of garlic.