Taxis in Cuba

by **KitKat** on Sun 13 Nov 2011, 5:16 pm

.
Is it the end of the road for Cuba's classic cars?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-15710861

I was in a taxi ride in Havana. We could've got one of these, but we didn't ...

It was actually in a LEMON COCONUT on a 3-wheeled motorbike! and we didn't get very far ... After 2 minutes we got a puncture! and had to sit in the thing for half an hour

while about 10 very helpful guys who just happened to be passing by, stopped to help the driver with fixing it.

The Lemon motorbike taxi cost the equivalent of about 2p. The classic car taxis were about 2 Dollars a go.

by **KitKat** on Tue 13 Dec 2011, 12:04 am

An old Panorama find ...

Robin Day interviews Fidel Castro in 1961

http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/cuba/6208.shtml

SYNOPSIS
Fidel Castro takes a group of journalists around Cuba, touring the places and meeting the people changed by the revolution. Among the scenes are reminders of the recent attempt to topple him. Later, BBC reporter Robin Day secures an interview with Castro, who chooses to speak to him directly in English rather than through an interpreter, revealing some of his ideals and stating that he is a socialist, not a communist.

DID YOU KNOW?
Bahia de Cochinos, or the Bay of Pigs, was made famous by a CIA-backed invasion by Cuban exiles, who landed there on 17 April 1961. Among the pilots of the bombers that were deployed were former members of the Batista regime. Two days later, however, the exiles were defeated during a battle in which hundreds were killed or wounded. Reportedly, 1,200 were taken prisoner.

I'm so glad that I had the chance to visit Cuba while Castro still in power, a chance to get to know the real Cuba and what life was really like for Cubans living there. Once Castro goes, the U.S. is ready to get in there and the island and its unique way of life will be changed for ever.

Some other interesting videos in that link also. Haven't had a chance yet to watch them all, but I aim to when I've got some time.

by **KitKat** on Sat 07 Apr 2012, 4:40 pm

The changes are starting already in the 'new' Cuba ...
For good or bad remains to be seen.

Communist Cuba marks Good Friday with public holiday

Relations between Cuba and the Catholic church have improved in recent years

Communist Cuba is marking Easter with a public holiday on Good Friday, for the first time in decades.

This follows Pope Benedict's visit to the country last week, where he requested the move.

Religious holidays in Cuba were cancelled after the 1959 revolution, and fewer than 10% of Cubans are practising Catholics.

Nonetheless, the Church is the most influential organisation outside the Communist government.

The Cuban government said it granted the request as a mark of
respect, and to commemorate the "transcendental nature" of the pope's
visit.

Live service
The Pope's predecessor, John Paul II, made a similar request
before the last papal visit to Cuba in 1998, successfully persuading
then-leader Fidel Castro to recognise Christmas as a public holiday.

A service at Havana Cathedral will be broadcast live on Cuban
television, indicating the improving relations between the Church and
the government, says BBC Havana correspondent Sarah Rainsford.

Religious or not, Cubans have welcomed the day off, and hope that the change will be permanent, our correspondent says.

Some described it as a sign that Cuba was opening up to the world.

"I think almost all Cubans think it's a very good idea," one told the BBC.

The holiday has only been declared for this year, but the
government says it will take a decision later on whether to make it
permanent.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17637714

Taxis in Cuba

Taxis in Cuba

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