I remember reading up on Cuba right after we decided to spend part of our holiday there. Old-world charm, classic cars, cocktails and cigars, pretty much sum up Cuba. These classic cars being one of the most prized gems of Cuba, I could not wait to experience a ride back in time in the charming city of Havana. I felt lucky to be going to witness this once in a lifetime adventure knowing that soon these vintage cars might not be part of Havana’s landscape .While the cars still make Havana a living museum I was more than eager to feel the ultimate Cuban adventure and take Instagram worthy pictures.

 

 

Upon arriving Havana, we booked a tour as soon as we reached there. The very next day I chose a classic outfit for this unforgettable cruise around town; an embroidered white cotton top with puffy sleeves (to go with the warm weather) and a lilac flowy organza skirt. Of course, a straw hat to combat the scorching sun.

Here’s a look at how I accessorised myself.

We were staying at the renowned Hotel Nacional which was already a pick-up point for these gorgeous vintage cars. Our ride was ready. It was a green 1950s convertible Cadillac. As the excitement soared, I literally felt like a character of a fairy tale transporting myself through the vanishing elegance of Havana.

Inquisitive why in this day and age, there still is a country not accepting the 21st century norms? From what we gathered, during our time in Havana, an embargo was imposed in Cuba in 1960, which prevented any new cars from entering the country.
With many people not being well-to do, they could not afford buying new cars, so by a combination of excellent knowledge of parts and pure ingenuity, they have, over time, kept these vehicles running from more than 60 years. Often, when the original parts become too dilapidated, parts from abandoned Russian military vehicles are used, or in some cases, the parts are made from scratch using everyday household objects!

The two-hour Havana tour started. Our driver couldn’t speak English, so there was a young charming guide to tell us about the city and its history. He was quite talkative but his fluency in English and knowledge impressed us quite a bit. We started off. It was a warm day as usual, in Havana with the sun shining bright on us but the cool breeze kept us a bit cool.

Trying to soak in every moment, our first stop was The José Martí Memorial. This place is a memorial to José Martí, a national hero of Cuba, located on the northern side of the Plaza de la Revolución in the Vedado area of Havana.

 

One incident that I will never forget was that as we parked the car alongside tons of other classic cars, I was more than exhilarated to start my once in a lifetime photo op session. After taking a bunch of pictures in almost every pose possible while sitting on the backseat of this cool convertible. As I stepped out on the road. My skirt got stuck in a lever and I fell flat on the wide road. I broke my precious phone’s screen (in which I had to store memories by taking a billion pictures). Just thinking that the pictures might show how fabulous this day was, but this was also one reality!

 

Our next stop was a beautiful forest in the middle of Havana. Lush vegetation right in the heart of a city otherwise not so naturally well preserved. Walking alongside age old huge Banyan trees, vines draped everywhere and a cool water lake for us to enjoy some splashing, was absolutely mesmerising.

Happy to see a canteen, we stopped for some refreshments. Thirsty for ‘diet coke’, we were reminded that ‘coke’ was next to forbidden there. Having their own Cuban Cola, which was quite close to coke was the only option. While the term ‘diet’ was way beyond their understanding.

 

 

 

 

Our next stop was the Capitol Building in Old Havana. We drove through a district that was lined with old run down pastel coloured buildings. This was the area that is mostly prominent on postcards from Cuba. Although all the surroundings didn’t live up to my expectations but I somewhat remained fascinated.

 

 

 

 

We roamed a bit of the main square, saw the Cuban people passing by, felt the culture, got to know a little about their lives and in all this event got tired enough wanting to head back to our hotel.

On our way back, we met a horde of similar classic cars. Looking around, it felt like I was in a traffic jam in the 1950s.

Our last stop was back to our hotel. I suddenly got the feeling that this was the last I would be on a vintage convertible car. So, I took a while again to take more pictures and take in all the experience of this fascinating ride!

 

 

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