Monday, October 22, 2012

Havana Tourist Buses are Asia de Cuba

Shiny blue tourist buses trundle around Havana. The buses are air conditioned, plush, comfortable and plentiful. And, they are Chinese. The sun visors in the front of every bus have a map of Cuba on one side and Chinese characters on the other.

One of many same, same tourist buses in Cuba. This one is on Havana's Malecon, its seaside drive.

Inside a China-made tour bus in Cuba 


 Shiny tour bus parked in front of Havana's historic Hotel Nacional de Cuba. It is in a line of buses waiting to pick up and disgorge tourists. 




In sharp contrast to the cushy coaches that tote tourists, the local buses are a different story. They are stuffed with standing travelers, arms hanging out of the windows, draped over the bars covering the glassless windows.


School bus for the locals


Cuba has few cars to travel its highways. It is just as common to see cars, trucks and buses as it is to see horse carts, walkers and hitchhikers.