[V8] Audi in Cuba ?

[D Morralee]

I was just in Cuba for a wonderful week of relaxation. What a wonderful place for viewing cars, just amazing. There are a few very early 1920 cars and a whole ton of US 50 era cars. On our tour to Havana the tour director said that there are 80,000 1950 era cars still running in the country. I’m not sure if that is the real number but it was just amazing to see these cars driving down the road. The prices for these vehicles are from 5000 – 25000 dollars, not sure if I really believe this as the average income of a Cuban is 20.00 usd per month. One of the funniest attractions was the Castro's government has planted a field of flags on tall poles -- 148 in all -- in front of the U.S. building, which holds the offices of the U.S. Interests Section, a diplomatic post one notch below an embassy. The flags block the view of the billboard from its intended audience: the heavy traffic along a seaside highway in central Havana. The 148 flags symbolizes those who lost there lives in the failed CIA lead bay of pigs invasion. The next era of vehicles are that of Russian descent mostly very clean Lada’s. Lada was an offshoot of a Fiat 124 . The Russians bought the rights to build the car and called it a Lada. I was surprised to see an Audi A4 (taxi) at our resort so I took a picture of that. In Havana there we a few Audis, I saw about 10, but no V8s to report. While visiting Havana I was wearing my Red Audi base ball cap and came across a guy who was wearing yes a black Audi hat … I stopped and we had a quick conversation. The guy was from a place called Ingolstadt, Germany and drives a A5 (and works for Audi) He did have a big smile on his face when I told him I drive and A8 and a 93 V8.cheers superdave