Government Dirt

By the way ... if you enjoy these photos, you will find this article interesting...

The Two Cubas - Thoughts From a Recent Sojourn to the Island Nation



Hotel Nacional, the most prominent hotel in Cuba and one of the nicest buildings in Havana
Flag at Half Mast for no apparent reason because nothing was going on that anyone knew about.



Hotel Nacional with Cuban Emblem and Security Camera Overlooking the Malecon - Sea Wall



Hotel Nacional View Toward Malecon - Sea Wall
Behind the Hotel, this beautiful walkway takes you to a view of the ocean separating Cuba from the USA



Hotel Nacional View From Malecon - Sea Wall




Former President Batista's Home which is now the Museum for the Revolution.



This is the view of Havana's Central Park from the Rooftop of a Hotel Bar which is, of course, inaccessible to ordinary Cubans.



Havana Libre (Free Cuba) Building, 



For some reason this worker was banging on this cement truck with a mallet at about 3 in the morning, just randomly banging.
"I am guessing that the worker is trying to unsettle concrete from the flue and shake it down into whatever he is pouring, or his job is to make it seem like work is being done." [thanks Jonathan Rager!]



This is Hotel New York.  If you look carefully you can see the sign and the cinder block wall blocking the entrance.  
After windows break, they are replaced by cinder block.  What used to be a grand hotel is now a slum house for hundreds of residents.



Flamenco dancers at Meson de Flota, a restaurant that only tourists can afford.  
For some strange reason, there are Spanish Bullfighting posters on the wall.



Cuban propaganda against George Bush



5 Cubans that the US calls spies and Cubans call Prisoners of the Imperial Government



This is a Russian Moskovich [thanks Cassandra] with a more secure lock



Cubans no longer have parts to fix their cars, so they have to create parts from what little they have.  
The fact that their cars even run is amazing.  The Cubans are called the "Best Mechanics in the World" for their ability to keep their cars running.  
You see many cars that are broken down and the amount of emissions that comes out of them is horrendous, but they move.  
Often the emissions come into the cabin of the car as well and it can get noxious making inside. 



An antique Ford - keep in mind that these parts are, for the most part, original or remanufactured by the Owner.  
It is not like they can get new parts from the US.



Roadside Mechanic - well... Middle of the Road Mechanic



Bringing Bananas to Market



Public Transportation System



Typical Cuban Home, but this one has stilts holding up each balcony.



The roof caved in on this home, but the residents still live there.  They do not have much of a choice.  Housing is scarce in Havana.



This would have been a home to one family at one point.  But now a home like this building will have a family in each room.  
There could be a dozen families living in a home of a single pre-revolution family.



Cuban Military Police Just Hanging Out



A particularly busy street before sundown.  All the streets are like shanty towns.  
Keep in mind that people do not have the money or the means to keep up their homes nor do they 

have any reason to do so because "their" home is really the property of the State. 



The authorities insisted that people have no reason to be looking for food in the trash bins, but apparently they do.  
They also insisted that there was no crime, but many tourists in our group got robbed.  And prostitution...



If you could only picture what the city would have looked like before the Revolution, you can see what a shame it is to have become what it is now.



The pharmacy has about 6 different products and not very many of each of those.  The people have basically no access to medicine.  
Cuban hospitals for Tourists are well stocked.



Cohiba Factory.  This is one of the main factories where they make Cuban Cigars.



A surprising bit of commerce.  Frozzen Dulces because there is very little commerce in Havana.  
The ice cream costs a dollar for Americans, but a few Cuban cents for Cubans.



The Capital building where Cuba's legislative branch rubber stamps Fidel's laws.  
They meet once every 6 months to take care of all the laws in one shot.



Beautiful building,  and I understand it to be the old Bacardi Building [thanks Cassandra].



A building that was under construction.  They were working on keeping the facade and fixing the interior, 
but construction seems to be taking longer than anticipated.



By the way ... if you enjoy these photos, you will find this article interesting...
The Two Cubas - Thoughts From a Recent Sojourn to the Island Nation




Beautiful historic building close to the capital.  The only reason it still looks nice is that it is made of stone.



Barber Shop.



Bakery where fresh bread is 5 Cuban cents per loaf.



Printing Press that seems like it hasn't been used in ages.



School children who were ask to spell out the name of the Father of the Revolution.



Welcome to Barrio Chino - or - China Town.  The sign is basically the only thing resembling China in China Town.



Sole remaning Buena Vista Social Club members playing in a Cuban tavern.



The library of an elementary school - most books are 30+ years old.



Cuban Soldier guarding the Spanish built Fort, El Morro.



View of El Morro from the Malecon



Armaments at El Morro.



View of El Morro from down the coast



Revolutionary Che Guevara portrait at El Morro



By the way ... if you enjoy these photos, you will find this article interesting...
The Two Cubas - Thoughts From a Recent Sojourn to the Island Nation

SEND US YOUR DIRT!
DO YOU HAVE A HOT TIP ABOUT GOVERNMENT OR POLITICS?
SEND IT TO:
dirt@governmentdirt.com