Time Capsules on Wheels - Havana in Full Colour

by Inge van Veen

Walking through the streets of Havana on 29 March 2025, I once again had that feeling that Cuba sometimes gives you: as if you have accidentally stepped into another time. This photo, with a bright red and a bright pink vintage car parked side by side, sums up for me exactly what makes Havana so unique. They are not museum pieces, not showpieces only taken out of the garage on Sundays - this is the street scene. Cars that elsewhere would have long belonged to heritage or scrap metal are still proudly driving around here every day.

I remember the sky being heavy with clouds, yet everything seemed light and alive with the colours of the cars and the energy of the city. The weathered colonial facades, the stately wrought-iron gates and the greenery of the trees were the perfect backdrop for these two gleaming icons.

For me, this image is a snapshot of the character of Cuba: a place where past and present blend effortlessly, where charm is in imperfection, and where colour always wins - even on a grey day.