December 1, 2002 - page 2

The bus systems in Havana are quite complicated; added to the fact that nearly every bus was packed to overflowing with people, we had to find another way to get around the city. Coco taxis quickly became the transportation of choice. They are an open shell shape and are powered by what sounded like a motorcycle engine. You could fit three people per Coco. Those Cocos were quite fun to ride; it sort of felt like I was riding a go-kart all the time.

When we were traveling in groups larger than three, as we often were, the Coco Taxis would race each other, making the ride home that much more fun. The Coco taxis were also quite successful at maneuvering traffic. Emil Robinson commented, “Coco taxis go where no other taxis have gone before,” after an interesting ride to get to the opening ceremonies of the Cuban Olympics. It was also on the Coco taxis that we talked to a woman who was a medical doctor but was driving taxis to make enough money to buy a house. I expected her to be bitter that she had to work as a taxista, but she enjoyed her work and was excited about the money she was saving.