Roll with it
For hire: 1950 Buick Super convertible. Some of Cuba's finest old cars are running up a lot more miles these days. The reason? The island's 2010 relaxation of rules about self-employment. Of 178 activities newly opened to those willing to give capitalism a whirl, private taxi operator seems to have been a popular choice. And more than one neophyte cabbie appears to have quickly twigged to the appeal of a desirable classic car in securing big-tipping tourist fares. These private cabs, seen today in every resort area, are not to be confused with the handpicked antiques of the government-run Gran Car service, or the plodding Havana sedans and wagons that serve as fixed-route collectives. These are family cars — often heirlooms handed down through generations — and until recently in private service (at least as far as the government was concerned). Today, they're very much in the publ...