III Harley Davidson Rally (Encuentro Harlista!)

This past weekend, I was thrust into one of Cuba’s most prismatic and emblematic subcultures and scenes: I rode along on the country’s first Harley rally, when over 50 riders made their way to Varadero on pre-1960 bikes from as far as Pinar del Río and Camagüey for three days in hog heaven. As you may imagine, my muse was working overtime in this new and captivating environment, populated by cool people with their own language and subtext. Since everything I know about biker culture I learned from Easy Rider and Altamont, I was keen to experience the 1er Encuentro Nacional de Harlistas Cubanos firsthand.


  • 2012 Arte y Moda Fashion show: Extreme style

    2012 Arte y Moda Fashion show: Extreme style  LH 5

    Habaneros are a special lot. Guilty of multiple crimes of fashion and poor taste from the yonky to the most outrageous lycra outfits and ridiculously short skirts, they manage even in the midst of eco …

    Highlights of the 2012 Havana Art Biennial

    Highlights of the 2012 Havana Art Biennial  LH 5

    The 11th Havana Biennial is already under way and for those of us who have attended its exhibitions, installations and performances so far, it is a time of evocation and strong emotions triggered by t …

    Havana’s 2014 International Book Fair

    Havana’s 2014 International Book Fair  LH 4

    Havana’s International Book Fair opened its doors in February with its usual flair to once again become that huge annual event celebrating the mythical power of books. Perched on the ramparts of the M …

    Plenty of Love despite the rain

    Plenty of Love despite the rain  LH 4

    6th International Love In Festival, 2013 The Sixth International Love In Festival had to contend with some vicious weather with tropical downpours more reminiscent of Bognor Regis than Havana. Nonethe …

    The Feria Internacional del Libro

    The Feria Internacional del Libro  LH 4

    The Havana Book Fair is one of the most popular fairs in Havana drawing tens of thousands of people within the walls of the La Cabana Fortress. Don’t be put off by what can at times seem like a mob sc …

    The Elsinore Theater Festival

    The Elsinore Theater Festival  LH 4

    The Elsinore Theatre Festival has been held in Cuba every year for over 30 years. The staging of plays in theaters and open spaces, set design, dramatic texts, criticism and research related to the wo …

    November 16, 1519: Havana’s birth

    November 16, 1519: Havana’s birth  LH 4

    Havana, November 15, 2010. Hundreds of people wait at the door of the former Palace of the Captains General, today Museum of the City, for a curious procession to begin. The motley crowd is composed o …

    The Havana Club International Cocktail Grand Prix

    The Havana Club International Cocktail Grand Prix  LH 4

    Cuban classic cocktails have been and still are the finest global ambassadors of modern cocktail making. Combining the best elements of classic Spanish bartending, a vibrant multi-cultural heritage, a …

    No Salsa Please – This is a Proyecto Analógica

    No Salsa Please – This is a Proyecto Analógica  LH 4

    If you think that young Cubans are all listening to an old guy playing a guitar or dancing salsa to Los Van Van, you may want to think again. The electronic dance scene is very much alive and kicking …

    Festival Internacional de Guitarra de La Habana

    Festival Internacional de Guitarra de La Habana  LH 4

    Much to the delight of its numerous followers, the International Guitar Festival of Havana is coming back after far too many years of silence. It was founded in 1982 by the superb guitarist, composer …

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