Throughout the 20th century numerous factories arose in the Cuban capital, some of which are now in disuse.

The characteristics of its facilities (large-sized buildings, spacious premises and high-quality construction) have made them interesting assets for various reconversion purposes.

There are many elements, goods and buildings of industrial origin located in the urban fabric of Havana that have a high heritage value.

Such is the case that concerns us, the old Vedado Power Plant, later the El Cocinero oil refining factory and currently the Cuban Art Factory.

This building has urban, architectural and environmental values ​​that make it a true exponent of the industrial heritage of the city. In addition, its history is inextricably linked to that of the El Carmelo neighborhood.

What is the Cuban Art Factory?

Cuban Art Factory (FAC) also known as The House of Art and Cuban Artists is a cultural project created by the renowned Cuban musician X Alfonso since February 13, 2014, it has its permanent enclave in the building that corresponded to a warehouse in the Vedado neighborhood of the capital, located on Calle 26 between 11 and 13.

Project motivations

The driving force of this artistic project is the need to rescue, promote and support works from all branches of art, as well as to promote the exchange and direct rapprochement between the public and the creator on a mass level, where multiple artistic manifestations such as music come together. , photography, dance, theater, plastic arts and industrial design, among other specialties.

Defined by X Alfonso himself as a Vanguard Contemporary Cultural movement.

Factory structure

The space of the Cuban Art Factory is structured around four naves, dedicated to various disciplines and artistic manifestations.

The first nave is dedicated to the field of plastic arts and design, as well as fashion, architecture and music.

The San Alejandro Academy of Plastic Arts participates in the organization of periodic exhibitions for the exchange of experiences among its students, as well as in workshops and exhibitions in which the latest national and international trends in the field of design and expression are exhibited. plastic.

The second nave is oriented towards photography and video-art, and it houses the Photography Gallery, a space from which avant-garde initiatives of an interdisciplinary nature are promoted.

The third nave includes dance, cinema, theater and classical music, also housing the digital library. It has an audiovisual projection room, in which fiction films, documentaries, short films and animations are shown.

The fourth nave is entirely dedicated to musical concerts, one of the events that form the backbone of the project.

This space has three rooms: the first for small-format events, another exclusively for classical music, and the one known as Nave Azul, specifically built for the interpretation, listening and expression of the Cuban music scene.

The Cuban Art Factory is a great tourist attraction and is visited by hundreds of Cubans and foreigners who come to enjoy the project.

The importance of squares comes from ancient times where cities developed around a community center, where meetings and activities of daily life took place.

The square is the scene of public life. In the Havana city, the Plaza de Armas constitutes the generating point of the city of Havana (1519). Its layout evokes that of the fortified squares of medieval Europe.

In its perimeter were the headquarters of the civil and military authorities in colonial times, and the parish church of the City.

History

At the end of the 16th century it acquired its definitive form, between La Real Fuerza and the old Parroquial Mayor. After the construction of the Royal Force, it was used for military exercises and was named Plaza de Armas, with which it lost its public character.

It was, from its inception, a meeting place for the inhabitants of the primitive town and its fundamental institutions surrounded it.

In the 18th century, after a period of decline, it was remodeled when the Major Parish Church was demolished and, in 1771, the construction of the Palacio de Correos y Intendencia, better known as “Palacio del Segundo Cabo”, began, and in 1776, on the north side of the Plaza, the Palace of the General Captains, the most important public buildings of the time.

Attractions

In the Plaza de Armas you can see the El Templete monumental complex, built in 1828 on the site where the first mass and the first town hall were supposed to have been held in Havana in 1519.

Since 1955 the statue of the Father of the Nation Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, the work of the Cuban artist Sergio López Mesa, occupies the pedestal where that of the Spanish monarch Fernando VII was located and gives the square its name.

In the square there are other renowned monumental buildings, such as the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, which houses the Museum of Navigation; or the Palacio del Segundo Cabo, with a beautiful Spanish Andalusian patio.

Undoubtedly, the Plaza de Armas is a popular place to visit for tourists who arrive on the island and are given the opportunity to walk through the open square, of regular dimensions, shaded by trees and with stone benches, small fountains and a marble sculpture in its center.

Cuba is an exceptional and different country for many reasons and you realize it from the first foot you put on the island until the last.

A spectacular rhythm, a magnificent architecture, an incomparable gastronomy, and a friendly people dedicated to tourists accustomed to expressing themselves without fear of being prejudged.

One of the most common elements, without a doubt of Cubans, are their expressions. They are many and varied and, no matter how well you master the Spanish language, it will be impossible for you to deduce them if they do not explain them to you in advance.

This little journey through the Cuban imaginary is nothing more than a small explanation of the vast diversity of vocabulary that Cuba possesses, an island that immerses you in another era, where the joy of its people is contagious and where you can enjoy wonderful beaches. , nature and an interesting history.

Here we present 26 of the most famous expressions of Cuba and that, if you visit the island, you will hear daily.

1. Asere ¿Qué boolá?: It is a greeting like saying What’s up friend? or how are you?
2. Ando a la mailó: Synonym of being relaxed, without worries. It also means to be naked.
3. Coger botella: ask for a ride.
4. Irse pa’l yuma: At first its meaning could be to travel to the US, but lately it has been used as a synonym for traveling abroad, whatever the country.
5. Las tengo a pululu: When you hear this phrase it refers to the man who shows joy about the good state of “mood” of women towards him.
6. Completo Camagüey: It refers to the fact that everything has finished, or the end of a task.
7. Meter la cuchareta: interfere in some matter or conversation in which you should not.
8. Ser un barco: leave everything for the last minute.
9. Coger un diez: it means taking a break at work to come back to it later.
10. Estás detrás del palo: It is used when someone is not aware of the latest news or does not know anything.
11. Tener jeva: this expression is used when you start a relationship with a woman, that is, you have a girlfriend.
12. ¡Ño!: It is used to show surprise as well as anger or resignation.
13. Se quedó como la novia del pacheco…vestía y sin ir a la fiesta: Surely they have left you standing at some point. Well, in Cuba, if that happens, they use this funny expression.
14. Caminar con los codos: It means being a stingy person.
15. Tiene más rollo que película: It refers to people who talk a lot, but say very little.
16. Amaneció con el moño virao:  Not everyone has a good awakening and for the Cuban people, those who do not wake up on the right foot, ¨amaneció con el moño virao¨ .
17. Deja la muela: stop talking so much.
18. Ser un quema’o: refers to that person who knows a lot about a subject and at the same time likes to talk about it.
19. Chao pescao: means to say goodbye or see you later.
20. Brother, consorte: when two people know each other very well, they refer to each other in this way.
21. Almendrones: in reference to the shape of American cars that were fashionable in the 40s and 50s; so taking an almendrón is equivalent to taking a taxi. Also, cars are called “cars”, buses “guaguas” and their drivers “guagüero”.
22. Dollar, chavito, pasta, plata, fula: refers to money either in CUP (the Cuban currency), such as USD, euro and other currencies.
23. Tunturuntú: means disappear, go, get out of my sight.
24. Estás en llama: it means to be an ugly person, in relation to appearance.
25. Tremenda caña o mango: Here it is the opposite of the above, because it means being a beautiful, graceful person.
26. Eso es más viejo que el Morro: Cubans use it when they refer to the degree of antiquity of things.

And now yes, we come to the end! This is just a little bit of the large number of popular Cuban phrases that we hear daily on the island. I hope you laughed at these funny Cuban sayings.

The 1957 Chevrolet, unlike any other American car and contrary to industrial practice at the time, was manufactured for 10 years.

It is a car introduced by Chevrolet in September 1956 for the 1957 model year.

Subsequent models have been made for the Chevrolet of the following years, but the 57, has always been a very popular and requested classic car.

They are often restored to their original state and sometimes modified, but they remain an automatic icon.

Do not hesitate, come to Cuba.

Here you can enjoy these walking wonders, which despite the years continue to travel through the Cuban streets.

Aspects to be treated:

• What were the versions available for the year 1956?
• History of the Chevrolet ’57.
• Popularity of the Chevrolet ’57.
• What type of engine used the Chevrolet ’57?
• What were the Gearbox alternatives in a Chevrolet ’57?
• Curiosity.

What were the versions available for the year 1956?

Chevrolet, due to the appearance of new car brands, found itself in a real challenge: to ensure that the 1957 had the public’s favor coming from two very good years with the 1955 and 1956 models that had established very high parameters in terms of Quality, design and technology.

By September 11, 1956, three models of the series were available:

• the basic one, called “Chevrolet 150”,
• the intermediate, called “Chevrolet 210” and
• the star version: Chevrolet BelAir that corresponded to the luxury models

• The basic version: 150

These were models with minimal ornaments.

Bodyworks:

4-door sedan with two doors, utility sedan and a two-door Wagon Handyman station with or without rear windows.

The latter to be used in the transport of light merchandise. Those that could be called delivery.

The side moldings version 150, included very small side sockets, also tire rates that barely covered the center of the tires.

• The average version: 210

With greater exterior ornamentation and chrome.

Bodyworks:

Coupe with two doors, with and without central stops, four doors with or without central stops, the same as station wagon with two and four doors and the possibility of having in the latter with seats for six or nine passengers.

This version, had larger sockets, but not reaching those proposed for the Belair series. Also minimum size tire rates.

• The Bel Air version

Definitely the most luxurious version.

Bodyworks:

Two-door coupé with or without central stops, four-door sedan with or without stops, a beautiful convertible coupe and the four-door Station Wagon, plus a luxury two-door station called Nomad.

In the Belair series, in addition to the sockets that were used in the 210, two imposing aluminum strips of almost triangular shape were included for the sides of the car.

As well as chrome moldings for the tail fins and tire rates that completely covered it, for which outstanding ornaments were acquired to be mounted in the center of these.

History of the Chevrolet ’57:

Initially, General Motors executives wanted a completely new car by 1957, but production delays made the 1955-1956 design necessary for another year.

Ed Cole, chief engineer of Chevrolet, dictated a series of changes that significantly increased the cost of the car.

These changes helped make the Chevrolet ’57 a classic.

They include a new instrument panel, the closed hood, and the relocation of the air ducts of the headlight pods.

The fifteen-inch wheels from previous years were replaced by fourteen-inch wheels, with the purpose of giving the car a lower posture.

Another change was the use of a wide fence to give the car a wider appearance of the front.

The now famous ’57 Chevrolet in the queue were designed to double the wide look in the rear.

The base engine was a 6-cylinder in-line called the Blue Flame Six. The engine was running smoother than the V8.

The carburetor came from a single barrel carburetor.

Chevrolet ’57 Popularity:

From a numerical point of view, the Chevrolet ’57 was not as popular as General Motors had expected.

Despite its popularity, rival Ford Motor Company sold more than Chevrolet for the 1957 model year, for the first time since 1935.

The main cause of the displacement of Ford sales was the fact that the ’57 Chevrolet had tubeless tires, the first car with this.

This scared them away from Chevrolet sales to those of Ford because many people do not trust the new design without an air chamber. Ford introduced a new body design that was long, shorter and wider than last year’s offer that helped Ford sales.

However, the 1957 Ford is not as appreciated by collectors today as the 1957 Chevrolet.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the Chevrolet ’57 was a popular used car and much appreciated “street machine” or race car in 1957.

The ideal size of ’57, combined with its relatively light weight compared to the most recent full-size cars, made it a favorite among drag racers.

The engine compartment was large enough to fit in GM’s large block engines, for the first time in 1958 and popularized in the 1960s by The Beach Boys in the song “409.”

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What type of engine used the Chevrolet ’57?

There were three options, a basic six-cylinder in-line, of 3,849cc called Blue Flame Six that was already available for De Luxe models.

The 1957 model offered a power of 140 HP. 5-bed engine with a Rochester carburetor.

The big news: the renowned and famous V8 engine of 4,340cc and small block used for the first time in 1955 and 1956 that produced 162 or 170 HP, respectively.

And finally a new V8 with greater displacement, could give a power of 185, 220, 245, 250, 270 and 283 horses, depending on whether one or more carburetors and various mechanical adjustments were incorporated.

The new engine at peak performance achieved the amazing power of a horse for every cubic inch of travel.

For the first time in Chevrolet’s history, they presented a mechanical fuel injection system called “Ramjet” made of aluminum, and that was constituted in a whole technological innovation and even more so in a low-priced vehicle, as was the case of Chevrolet.

What were the Gearbox alternatives in a Chevrolet ’57?

Chevrolet offered several gearbox alternatives: a three-speed manual gearbox, operated from the steering column, (steering wheel lever) which it could have, or not.

In addition the well-known two-speed Powerglide automatic transmission forward (available on Chevrolet models since 1950) paying $ 188 more.

And the new three-speed automatic Turboglide adding to the price of the vehicle 230 dollars.

There were also many options available, to make the car more comfortable and luxurious.

Between them:

• In 1957, Chevrolet began adding safety features such as “crash-proof locks” (first added in 1956), padded dashboards, and safety-style steering wheel with a recessed center.
• 1957 was also Chevrolet’s first offer of a turbine transmission, known as the Turboglide.
• One element of the mounted panel was the traffic light spectator, a corrugated plastic visor that was installed just above the speedometer.

Because the roof extends in front of the driver, it is difficult to see general traffic lights.

The traffic light viewer captures the reflection of the traffic lights above so that the driver does not have to lean forward to see beyond the edge of the roof.

Curiosity:

The Chevrolet ’57 won the 49 Grand National “cup” NASCAR races (more than any other car in NASCAR history).

He also won the Southern 500 (in 1957, 1958 and 1959); becoming the only car to win the 500 three times.

The first victory of a Chevrolet ’57 in a Formula One Grand National Series race was 1957 Virginia 500.

The ’57 also won 26 NASCAR “convertible” races, more than any brand, and won all three possible driving championships.

The first in convertible class in the 1959 Daytona 500 was a ’57 driven by Joe Lee Johnson.