It's just a way of getting around, usually by giving a thumbs up, stopping a vehicle and asking the driver for a free ride.
For Cubans, it is indeed the equivalent of hitchhiking. An interesting theory about the origin of the expression is the following: "Coger botella" (take bottle) can be linked to the particular meaning of the word botella, which in the popular language at the time of the Republic, first half of the 20th century, also meant receiving a salary for a position that was not actually occupied. These were concessions from corrupt politicians. I therefore suppose that "Coger botella" was like winning a transport without paying. However, it is still possible that exactly the opposite happened and that the "botella" paid to do nothing at a certain moment in the history of Cuba, was inspired precisely by the benefit of traveling for free. The enigma then is not yet solved.
Living in any city means needing to travel every day to go to work, school, the doctor or for fun, and it is not always possible to do it on foot or by bike; sooner or later, we all need public transport.
The historical precariousness of public transportation in Cuba has naturally made hitchhiking a widespread and popular practice, not only in cities, but also during interprovincial travel.
I remember perfectly how, in the 1990s, I myself, a student in Havana, needed 24 to 48 hours, or even more, to travel about 500 kilometers to get home, to old Camagüey. Hours of waiting on the roads, even at night, to catch an uncomfortable truck, or an air-conditioned bus, or not, it didn't matter, the main thing was to get around. On the other hand, our girlfriends only needed to put on lipstick, their hair blowing in the wind, and they arrived home the same day. What an injustice.
Sometimes we see peasants on bicycles who travel hundreds of kilometers of road to other parts of the country, but they do not pedal all the time, rather they wait and board the first truck that passes with the bicycle on their shoulders.
It is a practice that undoubtedly speaks of insufficient public transport. However, it also speaks volumes about security and solidarity, the open and fraternal character of the majority of Cubans, qualities without which this common practice would not be possible.
We all need to mobilize, and even better if it were without having to pay for transportation. "Coger botella" in Cuba is free, quite comfortable and often faster than conventional public transportation, and it is so popular that there is not a Cuban who has not done it, a doctor, a policeman, a soldier, a teacher, a student, a pregnant woman, everyone knows what it is like to move around the island by hitchhiking. A car that moves empty in this country is an inexcusable waste.
The practice reached its peak in the 90s. The State then commissioned transport agents to be placed in strategic locations with high demand for mobility with the power to stop state cars, to transport people who were waiting for a way to reach their destination, and who were willing to pay the fare. These agents for compulsory carpooling are still very well known as "Los Amarillos", although their uniform may already be a different color.
At every intersection of the roads we will often see lots of people around an "Amarillo" agent hoping to leave as quickly as possible. Others prefer to move away from the crowd a little and offer more money, in order to better tempt the drivers to stop.
Thousands of times the daily problem of traveling in Cuba is solved in this way. Sometimes the "botella" is bad, at other times we get to know and make friends with drivers who are already used to stopping and taking us, because on the way we talk, to know where they are going, and where it would be better to get off to join another route; from time to time the drivers even try to make the most beautiful girls fall in love, always with respect, of course.
Sometimes, to travel a certain distance, it is necessary to hitchhike again and again, but people assume their situation with the greatest tranquility in the world. Any type of vehicle can be useful to move for free; in the comfort of a classic car or a bus, in the adventure of a motorcycle with a sidecar, or a truck and even on board an ambulance, a diplomatic vehicle, as well as a tractor or a cart.
A culture of "La botella" has been created in Cuba for a long time, whose protagonists are mainly young women, because if we have all become equally accustomed to "Coger botella", it is no less true that young and beautiful women always have the best chances of receiving the requested service quickly and in the best conditions.
Most drivers confirm that the main reason for taking hitchhikers is simply the desire to help others, as they understand the difficulties of public transportation, and that owning a private car in Cuba is a luxury reserved for a minority. Other drivers, however, avoid transporting hitchhikers, under the pretext of not mistreating the doors of old American cars, or not to dirty the seats or simply because they prefer to avoid interacting with strangers, which is also perfectly understandable.
Private or cooperative transportation options have multiplied since self-employment was allowed in the country. Thousands of private carriers offer a taxi service, private or collective, quite efficiently. Bajanda, the Cuban Uber, and the many almendrones that drive people all over Cuba are good examples. But these options continue to be beyond the economic possibilities of the vast majority, which is why the practice of "Coger botella" continues to be a recurring option, very current, even in times of pandemic and very logical health distrust.
“Coger botella” is not only a fast, convenient and free way to travel, but it is also a deeply rooted popular tradition in Cuba, if not totally safe, at least very little dangerous for Cubans.
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