SokaKiel

The highs and lows of a boat show in Florida. Thursday loads of sunshine and good business, today only rain and no clients at all! Found a great lounge in Palm Beach though, Churchill Cigar Company. Highly recommended if you’ll find yourself here!

Thanks a lot for the heads up! Luckily I haven’t booked a hotel in Miami yet. Was wondering about the high prices though😅 Will definitely try to find a hotel somewhere else. After a week at the boat show I don’t need a few thousand pumped up teenagers trying to piss me off while I’m enjoying a well deserved cigar!

Heading to the Palm Beach Boat Show next week. Very excited, first US visit since early 2017! Will be in West Palm from 20. - 24. March, give me a shout if you’re in the area and would like to catch up for a smoke. Working at the boat show all day but won’t be busy every night. If anybody is interested in visiting some yachts send me a DM! 🛥️ Need to check out the Churchill Cigar Company lounge in PB, looks like a nice new place. Planning to stay in South Beach in the evening 24. March before my flight out next day. Any recommendations welcome! Thanks, Leif

You’re in for a treat! As described above, here in Spain you can smoke pretty much anywhere outside. Just don’t sit next to somebody in the middle of a meal and start puffing on a big Monte A😅 I usually smoke outside at cafes and bars and never had any issues. There are certain places that allow you to smoke (secretly) inside but as tourist you won’t have enough time to get to know the right people for that. Unfortunately I’ll be in Miami/Palm Beach next week, otherwise I would have taken you on a Barcelona underground cigar tour. Hotel El Palace has a basement jazz bar that also offers a smoking room, as far as I know the only official indoor smoking lounge in Barcelona. Personally I enjoy sitting outside way more, either in the streets of Gracia or at one of the beach bars in Barcelonata. You can buy some regular production like Mag 54, RASS, JL 1 & 2, some Monte and R&J at the usual shops in Barcelona again. But don’t expect huge selections. Try Estanco Catedral across from the Cathedral, Casa Fuster, sometimes Gimeno on the Rambla has decent stuff but I don’t like them very much. Enjoy your trip! Leif

There are no Casas in mainland Spain, only Estancos/tobacco shops. Here in Barcelona I only know of one place that officially allows indoor smoking, the jazz bar at Hotel El Palace. Not sure what they charge for cigars though, I haven’t been yet as I prefer to smoke outdoors on one of the many squares and watch life go by. Been to a few members only places and hidden back rooms in bars that allow indoor smoking if you or one of your mates know the owner. But they never sold cigars.

Since around September ‘23 the situation has improved a little. Here in Barcelona you can find standard production like RASS, JL 1 & 2, Upmann 46 & 54, some Partagas and Montes again at every Estanco. But I’m still struggling with the PL Leones, only found two boxes so far since release. Apparently a lot of them gets siphoned off directly by many Estanco owners and sent overseas.

Born and raised in Germany, but been enjoying the sunshine in Barcelona for the last few years🇪🇸

I’m in for a threesome tonight, Stella and Ramon turned up just in time😅 Exactly what you need after a hot day in Cannes!

Try Della Monica on Capri, it’s in Capri town, just across the square from the upper station of the funicular. A small shop but always worth a visit. Their leather cigar cases are great, bought one a few years ago and haven’t seen anything that comes close to it in leather quality.

We must have just missed each other! Same same on my way back from Tokyo, no Cubans. Luckily I picked up two boxes of Galanes the week before when they still had about 20 boxes of mixed Cubans!

Is it really that bad? I used to live in Japan until about two years ago and you could smoke in most whiskey bars and even the tiniest bars in Golden Gai in Shinjuku! Will be back for a short stint in July, very much looking forward to the country, the people, the food! Cheers, Leif

Love Malaga and Granada, don’t rate Almeria high though. In Malaga you’ve got a lot of culture packed into a small city, most things are within walking distance. Visit the Picasso Museum, Centre Pompidou and the Flamenco Museum. Top it off with a short hike to the Alcazaba Fortress/ palace towering above town. Old town has loads of little alleys packed with great bars and restaurants. I liked El Pimpi, a little touristy but even local friends still recommend it and go there! There are a few Estancos around town but I never actually bought cigars when visiting Malaga. In Granada you obviously have to visit the Alhambra Palace and grounds. So far the most stunning palace/historic site I’ve visited in Spain! Plan a few hours for this! It can get very busy and tickets are often booked out weeks in advance so make sure you book online well in advance! Old town below is also lovely for a stroll. We’ve been to Asador de Castillo for a massive lunch, good old school Spanish food, meat and seafood. Now Almeria is a weird place, it’s in the center of the “Mar Blanco”, Europes biggest fruit and veggie growing area. Miles and miles of white plastic greenhouses supplying us all winter long with fruit and vegetables… The area is ugly as f&$k, you can even see the white plastic “sea” from space! My short stop over in Almeria didn’t impress me. Dirty, gritty and dominated by the port and all the logistics that go with the huge food production in the area. My recommendation would be rather go south and visit Marbella, it has a lovey old town. But no need to visit the artificial places around Porto Banus, the local Marina and rich people hang out. Another nice place further up in the mountains behind Marbella would be Ronda. Should you transit through Barcelona on your trip give me a shout and we can catch up for a smoke! Cheers, Leif

First New Year’s party in five years back home in Germany. Small party with our little kids at my parents place. 12:05 I’ll be outside for a smoke! Cheers!

My wife was at the wheel each time the three cars that we owned together got damaged😥 Each and every time within a few weeks of delivery. The only brand new car we bought was back at the dealer for repairs before I could even lay eyes on it as it got delivered while I was overseas😜 But in her defense, every single time somebody else messed up and crashed into our cars. And so far each car ran perfectly fine after the first repair, no new dings!

Yesterday I enjoyed the views 👙 at the beach in Barcelona, but for me that’s too busy. Today a little more quaint in our suburb. Seems like half the Spanish are gone on holiday! Lovely!