Nino Posted March 17, 2012 Posted March 17, 2012 Hi, got home a few days ago, been sorting out pictures and resting a bit and just posted the first part of an Introduction gallery of my trip on my site. Finally have the chance to post some pics here as well - impossible to do from Havana. What can I say - it was a fantastic trip and I enjoyed it, especially sharing many events with great people like Andy, Harry, Dara, Rob & Stewart, Jose Antonio, Jimmy and many others. We missed you, Rob, and you missed a good time ! OK, here's some text and pictures. Nino Cuba 2012 -Introduction Gallery - Part One I am back from almost 4 weeks in Cuba again – a trip that was all I wanted it to be. A vacation on a beautiful beach near Havana, good time shared with friends attending the XIV Festival del Habano like Andy, Dara, Harry, Rob and Stewart Fox from Eire, Jimmy from Singapore, the Portmann’s from Switzerland and once again meeting with local and ex-pat friends like Toby, Luis Sorinas, Jose Antonio Candia, J.A. Solana, Yasser, Jürgen and many others. The trip started and ended on an Italian note as I was lucky to meet Renzo, an Italian retiree and passionate chef and enjoy many of his home-made meals and had the last lunch on the Island prepared by “Don Ciccio” Walter at the best Trattoria in Havana, La Carboncita with Jürgen. In between those Italian feasts it was beach time at Tarara, daily cigars and rum, more cigars and more rum, vintage cigars and Irish single malt, pre-release cigars and coffee, rum and chocolate, production cigars and Remy Martin Louis XIII Cognac, loads of Cristal beer, rum and cigars at Playa Larga and Caleta Buena and more of the same back in Havana. I was privileged to be invited to very impressive cigar tastings by the Fox Brothers, the Portmann’s, by Hans Weiss and, along with the Irish band of friends at El Laguito, as well as attending the Valladares Cohiba Humidor auction with Jimmy at the Habana Libre. Fortunately I managed to hit a ball with a baseball bat ( but forgot to run :-)) and unfortunately I scraped my knees trying to play football. I ate crocodile, bisom rat, conch, sea snails and lots of lobster and fresh fish and I swam alone among fish in a natural pond connected to the sea. I met warm-hearted, genuine and hospitable Cubans that were the salt of the earth and where I felt at home - and was disappointed by others. Once again it was a journey of extreme experiences – from sipping 100 yr old Cognac and smoking a BHK 56 in a Havana mansion to watching families earn their living by making coal the hard way and getting one cent per bag. From driving on my own to using Almendrones to giving lifts to all kinds of Cubans needing transport to get around. After so many years of travelling to Cuba I found so many things, places and faces worth discovering. But as the Cuban saying goes : Hay mas tiempo que vida. Here’s a Kaleidoscope of my trip. Detailed reports will follow. Nino More pictures here : http://www.flyingcigar.de/travel_cigars/2012_03_cuba_2012_introduction_gallery_part_one.php
Habanakane21 Posted March 17, 2012 Posted March 17, 2012 Wow..Wow..and more wow. Looks like you enjoyed yourself very much....with wonderful friends, food, drink and cigars. So jealous...but now I have a goal!! thank you so much for sharing with us. Shane
Blackham Posted March 17, 2012 Posted March 17, 2012 Your travelogue always provide great enjoyment Nino, some real vip experience there
maverickdrinker Posted March 17, 2012 Posted March 17, 2012 glad to see that you had a fantastic vacation Nino. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Squarehead Posted March 17, 2012 Posted March 17, 2012 Very nice pictures Nino.It looks like you had a realy good time.
tmac77 Posted March 17, 2012 Posted March 17, 2012 Sounds like you had an amazing trip Nino. great to hear you got a hit in the baseball game. Sometimes it is even easier without the cigar. The 7th pic down looks alot lie a LGC Deliciosos RE Cuba.... Did you actually find a jar while there? WOW I have been looking for one of those Jars for some time now so if you did it must be the last one left on the island.
Schumi5 Posted March 17, 2012 Posted March 17, 2012 Nino, as always thanks so much for taking the time to provide updates and photos from your journeys. They are such fantastic reads and allow us into some events and experiences that we would not be able to experience otherwise. Your baseball form is exceptional and the cigar certainly takes it to a new level. Thanks again for the efforts, very much appreciated! Italian notes makes every trip much better!
Nino Posted March 17, 2012 Author Posted March 17, 2012 Sounds like you had an amazing trip Nino. great to hear you got a hit in the baseball game. Sometimes it is even easier without the cigar. The 7th pic down looks alot lie a LGC Deliciosos RE Cuba.... Did you actually find a jar while there? WOW I have been looking for one of those Jars for some time now so if you did it must be the last one left on the island. Yeah, I got to hit the ball ... and was happily yelling and dancing like mad until someone told me that I was supposed to run - well, I wasn't aware of that part :-) And, no, I wouldn't do any sports that won't allow a cigar on my lips The cigar you mention is actually a LGC Deliciosos ER Cuba and was graciously gifted to me as a birthday present by Andy at the Melia Habana Casa - smoked it right away and it was muy delicioso. No, I didn't find any jars of LGC, glad I have some stored away. And talking jars, the Partagas replica jar I ordered last Nov. wasn't delivered as promised. Looks like Ramon, the artisan, doesn't/didn't have the time and just decided to take a time out. We'll see ... Nino, as always thanks so much for taking the time to provide updates and photos from your journeys. They are such fantastic reads and allow us into some events and experiences that we would not be able to experience otherwise. Your baseball form is exceptional and the cigar certainly takes it to a new level. Thanks again for the efforts, very much appreciated! Italian notes makes every trip much better! I have to thank the Irish contingent for being able to be on the field, Andy, Harry, Dara, Rob & Stewart - still can't believe I did it, must have been the beer. Loved the experience. Was blessed to find a good Italian chef as house-mate, he supplied the Pasta, I supplied the wine and the cigars ...
Scdalak Posted March 18, 2012 Posted March 18, 2012 Amazing stuff Niño, well done thanks for sharing......ohhhhhh...maybe in another lifetime.........
almudawi Posted March 18, 2012 Posted March 18, 2012 Wow Nino, Amazing pictures.. I especially liked the Cohiba humidor! I really need to go to Cuban someday!
OZCUBAN Posted March 18, 2012 Posted March 18, 2012 Great post Nino As always nearly as good as being there CheersOZ
Nino Posted March 18, 2012 Author Posted March 18, 2012 Ok, here's the second part of pictures from the Intro. The following reports on my site will have more detail and concentrate on one theme. Hope you liked the overview. Nino More pictures here : http://www.flyingcigar.de/travel_cigars/2012_03_cuba_introduction_gallery_part_two.php
riazp Posted March 18, 2012 Posted March 18, 2012 Amazing report Nino, Looks like a great time was had. Always enjoy reading your reports.
tinknocker924 Posted March 18, 2012 Posted March 18, 2012 Awesome pictures I was wondering what you thought about the R&J reserva?
BehikeLover2 Posted March 18, 2012 Posted March 18, 2012 Did you get a view at El Laguito box codes for 2011/2012?
jazzbass Posted March 18, 2012 Posted March 18, 2012 Now I really want to go back ! Thanks for the pics.
Ryan Posted March 18, 2012 Posted March 18, 2012 Great pictures Nino. As always, great to spend some time with you in Havana. I never made it out to Tarara myself, I will next time. Some of the crew went on the Wednesday and got burnt.. Unfortunately you missed the highlight of the week! Some video here http://www.friendsof...=1 I'll be in touch soon, see you in Germany in the not too distant future..
El Presidente Posted March 18, 2012 Posted March 18, 2012 Nino...you have me looking for my luggage and passport In a few months I will be free to travel again (Lisa back from maternity leave at least part time) and I am hoping to share Havana with you and my friends. It is posts like these that hit home both how lucky I have been and how much I want to get back. Thank you
Ryan Posted March 18, 2012 Posted March 18, 2012 Nino...you have me looking for my luggage and passport In a few months I will be free to travel again (Lisa back from maternity leave at least part time) and I am hoping to share Havana with you and my friends. It is posts like these that hit home both how lucky I have been and how much I want to get back. Thank you Whenever I'm in Havana, your name is mentioned often Rob. Sometimes even with fondness! It'll be great to see you there again.
Fuzz Posted March 19, 2012 Posted March 19, 2012 Great report and pics! Though, am I the only one who noticed that there really is a flying cigar?
rckymtn22 Posted March 19, 2012 Posted March 19, 2012 Great report and pics! Though, am I the only one who noticed that there really is a flying cigar? I did notice that too, thought maybe Nino had a handy built-in cigar holder!
cottierm Posted March 19, 2012 Posted March 19, 2012 Many thanks for this wonderful report Nino! Best, Michel
Mr.T Posted March 19, 2012 Posted March 19, 2012 Always great to hear of your travels to Cuba. Thanks for sharing!
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