Havana Diaries......a salute to Jose Candia

[El Presidente]

All those in attendance this year know that we owe a huge debt of gratitude to Jose Candia.  So many things in the planning would have gone off the rails if it were not for him.  Opening night?....Jose sorted it. Santy?....Jose sorted it. 5th and 16th tasting?....Jose sorted it?  Drivers?....jose sorted it.....and the list goes on and on and on. 

I have known Jose for about 13 years. ken introduced us and that is a whole other story 

This year i invited Jose to stay in our house for the nine days. I really wanted the rest of the house guests in the two adjoining houses to get to know him. 

Jose is ex Habanos S.A marketing, a cigar traditionalist and historian, a lover of Cuba, an intellectual, a pacifist, a lover of all music, a great friend and simply one of the finest human beings that I know. 

I love this photo.....it sums up his easy going nature so well

 

HSA can't afford to lose people like Jose but people like Jose can't live with the direction of HSA. Such is life and many of you have found yourselves in similar circumstances during your career. Jose these days does a little cigar tourism as well as writing for some international cigar magazines. We hope to have him in Oz  come October 17 for Havanathon and then travel back with him (Di and I ) for Christmas and New Years in Havana. 

 

So Jose....when you read this, thank you from all of us. You take us under your wing and show us the layers of Cuba that so few people have an opportunity to discover. 

 

Love you hermano. 

 

......and thank you for the coconut!

 

 

 

If you have photos of Jose during the week...put them up here as he will love to see them 

[Ken Gargett]

5 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

I have known Jose for about 13 years. ken introduced us and that is a whole other story 

guilty. and i have apologised to jose many times for that.

a wonderful friend and a very generous guy (i'm speaking of jose, of course).

[BuzzArd]

1 minute ago, Ken Gargett said:

a wonderful friend and a very generous guy (i'm speaking of jose, of course).

Tough crowd...  Tough crowd....

[Cohiba007]

 

[Habana Mike]

Absolutely top-notch! Goes out of his way to help and a pleasure to be around.

Can't wait to visit again and spend a little time with good old Punch Joe when he's not so busy.

[Cohiba007]

[madandana]

Very proud to call him my friend.

 

[Ethernut]

Rob, Jose and Armondo fishing behind the beach. Watching the gents as I was setting up the shots, it appeared that there was nothing more in the world they could have wanted. A fishing pole, water, setting sun, soft breeze, top mates and a cigar... Good on ya gents!

 

 

 

[Guest]

Great post, mate.

Cheers and salutes to JAC!

[Cigarflip]

Great to see you again Rob along with some of the FOH gang. Had a good time talking to Jose at the Pinar tour and the Amicigar tasting at Club Havana. What a great guy indeed!  

[Fuzz]

More importantly, at least from Nate's perspective.... Jose managed to find a chicken!!!

Great to finally meet you again after 10yrs, Jose!

[Colt45]

[Puros Y Vino]

I met him back on the 2012/13 trips.  He's a fine gentleman.  Knowledgeable, great sense of humor and highly organized. If there was something booked to be done in Havana and Jose had a hand in it; you knew it was going to work out.    Plus, he enjoys fine Cuban cigars.  What's not to like? 

 

[Mr.T]

Would love to meet this fine gentleman when I get to the island one day


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[Bartolomeo]

Salt of the earth fella

[Mr. Japan]

Thank you Josè, without you we would never had an AMICIGAR event ( F I V E ...yes 5 ) in Havana.

 

You are a true friend..un vero amico..un AMICIGAR.

 

Gracias mi hermano.

[dobaman]

as ever, a huge thanks to great man. still haven't spotted a flaw in this man. patience, empathy, knowledge, humility, his attributes are endless. his love of life contagious. thanks to Jose A

[LLC]

One of the nicest guys I know. Glad to call him a friend.


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[CanuckSARTech]

Well said Rob et al.

Jose Antonio is awesome.  Like so many others on here, I'm glad to know him and call him a friend.  As Rob put so eloquently, he is such a fulfilling person to be around, and makes every trip down to the island enjoyable to the max.

Jose is a man of the island, and a trip to the island feels incomplete if he's not involved.  So glad to always have his help and his ear.

Cheers amigo.

[Bartolomeo]

Happy Bday Jose!