Castro signing humidors?

[stonerpc]

Rob I have heard he would be there in person - did you see him?

[El Presidente]

» Rob I have heard he would be there in person - did you see him?

It is the rumour every year and the reason some people shell out $600 USD for the dinner. He has been a no show since 2002 from memory.

The humidors auctioned on the night were unsigned (as far as i was advised...they were hoping). 1200 people attended the final dinner, it was stinking hot, 40 minute bus ride out of Havana, you couldn't get served a beer or wine for love or money, there were no international stars and the food sucked. It is the first gala dinner I have missed in 5 years.

We were pre-warned this year by good friends heavily involved in the preparation that it was going to be a disaster.

We had a Cuban pool party at our house instead :-D

[stonerpc]

WOW sounds like a mess, looks like you made the best of it;-)

[Ken Gargett]

rob is correct - nopt signed. they knew he would not be there this year but he has always signed them before even if not there (as for rob's maths, given '05 was the first year we have made the festival and in 06, you lasted 3 minutes, making 1.06 gala dinners, i now know how you calculate your prices).

they had some small hopes that fidel's brother would attend.

a long story but we have caught up at dinners with the minister for foreign trade (a top bloke) for the last couple of years and even he was in the dark over what would happen there.

we were told fidel's brother would definitelyt not and that he doesn't like smoking.

i believe fidel's son was there but not in an official capacity.

» Rob I have heard he would be there in person - did you see him?

»

» It is the rumour every year and the reason some people shell out

» $600 USD for the dinner. He has been a no show since 2002 from memory.

»

» The humidors auctioned on the night were unsigned (as far as i was

» advised...they were hoping). 1200 people attended the final dinner, it

» was stinking hot, 40 minute bus ride out of Havana, you couldn't get

» served a beer or wine for love or money, there were no international stars

» and the food sucked. It is the first gala dinner I have missed in 5 years.

»

»

» We were pre-warned this year by good friends heavily involved in the

» preparation that it was going to be a disaster.

»

» We had a Cuban pool party at our house instead :-D

[El Presidente]

Good point Ken.

I did however attend last years dinner for 20 minutes before being called away due to a prior engagement

The previous year to that was superb with Valdez and Cortez.

I doubt I would attend again under the current format.

[Ken Gargett]

» Good point Ken.

»

» I did however attend last years dinner for 20 minutes before being called

» away due to a prior engagement

»

» The previous year to that was superb with Valdez and Cortez.

»

» I doubt I would attend again under the current format.

i would completely agree though i thought last year's probably better than the first we went to. but all roads suggest avoiding them in future and going to the earlier functions, unless there is some reason that we know about.

the special guest that they thought they had for a while for this year's event, but apparently he had a clash, was michael jordan. that might have been worthwhile.