Havana January 21 - 25 2007

[CIGARHead]

WOW!!

Great photo's and sounds like a once in a lifetime trip. Thanks for sharing.

[Jimmy2]

I really need to go there its just a sin that i have not gone yet.

Glad to see you had a great time.:-)

[BlackFriar]

What an incredible visit, and such wonderful photos. Thank you for sharing, such pictures and stories only add to the wonderful experience of enjoying cigars.

Chris

[Professor Twain]

Amazing trip, amazing photos, amazing wife! You are living the good life my friend.

Thanks for posting.

[marco polo]

Awesome photos! Thanks for sharing! :-)

[Stalebread]

Thanks for posting the photos. Outstanding!

What a great opportunity and great trip.

[Mel39]

Thanks for sharing Stan,

wonderful photos of what was obviously a great trip.

Mel39

[Colt45]

Great pics

[greenpimp]

Fantastic pictures. I hope to make it one day soon, and hit Rob up for some help as well.:-D

[wp2]

Great pics, thanks much!!

[Ken Gargett]

why is it absolutely no surprise that te first photo of hamlet is one with him with his arm around a girl? nothing changes.

[hueynova]

FANTASTIC PICS!!! I been dyin to go to the sunny island, and this just kills me!

Thanks!

[brooklyn]

Thanks for the wonderful tour;great photos.One of the nicest layouts of interesting shots and commentary.

Peter:-)

[Guest cohiba]

Well here we go!!!

Thanks to Rob we had a insight on contacts, places to eat, organized meetings and a peice of mind on what we where doing. Cant thank you enough Rob.

After a stressful day we made it to our destination. Hotel Nacional de Cuba!!! My wife told me she has NEVER seen me smile so big. What a releif to be there.

First things first...........cigars and mojitos. With the music and setting to go with it !!! WOW

I cant beleive how similar Puerto Rico and Havana really where. We where told they are referred to as the wings of a bird. Old Havana and Old San Juan are one in the same, not to mention they both of the Fortress El Morro, same name and same look.

We got to our oppointment with Hamlet. A great man who took the time to show us the school now operating in the Romeo y Julieta factory. Along with a wonderful Monte #2.

I requested him to roll me 25 Robusto Extras, and eagerly awaited my return the next day to pick them up. Thanks Hamlet they are wonderful cigars!!! I will post a review when i return home late february.

Now on to our meeting with Jose Antonio Candia, marketing specialist Habanos SA!!! I have to say that Rob has great influence on everybody around the world. Jose thought i was coming from Aussie territory, you will see what i mean in the photos. Lets just say he was showing his aussie pride!!!

We where welcomed into the VIP room at the factory with coffee and cigars. Including the witnessing of a television interview with Habaons man of the year Ebel, Manager of Partagas factory. WOW this was a surprise. Thanks to Jose we took our camara everywhere and photographed whatever we wanted!! Thanks Jose!

Now after the rolling tables we where haeding down to the packaging and sorting tables. Jose found out that some Habanos people had to look at some new cigars being released at the Habanos festival just a couple of weeks away. Can you guess what they where? Maduro 5's !!!! So we had to retreat back to the VIP room to kill some time for them to finish their meeting. Couldnt wait to get back up there and wasnt even sure if we could! Jose kindly gifted us a few more cigars and some great coffee

Well the time was granted to return to the final stage of the factory. Low and behold Jose showed us the new release, a incredible sight to behold!!!

I had to promise him i wouldnt share these photos until after the release, but i didnt have to wait a year!! Dumb ass! Now the final dressing.

What a awesome experience. Everyone was so kind to Sheilla and myself, we felt overwhelmed.

I am also including some misc. stuff around the town.

Kinda interesting to see this sign?

Many thanks also to Morro, at the Nacional!! A true gentelman,who look after us and greeted us with mojitos and a great smile.

This one i love.......watching the State of the union address in the Nacional with a mojito!!!!

All i can say is thanks to Rob and the FOH family for keeping my passion alive and a experience of a lifetime!!!

I hope you all enjoyed the pics, and once again sorry for the delay. I have a couple videos already posted in the Classics section of the application of the cuban cap.

Thank you Rob !!!

Stan