Your top things to do in Havana

[El Presidente]

Catching up with all the old friends. Lunch at Jose and Ingrid's house on the rio Almendares, eating pork which he slowly cooks on his barbacoa, drinking wine, smoking great cigars, watching the huge catfish swim around our baited hook in the water. Some of the great times of my life have been spent there.

Surprise Hamlet at Romeo y Julieta. The big hug, the custom cigar, ushered into the back room for a couple of hours of catching up over some Santiago rum. The stories, the tears of laughter, him telling those wanting to come in "Sorry...Full!"

Watching Ken talk up women ....at all times using his weathered red English/Spanish dictionary. "Toooos....OGOSE...San...no sorrry....Son.....moy....Linda" . If he is short of time he goes straight to the Maytag "Whitegoods Catalogue" he carries. "Pick one"

12pm-5am at the Gato Tuerto. The hottest little nightclub Jazz bar I know. The fact that it would be illegal to replicate that place almost anywhere in the western world makes it all that much more special.

I have met so many great people in that place who are close friends to this day.

The long Lunch with friends at El Templete. Tapas, laughter, wine, cigars all followed up by a long walk through old Havana in the late afternoon sun.

Our House pool parties. Bedlam. Great food, great friends, great cigars, wine, rum, people in the pool, our two man Cuban band singing Hotel California, Ken and Des up and singing Sprigsteen and Dylan, the neighbours complaining, the police, the two bottles of rum runk by the band, their argument, their apology to the guests...blaming each other...the announcement of the breakup of the band for the 100th time, their unconscious collapse to the floor.

Fly Fishing in Las Salinas (100k outside Havana). Ken emerging for the morning fising in is Umpalumpa outfit, the guides in tears laughing, the rest of us in tears laughing, the first am cigar as you are poleing out in the canoe post dawn...beautiful scenery, crystal clear water...the guide saying.."Makabe (bonefish) a las Dos"

Hospital Ciro Garcia. I have been there so many times it feels like home. Head receptionist gives you a hug (she comes to our parties), last time small head injury, she calls the neurosurgeon. Stitches, medication, consultancy, $60. You have to love it

Where do you stop

[j0z3r]

Can I stow away in your suitcase Rob? Sounds like a great time, you sure do know how to enjoy life.

[Ken Gargett]

Where do you stop

sadly, the best answer to that would have been before you started.

repeat after me, three times, - "i am an idiot"...

talk about a forum jumping the shark!

[peanutpete]

sounds like the best of times,friends,food,drink,laughter,and cigars,are you in cuba or paradise?

[Puros Y Vino]

My top thing in Havana is to actually get there in my lifetime.

[Ryan]

Good post Pres. I've spent afternoons sitting on the terrrace of the Nacional giggling/groaning as partial memories of the previous night come back to me.

[Chaki]

The rooftop swimming pool at the Parque Central hotel, the burgers (no kidding, they're really good), the Daiquiris and cigars, cigars, cigars...

[cadillacdoc]

1. Villanueva

2. la Zorra y el Cuervo

[Maron76]

You make me sick Rob! I officially envy you now.

Will pay TOP dollar for a pic of Ken the Umpalumpa!

[Ken Gargett]

Watching Ken talk up women ....at all times using his weathered red English/Spanish dictionary. "Toooos....OGOSE...San...no sorrry....Son.....moy....Linda" . If he is short of time he goes straight to the Maytag "Whitegoods Catalogue" he carries. "Pick one"

seriously? did you forget to post about you running around with the woman with a better moustache than merv hughes? the sound of the thin ice under you breaking up could be heard over a 747 taking off.

photos? i post a few of those and you will have to set up camp on my balcony permanently. do they have divorce lawyers in cuba?

12pm-5am at the Gato Tuerto. The hottest little nightclub Jazz bar I know. The fact that it would be illegal to replicate that place almost anywhere in the western world makes it all that much more special.

I have met so many great people in that place who are close friends to this day.

The long Lunch with friends at El Templete. Tapas, laughter, wine, cigars all followed up by a long walk through old Havana in the late afternoon sun.

Our House pool parties. Bedlam. Great food, great friends, great cigars, wine, rum, people in the pool, our two man Cuban band singing Hotel California, Ken and Des up and singing Sprigsteen and Dylan, the neighbours complaining, the police, the two bottles of rum runk by the band, their argument, their apology to the guests...blaming each other...the announcement of the breakup of the band for the 100th time, their unconscious collapse to the floor.

Fly Fishing in Las Salinas (100k outside Havana). Ken emerging for the morning fising in is Umpalumpa outfit, the guides in tears laughing, the rest of us in tears laughing, the first am cigar as you are poleing out in the canoe post dawn...beautiful scenery, crystal clear water...the guide saying.."Makabe (bonefish) a las Dos"

that would be the morning your idiot mate left 150 freshly rolled hamlet DC's in the room for the cleaners. and we passed you sitting on the bottom of your punt while your poor long suffering guide was in his fourth hour of trying to repair your exploding reel (sounds like a circus act and was not far from it).

just remember, i have photos you have not seen. even des went pale at seeing them and just said, 'does rob know?' alcohol is a wonderful thing.