Just back from Havana

[skindiver]

Went to Havana for ten days. Met some old friends, Jose Castellar, Jaime Paredes, Hiroshi Robaina,

It was great being back in Cuba and seeing everyone. Smoked some really good leaf and caught up on what is going on there. Some changes noted, too. You can now ride in bicitaxis as a foreigner as well as those vintage US cars like Cadillacs, Buicks,and Desotos for a few pesos.

The Partagas factory is gutted post Festival, the new factory is across from Briones(the old R&J factory) Hamlet was isolated in the lobby of the Sevilla Hotel lobby for 60 days- not a happy camper! No clientele there, the tobacco shop is downstairs and the guests are mostly transient!! He's like the old Maytag repairman on American TV. Bored to tears!! Hopefully he'll get a reprieve soon. He's a great guy.

I managed to get a few custom rolls from Elena at 5th y 16th where Carlos Robaina is the manager. We ventured out to Pinar del Rio and brought Hiroshi a sport bag filled with enough baseball equipment to outfit a minor league baseball team. 9 gloves and 3 bats, 12 baseballs and 2 catchers mitts with helmets and shinguards. He was pretty happy and invited us to lunch at the new Robaina restaurant just down the road,

Great trip as usual.

Call me Rob, or Ken, it's been awhile!

Stan

[CUBANO]

Stan,

It sounds like you had a great time. Need to renew my Cuban Passport and go back.

[dvickery]

stan...you are everywhere(me also it appears)

welcome home and a question.

i always thought osmany was the manager at 5y16. if carlos is the manager. what is osmany???

once again welcome home

derrek

[matteo]

Hey Stan,

Glad you had a great time. What a shame about Hamlet, yes he is a great guy. I saw

him at the end of last month and he was still at R y J factory shop. I'm glad I found him

there or otherwise I don't know how I would have met and interviewed the new director of

the H.Upmann factory. You say the Partagas factory has moved accross the R y J?? I know it's only

until they finish renovations but I thought it was suppose to be at the old Por Larranaga

factory near the Museo de La Revolucion in Habana Vieja. Oh well, that's Cuba. One day it's

like this, the next it's like that.

Cheers

Matteo

[CanuckSARTech]

Stan - glad to hear you enjoyed your time. Very generous and noble of you to gift the baseball gear. Well done.

[Nino]

stan...you are everywhere(me also it appears)

welcome home and a question.

i always thought osmany was the manager at 5y16. if carlos is the manager. what is osmany???

once again welcome home

derrek

Osmany is the manager at 5 y 16 and runs the store.

Carlitos is the p.r. guy, there to meet & greet : Relaciones Publicas.

[Bartolomeo]

Thanks for posting Stan, we need to catch up soon

[charlesod]

Never been to Cuba. Love to go.

[gigabyte056]

I am going to Cuba in 10 days!!!

[mazolaman]

I am going to Cuba in 10 days!!!

great news Peace, hope you enjoy it.

If you can, take a little smething for one of the schools in Havana,

We took a load of pens and crayons and stuff.

Folk appreciate it.

Have a great trip!