The Behike Room At El Laguito Picture By @Ryan

[Nino]

If every picture tells a story as Rod Stewart famously sang, I see myself in that iconic picture of the “Behike” Room at El Laguito that @Ryan posted.

Not just because I have almost identical pictures of that room but because we spent that day together as a group of good friends and we must have used the same split second to take the same picture.

So here are my pictures and videos of that day in February 2012 with Andy and the others.

After we met Jose Antonio S. who was doing QC on the BHK’s, Andy's good friend Bertha gave us a tour of the factory.

We then went to Club Habana and had lunch & cigars there.

From there we went to my Casa in Miramar, corner of Parque Montebarreto & 84th, where we had more cigars and rum while J.A. Solana cut up a cigar to explain the various leaves inside.

Here the pictures of the group meeting at the QC Dept. and of that Behike Room in the first floor. At Club Habana and at my Casa.

 

[Nino]

Tried to upload 3 videos of the El Laguito tour and one video at my Casa but they failed to upload - sorry....

 

[Nino]

It is a real pity as I cannot upload the 4 videos I have of the tour, at my Casa and a later visit with Swiss friends while a forklift was collecting the BHK boxes ...

But here the planned ending of my story ... 🙂

….. And a super secret video of me back at the Behike Room next day to clean up the shelves and remove all BHK boxes as they were a present for my birthday.

El Laguito kindly provided a personalized truck to carry the boxes to my Casa.

I remember Andy running around asking about the whereabouts of his “reserved” BHK boxes and getting a sly smile from me …. 🙂

Thank you for the memories @Ryan !!

 

[Edicion]

This is a part of history that should be preserved. Wonderful story, thank you for sharing. 

 

[Ryan]

Thanks for those pictures @Nino! Good times. I called out to Marianao to see Berta last month, I'm still in touch with her weekly. She has left El Laguito now and, semi-retired, is working part time at Quality Control/Training in the Carlos Baliño factory. It's only a block and a half from her house. She's in good form, hoping to work more hours next year. 

Here she is with my lot at Christmas 2018.

I was Hector's farm with her in 2016 where she critiqued Hector's tobacco and Miguel's rolling skills. That was an interesting conversation!

[Nino]

8 minutes ago, Ryan said:

Thanks for those pictures @Nino! Good times. I called out to Marianao to see Berta last month, I'm still in touch with her weekly. She has left El Laguito now and, semi-retired, is working part time at Quality Control/Training in the Carlos Baliño factory. It's only a block and a half from her house. She's in good form, hoping to work more hours next year. 

Here she is with my lot at Christmas 2018.

I was Hector's farm with her in 2016 where she critiqued Hector's tobacco and Miguel's rolling skills. That was an interesting conversation!

Thank you Andy - happy to know that Bertha is doing well !!

That must have been a VERY interesting conversation at HLP .... 🙂       Wish I had been there !

[Ryan]

2 minutes ago, Nino said:

Thank you Andy - happy to know that Bertha is doing well !!

That must have been a VERY interesting conversation at HLP .... 🙂       Wish I had been there !

It was all positive. She was quite impressed. No need to guess whose son that is behind Miguel!

[PigFish]

Thanks for sharing Nino. Merry Christmas!

-R

[El Hoze]

incredible shots! 

[LLC]

Ah, the good old days when you could go to Cuba and buy Behike’s. Great story and pictures. Thanks for posting. 

[Bijan]

13 hours ago, Nino said:

Tried to upload 3 videos of the El Laguito tour and one video at my Casa but they failed to upload - sorry....

 

If you have the patience upload them to YouTube and post the links. The forum plays well with YouTube.

[bishop532]

Thanks for sharing these; really cool to see this

[Nino]

9 hours ago, Bijan said:

If you have the patience upload them to YouTube and post the links. The forum plays well with YouTube.

Thanks !! I didn't think of YT, even though I have a YT channel ( that I rarely use ) - Will see I do it after walking the dog ...

[Nino]

OK, back home and even though it is a very short 5 minute video it took almost the hour I was away with the dog to upload.

Here it is - enjoy !