Roy R. Frush Posted July 28, 2008 Posted July 28, 2008 Fantastic stories and photos! Good to have you back.
lutharthegreat Posted July 28, 2008 Posted July 28, 2008 Arrived 10 minutes past two at the Cubanair counter with $100 in my passport and a plea to hold the 2:20pm flight. He looked at me, looked at my passport, took the $100, weighed my bag and gave me a boarding pass. He then told me the flight was delayed an hour That one takes the cake. On the bright side you didn't miss your flight. Sounds like an amassing trip, couldn't describe the time you had. Thanks for sharing.:-)
BobbyRitz Posted July 29, 2008 Posted July 29, 2008 Fantastic pictures and narrative, per usual! As was said earlier, they certainly are telling of the quality of your relationship with Hamlet and family. Best, Rob
jaylax5 Posted July 29, 2008 Posted July 29, 2008 » Rob... time to put that shirt into the washing machine! :-D I was thinking the same thing! Seriously, you have the life my man. Great pics and stories...thanks for sharing. Cheers.
Ginseng Posted July 29, 2008 Posted July 29, 2008 A great travel story as always Rob! Very entertaining and yes, envy inducing to every red-blooded American cigar smoker. :-D Wilkey
Fatcigar Posted July 29, 2008 Posted July 29, 2008 Outstanding Thanks for sharing....Great Latino hospitality
Van55 Posted July 29, 2008 Posted July 29, 2008 » Rob... time to put that shirt into the washing machine! :-D Trash bin would be a better, permanent location. :-)
Wiley Posted July 29, 2008 Posted July 29, 2008 Always enjoy living vicariously through your stories and photos! Thanks again man! Gotta love that Zaya rum too!
Arrow111 Posted July 30, 2008 Posted July 30, 2008 uhh, i thought i was living the good life... rob - i wish i had your life bro! LOL. thanks for sharing...
JMH Posted August 2, 2008 Posted August 2, 2008 Thanks for sharing rob, it looks like all of you had a great time.
Mr. Japan Posted August 4, 2008 Posted August 4, 2008 Rob thank you for giving us such feelings and woah I did not know about Rainer, must try his cigars.
Spartan Posted August 7, 2008 Posted August 7, 2008 Rob, looks like you had a blast thanks for sharing and btw, great looking timepiece!....Oris Carlos Coste chrono??
El Presidente Posted August 7, 2008 Author Posted August 7, 2008 Correct Don't tell me you are an ORIS fan?
Spartan Posted August 7, 2008 Posted August 7, 2008 » Correct » » Don't tell me you are an ORIS fan? I sir, am a recovering watch addict :-D Rolex, IWC, Sinn, Panerai were my faves. I've had my eye on the Coste chrono. Yours is the first i've seen on strap. (very nice) ;-)
El Presidente Posted November 15, 2008 Author Posted November 15, 2008 I hate Cancun Airport. 8am American Airlines flight from Chicago was running an hour late. I knew I was in trouble with a 2 hr turnaround in Cancun before I caught a Cubanair Yak 47 flight from Cancun to Havana. American Airlines didn't even mention the delay but as we landed in Cancun simply thanked me for my patronage. It will be the last time. OK 1 hr to catch my flight. I only need to get my luggage and connect to a new terminal, check in to Cubanair. Luggage took 30 minutes to reach the carousel. Damn. Picked it up and ran to immigration. The que was 45 minutes as it was US holiday season. Damn. I ran to the "Mexicans only" line (no one there), slipped 20 USD in my passport and slipped it to the immigration official. He looked at me...I pleaded my case....he took the money, stamped my passport and off I went to the terminal shuttle bus...which I had just missed. 15 minutes before my flight leaves. Pulled out another two 20's and jumped infront of the taxi que. Gave 20 bucks to the person in front and 20 bucks to the cab driver......"Terminal 1 Ahora!" Arrived 10 minutes past two at the Cubanair counter with $100 in my passport and a plea to hold the 2:20pm flight. He looked at me, looked at my passport, took the $100, weighed my bag and gave me a boarding pass. He then told me the flight was delayed an hour Flying a Cubanair Yak 47 is an interesting experience. From the moment you stoop to half height to enter the plane to the condensation dripping from the windowns and ceiling to the mist rising off the centre passageway carpet (Please God....let it me mist and not smoke). The flight is mercilessly short (1hr 5 minutes) and touching down at Jose Marti airport brings forth a wish to kiss the tarmac and light a cigar. Clear customs in a record 5 minutes, collect my luggage, change some Euros for CUC and pick up a few bottles of 7 years Anejo rum one of which I opened in the taxi for a swig on the way to my house. The 20 minute ride to Casa Otto brings feelings of arriving home. Everything is so familiar, the government billboard propoganda, the delapidated cars, the bicycles, the 2 stroke motorbikes, the taxi driver honking at every woman under the age of 30. We pull into the driveway where Ernesto (chef and household manager) is waiting with a huge smile. A quick swim in the pool, a shower, a tall pour of rum, a cigar and Jose from HSA wanders in with some customs and a big hug. We spend until the early hours of the morning catching up on families, friends and industry news. I go to bed at 2 am knowing I will catch up with him tomorrow at his house for a BBQ. It is hot in Havana in July. 36 degrees centigrade and humid. I arrive at Jose's house on the river Almedares which is only 5 minutes away from my house. I brought Jose and Ingrid (his fiancee) a gift of a fishing rod, reel, line, tackle etc. Jose is a lover of BBQ and I could think of nothing better than sitting back on a chair, throwing back rums, smoking cigars and chewing the fat. Lovely outlook. The Boomerang takes pride of place. One of the fish that stalks the area outside his house. I thought this was an eagle until I was informed it was a vulture. It must have known how I was feeling as it circled overhead all afternoon. Jose at the BBQ. Jose and the lovely Ingrid. Guillaume will recognize the bottle of champagne...gifted by him to Jose on his recent visit. Jose will let anyone in. Hamlet takes off the afternoon from the R&J Divan. The bastard does bring along some magnificent cigars :-D Los tres amigos Jose presents Hamlet and I with a mindblowing gift. Three medallions dating 1929. Each once had a key attached to open a door at the Capitolio building. Each of us will use one as a keyring to commemorate our long friendship. Jose insisted I try this imported bottle of Zaya rum. I finished it by the end of the evening as it was bloody good. In addition the three of us polished off 7 bottles of red wine. Cubans make great Aussies Hamlet and I left Jose's house at 1am where he gave me a lft home but not before we popped into a local hangout for a few bottles of red wine for a nightcap. I could have quite happily passed on those bottles....... I awoke Wednesday feeling quite refreshed and had a dip in the pool and completed a few laps (few being the operative word) before settling down to a breakfast prepared by Ernesto of fresh mango, papaya, eggs, bacon and mountains of coffee. It was 11am and I had to get my arse into gear as I had meetings with HSA at 12 (more on that in another thread). I arrived back to the house at 6pm, showered, changed and was picked up by Hamlet for dinner at his house. Hamlet and Jose presented me with this Compay Segundo made completely of Tobacco. Hamlets lovely wife Janette Hamlet and his brother Rainer. Ranier is a level 9 roller (Partagas)doing some sensational cigars. A few cigars for the evening. The boys including Hamlets son....Hamlet Jnr. A Cuban feast including Lobster and Turtle. A nice selection of wines The gang late at night At some ridiculous hour I asked for a taxi which was howled down by the crew. Much later Hamlet gave me a lift home The next morning I arose to get ready for the flight home. It was only two full days in Havana and I didn't see a factory or visit a palladar or even get to old Havana. Yet, it was one of my most memorable trips yet. Gracias mi Hermanos
shrink Posted November 15, 2008 Posted November 15, 2008 What a great trip. Thanks for sharing it. What can you tell us about the cigars? These are fairly fresh, I assume? I see a couple of bands; a Monte 2 and a Lusi? Or is that an SLR DC?
cadillacdoc Posted November 15, 2008 Posted November 15, 2008 » » Jose insisted I try this imported bottle of Zaya rum. I finished it by the » end of the evening as it was bloody good. In addition the three of us » polished off 7 bottles of red wine. » » » Rob, I warned you about the Zaya
kmax Posted November 15, 2008 Posted November 15, 2008 » » » » Jose insisted I try this imported bottle of Zaya rum. I finished it by » the » » end of the evening as it was bloody good. In addition the three of us » » polished off 7 bottles of red wine. » » » » » » » » Rob, I warned you about the Zaya Love that Zaya! Too bad its nearly impossible to get now:crying:
Fia Posted November 15, 2008 Posted November 15, 2008 » » » » » » Jose insisted I try this imported bottle of Zaya rum. I finished it » by » » the » » » end of the evening as it was bloody good. In addition the three of us » » » polished off 7 bottles of red wine. » » » » » » » » » » » » » Rob, I warned you about the Zaya » » Love that Zaya! Too bad its nearly impossible to get now:crying: Really? Glad I have one more bottle that I havent opened yet.:-)
Fatshotbud Posted December 21, 2008 Posted December 21, 2008 Thanks for all the great pics and the story
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