Back From Havana – Picture Gallery – Part One

It’s been five days since I arrived back home from yet another Havana – Festival Del Habano trip and as always I’ve had to air my lungs and cure the usual stubborn cough and running nose souvenir – funny how everybody gets a cold in Havana ….

Before I start posting in detail on the experiences of this trip, here’s a short gallery.

I belatedly celebrated my birthday in Havana with my landlady and friends – couldn’t eat the rich cake though, especially not after some jogging around Parque Montebarreto …

Some special humidors from a Casa – none were bought.

Lunch at El Templete with Fred, Reza, Michel – great that they turned the non-smoking area into smoking for the Festival. If there’s one thing I fear about a tourist invasion it’s the call for No-Smoking areas in Havana.

The new H.Upmann 2015 EL shared with friends.

I hosted a vintage cigar tasting courtesy of Min Ron Nee at my Casa and we smoked a box of 1950’s Partagas Presidentes and a box of 1987 Rafael Gonzalez Lonsdales. Quite impressive cigars, smoking brilliantly and testifying to the longevity of well aged Habanos.

Jose, the director of El Laguito presented me with a signed copy of the book “Reto a la soledad” by Orlando Cardoso, a Cuban war hero and POW in Somalia for 11 years. Thanks to Gallo for arranging it.

It was great to have fun with good friends and see old ones as well as interesting conversations with industry people like Messrs Portmann and Maique.

Good fun, good cigars and good meals were never far apart being around friends like Yannick, Canuck Keith, Simon, Andy, Michel, Luca, Gino, Commander Keith, Luke, the Fox Bros., and so many other good people.

Smoking a 1980’s Cohiba Diplomatic Lancero in my Casa that had Jose and Reza almost moved to tears.

More to come in Part Two.

Nino