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Cuba 2011 - Introduction And Picture Gallery
March 2011During my visit to Singapore last December, my friend Jimmy Ng suggested we visit Cuba outside the Festival circus madness and tour the island by ourselves with good long-time Cuban friends. We had discussed doing this same trip years ago but it had never been possible - this year it became a reality. Jimmy and I spent 2 weeks in Cuba, travelling the countryside, horse-riding in the Viñales valley and watching the sun rise over it, drinking coffee in an old coffee plantation, feeling, touching and smelling the tobacco leaves while spending time with possibly the best Cuban tobacco grower Sr Francisco Milian aka "Pancho Cuba", having countryside meals, smoking the best cigars available from Cohiba 1966 to MC GR to Laguito Nr 1 to BHK 56 while riding in a van full of cigars, aged rum and Cuban music. We drove the boring and straight-as-an-arrow highway from Havana to Cienfuegos and the crazy, disoriented and dangerous-at-night country roads at the foot of the Sierra del Escambray by the sea to Trinidad led by a "crazy horse". We shared Rum in the patios of Trinidad, climbed the Torre Iznaga and were cooled by fresh Guarapo juice. We drove through the Zapata swamp to see the invasion museum at Playa Giron in the Bay of Pigs and up to Playa Larga and past ... "Central Australia" ... before returning to our beloved Old Havana and "El Templete" by the harbour. In Cienfuegos we enjoyed the sleepy ambience of Sunday afternoon in a colonial relic, a city so beautiful, clean and welcoming as I had always dreamed Cuba to be. While in Havana during the XIII Festival del Habano we did not attend any official event but met friends and attended privately organized affairs. One such private event was the now traditional vintage cigar tasting organized by Alex Iapichino, the fourth after El Laguito, Partagas and Plaza Vieja, in which we tasted a 1974 Rafael Gonzales Corona Extra to 1974 Macallan Single Malt courtesy of Jimmy Ng. This event took place at the Hostal Conde de Villanueva and attracted respected connoisseurs such as Simon Chase, James Suckling, Jose Ilario, Salvatore Parisi, Deborah Zulueta, Dr Luis Sorinas, Colin Ganley and many other international cigar lovers. Apart from a small private rooftop dinner at the Centro Asturiano Prado 309 where Jimmy Ng and James Suckling were our guests of honour, these were the only events I attended.
A first-ever baseball game between Cuban rollers and International merchants organized the the Fox Bros. of Ireland was a smashing success. The Cubans won hands-down ( and cigar in mouth ) 22-6 and it was my first and best baseball game ever. My most memorable event was celebrating my birthday at El Laguito, Cohiba in my mouth and goose bumps all over as staff there sang happy birthday for me. This must certainly be every cigar lovers dream and I had it fulfilled. We met many good friends and good people. We witnessed how Cubans will always help and assist each other due to the many hardships they suffer. We will never forget "Caballo Loco" and the 85 crazy kilometres he took care of us.
It was impressive to be along Cubans, looking at things their way and being infected by their sense of reality and joy of life. Just the four of us, two Cubans and 2 foreigners - we became one and we felt real pain when saying farewell after sharing all this time together. Muchas Gracias ! Back in Germany we toured the Mosel valley visiting the best Riesling estates and enjoying excellent hospitality from their owners. We had good home-made Pasta at Massimo's and a "piggy" dinner at the regular pharmacy cigar meet courtesy of Andreas before Jimmy flew back home. An unforgettable trip - I wish to thank Jimmy Ng for insisting on making it and for offering me a chance to see the other side. Nino I will post some text and many pictures in the coming days on this fantastic trip.
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