Back from Varadero Cuba
 

I haven't posted in a while so I thought I'd update with my recent trips to Varadero Cuba...

I stayed at the Palma Real this most recent trip and while it is dated and could use some freshening up (in fairness I think this can be said of most resorts in Varadero), we had a blast & I have no complaints when I take in to consideration how little it costs to stay there. Weather was so-so... it rained the first day & a half plus it was really windy most of the time.

For what it's worth, I'd go back. When I got tired of the buffet, my wife & I started eating out in town.

Brought back some cigars, a bottle of Ron Varadero, Santiago & Legendario plus a few more bags of coffee.

http://i48.tinypic.com/2prhcm9.jpg

200 Ramon Allones Extras
50 Ramon Allones Superiores
50 Romeo y Julieta Short Churchills
50 Montecristo No. 2
50 Partagas Serie D No. 4
40 Partagas Salomones
10 Partagas Especiales

This brings my April total to 700 cigars when you add the ones I picked up at the beginning on the month.

http://i40.tinypic.com/ilkidg.jpg

Now all I have to do is make sure Jill doesn't see the Visa bill and I'm golden... LOL
:D

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

I'm surprised they let you bring that many cigars back?? Is there any kind of quota into Canada?

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Damn brother. Looks like you bought out the stores. I would like to visit Cuba.

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Few hundred miles Larry...get a boat :r

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Great haul.......holy cow :tu

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Someone REALLY likes Allones Extra's :r

Damn that is an epic haul, congrats :tu

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

:tpd:

Very cool though!

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

No words :dr

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

this is madness!
great haul!

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Totally nuts. Insane, even.

And THAT is why......

THIS....is Cigar ASYLUM.

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Color me jealous, maybe more for the trip than the cigars. :D

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Whoa! I surely wasn't expecting this when I opened the thread! That would've been my pre-divorce vacation.

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Wow!!!:O

Looks like a prosperous trip!!!:tu

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Now that's what I call WINNING!

:wnr

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Damn, I'm green with envy for sure. My mastercard couldn't handle that load in one month and I'm quite sure a divorce would be in the works shortly afterwards. Steve

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Wowsa, what a haul. Hope the trip was nice. I suspect you will remember that more than the cigars down the road.

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Wow. is the only word I can muster. Wow.

Nice haul. I've smoked one RAAE, and did enjoy it. Got a couple more that are going to go down for a long nap.

Hope you enjoyed the trip! Would love to visit Cuba someday. And hopefully before they open up tourism to Americans.

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Wow! Looks like you were saving your tax refund for the right thing, congrats, glad you had a great trip!

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Incredible haul! Best of luck hiding the Visa bill!

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Holy S#IT! Not much more I can say. Some day, I'd like to visit the country. Just to see the sights, and maybe tour a factory or 2. :)

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Yah that is just rediculous, I hope you have a walk-in!
I don't think I could buy that much in a year.

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Larry let me know when you're ready and we will forge a raft! lol

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

WOW!!.......

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Technically you're allowed 50 cigars per person, in reality it depends largely on who you get when you come back through customs (you don't want the summer students since they're usually sticklers for enforcing the rules) and how you handle yourself at the wicket. I also know from this thread on another board that the OP had several mules in his party to spread this out amongst so it's not like he brought them all through himself.

In my experience as long as as you're 100% honest in your declaration and it's not ridiculously excessive you are generally fine. Of course if they catch you in a lie you can expect to be charged up the ying-yang. The local group's track record seems to be that anything under 200 sticks per person usually gets let through w/o charge in Vancouver. We also have one of the busiest borders in Canada and definitely the most cross-border shopping so it may be different in other Canadian first port of calls. My wife and I were in Varadero last Oct and brought back double our limit of both tobacco and alcohol.... my haul didn't look anything near as crazy as this one.

Of course I seem to have very good luck at the border anyways. Like many in Vancouver I buy a lot of stuff online and have it drop shipped to Blaine, WA where I pick it up and drive it back. I always declare the full value of goods I'm bringing across and have yet to be charged any tax or duties despite the fact that I'm rarely in the US for longer than is required to pickup my parcels and drive back to the border so there's no exemptions applicable. Even when I brought my Aristocrat home, and had to explain in detail to the customs agent how a "wooden end table" could possibly be worth the declared value, I was just waived through.

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

^^^ What Geoff said ;)

Re: Back from Varadero Cuba
 

Ratz! Guess I need to take some more heart medication:D

When's that Havana Herf gonna take place Tom;)