Back from Varadero Cuba

[Bear]

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

[hotreds]

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

[Ogre]

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

[Remo]

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

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

[Remo]

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

[Bill86]

Someone REALLY likes Allones Extra's :r

Damn that is an epic haul, congrats :tu

[CigarNut]

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

Very cool though!

[TJarv]

No words :dr

[gbum]

this is madness!
great haul!

[Jasonw560]

Totally nuts. Insane, even.

And THAT is why......

THIS....is Cigar ASYLUM.

[icehog3]

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

[jjirons69]

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

[Skywalker]

Wow!!!:O

Looks like a prosperous trip!!!:tu

[Islayphile]

Now that's what I call WINNING!

:wnr

[Stevez]

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

[CRIMPS]

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

[pektel]

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.

[irratebass]

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

[mase]

Incredible haul! Best of luck hiding the Visa bill!

[Wanger]

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. :)

[Blak Smyth]

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

[Hem]

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

[cobra03]

WOW!!.......

[mithrilG60]

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

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.

[Bear]

^^^ What Geoff said ;)

[MarkinAZ]

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

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

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