....After a quick breakfast at Hotel Barcelo, we were ready to go. Nick was nice enough to take us in his car so we could avoid the big bus travel to Esteli. (you probably wondering who is Nick... i will tell you later) I and Devon spent the next two hours talking about cigars and our industry with Dion (the mastermind behind the lovely Illusione Cigars) and Nick ( the tobacco buyer for Drew Estate who has those awesome Ligas that i love so much) Actually i am lying, I was talking Devon slept half way through. We entered the city of Esteli around 10 am, some would feel like they are in a completely new world, very different from where they came from. To me it felt like home. The stone roads, the barganing stands of fruits and clothes on both sides of the streets reminded me of my childhood in Albania. I loved Esteli since the first second i saw it. Now all i was looking for were the green endless tobacco fields. But that wouldnt happen quite yet.
Our first stop was Hotel Los Arcos, where all the first day meetings with different Nicaraguan and Tobacco industry officials would take place. Concidentally thats where we were staying at. We almost crashed to the cameramen while entering the hotel and i later learned that the man standing next to me sorrounded by the police had been the Vice President of the country(if i am not mistaken). That day i learned a lot about Nicaragua as a country and about the tobacco industry in particular. We heard spechees from leading cigar specialists and it was amazing learning the potential this country had and what it had to offer to the cigar industry of the world. I felt happy and privileged at the same time sitting next to all the people whose work and dedication brings us some of the best cigars we enjoy every day. Just to name a few and forgive me if i forget anyone, Don Pepin Garcia(with his daughter Janny and son Jaime), Orlando and George Padron, Rocky Patel, Steve Saka, Jonathan Drew, Pete Johnson and many more. After the day was topped of with a cocktail reception we had only 2 hours to get ready for the rest of the night...
(Coming up on the next blog Dinner and Fun at Chateau Drew Estate)
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