Just got an email from the Melia Cohiba in Havana that Havana has survived and missed the brunt of the storm....as of this time, there is only isolated showers and Havana survived the worst. Not sure about Pinar del Rio, but Havana appears to have lucked out.

I have been worried and in touch with people in Havana, too. A buddy was there until Sunday night and he said that the mood was VERY anxious. I guess when El Caballo goes on TV and tells everyone to batton down the hatches for a long and dangerous couple of days, it instills fear. Drama, too...and the Cubanos DO love their drama!!! But all seems well in and throughout Havana as Ivan kept on a westerly course, thank goodness. There are suburbs of Havana which will be hard hit, as they were with Charley (Santa Fe, for example), and it will be tough on the residents there, no doubt.

As for Pinar...well, they're going to be hit. But it was time. They had dry conditions, the region is naturally susceptible to hurricanes and, in fact, that is what makes it what it is...the land was being so over worked that it will be good for nutrients and soils that erode from the mogotes and other higher regions to flow into the areas where they'll ultimately be planting...all part of the natural cycle of things, I suppose. They'll lose some huts, and the Maria de la Gorda dive resort on the western tip will take a HUGE hit, there'll be some extensive damage, but people will survive and overcome. Always have. Always will.

Robaina has been in construction for a new house on his property that is very nice. It will have a nice reception hall and bar, kitchen, bathroom...well constructed, employing a lot of local artistry and craftsmanship using native stone and rock. I hope he lives to see its completion and that he can enjoy it for years to come.

The Robaina complex is sort of elevated, however. Of greater concern, perhaps, are the people who are in the lower areas adjacent to the fields in the San Juan y Martinez valley we know as the Vuelta Abajo. They live in VERY humble conditions, many with dirt floors. They're going to be absolutely CLOBBERED. Even if they got out with some of their stuff, people will likely lose VERY precious durable items like refrigerators, tv's, things like that, stuff they've worked entire lives to get. That's the tragedy. That stuff just cannot be easily replaced, and the problems are compounded by (a) energy and electrical shortages that have been plaguing the country because of antiquated transformers and generator facilities and delivery systems, and (b) higher prices for such durable goods.

So...when you go to Cuba...buy your cigars from the factory because that's the only way to be sure you get the real thing. But also buy a box here or there from the people selling them to you for good deals in and around the suburbs of Havana and into Pinar del Rio. These people have no other way to make a living, and at least they're resourceful enough to figure out a way to earn it this way. Perhaps better than panhandling and begging that might otherwise be an option. While it does go on in Cuba, the people otherwise have too much pride to resort to that. At least by selling black market cigars, the people save face in the means to their livelihood. But I digress.

We'll know more soon how things panned out. Until then, every prayer helps.

___________________
Santa Cabilla...patron saint of Quericæstan. VIVE COULTER! VIVE CPD!

David Savona, is there something wrong with the software? According to the replies column there should already be a reply post between this one and roycigar's.

roycigar, thanks for the update. I'm sure there are a lot of thankful people in Cuba, happy that Ivan the Terrible didn't make a direct hit on the island. There's probably extensive damage in the western most province, but it could have been much worse for the entire country.

number 9 ... number 9 ... number 9 ... number 9 ...

Beatles, 1968

I must have regained that hiccup in my getalong...

There's a lot of rain, but Havana, anyway, is safe and sound, and no worse off than any other moderate storm that they are used to getting this time of year...thankfully! Indeed, even Don Alejandro says the crop is safe...just a little wind and rain (and cigars are just cigars...)

___________________
Santa Cabilla...patron saint of Quericæstan. VIVE COULTER! VIVE CPD!