Mallette Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 I’m 54 and if I were to drop dead tomorrow I’d have died completely fulfilled. Bud, I am SO with you on this. I can to that conclusion a good 20 years ago and am now 62. As my kin on the plains used to cry "hoka, hoka, HEY! It's a GOOD day to die." Any other attitude is a recipe for misery. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIGARBUM Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 I have really been trying to be good and stay out of this, I can't stand it. As I sit here in front of my computer, smoking a real fine Fuente Anejo 77 shark (my favorite by the way) ,yes I smoke in the house, the cats don't care, besides they're outside catching mice or something. Excuse me but I had to get up and pour about 3 fingers of Macallan 18 also one of my favorites. And people ask me why do you live way up there in the sticks, there is nothing there, yup and I like it that way. After spending 34 years with the Railroad, I am spending life the way I want to, Yup I like it that way. Having obtained the ripe old age of 65, yes Medicare this year and in pretty good shape for the shape I'm in, and if I fall out tomorrow, no problem, as some wise individual said, it's been a great ride. By the way, if any of you guys who partake in the evils of smoking those nasty cigars want to come to the mountains to share a Cuban, come ahead. Cigarbum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhoak Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 A couple of years ago I stepped out to the front porch and fired up an especially nice Cohiba after a VERY nice meal. The woman I was dating at the time followed me out and says "you know that "nasty" thing will take at least a year off your life?" Me being me I replied "And?" Turns out that THAT was the wrong answer. In a LOT of ways she was a lot of fun. Oh well. Her loss I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 By the way, if any of you guys who partake in the evils of smoking those nasty cigars want to come to the mountains to share a Cuban, come ahead. Cigarbum Cigarbum, you are on my radar, and God I love the Georgia woods! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechnut Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 CAO MX2 in Toro (6 x54)Solid choice for a guy in San Antonio... excellent... Boxx, that means a lot coming from the most interesting Klipsch fan in the world. (dtel being #2) Back to stogies: A couple other perennials in the humidor: La Flor Dominicana Ligero Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxx Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 So what does this have to do with memorable stogies? Well, after each evening meal cooked by our intrepid Shan boatmen, we were presented with a hand rolled Burmese cigar that looked similar in size and form to a wood tipped Tampa Sweet cigarillo. However, they were green and had bamboo tips and absolutely perfectly formed. Thing was, while they had some really fine locally grown tobacco they also a quantity of another highly regarded local plant that had been cured with sugar water extract of yet an even stronger local plant. Fine smoke. There are good reasons I don't have many pictures taken after supper on this trip. Dave Great photo's Dave.... I really enjoyed checking them out... Boxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted March 6, 2012 Moderators Share Posted March 6, 2012 Dave i was surprised when you said you were 62, When i met you i thought you were younger or at the most the same age as me, not bad for an old dude. [Y] But at this age 8 years is just more or less the same, not that it matters I am having more fun the older I get. [] That is some nice pictures of a great trip, it's not like you get to do things like that often enough. I have to admit I don't know if i would have gone past the signs ? What led you to do that, and why was it there ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted March 6, 2012 Moderators Share Posted March 6, 2012 I’m 54 and if I were to drop dead tomorrow I’d have died completely fulfilled. I mean I managed to father a perfectly wonderful son who will carry forward the family name. Same age and I feel the same way, except 3 girls, no boys, the only other boy in the entire family after me is my grandson 11. A "lifespan" is when your luck runs out, it does not always take into consideration bad habits, from the way it looks. If so why so many perfectly normal, healthy looking people from all ages drop dead on occasion ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 What led you to do that, and why was it there Well, Eldon, I mentioned that to my wife last night. I assure you I had no second thoughts at the time. I had been up in that country during the Viet war and was very comfortable with the people. The building on the river level to the left of the boats was mamasan's general store, outfitter, and a few other things. She was a "vet" as well having run a ***** house during the war. It didn't take long for me to trust her completely as it was like a reunion of sorts. She'd had good experiences with American soldiers at the time and she was warm and straightforward. I had heard that a boatload of Brits had been stopped and robber, with one shot and killed, only a few days before. However, it was a powerboat load of pure tourists and the boatmen were Thai. The few of us who would do the raft thing were old hippies and vets carrying little of value except maybe a camera, and the rafts were uniformly operated by Shan or Hmong tribesman. The area we were entering was ruled by the warlord Khun Sa. Khun Sa was Shan and finance his Shan State by opium money...originally from the CIA during the war if your remember the "Air America" scam....which was, by the way, all true. Anyway, she assured us that she'd never lost a customer to the bandits because all her boats were Shan operatered, and, I am sure, she greased Khun Sa's hand with a cut. That sign was posted by the Thai government and was, as a friend of mine used to say, "serious as a turd in the punchbowl." No love lost between the Thais and Burmese in general, and way less between Khun Sa and the Thais. The sign was almost a day before the actual border, but the Thai authorities did not pass it themselves except in significant, heavily armed, groups. The tourist boats always passed at high speed and did not stop as no tourist would have passed that point if they got the same lecture we did from the Thai army. OK, I guess I've told you more than you really wanted to know, but the point was I actually knew what I was doing and considered the risk mainly to be cobras, wild elephants, and tigers than from anything else. I wish I were at home at the moment as I'd post a picture of the town we wound up in at the end of our journey on the Mekong. Chiang Saen, 12th century royal city sacked by the Burmese and left almost untouched until the past decaded and tourist free (besides us) when we visited in 1988. The google earth image here suggests it's booming now compared to then, but it's very small. There were perhaps a thousand people within the walls, mostly curing the aforementioned tobacco for a living. We staying in a 2.00/night "motel" with hot showers. You told them you were going to take a shower, and after about 15 minutes they brought you a bucket of water heated over the fire to pour into the rope operated tilt shower out back. Awesome place on the riverbank with a great view of Laos. That treeline you can make out inside the ring road is the 12th century wall, totally untouched and covered with jungle at that time and it doesn't look like they've done much sense. Inside there were various ruins of palaces, temples, and other structures completely unexcavated and looking for all the world like something from Indiana Jones. I've had some "excellent adventures" but I must say this was one of the best. Reminds me of another one, by elephant, up the mountains into the Hmong opium village... But that's another story.[H] Dave PS - The river is quite low in this image. At the time I was there last that sandbar on the Laotian side was under water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted March 7, 2012 Moderators Share Posted March 7, 2012 That would be an unbelievable trip just to get to see some of those places. Although really dangerous, between different groups of people and wild animals it could get bad really quick. Except for getting killed for little on no reason it would be great to see the ruins for the most part untouched not even counting all the rest of the scenery and people. There is no telling what is out in the jungle and in the mountains undiscovered, great place to get some unbelievable pictures and possibly with some luck live to tell about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Except for getting killed for little on no reason it would be great to see the ruins for the most part untouched not even counting all the rest of the scenery and people. The people up in the tourist-free areas are unbelievable, and not because they want your money. They want to feed you, take you into their homes, share their lives with you, and learn about you. Amazing how awesome people can be that haven't yet been hooked on TV, Big Macs (either the burgers OR the computers), football, easy credit, and such. Greetings are telltale. There are three "wai's" The wai is that hands together in front of you like prayer, but close to your body, southeast Asian salute. In front of the face is reserved for nobles, kings, warlords, and such. At mid level, it's for equals. Below that, is subservience. Of course, I always opened with the mid level, though it was often returned in the "way back" with the "you are great and powerful' response. However, when I had the first opening I always used the mid, and if it were a village elder, the high one. It's truly amazing what that would buy you in warmth and hospitality. Such things still really mean something in a few places. I trully love these places and people and mourn their passing. It is these memories I access when I so often say "It is too late to save the planet, it's almost gone already." The devastation of the forests and the penetration of "civilization" into places that had been paradise when I was there during the war in just the decade and a half until my next visit was sickening. I am not sure I could stand going back again... Don't be thinking these people have somehow benefited. They were happy, healthy, well fed and in need of little. Obesity was unknown, and so was hunger. They were fascinated by my friends bit of beer gut and used a Thai word meaning sort of "cute and cudly" to describe him because of it, and couldn't help but poke with there fingers at it and giggle when they got comfortable with him. They never saw such things. I suspect that word will die out now that McDeath is headed their way... Anyway, good memories, thanks for letting me share! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Wowie. Did I hijack this or WHAT? [:$] Fire up a fine one, and enjoy! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jorjen Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Any cigar in my cabinet right now! But I would have to say my all time favorite is the Cuban Trinidad Fundadore. A gorgeous, elegant, sleek and oily Gran Panatella/Lancero. I also find myself becoming somewhat of a Port fan when I touch one off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallette Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I also find myself becoming somewhat of a Port fan when I touch one off. Yessir! Single malt scotch and tawny sherries, too! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtubbs6117 Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 Guys again I have to say thank you for the support of this post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtubbs6117 Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 Just some of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtubbs6117 Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 Thanks hudsonvalley for the picture instructions. Just some of them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdaddy Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Romeo E Julietta Vintage IV has to be my personal favorite. The Churchill is nice as well. Currently the favorite beverage is Blantons Bourbon whiskey with just a touch of water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 It's truly amazing what that would buy you in warmth and hospitality. Such things still really mean something in a few places. Respect... amazing how much it will get you when you visit another culture.Dave, if you get to Georgia, you must stop by here and pay a visit as well. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boxx Posted March 15, 2012 Share Posted March 15, 2012 It took awhile to find this thread... I'm heading outside, to survey the estate, and enjoy a very nice "Muriel Magnum." Nothing fancy, but very enjoyable for a cool evening in north Texas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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