Recess is over

[Brewpastor]

Well, you had 10 days without my wit and wisdom. I hope you enjoyed it and used the time productively. I was in Cuba drinking rum and Bucanero Max. The rum was memorable, but the beer was not. It did weigh in at a healthy 6.5% and so it got the job done. But now I am back and the homebrew is tasting mighty nice. I also am enjoying being able to understand what people are saying to me.

The Chairman is in Cuba as well, but due to my schedule I did not even try to meet up with him. I think the nation of Cuba are greatful for that, although I would have enjoyed it.

Anyway, I am back and now have to review all I missed. If anything of great importance happened in my absence let me know, otherwise I will see ou around the forum.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

What about the cigars????????????

 

[Pumbaa]

yeah!! go weigh in on the ghost poll and Cuba? I though there were travel restrictions on that place for us . . . Did you go in from Canada or you get exempted because of the Pastor thing? (just curious)

 

[Brewpastor]

yeah!! go weigh in on the ghost poll and Cuba? I though there were travel restrictions on that place for us . . . Did you go in from Canada or you get exempted because of the Pastor thing? (just curious)

I travel under a State Department travel license that allows me to go there legally. As a matter of fact, last night my group was met and escorted off the plane in Houston by three customs officers and walked through Customs so we would not miss our connecting flight. The Commissioner/head of Customs in Washington sent an e-mail on our behalf to Houston and told them to do whatever was needed to get us home. It was wild. We had Customs officers carrying our bags, clearing our way and generally treating use like we mattered. It was really strange, not a question was asked, not a bag was searched, just zip, bang boom and we were through and we are all now home and our bags made it with us.

As for cigars, our driver's wife rolled them herself and they were wonderful.

 

[disaffected]

You can also go from Mexico. In fact, that is the best way to do it. Fly to Havana from Cancun. You'll want to avoid getting your passport stamped, but that is easy since Cuba won't stamp your passport anyway. Unless you ask them too, and why would you do that?

Bring a certified copy of your birth certificate with you so you can reenter the US without your passport, should it happen to get stamped and you "lose" it.

I travel under a State Department travel license that allows me to go there legally. As a matter of fact, last night my group was met and escorted off the plane in Houston by three customs officers and walked through Customs so we would not miss our connecting flight. The Commissioner/head of Customs in Washington sent an e-mail on our behalf to Houston and told them to do whatever was needed to get us home. It was wild. We had Customs officers carrying our bags, clearing our way and generally treating use like we mattered. It was really strange, not a question was asked, not a bag was searched, just zip, bang boom and we were through and we are all now home and our bags made it with us.

Notice how our government makes travel to Cuba for US citizens illegal, but reserves the right to easy travel there and back for themselves? No questions, no bag searches, no proctal exams, just zip, bang boom.

 

[Brewpastor]

It is definately F**KED UP. I mean, I am just a pastor, but because somebody knows somebody I get the red carpet and everybody else has to sneak through Mexico, and get the latex glove treatment. I appreciated the personal treatment, but recognise the deeper issues.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

Which parts did you go to?

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Welcome back! My time has been semi-productive.

Bring a certified copy of your birth certificate with you so you can reenter the US without your passport, should it happen to get stamped and you "lose" it.

This won't work starting next year (sometime in January, I think). Passports will be required for all air travel to Mexico and Canada. So, essentially, all air travel out of the country/territories.

 

[disaffected]

Where there's a will, there's a way. Fly to Laredo, Texas, take El Conejo (bus) to Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, fly to Havana from there, come back same way.

But it doesn't matter, actually. Cuba doesn't stamp your passport, so it shouldn't be a problem. Cancun is the best gateway to Havana from Mexico. For normal people, anyway.

 

[Focus]

Chairman & Brewpastor,

What in the world were y'all doing there? I'd guess humanitarian work, but that's a pretty good deal if you got to whip up some rum while you were there...

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

I was drilling for oil, and that is thiiiiiiiiirsty work in Cuba...

 

[Brewpastor]

I was traveling around visiting Presbyterian churches all over Cuba. I visited 22 congregations in 8 days, so I sort of felt like a presbyterian pope. There are only 31 in the whole country. But I did get achance to down a bottle of 7 year old rum and too many of each of the three beers brewed in Cuba. And if I never eat another plate of black beans and rice it will be too soon.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

And if I never eat another plate of black beans and rice it will be too soon.

You have to admit plantains are tasty, though.