Stogies and El Molino

With Nicco's beach fix taken care of, we spent our last full day of vacation on a long, steep, winding ride through the mountains and into a town (Tamboril?) to visit a cigar factory and for the men to buy cigars.

 

I knew the ride would be long and that Nicco would not be as fascinated by the scenery as I, so I brought the tablet along for his entertainment. When we reached the tippy top of a mountain, we walked beside the rooftop of a restaurant on the side of the hill. The view was truly spectacular, and Nicco did in fact appreciate it. He also appreciated the menus. He thought the mills stamped in leather and nailed into wooden planks were quite unique.

We had pumpkin soup for an appetizer. Nicco's face contradicts his actual reaction. He loved it, begged his Daddy to make it, and ate it all up. He said it was the best thing he's ever had. And he didn't even add ketchup! He ate goat for his main course. Bob was impressed. He said Nicco was the first seven year old he knows to eat pumpkin soup and goat.

 He sat on the bench in this make-shift tree house on the patio

 and enjoyed the view with his dad.

Pictures don't do it justice...

 I did take one panoramic shot, but it didn't fit in this format.

Nicco made me take a picture of the lizard. He likes the bright green ones. They are different from our little brown lizards back home.

After lunch we made our way to the La Aurora cigar factory for a tour. By pure happy accident, a guide was expecting us. Well, not us exactly, but another couple of tourists who happened to be late. We started their tour and they joined us later. Nicco had to stay behind because apparently, there actually are some rules and regulations in the D.R. and children are not allowed to tour the tobacco factory. Pat graciously stayed with him, and I was glad I brought his tablet along for the long ride.

We saw tobacco leaves in burlap bags, tobacco leaves in barrels, leaves being deveined, leaves being sorted and cut, and we saw leaves blended and rolled and pressed and fumigated.

I was only allowed to take pictures in a few places so as not to reveal the secret blends.
Here are some workers wrapping, labeling, and packaging a few of the 36,000 hand rolled cigars the factory produces each day.

It was a fascinating and pungent tour. It definitely gave me a different perspective and appreciation for the product.