Traveling… without a doubt, is the word—or better yet, the action—that we should all take at least once in our lives. It means venturing out to discover landscapes, enjoying a different cuisine, and, of course, experiencing part of the magic of each destination.
A journey is undertaken in different ways: when you plan it, when you take it, and when you remember it, which I consider its peak moment. It is like Cuban Black tobacco, which once you light it, you begin to discover what a country tastes like, perceive the aroma of the fermentation rooms, and—why not?—travel along with the evolution of the thirds of each vitola.
I have always said that the first third is not the same as the last, when the tobacco reaches its climax and it becomes impossible to put down.
Master Habanosommelier
The airplane landing at the Bari-Palese Karol Wojtyła Airport in Italy is one of the most beautiful approaches I have ever enjoyed, as it sits right beside the Adriatic Sea, part of the Mediterranean.
This adventure would take me through one of the richest gastronomic regions of that country: Puglia, famous for its wine and fine dining. A pairing that would later turn into a triad, adding the smokes of Cuban Black tobacco, represented by a small-format Montecristo, yet packing all the blend and identity that distinguishes this emblematic brand.
Once outside the airport, the next step was taking the train to the city of Monopoli—an approximately 40-minute journey between fields full of grapevines and, in the background, the sky-blue sea: glimpses of the spectacular nature of Southern Italy.
Set upon the coastal plain, Monopoli owes its strategic position on the Adriatic to a historical succession of peoples and cultures. A commercial hub and bridge between East and West, over the centuries it has witnessed the passage of Cretans, Byzantines, Normans, Spaniards, and Venetians. Its name derives from the Greek monos and polis, and it extends along 15 km of low-lying coastline.
But a mishap occurred… Having arrived at the hotel, tired but eager to go out and enjoy those ancient streets and little white houses, a bag went missing—lost, misplaced, or taken—an event that would later bring laughter to the trip, since it supposedly contained our passports.
How many times have we forgotten a lighter or a cutter on a trip? Although on this occasion, we ended up mobilizing the locals and searching around the hotel. Long story short, we ended up with a police officer who didn’t understand a word of English, communicating through hand gestures and later with a translation app between us.
However, you learn from everything, and in the end, troubles are always lighter with smoke, food, and wine. The truth is that one never returns the same from a trip, just as it happens with a cigar: no matter how many times you have enjoyed its flavor, its handcrafted soul will always surprise us with shifts in its organoleptic notes and evolution.
Once this Italian tragicomedy came to an end, we toured the old town of Monopoli. What a place! Its medieval architecture is characteristic of churches and convents, and the influence of religion is such that in one temple, we found an exhibition of 20th-century mummies.
The city, with its narrow alleyways, white Mediterranean-style houses, and a few neoclassical villas, served as the prelude to a beautiful trattoria that enriched our gastronomic memory with homemade pastas, crisp salads, and house wine. But there was more… The manager of the place, enthusiastically, offered us the best pistachio cannoli I have ever tasted—a dessert I will remember as La Dolce Vita.
Then, the walk continued, and we enjoyed balconies filled with flowers and found clothing shops, crafts, and wine stores. Precisely from one of those spots, looking into the distance, a small shop overlooking the harbor caught our eye, leading us to a medieval-style bar.
There, we laughed at our “misfortune,” as all the plans we had hatched to recover the passports dissolved over a glass of red wine and a prosecco, before a seafaring view filled with fishing boats and scenic vistas.
Monopoli’s port evokes wonder, as it cuts right into the historic center and its docks have been flanked by buildings since the Middle Ages. However, this exposure to the sea left it vulnerable to raids, necessitating defensive structures, most notably a massive castle situated on the promontory of Punta Penna.
In the 18th century, the wealth generated by trade allowed for the reconstruction of numerous churches, such as its medieval cathedral, transformed into one of the finest examples of Baroque in the land of Bari.
Night fell along with our energy, and the gastronomic tour concluded with one of the best burratas of the trip; a starry sky, straight out of a postcard, and a Montecristo Short, which reminded us that to travel is to leave things behind and renew the person who stepped off the plane… Just like Cuban Black tobacco, which changes in character and evolution puff after puff.
As a fitting end, suffice it to say that the next day, the passports turned up in their respective bag, which had not been lost after all, but was tucked inside another bag. Another moment to remember…
