Worldwide Travel Photos

September 13, 1996 ↓

July 1, 2001 ↓
This is the beginning of a shaded tobacco field. The workers are installing poles and then wire. They will drape cheese cloth across the top to give the tobacco shade.
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001 ↓
Father ( Mr Eiroa ) and son Christan in the tobacco fields.
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001 ↓
Christian looking that the new planted seedings
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001 ↓
This is shade grown tobacco. This is used for the wrapper of the cigar.The seedlings are planted about every three feet in rows under cloth. This makes the leaves get bigger and with less veins.
— in Honduras

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July 1, 2001 ↓
Christain in a grow field of tobacco
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001  ↓
Christian light up in his tobacco fields
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001 ↓
Christain and I looking at tobacco in the field. He is explaining the different parts of the plant

July 1, 2001  ↓
Father ( Mr Eiroa ) and son Christan in the tobacco fields inspecting tobacco leaves
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001 ↓
Christan and I in the tobacco fields. He is showing me how to remove the seed pods from the tobacco plants.
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001   ↓
lined up empty wagons waiting for tobacco to be picked.
— in Honduras

July 1, 2001    ↓
Father and Son taking a cigar break while in the field
— in Honduras

July 1, 2001   ↓
Christian with his arms stretch wide open. His land for planting tobacco stretches as far as you can see
— in Nicaragua

July 1, 2001   ↓
When the tobacco is ready for harvest. It is loaded on the wagon and transported to the drying barn. These are the works posing for a picture with Father and son
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001 ↓
After the tobacco leaves are pick. They are sent to a drying barn. The leaves are hung on wooden poles for drying.
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001   ↓
Father and son checking tobacco leaves for color change in the drying barn. As the tobacco ages and dries. It will lose the green color and turn a beautiful brown.
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001      ↓
Christain holding a tobacco leave for inspection.
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001     ↓
The workers have to balance themself between the poles. They lift the filled rods of tobacco leaves to the top of the drying barn and place the rods perpendicular on the poles.
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001     ↓
workers lifting the tobacco leaves in the drying barn
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001    ↓
Jim and Christian lifting a pole with tobacco leaves on it to a worker .
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001    ↓
jim giving it a try to lift the tobacco. It looks easy but it is difficult to balance one self.
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001   ↓
Christian is checking the color of the dried tobacco in the drying barn. When it reaches a golden brown it is ready.
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001   ↓
Looking up at the tobacco in the drying barn
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001   ↓
The worker is wetting the tobacco for fermentation process.
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001   ↓
Once doused in the fermentation solution, the heads – the tobacco leaves bound by string – are laid out on palates, forming large, waist high piles called bulks. The great pressure created by thousands of pounds of tobacco generates heat which fuels the fermentation process. As the inner-most tobacco ferments, the heads are rotated from the outer layers to the center layers so that all of the tobacco ferments evenly. 
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001  ↓
In the fermentation of the tobacco leaves. Christian will check the tobacco by smell and touch.
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001  ↓
christian is reaching inside the pile of tobacco leaves to check the heat. When the tobacco gets hot enough the inner leaves will be rotated to the outside. 
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001  ↓
Father and son checking the curing process of the tobacco leaves.
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001  ↓
Jim Bennington and Christian looking at tobacco . This step is the first step in processing. 
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001  ↓
Christian over looking a worker sorting and inspecting the tobacco leaves
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001 ↓
The worker is spreading the tobacco leaves and looking for imperfection. 
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001 ↓
Christian looking over the shoulder of the worker processing the tobacco leaves. 
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001 ↓

Christian wraps a leave of tobacco around a cigar to taste it. The worker has separated the tobacco leaves Sorting and classification is then carried out into size, color, and texture of each leaf. Wrappers are classified into many different categories. Binder and fillers leaves are sorted by size and flavor. The largest of the Volado (lower) leaf is used for binders. After sorting & resting, wrapper leaves are packed and delivered to the aging warehouse.

The binder and filler leaf undergoes a further process of stripping & final classification. The leaf is moistened and the lower part of the central vain is stripped out. A final classification is made at this stage and unsuitable leaf rejected. The leaf is then pressed into piles and fermented for a second time. The upper full flavoured leaf gets the longest time and the lower leaf gets less.

After the second fermentation, the leaves are air dried, packed and sent to the warehouse for aging. 
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001  ↓
christian is checking the tobacco by burning a hole in it. This will tell him if it is ready to be processed.
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001  ↓
After The tobacco is aged it is ready for processing. Christian is again smelling and testing the tobacco to see if it is ready to be made into a cigar. 
— in Honduras.

July 1, 2001 ↓
Christian is standing in front of bales of his tobacco.One of the most important characteristics of a quality blend for premium cigars is consistency. This is almost impossible, however, without a significant amount of tobacco stock. Because so many factors are at play during the processing of tobacco, the resulting leaves from year to year can differ greatly. Therefore, a significant stock of tobacco is needed in order to keep the flavors and aromas of a blend from year to year. 
— in Honduras.

September 19, 2002 ↓
This is the beginning process of checking the samples of tobacco. Right to left Nick Perdomo, Richard Meerapfel. Meerapfel senior, Two sons
— in Beligum.     

September 19, 2002  ↓
we are on our way to the grading room
— in Beligum. 

September 19, 2002  ↓
In the warehouse of M. Meerapfel Söhne AG. Richard Meerapfel center, both sons on each side of him
— in Beligum.

September 19, 2002 ↓
bales and bales of cameroon tobacco
— in Beligum.

September 19, 2002  ↓
Bales of Cuban Tobacco
— at Beligum.

September 19, 2002 ↓
left to right Nick Perdomo, Richard Meerapfel, richard father. They are looking at Bales of cameroon tobacco
— in Beligum

September 19, 2002 ↓
Hands of cameroon tobacco leaves ready for inspection
— in Beligum.

September 19, 2002 ↓
This is samples of cameroon wrapper from each bale being arranged by a worker
— in Beligum.

September 19, 2002 ↓
The two sons of Richard inspecting the tobacco leaves
— in Beligum.

September 19, 2002 ↓
This is a burning test. They are checking for aroma and burn pattern.
— in Beligum.

September 19, 2002 ↓
Meerapfle Senior inspecting a sample of Cameroon Tobacco
— in Beligum.

September 19, 2002  ↓
Richard Meerapfel inspecting a sample of Cameroon Tobacco
— in Beligum.

September 19, 2002 ↓
Nick Perdomo and Richard Inspecting the sample of Cameroon tobacco
— in Beligum.

September 19, 2002 ↓
The final approval of the samples before completing the sale of Cameroon Tobacco
— in Beligum.

September 19, 2002 ↓
Nick finalized deal with inspection of his brands of cigars. TO be sold in Europe
— in Beligum.

September 19, 2002 ↓
The deal is done break out the drinks
— in Beligum.

September 21, 2002 ↓
Beautiful. Outside Dupont factory
— in Francia.

September 21, 2002 ↓
Outside Dupont Factory in Southern France in the Mountains of the french alps.
— in Francia.

September 21, 2002 ↓
General manager of ST Dupont Factory inspecting parts for assembly 

— in Francia.

September 21, 2002 ↓
General Manager of ST Dupont Factory and Lighter assembly worker.

— in Francia.

September 21, 2002 ↓
Nick Perdomo and ST Dupont assembly worker. There is 260 Inspection steps in manufacturing of a ST Dupont Lighter.

— in Francia.

September 21, 2002 ↓
The final assembly of the ST Dupont Lighter. This is the assembly of the lid and checking the ping.

— in Francia.

September 28, 2003 ↓
Left to right jim Bennington , Larry Lampner, Timmy Oscaner, Nick Perdomo In Germany

September 28, 2003  ↓
Peter Heinrick in front of his store

— in Germany.

September 28, 2003  ↓
Outside of peter store

— in Germany.

September 28, 2003  ↓
Associate of Peter Heinricks with Jim Bennington

September 28, 2003  ↓
Inside of Peter Heinricks Store

— in Germany.

September 28, 2003 ↓
one of many cars on display at store

— in Germany.

September 28, 2003  ↓
vintage auto on display at Peter Heinricks Store

— in Germany.

September 28, 2003 ↓
Jim, Nick and Timmy in front of Peter Heinricks store

— in Germany.

September 28, 2003  ↓
Peter Heinricks on left and Nick Perdomo in Peter store

— in Germany.

September 28, 2003  ↓
Nick Perdomo and Daughter of Peter Heinricks in his store

— in Germany.

September 28, 2003  ↓
Left to right Nick Perdomo,Fritz, Peter Heinricks, Jim Bennington, inside Peter Heinricks Store.

— in Germany.

September 28, 2003 ↓

August 22, 2012  ↓
This is the air port terminal in Coast Rica Trip.
— in Costa Rica.