Greetings....
Finally the day arrived. 24th May was the beginning day for one more Official International
meeting of our Saloon.
But a cool "agenda" was expecting all Saloon’s
friends for those days:
- Walk around Praha,
- Visit to pipe and tobacco shop
- Dinner with local pipe club members
- Visit to the city.
- Trip to Countryside to Kostlec
- Visit to Jan Klousec and Michal Novak workshop
- Visit a local traditional market,
- Visit to Kostlec’ Castle
- Visit to an old brewery with ISS’s dinner
- Pipe making Workshop “since the draft” we call it..
- (with Georgi Todorov, Michal Novak and Jan Klousec)
- Final Dinner with "ISS round table" decisions...
- Fairwell.....
Cool moments, great smokes and JOY,…
The main part of agenda’s…..Saloon’s friendship brotherhood enjoying the Saloon’s spirit…
Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Portugal and Denmark were the countries official represented at 2nd ISS Meeting 2013.
Early on Friday, Saloon's CEO leaves his Country and arrived in Praha.
Once arrived....and boarders "crossed" the meeting was about to begin!
The main part of agenda’s…..Saloon’s friendship brotherhood enjoying the Saloon’s spirit…
Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Portugal and Denmark were the countries official represented at 2nd ISS Meeting 2013.
Early on Friday, Saloon's CEO leaves his Country and arrived in Praha.
Once arrived....and boarders "crossed" the meeting was about to begin!
So far everything was “OK”, all bags arrived well and no border issues
with pipes or tobacco,,,,Time to look for the better place to meet Thomas Bazan,
our Austrian friend, who was about to arrive as well…driving since early
morning from Austria. Well, it's early morning and nothing better than a smoke and a hot coffee...and it happens...
Already with Thomas it was time to look for some pieces that he did during passing days, weeks or months...
Nevertheless...cool way to begin the morning. Coffee, pipes, and good friendship! 2nd Official ISS meeting was more than LIVE!
Time was passing and the next to join was Carsten Anderson from Denmark.
Our Danish friend arrived and all 3 went to city center to proceed with Hotel check in and meet our local friend Michal Novak that with Jan Kloucek were the local hosts.
As they were representing Czech Republic we were about to have all countries represent (all countries regarding the Official ones I mentioned)
Carsten Anderson, João Farinha, Thomas Bazant and Michal Novak
After having lunch in an cool terrace just in old city,at
this point of time, and while waiting for Martin Niemann, our friend
representing Germany but in real true he was flying from Norway....a walk
around Praha to visit some pipe and tobacco shops and have good time…
Cool to see the huge
selection of tobaccos that we can find around there.
We visit various kind of shops,to all tastes. With a lot of tobaccos,
pipes, accessories, well shops for all tastes..one thing to have in consideration: Czech Republic has liberalization of tobacco prices. This means that the amount to pay for the “same” tin is different shops are
different as well…
you could be surprise….so we were…!
Good moments, time was passing and the agenda being successful reached.
time to meet, or at least look for our 2 friends that were nearby.
Jan Klousec our local
friend and also one of the hosts was already with Georgi Todorov, our Bulgarian
friend, that arrived also in the morning but only at the afternoon they could
join us. (João Farinha and Carsten Anderson)
Meanwhile, and while wait for the combined hour to meet all together, nothing better than an “technical Stop” for a drink and a smoke….You can imagine the moments of wellbeing, happiness, JOY and also cold! Indeed, the weather was dark-grey and cold all time. (Michal Novak and Thomas Bazant)
Finally we meet Jan Kloucek and Georgi Todorov and next step was finding
the restaurant where the meeting dinner would take place. Fist idea was to visit and have dinner at Praha' Pipe Club but a change of plans took us to a good restaurant, at city center, old town and we were allowed to smoke inside...you can imagine with the cold that we were facing, this was a great news ......
One of the reasons
also to get out of the terrace: the rain was following down. This dinner had a special topic for ISS meeting: We were pleased with
the visit of Praha pipe club members. Besides the Praha’pipe club president,
also a quit number of members joined to the ISS meeting dinner.It was cool and
it was great to share some information and knowledge, experiences and smoke moments….
Meanwhile our German friend, Martin Niemann was
arriving at Airport and already had the coordinates to the place. Unfortunately
due to the time of arrival, plans within agenda and traffic to cross the city
he had to went “alone” from airport direct to the dinner meeting! But all went
well and here he was…also prepared for a great meeting!
(Martin Niemann with his "M" cap)
During dinner many happiness, good times, good food and
cold drinks…
After dinner we visit a cultural place of Praha: a old brewery that now serves drinks and some snacks…good music and an excellent environment to spend some times among friends. And that was what happened: good times to remember with Praha Pipe Club members.
Second day was beginning. An city tour, by foot, to
see some more places around old town, and also to do some shopping. Yes,
tobaccos worth to be bought around there.
Always with a map (just in case) we look deep the
old part of town.
Seeing all monuments and typical places of tourism reference but also others
that we had notice the day before. We got cold weather but we spend a great
time having fun…
After that was time to leave Praha Old town and Czech
Capital with all music and cool environment to drive to countryside.
Destination: Kostlec.
On the way to Kostlec we could see great landscapes...
And then we find it: An nice small village with very nice and friendly people where we spend 2 more days of our ISS meeting!
Arriving at Kostlec we visit at first stop Jan Kloucek and Michal Novak workshop where we spend a little taking a look and learning a lot.. but that will be reported on a special Blog!
Keeping on the visit to Kostlec, we were at a local typical market.
Handcraft product, made by local artists, typical pieces by wood, ceramic, and rope…just to mention a few
(Michal Novak and Martin Niemann)
Kostlec's Castle is now being used as University.
And also a recovered building that in the past times gave a roof to the
poor people who worked on the lands.The historic reports that the Boss´ pay
for each space those Man occupied at this building just to have their life’s
and in form that they were near the lands to be worked…
This time those Men were the ISS members…
Indeed that place after recovered, is now a place to stay, like an Hostel.
Clean, cool and of course, typical!
Great to be there as well! A cool experience
And there we are:
At the end of the afternoon it was time to visit an old brewery, now changed in restaurant, beer house. There we had dinner, we made a point of situation regarding Saloon’s Universe in General and also some decisions were taken.
ISS friends at the 2nd Official meeting
Now all countries represented, all together
João Farinha (Portugal) Martin Niemann (Germany), Carsten Andersan (Denmark),
Michal Novak (Czech republic),
Georgi Todorov (Bulgaria),Jan Kloucek (Czech Republic), Thomas Bazant (Austria)
At the end of the afternoon it was time to visit an old brewery, now changed in restaurant, beer house. There we had dinner, we made a point of situation regarding Saloon’s Universe in General and also some decisions were taken.
Well it was impossible to prepare this an Saloon’s
blog without talking about the spirit, the friendship and the brotherhood that
bring all of us together no matter where you are from, no matter your “social
status”, no matter , no matter,.,,
What really matter is the appreciation of life having
in common a one thing: Pipe lifestyle, pipe way of life and all that means:
Saloon’s way of life as well.
Special thanks to our local hosts:
We were also allowed to smoke inside so we taste some tobaccos as “Demitt 666” and “Shrill” from Indonesia, a special gift from our friend Zippo and Rope tobacco, pure tobacco from Brazil, a special gift from our friend João Martins. For both of them a great thanks.
One more time, with this meeting we prove that real friendship brotherhood
moves us all around the world.
That’s the way Saloon’s live: Keeping the essence of the Values!
Cheers friends…
Read about, being part, giving support is great, realize it in live is admirable
A word of deep
and sincere thanks to all Saloon’s community.
Special thanks to our local hosts:
Michal Novak and
Jan Kloucek
These friends from Czech Republic, both pipe makers, prepared a great
weekend during the 2nd Official meeting around there, they compiled
topics in agenda, logistics, pipe making workshop (that will be reported on other blog) and for that and for all support a big thanks.
We were also allowed to smoke inside so we taste some tobaccos as “Demitt 666” and “Shrill” from Indonesia, a special gift from our friend Zippo and Rope tobacco, pure tobacco from Brazil, a special gift from our friend João Martins. For both of them a great thanks.
Some cold drinks and nice moments we spend….
CHEERS my friends.
Health!
Hope to see you soon around Saloon’s Universe.
Cordial and sincere thanks.
I Know that CEO appreciated a lot all enforce!
Cheers and let's prepare next year's meeting!
