P.G.C. Hajenius

The day I found Hajenius I was window-shopping like I sometimes do when I see a store that sells cigars. See, it’s like this: I’m a one-a-day guy, weather permitting. (I know, I know.) Back home, I average 25 a month in warm weather. (OK I said I know.) I am certainly not the first person to fall victim to Cuba’s gift to the world. Mark Twain once remarked, “If smoking (cigars) is not allowed in heaven, I shall not go.” See? It aine just me. But when I came to this place, my daily consumption dropped by exactly one hundred percent.

P.G.C. Hajenius

In the world’s most liberal country (believe that and I have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn), you can hardly smoke—indoors. Come here and you will see many, many people smoking cigarettes. Like back home, you can see crowds of smokers huddled near door fronts near where they work. They smoke on bikes, they smoke while walking, and they smoke at tram stops. You’ll see them everywhere, except indoors. (Get this: they take their dogs anywhere and by “anywhere” I mean “everywhere” but you can’t smoke. Help me. And the French. Do not get me started—in Paris recently it seemed like every person, everywhere had a cigarette hanging from their mouths. French people eat with one hand and smoke with the other. I could almost hear Robin Williams’s classic parody of the French preoccupation with cigarettes: Oui, I smock! You see, I geeve zee cigarette to zee bay-bay!)

Anyway, I’m wandering along when I came to Het Huis Hajenius. Jackpot. Great, inexpensive (as see-gars go) Cubans, a fabulous smoke room, coffee, port, and wine by the bottle or glass, and except for the direct link to mouth and throat cancer, Hajenius is perfect. (I was gonna ask if they had rooms to let, but I figured they already knew I was American.)

No caption necessary

Today my plan was pretty simple—a morning stroll through the Albert Cuypmarkt, a smoke at Hajenius, lunch and back to reality—grocery shopping and laundry. After my smoke I went back to the market for a delicious lunch at one of the many food stalls. Afterward I stopped in for a quick visit with Jim and Ev and was soon back home.

Lunch (with a smile?)

I told you before: het leven goed is