Cigar Factory Closings in Cuba

               A few posts ago someone commented that the cigar factories in Cuba were closed to visitors, forever. I found that very strange and could have called friends in Havana to find out but decided to ask them personally since I would be going there soon. It's not true. I had an idea that maybe the wokers were on holidays. Workers in the cigar factories are entitled to 30 days off per year which is usually split in two 15 day vacations. One between July-August and the other between December-January, depending on the factory. Not every factory has the same closures at the same time. It may have been that the person who thought that, might have been there at the wrong time.
                There's something else going on Havana right now. The Partagas factory is shutting down very soon for some long overdue renovations that may take up to 6 months to a year. For that reason, they are not running tours at the moment. They will be moving to the now closed Rey del Mundo factory temporarily but the store will remain open while the repairs are taking place. The last time the Partagas factory shut down for repairs was in 1989. At that time the repairs took 2 years afterwhich upon reopening the famous Partagas store was inaugurated.
                 The new H.Upmann factory has moved temporarily as well. The new factory isn't very old but due to poor construction was in need of repairs almost from the start. They are now at the Romeo y Julieta factory which was being used as a school for rollers before the move. I wanted to talk to my friend Miquelito the director personally but unfortunately the day I went to surprise him was his day off. If all goes well I'll be back in February and I'll give an update.