Ping Hookah Smokers!

[Slash McCoy]

Any hookah smokers here?

Here are pics of me on a ship having a smoke after my overtime work. Today I had a truly sublime smoke in a waterfront cafe in Bir Dubai, called the Blue Bajeel. The hookah was not up to the ones I own at home, nor the ones I have smoked in Istanbul, but superior to the ones sold in the shops here in Dubai. The Shisha was orange flavored Al Fakher, and I accompanied it, due to the warm climate in the Persian Gulf region, with iced tea, unsweet, lemon slices and sprig of mint. The breeze blowing off the creek kept me cool under the awning as I watched the dhows motor down the creek (they call it the creek... it is actually about 1/4 mile wide and separates Bir Dubai from Deirah) and on into the Gulf. A pleasant, lazy two and a half hours were spent just blissing out. Took pics with my new iphone 4g (factory unlocked, bought in singapore) but haven't processed them yet so maybe I will post in a couple of days if there is any interest.

In the pics I am posting here, I am on "the porch", aft of the house, right at sundown.

[ouch]

I thought Ping made golf clubs.


I must say, you look happy.

[DE Shaver]

Now here is a man that takes his smoking seriously.

[SpyvSpy]

I used to smoke Hookah alot a few years ago. Haven't done it lately but I might break it out tonight. If you haven't already Tangiers sells some great tobacco (I really like brambleberry, blue gumball and orange soda)

[Pete]

I own a MYA QT, which I purchased almost exclusively as a means of smoking during Winter months when it's too cold outside to spend an hour or more with a cigar. I prefer Nakhla, and recently started smoking Tangiers, which I'm still trying to get the hang of. Admittedly, I don't enjoy hookah half as much as I do cigars, but it's enjoyable none the less. One advantage is the fact that I can smoke hookah in the house without leaving stale smoke odors - I wouldn't even consider smoking a cigar in the house.

[Slash McCoy]

Yeah, the hookah definitely has a nicer after-odor. I like a nice cigar 4-5 times a year... the other day I had a perfect Cohiba Robusto. Like you, I won't smoke one in my house, though. Actually I still haven't had anybody object to the smell of the hookah. Ever. What other form of tobacco smoking can you say that about?

I grieve over the gradual passing of the traditional Turkish style. You know... the unglazed bowl fits into the riser tube instead of surrounding it, with cloth tape for seal instead of those cheesy silicone gaskets. With the old style, you could fit any bowl to any riser to any base to any hose, and it would work perfectly. Now if you aren't very careful, you end up with orphan parts and pieces that don't fit anything, all in the name of progress and planned obsolescence. Plus I love the extra long handpieces of the old style, and the big leather hoses. I hate those cheesy little plastic hoses passionately.

[Granaura]

I too enjoy a Sheeshah on occasion with a blend of Green apple and Mint!

Cool, tasty and very relaxing!!

I was lucky enough to grow up with plenty of Lebanese people around me.

[DFrancis]

I have not smoked in a while, but I do have a few packs of various Al Fakher stored in the freezer (my former Lebanese employer suggested it). My wife and I used to think it was sometimes making us nauseous but it turns out that was the quick light coals we were using, switched to natural coals and all is good. Love me some double apple.

[PlasticCity]

I have not smoked in a while, but I do have a few packs of various Al Fakher stored in the freezer (my former Lebanese employer suggested it). My wife and I used to think it was sometimes making us nauseous but it turns out that was the quick light coals we were using, switched to natural coals and all is good. Love me some double apple.

You should just keep the flavors in the room, just make sure the container is sealed, keeping it in the freezer will hinder the flavor over time. With that said, I really do love smoking hookah, with friends, or alone, really is something else.

[DFrancis]

You should just keep the flavors in the room, just make sure the container is sealed, keeping it in the freezer will hinder the flavor over time. With that said, I really do love smoking hookah, with friends, or alone, really is something else.

Thanks for the info .

[PlasticCity]

Thanks for the info .

Np, : )

[bradyarz]

i'll have to bust the hookah back out; it's been a little while since i've had a good smoke. i've been on a cigar kick for the last 4 months or so, but i generally rotate every few months or so between hookah, cigars, and a pipe.

[Storer50]

All this Hookah stuff sounds interesting. I will have to try it out

[DFrancis]

All this Hookah stuff sounds interesting. I will have to try it out

It's a great, relaxing smoke. very mild too as the tobacco is smoldering from the heat of the coals as opposed to being on fire, ice water also smoothes it out.

[RockyNomad]

I've never tried it but have been interested and checking it out at one of the hookah bars. Do you inhale it? How long does bowl last?

[bradyarz]

I've never tried it but have been interested and checking it out at one of the hookah bars. Do you inhale it? How long does bowl last?

it's not a harsh smoke at all. in fact, inhaling is encouraged; the flavor is better that way. you won't get any sort of bite or harshness unless you take a huge lungful every breath, and even then, it will only make you cough once or twice due to the clouds of thick smoke you'll be belching.

i've never been to a hookah bar, but smoking by myself i can make it last anywhere from 20 minutes up to about an hour. larger bowls can smoke longer, as the op alludes to:

A pleasant, lazy two and a half hours were spent just blissing out.

[mmadha]

I remember Hookah smoking in the south of Spain last summer and it being quite an enjoyable experience.

[Slash McCoy]

Right on the quick-light. It is sadly inferior and sadly prevelant due to the convenience factor. I do use it occasionally, as circumstances dictate, but mainly I use it to start the coals in my fire can. I light two, place them in the bottom of a perforated vegetable can from which I have torched off the lacquer coating, and then put 4 or 5 cubes of Coco Nara or similar compressed charcoal, or a bunch of natural charcoal, on top. Only rarely will I actually smoke with quick-light, and then I let it get going good before placing it on the bowl.

For the newbies and wannabes... it isn't even really smoking, though you do in fact inhale. The shisha does not burn. The heat of the charcoal vaporizes the moisture out of the shisha blend. Even a non-smoker can inhale deeply without coughing in a properly prepared hookah. If you cough, probably you overfilled the bowl and the shisha expanded so that it is in contact with the foil, or else your coals are burning too hot. I like to perforate the foil only in the center part, going out only halfway to the edge. This way I can control the heat by moving the coals toward the edge or toward the center.

Maybe I will do a quickie newbie tutorial one of these days.

[weenerdog3443]

Nice. I love my hookah. When I was workin on the ship we stopped over in istanbul turkey and went to a hookah bar over there. Completely different than back here in the states. I use to have a nice collection of tobbacco, rose, mint, bubblegum, banana, strawberry the list goes on...

[PlasticCity]

If anyone has any questions on how to setup hookah, or tips and tricks, brand info etc. feel free to PM me, I'd gladly help, since hookah is another great hobby, and very relaxing.