In Middle Eastern culture Smoking Surgery is considered one of the pleasures of life. A passion, the one for water pipes, which is spreading even more in our cities with the opening of many shisha bar. Rooms with a pleasantly relaxed atmosphere, often characterized by an ethnic décor that transports us ideally in the magic of an eastern suq, where you can smoke the hookah in peace: a real rite that symbolizes theunion, thefriendship, the Brotherhood, and involves all five senses.
First, the hookah is in fact a visually fascinating object, whose operation involves the touch. The taste and smell are instead satisfied through the aspiration of smoke, while the gushing water gently caresses the hearing. A combination to say little pleasant and relaxing that has decreed its growing success.
Index of Article
What is the hooker
A hookah is basically a water pipe intended for smoking of mixtures of flavoured tobacco and low nicotine content, whose level is further reduced by water action within the pipe. Often made of glass, the hook has two or more flexible stems from which to aspire the smoke cooled by the water and consists of four parts: Agizlik (bocchino), Lüle (the upper part of the hook), Marpuç (the tube) and Gövde (the body of the pipe which is filled with water).
Origins of the hookah
It is believed that the hookah originated several centuries ago in India or in Persia and from there it spread in the rest of the Arab world. Initially it appears to be composed of shells of coconuts and only later, when the hookah begins to be made with the glass, it is also called shisha, the term in which the mixture of tobacco is usually indicated, but in fact refers to the base in glass.
It is in Turkey that the hookah evolves to reach the refined present form, becoming in the seventeenth century a pillar of the social life of Turkish coffee and, subsequently, of all Middle East. At that time the habit of reuniting in coffee to smoke together, exchange news, stories or simply share calm and meditative moments.
A tradition that has come intact to us, that we can live in shisha bar or even at our home, buying a hookah in specialized stores, even online.
The galaxy of the hookah
Unlike cigarette, smoking hookah is therefore at all effects a social activity and, like any event of this kind, it follows generally unwritten rules of galaxy, but that it is useful to know in order to better live this convivial experience.
First, the hookah is designed to be used exclusively with special blends of tobacco shisha and nothing else: avoid using ordinary tobacco, whose taste would not be as pleasant.
Refined and filtered by the water, the light and pleasant smoke infuses the senses, causing a slow meditative breathing that well fits to accompany conversations, but also quiet contemplation and study.
The most experienced smokers also recommend always using the appropriate coal, specially made for smoking hookah, to be preferred to normal charcoal briquettes which can also cause unpleasant poisoning. When you smoke, make sure that coal doesn't overheat, burning shisha tobacco and giving it a bitter taste.
When smoking in group, it is good education to leave the owner the first shot. When a person ends up smoking, never passes the hook directly to the next smoker, but rest the tube on the table to allow others to use it.
If you're using a single-tube hooker and everyone has their own mouth, always remove it from the tube before passing it. If you are using a common mouthpiece, make sure you clean it before you pass it to others.
Two things to avoid absolutely, when smoking hookah in group: blowing the smoke in the face to another person and use the charcoal that heats the tobacco of the hooker to turn on a cigarette, considered an extremely rude action. If you can't help it, better get away from the group to smoke the cigarette.
