Arabian Nights

Because who doesn’t go to the Middle East and write a post that elicits this tune in the reader’s head?

It is cold in Canada now. A couple of weeks ago, before the cold snap really started, it was wet and just cold enough to freeze all that moisture. I nearly broke my neck walking down the sidewalk with the wind gusting, my feet angled at 45 degrees on the slanted pavement in order to maintain a straight line. *step-slide-step-slide-step-slide, repeat*

At a time like this, it’s hard not to think of those warm Arabian nights, when the heat of the desert day finally settles into a wave of comfort, perfect for sitting outside, smoking shisha, and enjoying the company of beloved friends.

One evening, after wandering around the souq, we decided on a restaurant and settled around an outdoor table. We ordered strong Turkish coffee and 2-apple flavoured shisha. Colin said, “We’ll have the 2-apple flavoured shisha,” and the server responded with, “One or two?” We all exchanged confused expressions; the flavor on the menu was 2-apple. “Just apple flavour, please, one” was the solution to our request.

As we sipped our strong coffees and passed around the hooka pipe, I looked around us. Lots of other people, mostly men, were indulging in the same delights. Then, after a strong toke on the pipe and a fuzzy head rush, I understood. This is why they don’t drink. Or rather, how they get around not drinking. While Qatar is not strictly a dry country (since alcohol can be found if you know where to get it), the rules around drinking, obtaining alcohol, and your comportment after consuming said alcohol are strict and if I might add, a bit intense.

Think about all the cultures in the world and how many of them love drinking and have even created an alcohol of their own local region. Think, even, of the little birds and deer that love to consume fermented fruit and get tipsy! Dabbling in mind-altering experiences is pretty common. So while the Qatari people aren’t technically allowed to drink, they puff on shisha in order to get a buzz (and avoid the hangover too)!

This was a marvellous discovery.

The best part of smoking at a restaurant is the man who wanders among the tables with a bucket of fresh coals. Having someone switch them for us was a treat.

If we didn’t partake in this tradition at a restaurant, we did so at someone’s home. Smoking shisha was a fun way to kick back with friends, sip from sweating beer cans and enjoy the outside while we could – during those Arabian nights.