As a Roman

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October 4th 2010

Published: October 4th 2010

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Siranna

hookah bar

Just one of many

Hookah Bars

When in Rome, do as the Romans. That is what vacations are all about. Doing what you won’t normally do (and then taking a picture or two.)

Last night as Dan and I walked the cobblestone streets of old town, Istanbul (which by the way looks like any old part of any European city and for some reason, I am reminded of Prague, Czech Republic) we wondered down a street that was Hookah Bar city. Every little store front, if you will was hookah pipes smoking city. Restaurants not only served food but offered the pipes as well. And there was some straight out just smoke ’em bars. As the Romans (or perhaps the Turks) would do we sat on a pile of rugs with a pillow at our backs and asked for a mint flavored leaves to smoke and two beers to drink. After all, if you are gonna smoke might as well drink too. The young man took the pipe in front of us, went out to the street to get it lite and brought it back and gave us a couple of mouth pieces. We smoked. Rather, Dan smoked and I coughed. Heck, I

hookah and beer

yeap. Ours.

didn’t smoke in High School, not as an adult so this is a totally new experience for me. Shortly after starting our pipe, a young German couple sat on the rug next to us. We made small talk and smoked. I took a tons of pictures to which the young man asked, “are you trying to take artistic photos?” I wanted to take a few that would make my daughter proud. I suppose I am about the only mom in the world that takes hookah pipe smoking photos to show her just fresh-out-of-her-teens daughter. Honey, are you just proud or embarrassed? And to my mom and some of my friends (the good ones) I hope you didn’t read this blog.

Light anyone?

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