Hash Cafes of Cairo
Comfort of camaraderie and cannabis are found in the comfort of the hash cafes of Cairo.
Cairo, the violent sun can broil the brains of a field worker or tourist, but there is soothing relief in the secret shadows of Cairo's famous hash cafes. The workers who pick produce in the relentless heat, the cab drivers, the engineers, the rootless young men, the slow-moving old men, all who have the half dollar for the cup of strong tea and a pipeful of rich Lebanese hash, men of all ages come to relax in the forbidden comfort of camaraderie and cannabis in the comfort of the hash cafes of Cairo.
There are three main quarters where hashish is smoked openly in Cairo: Opera, Chobra, and Garden City. In these sections of the city, hash has been smoked openly for over 2,000 years. Of course, it is still theoretically against the law, but who could stop a tradition, a pleasure the people have claimed so long? Besides it keeps the people from raging Arab springs.
“People” is not, perhaps, an accurate description of the clientele of these quiet cafes. Women are absolutely forbidden. So are tourists of any kind, unless escorted and paid for. Even native Egyptians must be extremely “G'had,” or cool to be admitted. Only in Opera, Chobra, and Garden City is hashish ever smoked openly in Cairo.
Perhaps openly is not an accurate description either.
Be Happy
Smoking Hash in the Open
Much like smoking from a vape, the hash being smoked in Cairo is never exposed. So smoking hash in the open is about perception vs reality. You order your Turkish coffee or tea and the attentive waiter quickly and smoothly prepares your block of hash on top of a traditional brass water pipe called a “Narghila.” No tobacco is ever mixed with the hashish, but very slow burning, dark charcoal is used to keep the pipe lit.
Tourists are absolutely forbidden without an expensive pass. So is the taking of photographs. So don't take out your iPhone, but make sure there is a GPS tracker on. The hash community in Cairo is again literally a dangerous environment, so be real careful.
Just about all the hash smoked in Egypt comes from Lebanon. In fact, two-thirds of the Lebanese crop goes to Egypt. And yes, over the decades, the wars in Lebanon have not disrupted the hash trade to Egypt. Smuggling continues even today...and every day. Port Said is the largest port of import.
The hash? It is sweet and gives a mellow, clean head. Blonde and red Lebo of the freshest quality is served. Black dope occasionally comes in, but it is scarce. Copious amounts of tea and coffee are served. Hash makes the customers thirsty. But one pipeful from the very generous waiters is enough to keep most men happily stoned well into the evening after the sun goes down.
Outlawed, but openly accepted for thousands of years, Cairo's Hash Cafes attract old men and young, field hands and engineers, anyone with 50 cents for the pipeful of mellow high. One pipe will require endless cups of Turkish coffee brought by waiters who also fill the waterpipes. The cafes are forbidden to women and foreigners.
Egyptian Hash Smoker Glossary
Trips will be much better if you take along an Egyptian hash smoker glossary. It sucks when you feel stupid in a foreign country, not because you feel stupid, but because you literally are stupid in a foreign country and no one really wants to be stupid.
A SALAMI....Peace on you; see you
ALILAM EL YKAZA....Nightmare; bad trip
ALLAH....God
ANA MASTOOL....I’m stoned
ASHOK....Piss
BAFRA....Papers
CHANTA....Bag
ELM TANGIM....Astrology
G'HAD....Cool; Righteous
HOWAYDA,...Uncool
KABADA ALA....Bust
AF....Joint
NAGMAH....Star
NARGHILA....Waterpipe
SHAN...To be hanged
TARIKH....Night club
TESHRAB....To smoke
WALAHA....Lighter
WARDA....Flower
YHLAM....Dreams
YNAM....Sleep
Really, if you study this short list, I can assure you almost all of your forseeable problems in Egypt can be covered. Especially if you have to take a piss while buying hash at a cafe, have lost your matches from the night club where the dancer wrote her number inside.
About the Creator
Frank White
New Yorker in his forties. His counsel is sought by many, offered to few. Traveled the world in search of answers, but found more questions.
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