Among all the waterpipes we can meet throughout the world, hookah (otherwise called narghile, narguileh, narguila or shisha) is undoubtedly the most known and thz most popular.

Orientals do not have the same vision as the Westerners of the time which passes. To take time to look at passing people from a coffee, chattering during hours or playing dice are not seen like idle occupations, quite to the contrary! And hookah is an essential element of this art of living. In other words, it must not be smoked too quickly... The noise of its bubbles deeply relaxes. It is also convivial with the pipe wich often circulates between several people.

Hookah smokers in a restaurant

From The Sacred Narghile www.sacrednarghile.com

The origins of waterpipe are dubious. On the other hand, it is obvious that much of them was used to smoke "amazing" substances! The proof of it is the current use of the "bong" among smokers of majijuana...

Nowadays, there are shisha and waterpipe smokers, in many countries. Waterpipe is uses in Egypt, Lebanon, Tunisia, Libya, Jordan, Yemen or in the Persian Gulf. The waterpipe is smoked in the coffees, in the street at homz... often between men, sometimes between women. Although smoking shisha is a traditional occupation in many Arab countries, the authorities of some of them are not favourable to it. In Tunisia, it is prohibited on the public highway. Officially, it is because it would give a bad image of the country. But it could be also that certain leaders prohibit it because it favours discussions, discussions which may become political...

Last ten years, shisha became extremely popular throughout the world. It appeared in Arab countries where it was not smoked, like Morocco. Nevertheless, the most notable phenomenon is its use in countries which have nothing to do with middle eastern cluture.. From America to Europe or even in Asia, there are "shisha bars" in the whole world.

Why this passion for shisha ??? Do we want to recreate this pleasure of getting together we lost for a long time? Do we need for exoticism? Undoubtedly both! You are increasingly numerous to discover this way of meeting peole, of taking time to chatter and to slacken. So, let's do it in the egyptian way, drinking a karkadeyya (kind of herbal tea with hibiscus flowers) !