Reefer Smoke

If New York City is the "Big Apple" then Sao Paulo, or Sampa as the locals call it, should be known as "The Big Pineapple"! This notion puts a smile on a Brazilian's face because they have an expression in this culture, where if you have a thorny issue to deal with, you must; "Descascar o Abacaxi", which roughly translates to "remove the peel from the Pineapple" and as you well know that can take a sharp knife and considerable force but what you find inside is one of the sweetest and tastiest fruits on earth. The parable to this story is also that the pineapple can be tough and sharp, even intimidating on the outside - just like this city. This is the reason my crazy attorney friend, the Brazil Poker Pro, suggested the new nickname of Sao Paulo, Brazil as the "Big Pineapple".

On a recent get together with my friends here in the Big Pineapple, we took pleasure in the age old ritual of splitting up a block of Brazil Maconha. The weed was as fresh as I've seen here in Brazil, super compressed and wrapped in a special packaging that was easy to cut through. Sort of reminded me of the way good cheese is sold, with a thick outer shell. The smell was faint, a little musky but definitely that unique maconha scent, that which the deep inner mind knows instinctively, will bring satisfaction. Needless to say, the first order of the day, when splitting up a brick of maconha, is to smoke as much and as often as you care to indulge in. So, some nice reefer rolling craftsmanship was also displayed at this festive event.

In case you're wondering, the chunk of maconha in the photo as 100 grams and cost $400 Reais at $4/gm (equivalent to about $238 USD), basically a standard priced deal. The convenience of buying in the block this size is the freshness, not so much the price but the habit here is to keep it in a sealed container, in a cool, dry place, without direct sunlight and it'll last for along time, depending on how chronic you are.

The photo added is in it's maximum size so that you could take a really close look at the density and the quality. For the fun of it, take a look at the little photo gallery I published here: www.reefersmoke.com/gallery/maconha/ - Also: I published another article related to Maconha in Brazil back in December 6, 2008.