Colder breeze comes - suggests a remark of weather change in one September afternoon. I can feel the fall coming, bringing couple degrees down on the thermometer. Afternoon walk is like a must, as living in real Eixample brought many new things to discover.
A cup of "cafe con leche- largo" on the table, while watching people as they climbs up the Metro stairs in El Clot - Barcelona:
"Perdona..."
"Perdona, senorita.."
I turned my head to a guy on my back. There were two guys - both with strange face staring curiously at me, with their cigarettes lit and estrellas on the table.
"El duele..., mmm, el tabac... duele...??"
Even with my -enough to live two year in Spain- spanish, I understood what he meant. I don't know what "duele" is, but "el tabac" and the gesture was enough for me. [later on after, my friend told me that I must have heard it wrong. It's suppose to be "huele" (smell) - not "duele" (hurt)]
"Es clavo."
"Clavo??"
"Si, si. tabac con cla-βo." I stressed out my "V" for them to understand me.
"Aahhhh..... claβo, claβo.. la especia? Que raro."
So I took the box and show it for them to see.
"Se llama "kretek". de Indonesio. Quieres algo?"
I open my magnum filter box and handed one to him.
It didn't take so long before he put it off and told me that it's too strong. I wasn't surprised. It's not the first time I've been asked about the smell - and not the first time I've been told that it's too strong. Well... compare to "white" cigarrete of course.
Kretek. (pronounced /ˈkrɛːtɛk/) are cigarettes made with a blend of tobacco, cloves and other flavors. The word "kretek" itself is an onomatopoetic term for the crackling sound of burning cloves. [1]
The first enjoyment comes when I lit it: keep the fire couple of cm from the tip of kretek, and let only the heat reach the cigarrete. When the first clove mixture burnt, the smoke comes out and the sound appears. A long inhale brings the scented smoke up and turns on a part of my brain. A slightly sweet taste lingered on my lips, like a caramel aftertaste on a tip of a hot chocolate cup. The rest would be like sensing the air comes to the lung - and you wouldn't have to hurry - since it lasts "forever". So, first: it's full enjoyment. Second: it's "benign" to my wallet. Third: it's good for state devisa. And... since we are all going to die somehow at the end anyway... this is how I appreciate "NOW" that I have.
Kretek: Indonesia defined.
A cup of "cafe con leche- largo" on the table, while watching people as they climbs up the Metro stairs in El Clot - Barcelona:
"Perdona..."
"Perdona, senorita.."
I turned my head to a guy on my back. There were two guys - both with strange face staring curiously at me, with their cigarettes lit and estrellas on the table.
"El duele..., mmm, el tabac... duele...??"
Even with my -enough to live two year in Spain- spanish, I understood what he meant. I don't know what "duele" is, but "el tabac" and the gesture was enough for me. [later on after, my friend told me that I must have heard it wrong. It's suppose to be "huele" (smell) - not "duele" (hurt)]
"Es clavo."
"Clavo??"
"Si, si. tabac con cla-βo." I stressed out my "V" for them to understand me.
"Aahhhh..... claβo, claβo.. la especia? Que raro."
So I took the box and show it for them to see.
"Se llama "kretek". de Indonesio. Quieres algo?"
I open my magnum filter box and handed one to him.
It didn't take so long before he put it off and told me that it's too strong. I wasn't surprised. It's not the first time I've been asked about the smell - and not the first time I've been told that it's too strong. Well... compare to "white" cigarrete of course.
Kretek. (pronounced /ˈkrɛːtɛk/) are cigarettes made with a blend of tobacco, cloves and other flavors. The word "kretek" itself is an onomatopoetic term for the crackling sound of burning cloves. [1]
The first enjoyment comes when I lit it: keep the fire couple of cm from the tip of kretek, and let only the heat reach the cigarrete. When the first clove mixture burnt, the smoke comes out and the sound appears. A long inhale brings the scented smoke up and turns on a part of my brain. A slightly sweet taste lingered on my lips, like a caramel aftertaste on a tip of a hot chocolate cup. The rest would be like sensing the air comes to the lung - and you wouldn't have to hurry - since it lasts "forever". So, first: it's full enjoyment. Second: it's "benign" to my wallet. Third: it's good for state devisa. And... since we are all going to die somehow at the end anyway... this is how I appreciate "NOW" that I have.
Kretek: Indonesia defined.
After your real amazing dissertation of tobacco or as you said kretek, triying always to remember that i'm against to the cancer, i just want to ask you: Can i try it please? :) :) i would like to be able to feel the romantic and poetic description.
ReplyDeleteof course u can... just remind me next time we meet for coffee or chocolate. hahaha.
ReplyDeleteLegend...
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