Can * nois * seur ( kan' us sur' ), n. one competent to render critical judgement on the qualities and merits of cannabis
We headed past the Mission to the Bernal Heights Collective, 33, 29th street (off Valencia) for a test run. The dispensary is colorfully decorated outside, and after passing through ID check and the inner door, one enters a small but comfortable room, with table areas for smoking and vaporizers available, much like the Vapor Room in the Haight. The budtenders are extremely friendly, not pushy, giving one time to make a selection. The menu is quite varied with many hard-to-find strains. We chose God's Gift and were not disappointed. This hybrid is a full-bodied mind enhancer, with the easy liftoff of a condor spreading its wings and soaring above the California Coast on a sunny day, watching the colorful parasurfers, hang gliders, and skydivers below. A sweet taste of the West Coast groove...
While BHC consistently offers excellent versions of excellent strains, their discount policy varies
with the mood of the day. A bit pricey, but make no mistake, the Bernal Heights Collective is a first-rate joint.
Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained
Mid September '65, the Mediterranean was clear green glass, but a chill hovered in the late afternoon breeze. The season was dwindling on Ischia, the islanders preparing to hunker down
for the winter. i took a morning swim, diving underwater to follow a long ray of sunlight that shimmered like a gold carpet on the bottom of the sea. In the afternoon we boarded our weekly ferry to Naples, to check American Express. Lo and behold two letters containing money orders had arrived from New York. This meant we could A) go back to New York right away or B) go back to Baalbek and arrive in New York with seed money. We chose the latter. We found a travel agent in Naples who hooked us up with a freighter that went from Piraeus, Greece, to Beirut. Eight days later we would meet a freighter in Haifa, Israel, that would take us back to Naples.
So off we went on the now familiar overnight train to Brindisi Italy, and car ferry to Greece.
Lady M's seven bags presented logistic problems until we reached Piraeus and boarded our Turkish freighter to Beirut. The second night at sea, i woke up after midnight and saw a strong light coming through the porthole. It was the full moon, hanging low in the sky, the size and shade of an apple. Stars the size of dimes and quarters blazed like torches in the sky. i awakened Lady M and we went out on deck. As we watched, a shower of meteors rained down. We made a wish on every one, and they all came true. Be careful what you wish for....
During that time, traveling by cab in Lebanon was relatively cheap, and advisable, since between us we had a total of nine bags. The cab went up the same winding mountain road to the Bekka Valley, as had the bus, and left us at the same hotel i stayed at a few months earlier. We went to the ruins ( by now i knew as much as the tour guides), had tea at an outdoor cafe, wandered around the tiny market, and there i spotted my old pal Tom. He was happy to see me, and thanked me for sending Eddie A and Gerry his way. And yes, he could deliver what i needed that very night.
That evening, after dinner at the hotel, we went out for a walk to our prearranged meeting. Sure enough Tom arrived with four robed cohorts, and took us for a short ride near the ruins. There we exchanged the cash for the keys. We were good to go.
The next morning i booked a cab ride to Damascus, Syria. From there it was on to Jerusalem
with two and 1/2 keys of Baalbek's finest.
Next: The Jerusalem Shuffle
Recommended Reading: Finn by Jon Clinch
