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[color="#333333"][font="tahoma"][size="2"]So as already posted, I just got back from a short trip to Lebanon, and about 8 hours before leaving the country I did end up buying an argileh, similar if not quite exactly like the kind I wanted. As you may have seen in the other thread, the standard Lebanese cafe pipe is tall, sleek, and simple, like these examples: [img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs459.ash2/73286_592564314571_37003198_34554486_3134232_n.jpg[/img] [img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs964.snc4/75708_592564259681_37003198_34554480_8281538_n.jpg[/img] So I wanted one more or less like that. None of them are solid metal, they're all hollow and light stems. But I figure they smoke great and if the cafes use them multiple times a day they must hold up. My biggest goal was to find one of those designs, with a big hose port and decent size purge like this, from the Bay Rock Cafe: [img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs797.snc4/67772_592653545751_37003198_34556797_8238286_n.jpg[/img] Those ports are big enough to stick a big hose into, and they purge completely after a few seconds. However, not every argileh you get at a cafe is like that - many have a very small hose port and really crappy purge - they smoke great too, but you're limited to specific kinds of hoses and purging through the bowl only. Needless to say, I really wanted the first kind. Try as I might, I could NOT find one for sale like that. (I only looked on my last day, though I checked out two big shops. It seemed that to get the big hose port I had to get a super tall pipe that wouldn't fit in my luggage, despite the cafes having reasonable sized ones with big ports.) Here I am checking things out in Saida:[/size][/font][/color] [font="tahoma"][size="3"][color="#333333"] [/color][/size][/font] [font="tahoma"][size="3"][color="#333333"][size="2"][img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs939.snc4/73260_647051212031_1002163_36185549_7026412_n.jpg[/img][/size][/color][/size][/font] [font="tahoma"][size="3"][color="#333333"][size="2"]I passed on it because of its small hose port. However, in the end, I figured that was my only option [/size][/color][/size][/font] [color="#333333"][font="tahoma"][size="2"] So this is what I ended up buying, from a much bigger argileh shop in the outskirts of Tyre/Sour: [img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs056.ash2/36186_592653560721_37003198_34556800_6482840_n.jpg[/img][/size][/font][/color] [color="#333333"][font="tahoma"][size="2"] You'll notice - no purge, and a small hose port. I REALLY [/size][/font][/color][color="#333333"][font="tahoma"][size="2"]wish I had found one with a bigger hose port so I could use a Narbish or Elmas hose, but that'll have to wait till next time I guess. [/size][/font][/color] [color="#333333"][font="tahoma"] [/font][/color] [color="#333333"][font="tahoma"] [/font][/color][color="#333333"][font="tahoma"][size="2"]I figured screw it, if Turks don't need a purge on their Elmas nargiles I don't either, and the argileh at the last place I smoked before getting this had a small hose port like that and crappy purge BUT smoked great, so I figured what the hell. Specifically this one: same type of hose port, HUGE clouds of smoke:[/size][/font][/color] [font="tahoma"][size="3"][color="#333333"][size=2][img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs472.ash2/74594_592653515811_37003198_34556793_2428453_n.jpg[/img] [/size][/color][/size][/font] [color="#333333"][font="tahoma"] [/font][/color] [color="#333333"][font="tahoma"][size="2"] Those issues aside, I quite like it! The whole set, glass, stem, tray, bowl, tongs, and hose was something like $33 or so. 600 grams of mu'assal as shown was about $18. Not sure the precise breakdown, but the total for everything in that pic was $52.[/size][/font][/color] [color="#333333"][font="tahoma"][size="2"] Base detail: [img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs951.snc4/74494_592653570701_37003198_34556801_2432067_n.jpg[/img] Not the thickest glass, but at least it's not painted - it's actually red. The tray was an upgrade to the standard option, and well worth it in my opinion: [img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs783.snc4/66385_592653575691_37003198_34556802_7398464_n.jpg[/img] Detail of the stem: [img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs918.snc4/73192_592653585671_37003198_34556803_3656279_n.jpg[/img][/size][/font][/color] [color="#333333"][font="tahoma"] [/font][/color] [color="#333333"][font="tahoma"][size="2"] It has a single port in the heart, no common chamber crap. Fairly wide bore (didn't measure). 100% airtight[/size][/font][/color] [color="#333333"][font="tahoma"] [/font][/color][color="#333333"][font="tahoma"][size="2"] And the hose, similar to HookahJohn's Syrian Beater Hoses, but slightly shorter, coming in at about 17". By the way, that's NOT standard - Lebanese cafes have short handled hoses as a rule.[/size][/font][/color] [color="#333333"][font="tahoma"][size="2"][img]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs891.snc4/72433_592653590661_37003198_34556804_4368539_n.jpg[/img] The stem of the argileh is about 27" long, and the complete pipe, including a normal Lebanese bowl, is about 33". Anyway, haven't smoked it yet (I just got in from Beirut today), but let's see how it goes! [/size][/font][/color]