Wednesday, May 07 2008
This story from The Times (UK) by Robert Crampton offers a candid look at how cigars can alter your perspective about yourself and other things.
In Seville for my cousin's wedding, I discovered that the custom in Spain is for the bride's father to
hand round cigars after the reception. Thus, at about 2am, thanks to the Spanish habit of eating their evening meal in the middle of the night, I came into possession of a very decent Montecristo. Two actually, because my brother gave me his.
Three, in fact, as I ordered my son to secure one as well. Nothing better illustrates the weed-worship and machismo that still predominate in Spanish culture than that no one seemed to find an 11-year-old boy asking for a Havana at all odd.
Given that the Spanish are taking the usual relaxed attitude towards their smoking ban that Mediterranean countries reserve for European Union directives (ie, they regard the new law as a suggestion, perhaps a guideline, at best an aspiration) I was able to fire up my treat where I sat, indoors, in a public place. Coming from the law-abiding North, this felt like a revolutionary act, whereas what struck me about the whole clipping, lighting and puffing ritual is that you can't perform it without turning into a capitalist pig.
To continue, click the article headline below:
Cigars: the perfect capitalist prop
