Asian Tales of the Green One

[mriko]

yup jesse, it's gonna keep going for a while, through Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh & North Pakistan. I don't know, all in all, something like 200 to 300 pics maybe. I'll make sure to update with new photos & texts at least once a week, health allowing...

Irie !

 

[dill786]

salaam mriko..

kaise ho jee !!!

i like the first pic man !! you have the afghan cap/ syaasi jacket and the salvar kameez, hehee.. were is the chador !!

 

[jessethestoner]

Good to hear mriko, please update as much as you can I'm very envious and am living vicariously through this and other threads. If my own health is good in a year or 2 I'm going to go to nepal and maybe a few other spots, my best friends family is there and he's ways talking about visiting his old home and gathering new seeds. And I'd be happy to tag along if I could

 

[quitelost]

Thanks for this mirko, I've read your posts on asia for years and thought this thread had a lot of potential, so I had to dust it off when I came across it. Looking forward to your coming posts and maybe I'll have some pic's to add later on.

ql

 

[mriko]

salaam mriko..

kaise ho jee !!!

i like the first pic man !! you have the afghan cap/ syaasi jacket and the salvar kameez, hehee.. were is the chador !!

Salam bahi ! tik hun, aur aap ? sab kuch tik hai ?
eheh, yeah, all clothes were made in Kashmir actually, but same style as pakistan up there. Jacket is getting old & tired, I guess I'm gonna have to go back there for a brand new one !

Good to hear mriko, please update as much as you can I'm very envious and am living vicariously through this and other threads. If my own health is good in a year or 2 I'm going to go to nepal and maybe a few other spots, my best friends family is there and he's ways talking about visiting his old home and gathering new seeds. And I'd be happy to tag along if I could

eheh, good, then go jesse, go ! These are so amazing places (though I've not been to Nepal, yet...), and the less we wait to go & visit them the better. Things are getting fucked up so quickly alas...
I've got a friend here who's from Kullu valley and he's invited me too next time he visits his family. Alas, he's probably planning it for next summer and that won't be possible for me. Anyway...

Thanks for this mirko, I've read your posts on asia for years and thought this thread had a lot of potential, so I had to dust it off when I came across it. Looking forward to your coming posts and maybe I'll have some pic's to add later on.

hey quitelost, you're sure welcome to post photos of yours ! I'm only asking that you, or anyone else who wishes to post photos in this thread, to stick to the rules I have written in the first post.

A few more pics, still in Kashmir.

I like to imagine all those bushes in the distance are more cannabis plants.

These first two are for you jesse !

Some rice paddies, the small patch on the left in the background is a small private garden which is actually packed with tall sativa plants.

Still "in the distance", the line going through the center of the photo, right above the rice paddies is a roadside that is also densely packed with plants, just like the photo below

nice roadside eh ?

Typical poplar-shaped sativa, with rather small leaves, the most common type to be seen up there.

More roadside greenery.

For some reason, there doesn't seem to be a lot of genetic variations in the Kashmir valley (outside the valley is another story). All cultivated plants I have seen were tall sativas, and the road-side plants show very little variations too. And there was this peculiar blue-green color which was also much dominant. Could that be due to the soil and some mineral ratios specific to the valley ?

More later,

Irie !

 

[RandyCalifornia]

As always, I love the pics Mriko, very beautiful. They are good in the morning for inspiration with a good joint.

 

[mriko]

Thanks Randy !

Here more inspiration !

Some fenced patch on the road side, still these beautiful sativa plants. My, those must be quite a sight when in full bloom !
Sorry for blurriness & over-exposure, so much smoking...

More roadside greenery. Do I see a very slight indica influence ?

Irie !

 

[StRa]

great shots mriko!!!!

 

[Kangalunacy]

Gday Mriko, nice thread thankyou,

I,ve enjoyed the pics of kashmir,
particularly the wild cannabis shots
cheers
KL

 

[La Buena Hierba]

nice my friend

 

[sibcanabi]

Thank you for your very nice photos

 

[sibcanabi]

Hi Mriko you were in Chitral if were you can put a few pictures I GROWTH Pakistan Chitral Kush from kanabiogen loved would like to see the plant at home thanks

 

[dill786]

great pics.... cant wait to read on..

 

[mriko]

Hi Mriko you were in Chitral if were you can put a few pictures I GROWTH Pakistan Chitral Kush from kanabiogen loved would like to see the plant at home thanks

I sure will post pics of plants in CHitral, but that will have to wait for the Pakistan part. I go chronologically, so that is Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, then Pakistan.

Irie !

 

[mexcurandero420]

Do you know anything about Pakistani genetics grown in Morocco???

Keep on growing

 

[mriko]

Do you know anything about Pakistani genetics grown in Morocco???

Greetings mexcurandero, indeed, it's been quite a few years since Moroccan have introduced foreign genetics. Last "wave" started about 10 years ago, maybe little less. First time I came accross such material was in 2004 in A'dam, when I met B. Dronkers, who gave me some hash which he told me was made specially for him. One of the chunk was from Pakistan hash plants and wouldn't compare in anyway with genuine Moroccan, or genuine Pakistani hash.
If you check at coffeeshop menus, in A'dam for instance, you'll see quite a few offering of so-called "Pakistana" and other stuff made from afghani genetics.
This stuff was actually available in my town last month. It came in 100 & 200gr "cheese-wheels", and the quality seems to have improved since I first sampled that kind of stuff almost 10 years ago. Better flavour with nice indica buzz. But still a far cry from the real deal (be it Moroccan or Pakistani). I'm curious about the origins of the imported stani strain(s). Since it has an indica buzz I'd think about Swat or some Chitrali (although the effect has absolutely nothing of the usual Chitrali nasha). Or maybe it's some afghani cultivars bought in some Pakistan dope market, who knows.
Anyway, not very interesting hash in my opinion; bland, soul-less, no story to tell... I don't refuse to smoke it, although, as far as I am concerned, it remains nothing but a corruption of both Pakistani & Moroccan hash.

Irie !

 

[mriko]

Greetings & Love everyone !

I guess it's time for a little update, eh ? So let's go hashish !

Something that is too rarely seen in the West (well, UK probably receives its share eheh...), the fabled Kashmiri Twisted Garda !
I think it's my all-time favorite hash (or at least in the top 5), and certainly the most beautiful I've come accross.

This one is made in a particular way. The loose sieved resin is actually first heated (or even steamed !) before being wrapped in corn leaves, then the "cobble" is very tightly twisted and let too cool & harden. The end product is very hard (you generally need a lighter) and can actually be quite powdery. Forget about bubbling, I haven't seen that on any chunk i've scored. Flavor reminds me a lot of imported ganja. Earthy & sour, sometimes i really had the feeling i was smoking some nice african pot. Effect is fantabulous, all sativa, super uplifting, both mood & body, spiritual, no ceiling, a true wonder. A few puffs will get rid of any anxiety attack and send the pilot piercing through the clouds eheh...

ok, enough yap, actually no, a little more...
This first pic here is our very first Indian score. Kashmir wasn't in our plans (summer 2002, hot! hot! hot!) but them people know their job and it was a piece of cake to put their hands on us newbie. While we were arranging our stay, we came to talk about smoke and availability. Sure available ! So we simply asked to have some stuff waiting for us upon our arrival in Srinagar like you would ask to have this or that in your mini-fridge (AIN'T THAT COOL ?? haha ! I love that...) and that was it.
After nearly 24 hours of mind & back wrecking bus ride, we finally reached the fabled Kashmir valley. A short stop in a restaurant, then we hop for the last leg. While the bus was speeding toward our destination, I suddenly became intrigued by a funny smell in the bus. "Uh ? what's that ? it reminds me of..." and at that moment I look outside the window and... "GANJA !". Good Lord, the road side were packed with humongous deep green plants, kilometers & kilometers of sativas feeling the air with a heavenly perfume ! Elders sitting in front of their shop smoking hookah, Steph & I were totally blasted, never had we seen so many plants, we were just like turkeys haha !
Then the bus stopped, time to get off ! Ahmed, our driver (private driver & car, it's in the "package") was waiting for us, and as soon as we had loaded our bags & ourselves and made introductions, we came to the subject "So you want to buy some "chocolate ? -Yes Sir!" we decided for 3 tolas (about 30gr) for 500Rs a piece (little less than 10 euros at that time). Ahmed went straight out of the car, into a small wooden shop and came out a minute later. He handed me the piece of news paper containing the stuff, I opened it and "oh putain ! c'est de la garda torsadée !!!" Twisted garda ! I was ages away to imagine we were going to get such a thing. I had heard of it since many years (although from Nepal, not Kashmir) and it was beyond my wildest dreams to have that kind of material in my hands. wooohooo ! "Go on ! you can smoke now if you like, don't worry about the soldiers, they won't bother you!" (there were like half a million if not a million of soliders on each side of the borders in Kashmir at that time, so they were everywhere, different kind of green, err...).
So we proceded and lighted we great delight our first Kashmir smoke, and woooooof, suddenly the cab turned into some kind of magic carpet, taking us through time, back to some...err... well, I don't know what to say...can't explain, that was just amazing & unforgettable. Go there, live it by yourself, and you'll know...

OK, enough yap this time !

More later !

Irie !

Mriko

 

[mexcurandero420]

Greetings mexcurandero, indeed, it's been quite a few years since Moroccan have introduced foreign genetics. Last "wave" started about 10 years ago, maybe little less. First time I came accross such material was in 2004 in A'dam, when I met B. Dronkers, who gave me some hash which he told me was made specially for him. One of the chunk was from Pakistan hash plants and wouldn't compare in anyway with genuine Moroccan, or genuine Pakistani hash.
If you check at coffeeshop menus, in A'dam for instance, you'll see quite a few offering of so-called "Pakistana" and other stuff made from afghani genetics.
This stuff was actually available in my town last month. It came in 100 & 200gr "cheese-wheels", and the quality seems to have improved since I first sampled that kind of stuff almost 10 years ago. Better flavour with nice indica buzz. But still a far cry from the real deal (be it Moroccan or Pakistani). I'm curious about the origins of the imported stani strain(s). Since it has an indica buzz I'd think about Swat or some Chitrali (although the effect has absolutely nothing of the usual Chitrali nasha). Or maybe it's some afghani cultivars bought in some Pakistan dope market, who knows.
Anyway, not very interesting hash in my opinion; bland, soul-less, no story to tell... I don't refuse to smoke it, although, as far as I am concerned, it remains nothing but a corruption of both Pakistani & Moroccan hash.

Irie !

Thanks for the info, but i've seen some pics of Moroccan strains grown here in the west with red stems and when grown outside the whole plant turned purple in the flowering time, so is this natural for the Moroccan strain or is it from Pakistani influences??

Keep on growing

 

[MotherNature]

Mriko hi!
This is probably you can help me sort this question out
Look at this here please https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?p=5658521

 

[mriko]

Hey Hey !

Did a bit of scanning yesterday evening, so here it is !

We keep going with a little hash.

One nice chunk of so beautifull Kashmir Twisted Garda, that one was 3 tolas I think. Scored in McLeodGanj though...

Here a view of cut open hash pieces. Left is the twisted garda, right is some "attar". It's the name of high quality Kashmiri hand-rubbed charas, and by high quality, I mean you can forget about that Malana cream crap !
That one particular piece had a very sweet & strong lemon flavor and the effect was out of this world. First puff was like going through a portal, into a strange world of colors sounds & weird dreams. Saddly I could only get that one small chunk pictures above.
During my last trip I was given a small piece by A kashmiri friend, while in Delhi. Not sure I shoot a pic, will have to look for it... The stuff was very sticky and nearly black. Smell was hearthy, lemony, peppery & quite sour. My buddy actually warned me when he gave me the small piece "carefull, it's strong wallah, this is what I use to get in trance while listening Qawwali". OK... I've seen my share of strong stuff, that should be fine, did I say to myself...
That was the evening before I fly back to France, so was a bit in a hurry, but I found the time to light up one in my room eventually. Well, that's not the kind of stuff you should smoke if you're in a hurry or under any other kind of pressure. The thing came quick with the first hit, very strong rush, getting you shacky & short breathed, wondering what the heck is going on. Took me a few minutes lying down & breathing slowly to calm down, if "calm down" is the right term, because the thing was hitting really hard. Strong, speedy & muy psychedelic, but definitely not as easy & friendly than the twisted garda. Not for the faint hearted, neither the newbie or it's a trip to the ER. Beingin a hurry I alas couldn't enjoy to the fullest this gem but energy was full on !

Irie !