h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The literal translation of that word in Farsi (Iranian Language) is "glass". The device you described is actually called "ghalioon". The body of a ghalioon is usually made of glass to see the air-bubbles. This would probably explain the use of "shiisha"... not to be used by people with asthma!!!

The description of the restaurants makes it a copy of the "kebabis" to be found everywhere in Iran, especially the previous furniture of broken plastic. Such places actually serve better kebab than the ones which spend money on decorations rather than food.

Next time ask about "Doogh" - a drink made from yoghurt and water. It is the traditional drink for kebab.

Rosewater - as much as I agree with you (and I hate the stuff), roswater *is* used in food and drinks, most notably in sweets (like marzipan in Europe), sometimes in doogh or other refreshments (ugh!!)

Expatriots are unfortunately very quick to divorce themselves from everything Iranian (sigh).

And the *erm* facilities - you ain't seen nothing yet!

I really should be paying more attention to the peer-review. And you gave me an apetite for kebab - it's been a week since last time I had some...

You can also get different flavoured Shiisha (also known as Hubbly Bubbly, amongst Ex-pats)......... My sense of smell tells me Strawberry is one of the most popular....

Also the "bongs" range from about the size of a tea pot to a about 1.5metres tall...... maybe more

I've seen even smaller ones than that. You can get them in little portable pipe sizes. Cute, but I would imagine the effect isn't very great...

Yeah, but if you had 6 of them......

In Saudi, the tall devices are usually brass including the water-containing part rather than glass and ARE called shisha. The smaller crystal or glass devices, which I have usually seen with a height of about a foot and a half, are called 'Narghila' and usually are used by Egyptians, rather than Saudis.