Before I go much further with this, let me preface this by saying that I am not much of a drug user. However, I recently tried absinthe for the first time.
Many of you have probably not tried it. Absinthe was the favorite drink of artists, writers and poets during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Impressionists imbibed in it heavily, which probably explains their paintings.
Hemmingway shot himself while drunk on the stuff, and Van Gogh practiced his now famous bit of body-modification after downing a bottle.
Absinthe is first a hard liquor (140 proof), green in color, and tastes almost overpoweringly of licorice. It also has something a bit" extra" in it. All sorts of strange alkaloids and chemicals are mixed in, the strongest of which,
thujone, is similar to THC. It is illegal to sell (but not possess) in most countries
You drink it in an almost ritualized fashion. You put an ounce into an absinthe glass, and then add two ounces of water, slowly powering the water
over a slotted spoon holding a sugar cube, dissolving the sugar into the drink. The result is a strangely cloudy, light green liquid. Some call drinking absinthe "dancing with the green faeries." It is almost the western, bohemian
version of cha-no-ryu.
We specially set up my large, round canvas tent which I use for Renaissance Festivals, and lit a dozen candles. Around eight of us gathered as we poured, mixed, and slowly drank the liquid. Absinthe is a social drink.
Absinthe is supposed to help the drinker tap into the creative portion of the psyche. It is also supposed to be mildly hallucinagenic. It certainly loosened tongues, but did not make everyone stupid, as alcohol tends to do. Also, unlike with pot (which I have never tried), the things dicussed, or the ideas contemplated were actually profound, and not stupid when reviewed after a return to sobriety.
I had three ounces, and found the affect very subtle. I did not experience any hallucinations or distorted perceptions. I will try it again, but would like to experiment with a somewhat larger amount; although I have been warned that absinthe hangovers are vicious.
Many of you have probably not tried it. Absinthe was the favorite drink of artists, writers and poets during the 19th and early 20th centuries. The Impressionists imbibed in it heavily, which probably explains their paintings.
Hemmingway shot himself while drunk on the stuff, and Van Gogh practiced his now famous bit of body-modification after downing a bottle.
Absinthe is first a hard liquor (140 proof), green in color, and tastes almost overpoweringly of licorice. It also has something a bit" extra" in it. All sorts of strange alkaloids and chemicals are mixed in, the strongest of which,
thujone, is similar to THC. It is illegal to sell (but not possess) in most countries
You drink it in an almost ritualized fashion. You put an ounce into an absinthe glass, and then add two ounces of water, slowly powering the water
over a slotted spoon holding a sugar cube, dissolving the sugar into the drink. The result is a strangely cloudy, light green liquid. Some call drinking absinthe "dancing with the green faeries." It is almost the western, bohemian
version of cha-no-ryu.
We specially set up my large, round canvas tent which I use for Renaissance Festivals, and lit a dozen candles. Around eight of us gathered as we poured, mixed, and slowly drank the liquid. Absinthe is a social drink.
Absinthe is supposed to help the drinker tap into the creative portion of the psyche. It is also supposed to be mildly hallucinagenic. It certainly loosened tongues, but did not make everyone stupid, as alcohol tends to do. Also, unlike with pot (which I have never tried), the things dicussed, or the ideas contemplated were actually profound, and not stupid when reviewed after a return to sobriety.
I had three ounces, and found the affect very subtle. I did not experience any hallucinations or distorted perceptions. I will try it again, but would like to experiment with a somewhat larger amount; although I have been warned that absinthe hangovers are vicious.
