Long Live the Egyptian

Well, on Sat's cleaning, I noticed an alarming thing wrong with our beloved Egyptian stem... it's almost dead (Jim...)

The stem has several small cracks now, one that's leaking sand. One of the larger cracks leaks air when blown thru now as well. It's pitted, corroded, and basically at the end of it's lifespan.

Long Live the Egyptian....

So, this effectively means we now are down to (2) hookahs. Well, I am getting a small Chinese 14-17" hookah (from Ebay - $13.98), but that's not really a true hookah in my eyes. So, we need to seriously start considering a new one.

We want a tall one, 30" plus. I would prefer blue, as we have a red, green and purple one already. I want a dual hose hookah, a auto-seal would be nice, but not 100% necessary. Trance would like a gold stem, I just want a highly decorative one - something that can be a showcase item when not in use. I also want something that will last years, durable, and if possible, break down for storage or transportation.

Picky, aren't I?

Well, after searching various site and even Ebay, I've narrowed it down to 3 choices:

1) Engineer (2 hose) Hookah in Blue/Gold (Hookah-Shisha Central) for $114.95
2) X Large Gold MYA Set (Mya Saray) for $155

MYA's are know as great hookah producers. Although they aren't typical Egyptian designs, they do offer some that are very close. Plus, they are dismantle-able, this model comes with it's own carrying case. They can be easily adapted into 2 hose models and are know to last the long haul. Although pricey, you get for what you pay.

The Engineer, although Syrian not Egyptian, is according to a fellow board member a grand champ. Slightly prone to tarnishing, they are adaptable (stem height) and come in a 2-hose model. Very pleasing to the eye, it most defiantly would make a interesting piece of decor. Plus, the company that offers them is great to work with. Plus, I talked with the company and it IS a auto-seal system! Although now Trance wants silver.

I am leaning toward the Engineer - large, ornate, adaptable. With the HF discount it would run about $119 with shipping. The MYA would run between $175-225, considering we'd have to drive to Northern VA to fetch it (Trip to parent's house on the way).

I think the Engineer may have won the race....