LA's Spannabis Adventure!

SPANNABIS 2015

Welcome my 420 family :):high-five:

OK so I thought it only fare that I share as much of my wonderful little adventure in Spain! After all, without this great community and all you lovely folks, I would never have had this opportunity in the first place! :)

WARNING SOME PICS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS! (ONLY USED MINE & THE MISSUS PHONE) SO SORRY!!!!

:420::thanks:


AN OVERVIEW OF THE EVENT

Spannabis is an event that has both the educational side of things, as well as the more commercial side going on! There were many, many discussions and lectures going on, just through a tunnel in the conference center. So the fight for awareness seemed to sit firmly on the more formal lecture side of the event. (or so I thought)
The commercial side was definitely a celebration of our community. with pride taken in every product, whether it was the smoke-able kind, or whether a differing grow product etc. An amazing sense of general family, all out to share in our shared passion! It was just so liberating to be amongst like minded people. No one looked at each other with any judgement or tension. The masses from all nations just moving as one friendly tribe!

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So where to start on my adventure lol......

Ill try the very beginning me thinks; So firstly as most know I was lucky enough to be flown over to Spannabis with my missus to experience the whole shebang!!! :)

We flew out and got to the hotel late afternoon. Immediately we were met by smiling faces and a good few people in the hotel bar. Instead of being sat on our own looking lost, we were instantly brought into conversation and included within the group!!
Now neither Myself or my missus, have never been anywhere like this before. So our preconceptions were open but perhaps still based on what normal life is like...! Ha... this is not like normal life, more what normal life could be like if everyone got along and worked for the common good!!

So yep we relaxed and had a few drinks, went outside a few times to partake of others freely given weed, (mainly some OG Kush)! Asked around trying to find my own source of green! (nothing happening!!!) Barcelona uses a club system that you have to become a member of before purchasing bud! So at this point I turned to a fellow chap at the table just behind ours in the bar. Had no idea of who he was or anything, just new he had good weed and seemed pretty cool kind of a guy. Well he simply turned looked me square in the eyes and said its all good Ill get you F'd up!!!!!! :) (the next day we found this out to be REMO!!, who's quite a big deal apparently) :) So a little later I'm blazing away with a whole bunch of strangers that all treat us like we've known them for years! (oh and this is all out at the front of reception of the hotel by the way!)

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Anyway we were having a ball :) partying away and laughing like little kids amongst best friends. Now bare in mind the next day was just supposed to be setup day for the show. So it was our day to do our thing around Barcelona, or so we thought! After having such a blast we were a little fuzzy headed the next morning, we weren't the only ones either. Most people we bumped into were simply quietly smiling a knowing little grin to one another. So due to our fuzzy state, we ventured out to check the show out and go see my Sponsors etc.
We walked the short distance from the hotel to the show. Found our entrance to obtain our wristband passes. Then we found our way in without queuing! :) The first most obvious shock was the near non existent police presence.... nothing.... This just spoke volumes of the differences in acceptance from other less tolerant countries and their outdated idea of what our community is about. The whole event seemed of no interest to the authorities!!!
We walked into the square court, the heart of the venue just within the main entrance. We wondered around scanning things vaguely and BAMM!!! Suddenly I noticed the huge screen in front of me and I'd just spotted my own plants up on the screen big screen! :) What a surprise... It was simply mind blowing!!!

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Now this was supposed to be just setup day as I said. Yet the place was already teaming with people, music was playing and the air already thick with a pungent scent of Cannabis, mixing nicely with the wafting smells of food being cooked all around.
We found our way around the place slowly, well to be honest it was a maze at first, so it was more a misinformed wonder. Our eyes bulging at all there was to see, our smiles broad as we realized where we were and just how big this was going to be!

My lady needed a rest so returned to the hotel, I stayed on some more to find any of the folk from the night before and soak the place in as much as was possible. I walked around still feeling like the little fish in a very big pond! Taking pics where I could and knowing it was going to get very busy over the next few days, so now was the time! Now even at this point the smoking had spilled into the indoor arenas. This was of course not aloud and fines could be issued, yet it was already a losing battle for the security!

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Now by now I'd walked and walked, stood and gawped and generally knackered myself out. So the day was drawing long so I called it a day.
Now the plan was for an early night, so as to make a big day of it on the following. This was a good plan!... Well we shared a bite at the hotel and had a few drinks. Then we met our pals off the first night and it all started to draw on some..... :).... Many drinks later and after much, much weed blazed, we finally found our way to bed! (our guts hurting from the amount of laughing we'd done :) )




The first real day of the show dawns!

We went downstairs to the cafe/bar of our hotel, the same knowing looks passed amongst all the Spannabis group as we met with squinted eyes. Then we were ready, well after a good few spliffs and many coffees! :)
Once in again, we had another tour around, feeling a little rough around the edges still, but loving the vibe. It was getting pretty busy already and the air was now very thick with smoke and noise. The band/DJ was banging out loud Reggae tunes to the masses outside in the court,down in front of the stage, people were dancing freely, all without care or hindrance, all obviously caught up in the great atmosphere. Whilst inside the place seemed like an ant farm!! Now heaving, it became quite daunting even for myself. So we retired to one of our friends stalls pretty quickly and grappled a beer and a smoke.

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We obviously had a few drinks here and a few smokes there, yet being honest it was all so much to take in. People from all over the world coming together. The crazy size of the place, with the hundreds of different stalls. Yes you got jostled around by the crowd, no one took it in offense though, every met glance between strangers, was greeted back with a broad smile.
Anyway my missus was needing a rest and a little nap time maybe :) So she dipped back to the hotel. I went and spent some time at the Budmaster stall and chilled for a while. This is where my friend from Pranna seeds came into the mix :) Basically we were introduced and he immediately took it upon himself to take me on a whirl of a tour. Introducing me to no end of folks! :) We were just flying around as though on the most important of missions. He new every soul by their name, reputation and standing. (no mean feet at all) Anyway as well as the introduction side, he was also the guy who kept making total effort at getting me high as hell! :)
So my journey into concentrates such as wax, shatter etc, all began with this great chap and his never ending contacts at the show! People were openly passing around their little containers of concentrates. gifting complete strangers a go on a cup winner here and a runner up there. No Gollums were present if you get me! No one hoarding their little precious!!! So yes I tried plenty of the best stuff around. I was given my first Dabb and coughed a little, then they become smooth and the oil or wax I was smoking was so clean it was stunning! They make a note to use the best natural stuff to get the cleanest of extracts.
This is where I was lucky enough to meet plenty of the big breeders and talk with them, smoke with them! :) It was all so cool. My friend was able to share his insider knowledge and explained who came up with the original of this strain and that! We would simply walk up to stalls and he new them! So my time was packed with new faces and contacts. Now this was great and no doubt part of the desired experience. Yet if all you do is blaze you will miss sooo much!

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I would pop off on my own for a while and check the smaller booths out. This is where you find natural products derived from all parts of our plant. From hemp clothing of stunning quality. To perfume made from our plants oils.
Characters at every turn. From hippie types, to dancing grandmothers and green dreadlocks all over! If you could do it it was done! From awesome edibles to Canna Beer! All ways to enjoy yourself or furnish yourself in some manner where on display.
One point Ill state again and again is the standing of US 420 Magazine!! Walking around in my 420 T shirt and being introduced as LA a grower from 420, really opened doors for me! Once people were given my brief blurb (by others at first), they suddenly took note and engaged with me. Its clear now that the market place and the big producers of products, have woken up. Our community as others is now very much valued, recognized for the great resource of advertising it clearly is. So things are moving in the right direction I can say that much :)

Anyway, This first real day of the show was a total blur. So many places and faces and hits of the best stuff in Europe! It all just rolled onwards in a misty fog for me. Then finally I'd had enough as I ached all over and returned back to the hotel. The rest of this night is a little hazy :) Also maybe not the sort of stuff I should share on here :) Nothing dodgy just really great wild times out with our usual gang in the center of Barcelona. We actually didn't get up to much, just a meal and drinks. This was fine as me and my missus have never laughed that hard before! It was just awesome times, with great people, that had all just taken us under their wings! Again it was another late night!





The second proper day dawned.

We were up and out so quickly despite our now usual morning state. We toured around and hang out with people we already counted as genuine friends! Just such warm open folk. I was to be found regualrly in the same spots; talking at length with huge scale breeders and just having a laugh.

The whole last day of the show I just touched base with all my new friends. Dropped in on a couple more stalls to have a couple sit down meetings with these new people Id been introduced to! :)
Everyone new our faces and names now. It was just so surreal as I keep saying. yet I really was able to just walk behind counters and chat with people. The looks we got were just bemused interest off the public. I spent a good while getting totally bombed at REMO's stall. He sees it as a matter of pride to get everyone really messed up! Some of the biggest hits and definitely the biggest head spinner for me was at his stall!
:lot-o-toke::hookah::blunt::bong:

Now at this point we had made so many friends, that buying weed had just been forgotten. We just kept getting given it in abundance!!! Then it was just like this with beer by now. I'd made some friends at CANNA and well theyre big. So they like some of the other large crews had a bar :) They give tokens out occasionally for free drinks. (I had more than we could use :) )

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Everyone that had been they're for the whole 3 days was shattered. Yet the buzz of the show and the adrenalin left coursing through everyone, made the last half of the day fly along. Everyone was really partying now! Beer was flowing whether it the canna beer of just some local brew. The music was really going for it and people were becoming a little more carnival in they're attitude. Seed companies were throwing packs and packs into the air to the masses. Smoke was now everywhere within the buildings. Thick like a fog, pungent and totally funny to be moving around in! Now every stall was just blazing away or dabbing this or that! Everyone was grinning that "How high am I look" It was an awesome vibe and one that felt like it just fit, that it was home and all was good and happy with everyone!
Again Ill say no police presence was ever noticed over 1 car on 1 afternoon??? The MJ movement clearly isn't tarnished by the same daft misinformation and stereotypes that it is in other parts of the world. Whilst they're I must of heard how Spain is the new Amsterdam fifty times or more!!



Ill round up here, as we did stay on for a little while longer, but those stories are for my threads, if ever :)

I'll say this, Spain was awesome, Spannabis was just mind blowing, but what really made the whole trip for us was the people!!! It really was like coming home!?! We seemed to fit right in and just made friends with ease. (this is not so, for us in the real world normally)
So my viewpoint is a little offset, to be fare. I had total access to everywhere. Got to step behind counters and chill out whenever. Even the fact of being able to leave and return thanks to our passes, made such a very big difference. I was already on the other side :) , even though to me I'm just LA?? Just a terrific statement on the people and the whole way the MJ community can come together to party hard and still leave a positive impression on an area and society. It was a huge success. With no negative press or worries of that sort. Surely these events and the awareness they can create by such positivity can only aid in the changing of things for the rest of us in the future!
If you were going without a guide who new the world, then the experience may be a little more hectic or hard on your feet. If you do ever go to an event like this, please get some damn comfy trainers or boots!!! My other advice is to just talk with people. I found that the normal barriers between people, don't actually apply for the most part. If your passionate about our plant and its various gifts then you will no doubt also just fit right at home! :)


pics to follow :) :) :Namaste:
 
Re: LA's Spannabis Adventure!!! :)

Looks absolutely amazing! So glad you managed to get out there brother!
 
Re: LA's Spannabis Adventure!!! :)

That is my favorite post of all times. Thank you for taking the time to share your life with us LA!:thumb:

Really cool to see Sensi seeds there. Old school and still thriving.
 
Ill be updating this little thread with news of developments as they come in! :)
Basically I have plenty of exciting new things to play with over the coming year! Also a couple of announcements to be made once the time is right! :)
I would recommend the experience of such a trip to everyone who has a passion for our little hobby. It changed me for certain and I couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity I was given! :)
 
I have to repost and admit that I have only really breezed through this :thumb: it has blown my socks off Guru Ji you are a 420 giant now , you have had so many door,s open to you ,, I remember the solidarity amongst smokers , around our town when I was a kid an the bond between us in remote smoker places,,, but it was all hidden away in the shadows BUT NOW its all coming from the dark and going from dusty places to wonderful glass pyramids ,, I feel so made up for all that is going on :thanks:L.A. Acharya of Flux central
:circle-of-love::love::circle-of-love:Boom Shanti
 
Ha :) it wasn't the place or time for that. They're a great bunch of people but business is business and unless I wanted it copied and produced by another instead of me its better to stay quiet. :)
So its me saving for the production prototype and then the patent! Its a simple little idea so it won't be a fortune thank god! :) I may have other things off the back of spain coming out yet :) I'm waiting to have another couple of discussions and then ill know for sure! :)
 
Ha :) it wasn't the place or time for that. They're a great bunch of people but business is business and unless I wanted it copied and produced by another instead of me its better to stay quiet. :)
So its me saving for the production prototype and then the patent! Its a simple little idea so it won't be a fortune thank god! :) I may have other things off the back of spain coming out yet :) I'm waiting to have another couple of discussions and then ill know for sure! :)

I'm sure you know what you're doing L.A., but remember that sometimes you can get a lot further with the help of a larger company backing you.... think 'Dragon's Den' :)
 
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