The advent of the cigarette, a development that many nargile smokers consider one of the most deplorable in human history, forever changed the way Turks use tobacco. But at places like the Erzurum Salon, named after a town in Anatolia, old ways are still respected and old preasures still enjoyed. There is not much noise inside. Conversation is only occasional, and always soft. The sound of dominoes being played or backgammon tokens being moved is often all that competes with the soft gurgle of bubbling water.
Some patrons work absently on crossword puzzles and others seem lost in contemplation.
No alcohol is served, as is traditional in nargile cafes, and smokers usually sip coffee or tea as they puff. Every few hours, the Muslim call to prayer issues from the Molla Celebi Mosque nearby, and about half the patrons leave, returning after their devotions. When urban renewal forced it to move to its present location near the Bosphorus in 1991, its clientele faithfully followed. Behind the counter are nearly 60 nargiles, most available to all, but some belonging to customers for whose exclusive use they are reserved. When a patron arrives, the manager, Yasar Guler, selects a nargile, cleans it, and wraps a handful of damp tobacco around the stone bowl.