Three days after presenting a poster and covering The Emerald Conference in San Diego, California, the vast voyage began that would inevitably change the course of my life, and possibly fate, forever.

It all starts with bouncing from Las Vegas, Nevada’s Harry Reid International Airport with only a carry-on backpack, then jetting on a Fly LEVEL© operated by Iberia Airways 12 hour non-stop $359 flight out of Los Angeles, California to Barcelona, Spain. Good thing it was a pseudo red-eye because I was already knackered from the last event. Since I forgot to book a return ticket out of the European Union, my last minute purchase on Ryanair to London, United Kingdom, at the agent counter 20 minutes before boarding, somehow, possibly through the power of Gonzo journalism, landed me in seat 4L at the front of business class with a bit of extra legroom. 

I sat next to a British chap, we’ll call J.M. for now. He was a semi-professional poker player, engaged to a woman living in Los Angeles and is now getting married to her in the familiar city of, you guessed it, Las Vegas. As a finance savant, J.M. and I chatted for a good chunk of the flight about many philosophical ideas and worldly endeavors. The repertoire with my doppelganger on a reverse tour was an engaging and introspective way to pass the time across the Atlantic.

Spannabis History 

Okay, before jumping off on a philosophy trip, I should explain what Spannabis entails. Barcelona as a city, functions as Europe’s beacon for trade shows. Despite weed being completely illegal in Spain, Spannabis shines as the largest European cannabis fair - now running 20 years strong. 

Conglomerating 4 events, The International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC), Spannabis Fair, a symposium titled The World Cannabis Conference: International Cannabis Forum, and The Professional Growers Cup aka “Spannabis Champions Cup” all make up the juggernaut known collectively as SPANNABIS. Events are held in Fira de Cornellà from March 9-12th, with a plethora of afterparties, mixers, and networking gatherings usually in El Centro. Requiring a special invitation, ICBC's afterparty at CLUBHAUS was a noteworthy example. 

One extra festivity to partake in, held this year at Wizard social club the day before the main event I'd definitely recommend, is the Squash Off. There I met the creator of the Grand Daddy Purple strain and his two sons who entered the event. It is a winner-take-all competition, where flowers are assessed twice, once before and after rosin pressing. Which brings me to my dear friend and mentor. 

Captain Meets Captain

Captain Hooter, for those who don't know, is a Professional “Interpener”, multi-year High Times Cannabis Cup Judge, Worldwide Herbal Connoisseur, Author, U.S. Navy Veteran, and was kind enough to take me under his wing as a first time journalist in Spain. Capt. Hooter invited me to club CHOKO the first night I touched down, and we joyfully introduced ourselves over a bowl of buds sprinkled with camaraderie. He was already in from Amsterdam for the Dab-a-Doo. Later at the Squash Off finals, Hooter connected me with many elite members of the community. I shared a moment with cannabis royalty such as Mila, The Queen of Hash, who was a very sophisticated, intelligent and charming judge.

Highways in Spain are smooth. Using an app called Cabify to scoot from my first hotel in a neighboring city Viladecans, I linked up in El Centro thirty minutes later. Uber is usable, standard Taxis are waiting everywhere to flag down, and they all accept major credit cards. 

The marijuana social club scene in Spain runs deep. With approximately two hundred various locations to sample, I made it to numerous during my two weeks in town such as Cookies, Dr. Dou, Wizard, HQ, CHOKO, and Three Monkeys. In the future, I intend to write a more robust guide on how to navigate the underground web of cannabis clubs throughout Barcelona and Madrid, so stay tuned. 

At the moment, my personal favorite is CHOKO. They have local art featured on the walls from various painters, a large tri-level layout, chill and mellow atmosphere with trip hop and psychedelic rock music, a friendly bilingual staff of budtenders, great products, hospitable owners, drinks on hand, digital card payments, and a solid El Centro location. 

Main Event 

First impressions of the 19th annual Spannabis: it's a zoo. Imagine if MJBizCon, Emerald Conference, and the Emerald Cup met and spawned a hybrid child, stronger than both! Three totally separate expo halls opened into the outdoor pavilion with several thousand attendees jamming to a stage with bands and a food court. Many vendors featured games, where you could spin a wheel to win a seed prize. Hundreds of familiar faces like Storz and Bickel and Dutch brand Mascotte were prominently set up and selling to the global fanbase. Businesses from every facet of commerce, including cultivation to consumption, were in full force. 

Tourismo was rampant. There weren't many Americans that I ran into. A couple of Californian seed sellers turned up. Mostly European residents from Italy, France, U.K., Netherlands and even China represented the cohort. All converging to propel the plant forward, through progressive ideas and participation towards knowledge propagation. As you can tell, I'm a big proponent of pontificating and producing ideas for the global populations. 

And the blunts were aplenty. Caution to the newbies who have never “spliffed,” it is more common in Europe to mix THC with Tobacco versus smoking pure flower. My friend E. says if you are not used to this combination, or have been drinking alcohol prior to “seshing”, it’s highly advised to double check the ingredients if someone offers you a joint. Only because of mixing all those chemicals, if you are not used to them, it might seriously disturb your equilibrium. 

A very nice colleague, Dr. Anna Schwabe, Ph.D. in Cannabis Genetics, fortunately linked me up with London Niro and his wife Adele from The Dank Hour. Another CBD cultivator in our group was an ally from Italy named Micele of Sativa Creations. Once the interviews and mele of the convention wrapped for the day, I spent time with this tribe decompressing, breaking bread, sharing journalistic war stories, and collaborating on new ways to uplift the cannabis community. 

On our last epic night, Captain Hooter shared some edibles he was judging. We all connected over the plant while basking in the warm glow of a Barcelona evening on La Rambla street. Nujabes provided a stellar soundtrack to enhance the vibe. Make sure to try the local paella, tapas, cava, and vermouth. So many restaurants can be found that are of a delicacy caliber without breaking the bank. Near the beach, Salamanca has a robust menu of seafood as a top notch choice. 

Finale 

If you are thinking of visiting next year, it is definitely worth the trip. An article such as this, can never fully capture the magnitude of the breadth of the experience. One must first tread lightly upon the sands of time and dip their toe in the oceans of life to be swoon by her slow advances. Still, Spain should be on everyone's bucket list! Beyond just the convention, the culture in this part of the old world is magnificent. 

For the polyglot, mastering Spanish is an obligation because it is the second most spoken language. Moreover, many parts of the world speak the language (as the official language of 20 countries and non-official but often used in the United States, Belize, and if you ever happen to find yourself in Andorra or Gibraltar). Mobile app Duolingo is a free and fun interactive educational tool to help learn survival Spanish, which comes in extremely handy. 

Watched the Spanish sunrise on the day of departure, surrendering to a final morning moment of awe. Undoubtedly, I'm going to really miss this place and the people. España has an alluring way of bringing you in close, looking you in the eyes, and melting your soul with a kiss of authentico cultura. It's quite easy to fall for such an enchanting seductress. Eons of tested femininity endure through the romance language upon one's lips, giving a companionship poetically experienced with the ease of tranquility found solely in La Piel De Toro. 

In the heart of artists, Spain can not be neglected. As a matter of fact, the beauty and uniqueness of Spanish poetry, drama, cathedral architecture, sculpture, painting, music, and literature like Don Quixote have contributed to a prolific influence in the world of art. My only regret was not doing this five years ago. 

Perspectives 

After walking the streets of Catalonia’s capital for one half month, sightseeing places like La Segrada Familia, swapping hotels to the posh Occidental 414 with a balcony view perching El Centro then over to Hotel Nuevo Triunfo behind the Apolo Theater in the trendy Poble Sec neighborhood, bathing in the sun and ocean at Platja Barceloneta, ascending in the Teleférico, aka cable car, up to the peak of Castell de Montjuïc peering across the Mediterranean Sea, and exploring the inner and outer dimensions of my own perspectives, the realization of why I had attended this event halfway across the world, including what the whole thing really meant, finally struck me. The search for acceptance. 

Acceptance is why we as human beings are fundamentally searching for purpose through the multiple layers of discovering our personal path. Finding or discovering a direction yields travel abroad and expansion of consciousness while looking for a destination. Finally, as a gift, obtaining acceptance through our community demonstrates why cannabis culture is unique for allowing a holistic symbiotic relationship for all those who venture into its warm embrace. 

This article is dedicated to my four Denver, Colorado, John F. Kennedy public high school Spanish Teachers of four years. Particularly to Mr. Smith, for always pushing us to improve our accent and motivating us to take the trip to a foreign country to use the language one day.

Extra Tip: 

Pickpockets are always lurking. Be aware of your surroundings. Be careful to keep your wallet and keys in a front pocket. Don't keep your cell phone in your back pocket or leave a bag, or purse, unattended.

An amusing afternoon memory to share is of walking down a major street where construction makes the path and sidewalks very narrow. I was wearing gray sneakers, dark pants, and a charcoal columbia fleece with black sunglasses on. An older woman clutched her small handbag close to herself when I passed by. Guess my disguise of looking like I blend in, or could be someone who doesn’t get messed with, worked to an advantage. For the first trip in years, I was grateful to maintain all my belongings through three lodging moves plus several citywide and beach treks.