It's a warm Saturday afternoon and I'm hurriedly finishing up preparations for the Italy vs. England World Cup match set to start in just moments. A few friends are on their way over to watch the game, and I want everything to be perfect; the World Cup is a time when we all pretend like we've paid attention to Soccer over the past 4 years, but it's really just a good excuse for us to get together and enjoy our other pastime – getting blazed. I have my Spain 2010 shirt on, which has been in my closet since the last World Cup, tons of snacks, and, of course a fine array of herb to make the festivities much more enjoyable. Imagine the coffee table from the beginning of This is The End; except with way less weed or Seth Rogan's stoned laughter, because this isn't a Hollywood film. This is the World Cup 2014! There's Blueberry Headband, Girl Scout Cookies, and some absolutely beautiful OG Kush – all ready to go up in smoke about as quickly as England's chance for a win. Seconds before kickoff, we all decided that the winner of the match would determine what we would be eating later on. If Italy won the match, we'd order a pizza. Otherwise, it was off to a pub to celebrate afterward. The game proceeded as many expected, with Italy's “Super†Mario Balotelli helping cement a victory over England thanks to a goal just 5 minutes in to the game's second period. England will now face Brazil's Cannabis-friendly neighbor, Uruguay, on June 19th. “Dude, you should have kept that vuvuzela thing and made a bong out of it.†He was right; that's probably the best thing that could come from one of those noise makers. Brazil's neighbor to the west, Uruguay, made headlines back in late-2013 when deciding to legalize the production, sale, and consumption of Cannabis. Citizens are now allowed to purchase as much as 10 grams of Cannabis, each week, from state-regulated pharmacies – as long as age and registration requirements are met. They are also allowed to grow up to 6 plants per year, and can organize smoking clubs with the ability to grow as many as 99 plants, annually. It's unclear just how Uruguay's experiment will pan out and exactly what effect it will have on the local black market, but it's certain to have an impact on Brazil's drug trade and views on legalization as time goes on. As-is, Brazil's policies on Cannabis are fairly relaxed when it comes to consumption, most likely as a result of just how widespread it is. They've even recently taken a spin on the country's most known liquor, Cachaca, spiking it with Cannabis roots. Getting back to the aftermath of the Italy v. England match for a moment, it was a good thing that Italy walked away with the win – because we weren't walking anywhere. Couchlock had set in with a vengance of a scored on goalie, and with a pizzeria menu handy the meal was settled on very quickly. With dinner on the way and the match completed, the 5 of us were left with nothing but some time to kill. Of course, this leads to the most important questions that could be asked about the World Cup: How many people in the crowd were high? I'd have to estimate the number to be somewhere around “a lot.†– A country known for celebrations, which tolerates the consumption of Cannabis, hosting a month-long soccer tournament for the world? Yeah; there's going to be quite a bit of weed smoke wafting around the place. If you happen to be in Brazil for the festivities, and want to sample some of the country's best green offerings, try and get your hands on a landrace strain that is native to the region. Use caution though; while it may seem easy to get your hands on what you are looking for, local authorities have been cracking down on drug trafficking in advance of the World Cup and related events. Hold on, what exactly is a landrace strain? Historical documents, spanning several thousand years, tell an intertwined story of mankind and Cannabis, with its cultivation performed for many reasons including medicinal purposes. It's widely believed that the earliest strains originated in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan and Pakistan, eventually spreading to other hospitable areas of the world – including South America. A landrace strain of Cannabis refers to an individual variety which has adapted to its own particular environment – without any human intervention. Over time, the plants have adjusted to the local temperature and humidity, available natural resources, and predators in order to thrive. These stable strains are commonly used as the foundations of many of the hybrids we enjoy today and often account for many of the names we are familiar with, e.g. OG Kush. As stable as they are in their native environment, they often do not fare as well in other areas, so their availability tends to be somewhat limited. Manga Rosa, a pure sativa landrace strain first discovered in the 1970's, certainly deserves a spot at the top of a “must try†list if you are in Brazil. One of the most popular in Brazil, the strain can be found in Rio de Janeiro as well as most other areas, but particularly along the southeast portion of the country. Most of Manga Rosa's attributes are what you'd expect from a pure sativa; a strong and clean high that is long lasting and energetic. You won't be ordering out for pizza after getting a taste of this. From a grower's perspective, most of the strain's behavior is relatively standard as well. Plants tend to grow to about 6ft in height when raised under normal conditions, require a flowering time between 12 and 14 weeks, and cooler than average temperatures may cause purple-colored growth. Growing from one large main stem and producing significantly-sized side branches means that this strain takes up a footprint that may lead to indoor growing problems, so it's most likely best to allow Manga Rosa to thrive in its native environment and enjoy it whenever possible. White Widow's lineage is typically traced back to Manga Rosa. Manga Rosa's best attributes by far are the taste and aroma. The taste is very similar to mango nectar with a slightly bitter citrus aftertaste and there's an intense, permeating aroma to match. Sure, there are plenty of strains that have fruit-like flavors, but the majority of those have been engineered by crossing other strains while this bouquet of tropical sweetness comes directly from nature and is so clean and pronounced that it can remain distinct, even post-combustion. In short, Manga Rosa is an absolute treat which should be savored if the chance ever presents itself. Feeling like you missed out on the chance to try something special? No worries – the 2016 Summer Olympics will be held August 5-21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Start planning soon and you'll be on your own quest for Manga Rosa in no time at all. Matthew F. Fox