The Mandalay and several other hotels nearby had poppy flowers in their lobbies, and they affected those who came in contact with the pollen in different ways. Here, people fell asleep. At another, there were violent fights and many died. Another, people wed one another, and there were others. We could not get rid of them ourselves, and if we moved them, they returned to their original hotel. Near the end, they were spilling into the streets and pollen was everywhere.