Dont' try this at home...
Needless to say, not a smart idea to hold a fico d'india in your hand. I learned the hard way. Tons of tiny invisible thorns stuck in my hand for days. The pain was literally a "thorn in my side" for days until they finally fell out. The picture came out cute though, so I guess it was worth the pain!
I got this set from a "marocchino"(moroccan man) selling beach towels at the spiaggia in Castellammare. Obviously I had to buy it because it reminded me of the Dolce & Gabbana set but at a mere 20 euros I couldn't resist!