Desert storms (the old-fashioned way) have been charging across the region this week. Hail has obliterated temporary construction trailers and peened car roofs to resemble golf balls. The heat is still on during the day, so the humidity is awesome. People react to rain here the way they do in Marin County when it snows; standing around, revelling in the rare. Lightning and thunder, and enough rain to wash the paving stones past the point where they're slippery from dust and feel like solid rock again. Car windshield wipers spread streaks across the glass, hardly functional after sun-hardening - maybe never used since installation. The man on the right over there is Freddy (I'm actually not sure if it's Freddy, but it is my conceit to believe this for the time being). He is my tailor - his shop is right next to my favorite schwarma shop. I now own two suits made by him and his crew. The shop is tiny. You go, pick out material (or bring it with you), show him what you want done and pay a deposit (AED500, US$140 for 2 suits). You come back in a week for a fitting. you go away and come back in a few days, pay the balance (AED1300, US$360) et Voila! There you are, all outfitted for your part in the "Shoring up the Global Economy" show. I have not one but two new suits, handmade of best Italian wool. one a forest green, the other a quite respectable dark grey.
If you're good, I may eventually post some pictures of the finished products.
NOTE: I have no digital camera right now, believe it or not. And I can't even get pictures off the camcorder, because Windows Vista 64 doesn't recognize it. I am reduced to emailing myself pictures one at a time from the iPhone.
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