Even when there is no dust storm in Cairo, it seems there is always a bit of dust in the air during this time of year. As I mentioned in another post, it’s the season of the Khamaseen (Arabic for “fifty”) named for the fifty days of potential dust storms from mid-March through April.
This first photo was taken the other day and you can see that the air is a bit dusty. Note large triangles on horizon.
View from my hotel room the other day.
The second photo was taken this morning during a very mild dust storm. Note large triangles disappeared. This all blew through within about a half hour of taking the second photo.
- View from my hotel when the dust is flying.
There are times when it’s very bad and you can’t see across the street, although I haven’t experienced that on this trip. You cannot keep it out of anything, including eyes, ears, throat, house, car, and clothing.
It’s also a bit humid here right now and when tramping around the hot Giza plateau, like I did this morning, the dust stuck to me like a barely discernable layer of talc.
Combined with Cairo’s air pollution, it’s a little annoying, although after only a few days, I don’t notice it too much. It does make me appreciate Seattle’s generally clear marine air.
Brian Hunt