Sunrise June 11, 2008
You can see the June sun is a big throbbing ball in the sky, and the visibility at 0600 is almost to the horizon. Less than an hour later, visibility is rapidly decreasing.
Actually, I love being out in the dust; I love seeing all the men with the gutras wrapped around their faces, it looks very exotic. Before all the designer gutras, you can imagine these cloths were a necessity to protect faces and lungs from the biting sand and gritty dust.
The medical face-masks are probably better at screening out the dust, but don’t have the same romance to them. 😉
Temperature 93°F / 34°C at 0800; and the dust may keep the temperatures down a little today, below the projected high of 109°F / 43°C.
Out There Somewhere
The sun is up, but there is no sunrise to be found. I know you think I am kidding, but this is what the day looks like at 0600, 90°F/ 32°C (feels comfortable, but not fresh.) Anyone know how long this dust storm is expected to last? The whole summer?
I’m done jet lagging, thanks be to God, and back to sleeping normally once again. 🙂
Light Blowing Dust
Usually when the weather report says “light blowing dust” or “light haze” we are totally socked in, with a visibility of like 100 – 200 meters. Today, I can see almost all the way to the horizon, there is a stiff breeze out of the north creating some white-cap action, the temperature is only 95°F / 35°C and I can imagine people walking happily on the beach, collecting seashells.
White Hot
I’ve overslept the sunrise for the last two mornings (thanks be to God) as I re-adjust to local time. I thank God to have the time and space for it; my sleep/wake schedule has been chaotic.
I was in the Co-op at nine the other morning – usually NO ONE is there but me and the stockers, but this day, everyone was there, and they were pushing me out of the way. As I stood in line, women (women!) would bring their very full baskets and stand sort of angled to get in front of me. Finally, I made friends with the woman in front of me and stuck to her like glue, and got through the check out line. It’s the very first time, ever, I have encountered this in the Co-op, usually everyone is so polite. I can’t imagine what was going on, except that it was very crowded – maybe women trying to get their shopping done before the big heat hit later in the morning.
Ah! I do have a clue! I think it has to do with the current exam schedule. I don’t know how it relates, but as I left, people were picking up their children from school, something that usually happens hours later.
All in all, however, the crowding, the pushing, combined with the jet lag – I felt actually fluttery. I felt mildly disoriented, mildly short of breath, and I really really felt sleepy. As soon as I got home, got all the veggies washed and everything put away, I laid down with the paper – and three hours later I had to force myself out of a drool-sleep, make myself get up and drink some coffee and get started again.
When AdventureMan called, late in the afternoon, I had the computer on. He was complaining about the heat. I checked Weather Underground for Kuwait and it was 117°F / 44°C. It actually hit 118° from 4:00 pm to 5 pm. It is white hot, and I can’t imagine anyone having to work outside in such searing heat – but they do. Street cleaners, construction workers, truckers – they all work in the heat. Officially, work stops at 50°C / 122°F.
Here is what our day in Kuwait looks like this morning:
Sunrise 2 June 2008
This morning the sun had a terrible time breaking through the clouds – and I am happy for it. The clouds may keep the temperatures out of the brutal range – ah well, we can hope, can’t we?
On the balcony this morning at 0400, it was warm, but comfortable. The temperature is already 91°F / 33° at 0600 with a high for today forecast at 111°F / 44°C.
Sunrise, First of June, 2008
While we don’t have that seriously dark brown band of, hmmm. . . . something . . . on the horizon, there is a band of thick haze. The sun gets above the horizon, lights the clouds above, but it is fully minutes before it can get through the low lying haze for a visible sunrise.
This is what I think is ACTUAL sunrise:
Here, minutes later, we can see the sun over the thick haze on the horizon:
At 5 in the morning, it is a mere 84°F / 29°C out on my balcony, very comfortable, just a tiny soft breeze, me and all the laborers the only ones up and about so early. Well, maybe Ansam, who gets an early start on her day. 😉
Sunrise: Wait Five Minutes
Continuing to jet lag, wide awake for the first call to prayer. Suddenly, there are more calls to prayer in my neighborhood. I don’t see any additional mosques, but maybe they are upping the volume on the calls to prayer. It isn’t loud, it is only that I used to only hear one, and now I can hear several. Maybe an atmospheric thing. Maybe I am not often awake at that time of the morning!
This is what the real sunrise looked like, barely able to break through the clouds:
But an hour later, as I am finishing up my e-mails, everything changes (don’t you just love clouds? They change everything!):
Just when I think it is all together, ready for a post, it changes again:
When I saw this photo, I though I had photographed through a dirty spot on the window, but no, it is the shadow of clouds from sky down across the water.
Wait five minutes and a totally new photo appears. What a great day!
It’s 90°F/ 32°C at 0600, heading for a high today of 109°F / 43°C. 😦
Sunrise May 30, 2008
As we approach the Summer solstice you have to be up early to catch the sunrise. I am up so early, with my jet lag, that I am waiting for the sun to rise!
It is a beautiful day. That hideous humidity that plagued Kuwait along with the dust when I arrived is gone. The night air is sweet, there is a breeze off the sea this morning – it would be a perfect morning to be out fishing.
There is a thin band of clouds just above the horizon, but nothing like those thick bands of pollution that give us headaches – and worse. The temperature today is only expected to reach 104°F / 40°C.
I hope you enjoy your Friday, my friends, and have a sweet day of rest and relaxation.
Sunrise 29 May 2008
Holy Smokes – where did May go? 2008 is slipping through my fingers; I have so many plans and ideas and I don’t know how much will l really get done?
AdventureMan kept me busy and talking until I collapsed around nine last night, and did not sleep all that well. I finally gave up around 4:30 ayem and ended up getting some very Turneresque pre-dawn shots. Had to go out on the balcony to take them because my windows are all smogged with the humidity and smeared with the dust and rain from yesterday.
Going out to take a photo on the balcony requires feeding the Qatteri Cat back in his room, then running to the kitchen and shutting the door, then opening the balcony door. We know QC knows there is fresh air out that door, but we don’t want him to discover the balcony and all the dangers it represents to a logic-challenged cat.
Well, it’s not really dramatic enough for Turner but it has those dramatic elements of opalescent sky, translucent waters and hazy horizon that reminded me of Turner:
Moments later, we had sunrise:
And even some surf this morning:
We have a break in the weather today – only 109° instead of the 111’s and 112’s predicted for later on:
Sunrise May 13, 2008
The sea is as flat as old glass, a little ripple here and there. You can squint your eyes up and see all the way to Failaka Island, all the big freighters puffing up and down the gulf, the Coast Guard boats heading out to interdict a drug runner or some illegally immigrant, a few little speed boats.
The temperature is 75°F / 24°C and the high expected is in the low 100’s. It looks like another warm glorious day in Kuwait.
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