If it is 31 oC at 3:15 am at Erbil airport when my plane landed, it is never going to be cool during the day. \u00a0\u00a0By noon the land was baking, and so am I, \u00a0and no rain is forecast until November.<\/p>\n
Both taps in the shower provide hot water: the cold water tank is of course on the roof absorbing the sun’s rays, \u00a0and the hot water tank inside keeps a constant heat with a thermostat.<\/p>\n
Strategies are obviously going to be needed to survive in this challenging climate \u2013 and some creative thinking. \u00a0For the shower this is to reverse the tap use: \u00a0turn off the thermostat and use the cold tap for hot water.<\/p>\n
By mid-afternoon it begins to get clouds and a hot dry wind springs up, unpleasantly reminiscent of being inside a hairdryer. \u00a0Now the world has turned yellow, sand is flying around, and I stay firmly indoors.<\/p>\n
Traditional clothing here is of course adapted to the harsh environment and covers the whole body, including the head.\u00a0 For men this translates as loose baggy sleeved shirt and loose baggy trousers caught at wrist and ankle in a close fitting cuff, a long length of coloured cloth defines the waist.\u00a0 The sun\u2019s intense rays on the head are countered by an intricately knotted headscarf.<\/p>\n
These days many young modern Kurds have discarded this practical garb for T-shirts, shiny drainpipe trousers and shoes with long pointy toes \u2013 and eschew any headgear.<\/p>\n
This being a conservative country for women, especially outside of the cities,
\nrespectable dress is the loose fitting black abaiya with headcover their heads. \u00a0Undeniably this does protect from direct contact with the sun, but black absorbs heat.\u00a0 The result must be horribly uncomfortable in summer, though presumably warm enough in the winter.<\/p>\n
Unsurprisingly shopping malls and coffee shops, with their cool air-conditioned environments, have thriving business. \u00a0These malls though are expensive, but window-shopping provides a cool diversion for those fasting for Ramadan without cash.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If it is 31 oC at 3:15 am at Erbil airport when my plane landed, it is never going to be cool during the day. \u00a0\u00a0By noon the land was baking, and so am I, \u00a0and no rain is forecast … Continue reading