Somewhere in the Sahara

Sahara, what an exotic name. Just imagine, it is full of sun with a kind of disturbing heat, either under your protective turban for men or kind of religious head cover for women, the burka. In religious terms they are a kind of covering of the face and head named hejab. However, here religion is somehow is helping the followers to be safe under the burning sun.

Nevertheless, with more or less 100-110 degrees of heat, you don’t feel the air so badly hot because it is totally dry heat with no humidity at all. Just imagine, the same temperatures in Alabama, Louisiana or Mississippi.  It could create severe dehydration and even death. Believe me, I am serious about these places where it is close to 100% humidity. You really feel it very wet and very uncomfortable, especially at night, with lots of small black bugs around. I remember, once during the night in a hotel, it seemed as if I was sleeping in a washed bedding that someone forgot to dry.

However, to cope with any unwanted situation in life, there is another alternative and extraordinary habit of humans with their unique and amazing capacity for adjustment.  Within our commander in chief, our brain and its high capability to control and guide, we can almost get used to any situation, no matter how normal and serene or harsh and drastic it could be.

As I said, there is a peacefulness, calm and serenity in the Sahara that even a newborn baby could not find in their small cradle. Of course, as an architect, I see as a first thing the magnificent, tall, beautiful and very sophisticated buildings with their semi-onion shaped domes and mysterious windows, and also the spectacular entrances, especially if that edifice is religious.

Then there are the short and tall minarets, and their central cupolas covered with mostly blue, yellow and turquoise out of very small ceramics.  At the very top we see a traditional iron ornament of moon and a star within it symbolizing our universe and heaven itself.

Here altogether is a citadel on the road of the caravan. It seems like a big place to settle down a bit and rest for a while or even for a night.  Here, in the vicinity of the small town, we see a well with usually a bucket made of rubber hanging from a wooden stand.  Strangely they all have very cool water.

Often, we see a lot of pilgrims around the mosques preparing themselves for the Namaz, and somehow asking for divine wisdom and probably forgiveness. We see some merchants with their camels down on the ground, full of goods wrapped on top of them, and some around scattered on the ground.

People are everywhere doing their daily and routine business, milking camels, making bread and preparing simple food for the family, but yet I have to emphasize that the most fascinating thing here is the vegetation and beautiful green, tall and date palms with sweet brown dates hanging from them.