Baghdad Dust

As March comes to an end the weather in Baghdad remains mercifully nice.  I say mercifully because we know the hot, hot days of summer will be here soon.  The days this month have been sunny and cool (low 70s) while the nights have been clear, if a bit windy (mid 50s).  It reminds me of southern California (Los Angeles).  Baghdad is much like LA actually. While LA has the sea at its west Baghdad has the Tigris river snaking though its core.  They are both huge, sprawling cities set in deserts and both coated with a brown dust of sand. 

One difference is the consistency of the dust.  Where California dust is volcanic and granular, Middle Eastern dust (in both Kuwait and Iraq anyway) has a finer mist like quality.  Almost as if it has had a million more years to break down than its American cousin.  The dust here is so fine that were it not for its sheer quantity it would barely be noticed.  Like brown talcom powder it covers everything outside with a thick khaki coating (trees, windows, cars, plants etc).  Indoors requires constant cleaning to keep it at bay. 

It is so fine however that in the daylight its movement is barely noticable.  It is most noticable at night.  Against the streetlights it looks like watery mist.  But it is the opposite of water and grinds like tiny, fine grain sand paper.  Eyes become irritated as it collects.  After a while you can taste it.  It has the taste and smell of industrial... waste.  It smells like fuel, sewage and solvents.  You get used to it but the smell is always there and you never really feel clean.  I'm not sure if that is its natural smell or simply the smell it has taken on because of the mechanics and grease of the City combined with the recent saturation of military equipment.

There are many interesting things about this region and this country.   The climate is nice, the history and culture is rich. 

The dust I can do without.