Eating Dirt

A huge dust storm and hamsin blew in to Mitzpe Ramon today, so bad I was forced to use one of Pam's scarves to cover my face when I went outside, completing the desert terrorist look I had been so long striving for. The day time temperature soared into the 90s and a strong and gusting wind blew throughout the day and night.

Very few people ventured outside, and the Monday outdoor market was all but cancelled, as the high winds threatened to blow over vendors' stands and scatter their merchandise around town.

The outdoor market holds on for dear life as a dust storm descends on Mitzpe Ramon.

The air was brown with dust, breathing was difficult, and mouth breathing resulted in not so tasty mud pies. Close to sunset the air started to clear but an ominous darkness remained.

Darkness after noon

Cooler temperatures in the 70s started to prevail in the evening, and the dusty horizon made for a beautiful long wavelength enhanced sunset with pinks so deep the pavement turned color and wind blown clouds stretched out a pink-fingered grasp on the night.

The rosy-fingered sunset