The wireless connection was only available in the hotel lobby, so that's where everyone gathered. We'd been using the "Lubby" network, but it was getting spotty. I had been wondering who or what was Lubby (what a strange name for the hotel to use). The connection was off and on for most of the day, so Jeff went to the front desk and asked them to re-set it. As an afterthought, he asked the guy, "What is Lubby?" The guy gestured to the room we were in, "Lubby... the hotel lubby!" BWAH!
Wearing the abaya is a major pain. It is floor-length, so I am constantly tripping on it, or scooting my chair over it, and I have to wear it anytime I am outside my hotel room. It's also polyester, which doesn't help in the 80 degree weather. There are abaya stores, with many different styles to choose from. Beaded, embroidered, anything you like. Unfortunately they all have the silhouette of a graduation gown. All that's missing is the mortarboard. The one Jeff picked out and presented to me at the airport is fit for a doctoral candidate, with grand stripes on the sleeve. He said I can pretend to be an airline captain! Or a student at Hogwarts.
Jeff got fitted for a thobe yesterday. A thobe is the traditional male Arab gown... long, white, crisp and clean. He still needs to get the ghutra and igal (the headscarf and rope-like cord that sits atop the head). I don't know enough to know if his wearing this will be an affront to the locals. All I know is that this is more like a Halloween costume to Jeff, so I'm glad he didn't spend very much on it. Around here, Western women are pretty much required to be in traditional garb, but Western men are exempt. I haven't seen any wearing the thobe, but I've only been here a week.
People smoke, smoke, smoke everywhere! The airport, the hotels, on the sidewalk. Even in the shopping malls, in the individual clothing stores! I feel bad that Eggbert has no choice but to smell this everywhere I go.
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