Just before 7pm last night, a huge electrical storm swept over the city from the north west. I could see it coming as I hurried along Salim Street trying to get home in time, but suddenly hail and rain ripped out of the sky. I took shelter in a bus stop and of course the guy next to me offered a cigarette and wanted to chat. As it turned out he was Kurdish but has lived in the Netherlands for the last 18 years and had married a Dutch woman. He was actually flying back later that night as we chatted in away in combo of Dutch, English and Kurdish.
Meantime the street had turned into a foaming torrent wiping away six months of dust, grime and cigarette butts (general the streets here are very clean, certainly compared to Turkey). Provision for stormwater is minimal so the streets just become temporary streams, though fortunately Suly is hilly so the water drains away quite quickly.
As the storm past overhead with brilliant forked lightning flashing through the air, the power goes off. Unperturbed we sit happily in the bus shelter chatting away while the relentless rain continues to fall.Within half an hour the torrential rain eased off and the air had cooled considerably. We make our way through the dark streets which is no easy thing. The pavements here are 'variable' and rough to say the least and Kurds love large shiny tiles which are treacherous in the wet, but that is just part of living here so you take that all in your tentative stride.
This morning the sky is overcast and grey, but the green dome of the Hussein mosque now looks clean and the trees seem much happier.
As Eddie Rabbit sings 'I Love A Rainy Night'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebt0BR5wHYs
Meantime the street had turned into a foaming torrent wiping away six months of dust, grime and cigarette butts (general the streets here are very clean, certainly compared to Turkey). Provision for stormwater is minimal so the streets just become temporary streams, though fortunately Suly is hilly so the water drains away quite quickly.
As the storm past overhead with brilliant forked lightning flashing through the air, the power goes off. Unperturbed we sit happily in the bus shelter chatting away while the relentless rain continues to fall.Within half an hour the torrential rain eased off and the air had cooled considerably. We make our way through the dark streets which is no easy thing. The pavements here are 'variable' and rough to say the least and Kurds love large shiny tiles which are treacherous in the wet, but that is just part of living here so you take that all in your tentative stride.
This morning the sky is overcast and grey, but the green dome of the Hussein mosque now looks clean and the trees seem much happier.
As Eddie Rabbit sings 'I Love A Rainy Night'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebt0BR5wHYs
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