Harmitan is here

Harmitan. I had never heard of it before we arrived. It existed even without my knowledge. It is basically a sandstorm. The wind picks up and carries sand and dust into the atmosphere. Visibility can reduced to less than a hundred yards sometimes. We went for a walk through the city yesterday and at times it felt like we were being sand blasted. As a result of the wind and dust the temperature has moderated quite a bit. Yesterday was only in the upper 80s or low 90s. Some of the shop keepers asked us how we are dealing with the cold. We said "there is no cold". They giggled at our answer. It is interesting to see them with stocking hats and big jackets. It makes me afraid of the heat to come.