1:00 am

As you can see by the title of this blog, it is past midnight. I just read a note from my sister, Liz and was inspired to post the unfinished next two paintings I worked on today. The preteen boy I met on top of Mount Sinai - he showed me some crystals he had found on some of the other nearby mountains. All kinds of prophets like Elijah climbed upwards in their quest for godliness or something. It's a tough climb as I've stated previously. Walking upwards for hours does make you lightheaded and full of serotonin releasing into the blood stream, the runner's high. Add to that, the three hours of stomach cramps I had, well, getting to the top and being able to rest supine was akin to a religious experience in my mind. Well, OK, that and finding out that there was actually a toilet of a sort modestly closed off with branches.

OK, back to the boy - I just had to have those crystals - kind of a smoky quartz - which I gave him about 40 LE for. I told him that he should find more to sell to tourists. A really sweet kid, reminded of me of my nephew John so open and honest. Well, I decided to have his right hand showing clasping a crystal and I think I have achieved that bright eyed look that he had though this painting needs another day of work. The little girl, too is in progress. She had these pouting cherry red lips, big brown eyes that did not light up - a solemn little girl of around 5 or 6, not exactly trusting me. Bedouin women are cautious, do not often have anything to do with strangers and foreigners. But there is something so exotic and mysterious. Now the Berber women in Morocco seem much more forthright and powerful. I hope this little girl from Saint Catherine's monastery area continues to be feisty with that "I dare you to make me smile, I won't you know" look. I don't quite have that in the portrait yet. Again, another day or so.

As for what women wear in the villages, I would have to say it varies. Most wear scarves or hijab on their heads with no hair showing. In Tunis village, garments were rather drab amongst the potters. Clay colored long gallabiya to match the clay from which they fashioned vessels, plates, tiles. I saw one of the girls later come swimming in the pool of Evelyne and she was breathtakingly beautiful with thick dark brown hair, dark lashes, nubile in a one piece black swimsuit. No wonder they cover up! But other women had on some colors, reds and blues but very plain. Some wore skirts and a long sleeved long tunic. The fashion is functional - show no curves. Preteens and children are different with uncovered hair and limbs allowable.

Among other women, sometimes even face coverings exist - this particular "fashion" comes from Saudi Arabia - where women are swathed in black from head to toe. Some even wear black gloves of all things which I witnessed on the metro women's car. No where in the Quran, I am told by my Muslim girl friends, does it say that women are to be covered up with no hair showing. In Iran, a man walks around with a stick to hit women who have an errant wrist or ankle showing or a wisp of hair. Bedouin women are covered but their clothing, at least the traditional clothing is jubilantly embroidered with shell buttons forming part of the design. Sadly, polyester fabrics have entered - they never should have been allowed to keep living after the disastrous introduction of them in the 70s. Cotton, was and still is, the fabric of choice. I have tried to find out what happened to the linen of the ancient Egyptians without a satisfactory answer as of yet.

As for the feet, ugly half croc type shoes to flap in down the street or shuffle really. Villages are entirely different from the more fashionable Cairo. Even here though, amongst the western tight jeans and form fitting shirts of the girly girls of Cairo, I have snapped many a picture of a black clad woman wearing Nikes next to a motocycle. Incongruity reigns supreme in the city. Brightly coordinated double scarves match the outfit that no self respecting What Not to Wear guru would don. And it's amazing how closely the colors match. I would like to see the factory where they put together the outfits. I wonder what a fashion show would be like here. The farmers though in the villages have no time for fashion. They do wear gold earrings 22K no less and sometimes gold bangles too. I will add to my fashion commentaries as I travel. The next medium length trip will not be until October 26th.