Tue 17 May My last morning: I have a lazy start, rising at 7:45am. Cleo is walking around the flat talking on the phone in a loud voice but she soon redeems herself by offering to cook-up some tomatoes and eggs for breakfast. At 9am we venture into the souq.
The waist-coat man (my tailor) happily takes in some mending I want doing and readily agrees to make two children's jelabeyas in Sufi green and red for Cleo all to be collected at 5:45pm. Of course we are treated to coffee while all these negotiations are going on.
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Peanut butter lady in Omdurman Souq |
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The peanut butter lady is sorry to hear that it's my last day and gives me a generous bag of peanuts. The egg man likewise insists that half a dozen eggs are gift. The man in the souvenir jewellery shop gives me a carved ebony key ring. The ice seller I'd photographed a couple of weeks back was very pleased with the photograph I had left for him a few days before. He happily poses in much the same way for Cleo and the merchant where I sometimes change money also says farewell and gives me a box of teabags.
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Cafeteria fatour Hassan, Imam and self |
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I go up to the college and meet Hassan for an Arabic class. I give him an English Dictionary as a thank-you present but even then I don't think it sinks in that this is farewell.There are no 4th year students waiting for my 11 o'clock so I nip to the loo. When I return the classroom is full and an examination revision class is underway. So I give up and go for a final mango juice with mango juice girl.
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