RUNNING AFTER HEAVENLY BODIES
IN THE ARABIAN DESERT

Text and photos Andrei Dorian Gheorghe
Design Florin Alexandru Stancu

On the afternoon of 2019-09-05
I saw a solar reflection on a hotel in Dubai.

A little later, I saw, from the speed of the car,
the real Sun over a mosque.

Then I went on a highway to the Arabian Desert,
which gave birth to the Muslim religion in the 7th century
and to the most advanced civilization in the world
(including the most advanced astronomy)
for a few medieval centuries.

Two other reflections (this time on the glass of the car),
almost incredible because they looked like two comets,
pushed me to try an incursion into the desert
to catch the sunset.

The first halt during that expedition
brought the first vision of the Sun in the desert!

Then the Arab drivers of our suite transformed themselves
into pilots of “safari” among the dunes of sand
amd made me think I was a co-pilot in the former Paris-Dakar Rally.

Another halt,
the Sun vertiginously lowering among the amazed participants
in that expedition,
along with the appearance of the Moon.

Another run by car,
this time trying to keep the Sun in the sky.

But we lost him,
so we returned to the highway,
enjoying the colors remained after him.

Only for a short time just because, through the desert again,
the respectful, honest, warm, modest and courageous Arab driver
stopped directly in a oasis from “1001 Nights”,
blessed by the Moon,
the muse who inspired the Arabian Calendar.

Over here, a delicious traditional dinner and a show
with an impetuous Arab dancer, a fakir
and a superb Arab lady,
or rather Morgana’s dance with astral participation.