The bridges linked the old, walled city with the new one which was better planned. The July heat was dry, burning and overwhelming. It was worse than the moist heat of Kerala. The frequent sandstorms covered everything with sand. I found that because of the dust, newly polished shoes remained clean for about three minutes.
People drank water by the gallons.
During the five months-long summer everyone slept out. The houses were tenements with just one floor, but all of them had terraces for sleeping out. If you lived in a hut, you slept on the streets. The city had zillions of bicycles. Everybody was riding one.