Scent Stories Vol.1/Ch.09 - Dahab MiN New York 2014 Eau de Parfum

Before me lies the hot, beige, sandy path.
To my left, wooden-framed facades of open restaurants and cafes. On the right side, the blue, vast, open sea.
The sun burns down from the sky, and I long for a shady spot and a glass of Habek tea. Climbing the steps of one of the cafes, I sink into the cozy, soft floor cushions and enjoy the view of the sea and the rippling water with beautiful, sparkling reflections created by small waves.
After a short break and strong, sweet tea, I feel the desire to finally experience the seawater and the deep blue again.

Cool, salty water greets my body. A few powerful strokes, my gaze directed beneath the water's surface, and I can see it, the deep blue. The steep walls of the crater become visible, from which one can hardly guess how far they plunge into the depths.
All shades of blue appear, getting darker towards the bottom, almost black, and sun rays make their way, conically bundled, into the depths.
My nervous system calms down, my breathing becomes shallower and slower, and the feeling of deepest relaxation is now achieved. A glance into the infinite, never-ending, deep blue, and one forgets the time.

Back on land, I taste the salty flavor of the sea on my lips, and the salt crystals on my skin sparkle in the sunlight.
I take a seat in the back of the jeep that will now take me into the desert.
Sand swirls up, and the sea disappears from my sight, the silhouette of the city soon blurred in the swirling sand dust. It is already dusk, and here and there, small illuminated dwellings can be seen on the right and left of the road, the dark gray asphalt in stark contrast to the sandy landscape.

Arriving in the desert, over bumpy terrain, it is already pitch black night.
With the Bedouins, I settle down again on a soft floor cushion and wrap a thick blanket around myself. Darkness, this time it is the black that envelops and embraces me, as boundless as the deep blue. Thousands of stars shine in the firmament, many already extinguished years ago, yet they still delight me in this moment with their beauty.
It has become cold, yet I do not freeze. Camels lie contentedly on the ground, radiating pleasant warmth.
In our midst, a fire is kindled.
The wood is very dark, almost black, heavy smoke fills the air. Frankincense is ignited on glowing coals. White smoke streams out, and the scent of frankincense mingles with the smell of the heavy dark firewood and the smoke of the fire. Potatoes and rice with vegetables are served. A warm, spicy aroma rises up. I taste the salty flavor of the sea on my lips again, now merging and blending with the scent of spices, wood, and smoke.

This is the scent of Dahab: dark woods, pungent wood aroma, dark brown spices, heavy smoke, fine frankincense, delicate sea salt crystals, all woven into the smoke.
Infinity, contrasts, bright day, black night, black, silvery bright, heat and cold, yet neither cold nor warm. No fragrance that one must earn the favor of, one that simply exists and carries you like the deep blue or catches you like the endless black night sky with sparkling stars.