Henna

This week my local neighbor took myself and two other western women to a local Arab Woman's Salon. In this salon the local women get their hair done, nails, and mostly "make henna". They will put this temporay tatoo on their tops of their hands as well as the palms. It will also go up the forearm. They also make the soles of their feet solid black and then put the intricate decorations up the sides of their feet and ankles. It is real common for them to make the tips of their fingers and toes solid black. The henna lasts about 1-2 weeks until it fades. They pipe it on, so it is a black puff paint like that the women (who are not arab)make the design with. They you have to let it dry completely, until it begins to crack and fall off. Then you can scrape the "puff paint" off and it leaves this redish, brownish, orangish temporay tatto they call henna. So my neighbor who is introducing us to thier customs brought us this week to "make henna". It was very interesting. I sat next to this women who was getting her feet done and already had her hands done the day before in preparation for a wedding this weekend. She said she was going to come back the next day to have it done again on top of the original design to make it darker. My intentions was to get something "simple" done. But my new arab friend (who by the way invited me to go to the wedding) kept telling the lady to put more. One of the ladies that came with us had to step over a women who had her feet propped letting the henna dry and this lady acidentially touched her toes. Oh gosh, I felt so bad for her. Thank goodness the henna was salvagable and the arab women was OK. We had a great local heritage experience and were very welcomed their. I am so thankful to my neighbor who brought us there.