better than the emperor’s

While on our way back to the compound this afternoon, I was noticing the brightly colored clothing of people as they milled and busied about on the streets.
So it seemed as if my coworker was responding out loud to my thoughts when, as I mused, she commented on the fact that this was the holiday when new clothes were bought. “This one?” I questioned. “Yes,” she said. She explained that each breaking of the fast of the year calls for a different traditional form of celebration. This particular one involves buying new [and in this part of the world, festively bright] clothing. I wasn’t imagining it, then, to tune into the attire.
Life sure keeps things interesting, I suppose, if one’s eyes are open–there’s just something new to learn . . . around every turn :-)