Overhead Tea Hawker With Rolled Awning in Muscat

Bright midmorning light strikes wet stone pavement beneath a partially rolled canvas awning at a roadside fruit stand in Muscat. A tea hawker stands beside the folded fabric, surrounded by vibrant displays of oranges and lemons in wooden crates. Late spring heat hangs under the tarps, settling over spice dust that coats the slick ground. Water droplets rest on the rough texture of the rolled awning and glisten on the stone. The hawker's hands rest near stacked crates, their skins bright against the shadowed floor. Dust settles in the shafts of light piercing the canopy. One shadow falls across the wet stone, outlining the edge of a metal tray.