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Ramadan Kareem... or Ramadan is Bountiful in english.
Here in the land of Islam, today marks the start of the holy month of Ramadan. It's a strange concept to a Westerner, an entire month of fasting from dawn to dusk. I had always heard about Ramadan before I came here, but having to live through an entire month of it is a whole other story.
They don't really know exactly when Ramadan is going to start it seems, until the very last minute. Turns out they spotted the crescent moon on Thursday night and knew it was going to start today, on Saturday. Of course, nobody bothered to tell me. So I woke up Saturday morning, and like usual lately wondered what the hell I was going to do this weekend when it's 48 degrees Celcius outside. So like usual, I hopped in my car and headed to Marina Mall. And what did I find when I got there, to my last bastion of weekend entertainment, seeking my weekend coffee and Gulf News paper? Well, sure enough, Ramadan had started while I was asleep and unaware, and even though the mall was open, all the coffee shops and restaurants were closed, and the place was deserted.
Turns out the Muslims during Ramadan are not allowed to eat, drink, smoke, have sex, or pretty much do anything else, between dawn and dusk. And non-Muslims that are here, well, they have to show courtesy and not do any of the above in public either. I can usually go without having sex in public, but the eating is tough, and the drinking means my weekend coffee and paper is a no-go, so I guess I'll have to be good and play along. So now not only do I not have anything fun to do, I also can't even have a coffee and read the paper. For an entire month. Maybe I'll just join in the fasting, whether I like it or not.
Still I did go outside just now to get my laundry and lo and behold, I saw my first Crescent Moon. Amazing how I've never seen it quite like that before.
Ramadan Kareem!!!
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3 comments:
I am sure the month will pass soon enough and perhaps its time to tune into a little TV or read a good book. How about writing a few of your Thailand memories on this blog. You should at least come out of the month a whole lot fitter with a few extra bucks as well.
Bohdi, If you're anything like me as Martyn said , a little bit of fasting wouldn't hurt at all. and you'll have a little more time to share with us all the things about your life and travels that you have yet to share , like Martyn said , I too would like to hear some of your Thai memories . Malcolm
Well, the holy month of Ramadan is now officially half over, and I can honestly say that the fasting hasn't done a whole lot for my waistline as of yet. Truth is, it's not required for a non-Muslim to fast, but I gave it a shot yesterday. And I can say it wasn't all that easy. You're supposed to wake up at 4am to eat and pray, then go back to sleep, so you make it all through the day until 7pm before breaking fast. I never work up at 4pm to eat, drink. So by the time 7pm rolled around I was pretty much in shambles. But did it, so thats' what counts.
Tonight my company had Iftar (which is the 7pm buffet group meal) at the Emirates Palace Hotel, which is the most expensive hotel in history, and the only 7 star hotel in the world. So it was a pretty fancy spread, and an amazing environment. Needless to say I'm stuffed and my waistline has never looked wider.
Thanks Martyn, I did buy a new book to read and have been watching plenty of TV. As for the blogging of a few of my Thai memories, I'll have to get down to that. But like I said, I find it easier to do posts of things I do with pictures. I'll have to expand that to things I've done. Not far of a stretch, but I'm getting there.
Malcolm, I wouldn't recommend the fasting. That's why Arabs here have the highest rate of diabetes in the world, because they fast one month every year, which plays havoc with your blood sugar levels. Not advised. Better to eat continuous small meals throughout the day, like the Thais do. They know something we all don't.
Bodhi
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