Well it was supposed to begin today (Sunday), but the moon got in early and thus Ramadan kicked off for another year at sunrise on Saturday. I had to go to the airport the night before to see off a friend, and what is normally a quiet time was absolute chaos, with families scrambling to be home in other parts of the region for the beginning of the fasting.
For those who aren't aware, Ramadan is the holiest month on the Islam calendar and officially observed by the whole of the United Arab Emirates, which means non-Muslims also have to fall into line for 30 days. For us it means: no eating, drinking, smoking or swearing in public at all between sunrise and sunset. (For Muslims it's a COMPLETE fast, not just in public) No loud music at any time, anywhere, which means no clubs with music til the whole event is over. Some hotels and restaurants have screened off certain areas so Westeners can eat during the day, but if it's partly exposed, the party is off. First offence is a warning, second is prison, if you're particularly flagrant about it.
I went to the mall yesterday afternoon and forgot to have a drink before I left home, and after two hours I was so thirsty it was doing my head in, but I couldn't do anything about it til I got home.
Oh and good news for Emily and Beetle....If you're under 15, they can't make you do it, so something to consider when you get here.
Last night I was pulled out from a 7pm to 7am standby shift for a flight to Kuwait and back, and thought I'd take a picture of the aircraft from the crew bus when we were leaving to go home. Nothing too exciting, we've all seen a plane, but you need some pictorial pay off for reading all these words!
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