Ramadan Stuff

So Ramadan has arrived.

Living with a Christian (مسيحي) (mesiiHii) family, not too much has changed at home. 

However, some things are different around the city.

• First of all, it is illegal to be seen eating or drinking in public during the hours when the Muslim population is fasting (i.e., between sunrise and sunset), and it is also illegal, or at least deeply disrespectful, to be openly carrying food around during those hours.  Generally, no booze, either (you should have seen the long lines at the duty-free shop on the last day before Ramadan when everyone tried to stock up), but there are limited exceptions.

• Tied into the above, most restaurants and bakeries, and many grocery stores, are closed during the day.  Those that are open may only carry a reduced inventory of items.  For example, only stocking tamar Hindi (tamarind drink) or qamar al-diin (apricot drink) and qataayef (Ramadan pancakes), rather than a full selection.  Some fast-food places allow carry-out or delivery after 2 pm (for example, we ordered Ramadonald's last week).

• The above has probably resulted in the biggest impact on Amideast students, in that going out for lunch or a post-class fruit cocktail is now out of the question, and that our intraday eating and water-drinking are now confined to the student lounge and home.

• Shops generally are open only for reduced hours (generally 10-3 or 10-4 during the workweek, and 2:30-4:30 and after 9:30 pm on Fridays).  My roommate Matt and I made the mistake of trying to go to Mecca Mall at noon on Saturday, only to find that the stores didn't open until 2:30, which led to us sleeping on the couches at the Starbucks (which remained closed even after 2:30).

• There is a little less traffic on the streets during the day (the morning commute to Amideast takes around five minutes less during Ramadan than before).  From 7 pm to 9 pm or so, there is almost no traffic, including taxis, on the streets because most people are at home preparing for and celebrating al-ifTar, the breaking of the Ramadan fast.

• In some neighborhoods, you can hear someone drumming and yelling/singing to wake people up for al-suHoor, the morning pre-dawn meal.  I could have sworn that I heard someone last Friday morning, but it could have been REM (the dream, not the band).  If I can catch someone doing it, I'll try to record and post it.

• There is supposedly special programming on TV, but I haven't seen much of it yet.

• Kids play fireworks at night.  From the sounds of things and my attempts to buy some off the streets, it seems that the main fireworks are small spark fountains and firecrackers, with some louder cherry-bomb-eqsue stuff mixed in.

• Some stores and homes are decorated with lanterns, and/or  crescent and accompanying star combinations, which are often lit up at night.  It seems that Ramadan decorations are increasing in popularity, although they are not nearly as ubiquitous as Christmas decorations in the US.

Some Ramadan decorations on the outside of a small restaurant in the neighborhood

قطايف (qaTaayif)

Qatayef, or "Ramadan Pancakes" - 

these are small pancakes that are filled with either a sweet white cheese and cinnamon, 

or with a mix of walnuts and other sweet things, 

and then fried or baked, 

and served with a sugar syrup that is used as a drip or drizzle