For the record, I have nothing but respect for this country, this region and the different customs that Muslims live their lives by. But have you ever walked into food court at a packed mall on a Saturday afternoon and seen this?
Based on the sun reflection coming in through the windows, you can tell it's high noon -- the lunching hour.
But on this day at Mushrif Mall in Abu Dhabi, nothing could be heard but the subtle sound of crickets chirping. That and the distinguished murmur of my stomach growling.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the annual observance is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It also means that Muslims worldwide observe this as a month of fasting.
No food or drink can be consumed in public during the day for an entire month. If you are caught -- even if you are not Muslim -- you could be fined by the police.
Enter Expat horror story here ---> Last year, a colleague was fined because he was spotted pouring water in a bowl for his panting dog who was suffocating inside his car. Fined Dh500, which is like $130. True story.
Sure, it's the peak of the summer and 115 degrees outside but don't even think about taking a sip from that water bottle. Almost every single restaurant is also closed during the day and for a Westerner, that is hard to get used to.
Not to worry, though, the Starbucks in our building had our back. They hung large black sheets around their store in observance of Ramadan. It was kind of creepy slipping in and out of there like it was some sort of gothic circus tent but we needed our coffee fix...
In my office, they set up a conference room in the back and it was known as 'the Ramadan room' where expats could go to eat lunch, have tea or complain about Ramadan.
When I first got here, I noticed people were in line to take July off for vacation and I quickly learned why. Bars closed very early, there was no live music and things moved very slow -- even slower than normal -- just because most people were running on fumes and counting down the seconds until that 7.15pm call to prayer sounded, signaling the end of the day.
I made sure to stay off the roads during that time each day because there's nothing worse then a starving Arab driver with a heavy foot on the gas. They were all hustling to Iftar -- a plentiful meal that starts promptly after sunset -- to feed their empty bellies.
This is what the luxurious Iftar tent at the Fairmount Hotel and Resort in Abu Dhabi looks like. While it was very quiet during the day, Miranda would entertain clients here at night and the festivities usually went very late into the night...
Sure, if you are a rich oil tycoon or just want to spoil yourself, the Fairmount was the place to be. Mere peasants like myself, however, demand less and expect a genuine experience. So when Miranda's colleague, Taha, from Egypt, invited us to his home for Iftar, we gladly accepted the generous offer.
Both Taha and his girlfriend, Joanna, who was from Peru, fasted for Ramadan. I know it looks like he's about to pass out in this photo, but after a long day of fasting, Taha just wanted to be close to his woman, his friends and some good eats.
"You get used to it after a day or two," he told me right before we attacked the amazing stewed chicken and rice he cooked up, which he said was from a special Egyptian family recipe.
Enjoying Ifar with them was one of the best nights I've had in Abu Dhabi. Even though Taha was taken aback when I told him I don't play video games, it was a great time. Apparently, after Iftar, it is customary to play games and digest until Suhur, which can consist of more snacks or just another protein-rich meal, which is eaten just before daybreak to prepare for the next day's fast.
Ramadan ended about four days ago and it does feel good to get back to normal. So I guess my days of sneaking bites of fresh samosas during the car ride home from the supermarket are officially over.
It retrospect, it really wasn't so bad. Until next year, Ramadan Kareem, everyone!
Based on the sun reflection coming in through the windows, you can tell it's high noon -- the lunching hour.
But on this day at Mushrif Mall in Abu Dhabi, nothing could be heard but the subtle sound of crickets chirping. That and the distinguished murmur of my stomach growling.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the annual observance is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It also means that Muslims worldwide observe this as a month of fasting.
No food or drink can be consumed in public during the day for an entire month. If you are caught -- even if you are not Muslim -- you could be fined by the police.
Enter Expat horror story here ---> Last year, a colleague was fined because he was spotted pouring water in a bowl for his panting dog who was suffocating inside his car. Fined Dh500, which is like $130. True story.
Sure, it's the peak of the summer and 115 degrees outside but don't even think about taking a sip from that water bottle. Almost every single restaurant is also closed during the day and for a Westerner, that is hard to get used to.
Not to worry, though, the Starbucks in our building had our back. They hung large black sheets around their store in observance of Ramadan. It was kind of creepy slipping in and out of there like it was some sort of gothic circus tent but we needed our coffee fix...
In my office, they set up a conference room in the back and it was known as 'the Ramadan room' where expats could go to eat lunch, have tea or complain about Ramadan.
When I first got here, I noticed people were in line to take July off for vacation and I quickly learned why. Bars closed very early, there was no live music and things moved very slow -- even slower than normal -- just because most people were running on fumes and counting down the seconds until that 7.15pm call to prayer sounded, signaling the end of the day.
I made sure to stay off the roads during that time each day because there's nothing worse then a starving Arab driver with a heavy foot on the gas. They were all hustling to Iftar -- a plentiful meal that starts promptly after sunset -- to feed their empty bellies.
This is what the luxurious Iftar tent at the Fairmount Hotel and Resort in Abu Dhabi looks like. While it was very quiet during the day, Miranda would entertain clients here at night and the festivities usually went very late into the night...
Sure, if you are a rich oil tycoon or just want to spoil yourself, the Fairmount was the place to be. Mere peasants like myself, however, demand less and expect a genuine experience. So when Miranda's colleague, Taha, from Egypt, invited us to his home for Iftar, we gladly accepted the generous offer.
Both Taha and his girlfriend, Joanna, who was from Peru, fasted for Ramadan. I know it looks like he's about to pass out in this photo, but after a long day of fasting, Taha just wanted to be close to his woman, his friends and some good eats.
"You get used to it after a day or two," he told me right before we attacked the amazing stewed chicken and rice he cooked up, which he said was from a special Egyptian family recipe.
Enjoying Ifar with them was one of the best nights I've had in Abu Dhabi. Even though Taha was taken aback when I told him I don't play video games, it was a great time. Apparently, after Iftar, it is customary to play games and digest until Suhur, which can consist of more snacks or just another protein-rich meal, which is eaten just before daybreak to prepare for the next day's fast.
Ramadan ended about four days ago and it does feel good to get back to normal. So I guess my days of sneaking bites of fresh samosas during the car ride home from the supermarket are officially over.
It retrospect, it really wasn't so bad. Until next year, Ramadan Kareem, everyone!
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