sábado, 3 de agosto de 2013

Ramadan in the Arab lands

The usual routine of fasting for a whole month is nearing its end, which always gives time for reflection.

Ramadan every year is a weird one, as often enough I seem to spend half of it holidaying somewhere (this year being Benicàssim), meaning I spend the rest of the year making up for lost days, or so I attempt to.

On top of that, going from fasting 20 hours a day to almost half that has kept me sort of sane, albeit for the insane amounts of food being consumed at Iftar (Sunset), which here in Dubai is like feeding time at the zoo, or climbing an Everst sized mountain of rice amongst other Arabian gastronomical wonders, leaving you feeling like your waistline has expanded to the measures of said mountain.

Despite the supposed "madness" many people think you're being subjected to simply because you don't eat or drink for a while,  it's definitely the calmest time of year for a lot of people. Thank God it didn't fall in the academic year,  I couldn't imagine having to fast whilst being exposed to the endless party season in Leeds.

Peace.