Thursday, August 16, 2012

Twelve Days Off...

…for government employees.  Everyone else makes do with three unencumbered days.  There'll be plenty to keep 'em busy:

Fireworks, music, plays, games, mall performers!  The Dark Knight Rises in theaters!  Heritage Village is open! (But the Villagio Mall?  Not...)

(pic borrowed from free pics at bigfoto.com)

Huzzah!  It's Eid al Fitr in Doha.

The end of Ramadan is a joyous occasion.  There is food and gift giving.  Water and juice drinking.  Shwarma eating and M&M-snacking.  Shopping, walking, laughing, playing.  In public daylight hours!

In Doha, the fun begins after food and prayer either Saturday or Sunday, August 18 or 19 and continues for three ecstatic days.  After which time, stores, malls, businesses, including the "alcohol store" reopen.  Life returns to Doha Normal. 

The festivities of the holiday traditionally last for three days. During this time, Muslims try to spend time with family and friends, visit the sick and elderly, and offer games and gifts to the children. Muslims thus celebrate the completion of another fasting month, seek blessings and forgiveness, and look forward to the opportunity to fast again the following year…

Bob and I will miss the fun:  we're headed to Rome!  Where we intend to celebrate our time together by baring our knees and shoulders, sipping wine in an open air cafe and maybe…maybe...

holding hands in public.

(pic borrowed from http://www.peggyhedrick.com; thanks, Mom)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Seems appropriate that you celebrate Ramadan with a trip to Rome and the Vatican... :)

Lucinda H. Kennaley said...

:) Kay or Karen?