Fasting and famished

My last blog entry seems like forever ago – since then I have starved myself, travelled to a different continent, stuffed myself full of food in said continent and now I have returned for some more fasting. And I’ve been accompanied by some friends along the way! I don’t think I will be able to write about it all in the one entry, so I will start from the start – with Ramadan. 

Fasting has been an interesting experience. The first few days were definitely the hardest. Waking up on that first morning, I didn’t know what to do with myself – usually I would walk to the kitchen and check what was in the fridge for breakfast. But now I have no reason to open the fridge at all, or even go to the kitchen for that matter! I never realised how much of the day is spent around food, kitchens, eating. But it’s the thirst which is definitely the worst part. And seeing as I spend all day in my air-conditioned house not doing anything, it shouldn’t even be that bad for me. I can’t even imagine how it would be like for Karim – walking around the medina in the heat. It’s amazing how people just continue with their daily lives almost as normal. I guess it becomes natural doing it year after year, but I’m not sure if I will ever get used to it!

And there are things about Ramadan that I never knew before. The no eating, no drinking, no smoking and no intimacy I already knew – but there’s also no brushing your teeth, no wearing perfumes, no mascara or makeup. No taking medicine – even when Karim was bitten by a bee and his wrist swelled up excessively he couldn’t take an antihistamine until night-time. He was fine about it though because its apparently good luck and all his friends were jealous! 

But then, at around 7:15pm (and getting one minute earlier every day!) we get to break the fast! Dates, shbakeeya, harira soup, hardboiled eggs, croissants, pastries, pancakes, bread, fruit, juices, smoothies, the list goes on. So much food! Karim explained that during the day and especially leading up to breakfast time people ‘eat with their eyes’, their hunger leads them to buy all this food that they crave in order to have it later. Except you never really do have it later – your eyes can definitely eat more than your stomach because after a small amount of food you immediately become full.  

But no matter, there is plenty of time for eating during the night. We usually have dinner around 11pm or so (which is the usual time for dinner anyway when it’s not Ramadan) and then sometimes I wake up at 3am or so to eat some yoghurt or a croissant and have a big drink of water before the fasting day starts at around 4am. And that is Ramadan! And even though the fasting can be difficult, I’m really glad I’m doing it. 

I will write about my adventures in Spain another time – so stay tuned!

The shbakeeya stalls that have popped up everywhere

A typical breakfast table for 4

shbakeeya - honey/sugar/butter goodness!