Touring to Egypt throughout Ramadan may be an thrilling time to expertise a singular side and flavour of the tradition. Nowhere on the planet is it celebrated with such vitality and enthusiasm as in Egypt.
Touring to Egypt Throughout Ramadan
The Islamic (lunar) month of Ramadan strikes backwards in opposition to the Gregorian calendar by round 10 days annually. This yr (2010), Ramadan falls from Wed., August eleventh (+/- a day) and can proceed for 30 days till Fri., September tenth. All Muslims quick from dawn to sundown throughout Ramadan — no consuming, consuming or smoking. Working days are made shorter to make sure everybody can get dwelling in time to interrupt their quick with household and associates.
What to anticipate throughout Ramadan in Egypt
The dynamics of on a regular basis life change throughout Ramadan. Outlets shut their doorways about two hours previous to sundown and for an additional two hours after sundown, solely to re-open and stay open till well past midnight. It’s a time of night dwelling for Egyptians, with retailers and low homes open late at night time as individuals eat and drink into the quiet morning hours. Motels and eating places all through town maintain particular promotions and reveals for “Iftar” (the fast-breaking meal at sundown) and “Sohour” (the pre-dawn meal taken earlier than fasting should start once more at daybreak).
Not like another Muslim international locations, foreigners in Egypt are nonetheless allowed to drink alcohol throughout Ramadan and also can get pleasure from eating places, bars and nightlife as regular. And since about 10 % of Egypt’s inhabitants is Christian, many locations nonetheless serve foods and drinks throughout daylight, as properly. This makes touring to Egypt throughout Ramadan even simpler!
Ramadan festivities in Egypt
At night time, you’ll uncover streets decked with festive decorations and colored lights, notably round conventional areas akin to El-Hussein Mosque, subsequent to the Khan El-Khalili Bazaar. Lanterns, or “Fawanis,” grasp from each doorway, a practice that started through the time of the Fatimids round a thousand years in the past. At the moment, lanterns had been used to gentle the best way for processions to look at the crescent moon, which marks the start of Ramadan, and to announce the beginning of every day’s quick when the candles within the lanterns burned out at daybreak. These days, lanterns have change into a part of the on a regular basis iconography of Ramadan in Egypt, in a lot the identical approach that the Christmas tree symbolizes Christmas within the West.
The Egyptian custom of elaborate Ramadan feasting and road leisure at night time is assumed to have begun someday within the Eighth Century, when a “Mesaharati” would stroll round every neighbourhood. Their job was to get up the residents in time for Sohour by banging a drum. Later, the position of the Mesaharati would increase to incorporate reciting prayers, singing and storytelling.
Right this moment, the particular tents arrange across the cities for Ramadan have vibrant reveals and leisure for a lot of the night time. A few of these tents are very high-class, elaborate affairs, with plush cushioned furnishings and enormous phases for the performers. They’re a superb method to expertise conventional Arabic meals and music. Additionally for the adventurous, it’s a good alternative to pattern a effervescent water-pipe or “sheesha” crammed with fragrant candy tobacco.
Associated Reads:
I am positive you have had related experiences I had while touring. You are in a sure place and a fellow traveler, or an area, tip you off on a little-known seaside, bar or lodging. Nice journey suggestions from different vacationers or locals all the time add one thing particular to our travels. That was the inspiration for Journey Dudes.
