Ramadan Mubarak

[Darkfire]

Tomorrow sees the majority of the Islamic world celebrating the start of Ramadan :) While there are no other muslims on this board (that I know of) I'd like to wish you all a month in which you encourage the best parts of yourself to grow and if you undertake to act on the less desirable elements then you'll be joining with over a billion other people around the world who are pursuing the same goal :D

Ramadan Mubarak everyone :D

[PWD]

The best part of me will grow soon as I get home and find me some porn. This I guarantee.

[Cat of Ulthar]

Ramadan mubarak to you too Darkfire!
Hope you have a good month.:)

[FeatsofClay]

Today the Jewish New Year, tomorrow Ramadan.

Busy season.

Have a good one!

[Varaj]

Blessed Ramadan to you as well.

[doc]

It's Conception day in Russia ! and if a baby is born on June 12 the goverment will give the parents a new SUV, so help keep the population equal to the godless commies and breed tonight !

[Northcott]

Insert appropriate felicitations and wishes here! :D

[Freedom Canadian]

What if the best part of me is the one that makes peach daiquiris ? :D

I wish you an effective Ramadan, Darkfire. :)

[Freedom Canadian]

Double post: My favorite mistake.

[Keeper of Secrets]

I think to celebrate I will stroke off to some arabic ladies.

[Cat of Ulthar]

Today one of the free Dutch newspapers that are distributed to train travellers featured a Ramadan Festival bulletin. A good initiative it seems to me; the festival is trying to increase communication between non-muslims and muslims. There are conferences, lectures, fashion shows, concerts, etc.; but what I find the most charming initiative are the Hospitality Dinners, where muslim families invite non-muslim strangers into their homes to join them in iftar (the breaking of the fast).

When I had just moved to Egypt, Ramadan struck. It was an amazing time. Life is totally different, and when the sun sets, everything just freezes. Cairo, a metropolis of 18 million people, is silent and deserted. Buses just stop, no taxi will drive you anywhere. Restaurants put tables outside for the beggars to have a free meal. (Silly me thought oh nice, a terrace! Rather odd clientele though... :D) As a foreigner, everyone wanted to feed me, no matter how much I explained I had not fasted during the day. Once I was in a bus driving through the desert. We were in the middle of nowhere, and as the sun thought about setting, the bus stopped near a small wooden hut. Everyone went out, large tables were set up and a feast appeared out of the hut. I too was coaxed out and put at the table, despite my protests that I had eaten and really did not want to intrude. Everyone sat at the table and waited until the sign was given, and we ate a great meal, then everyone re-entered the bus, which left.
One other time, we were in a bus in Cairo which was scheduled to leave. No way though, the sun was setting so the driver told us he would be back in around an hour and a half and leave then. We were not too happy so started walking back home. We passed a policeman who was not allowed to leave his post and whose wife had just brought him a laden picknick basket. We were not allowed to walk on, but practically ordered by force of law to sit down and share his meal.:)
At the end of Ramadan, when it is customary for every family to kill and eat a sheep, sheep were everywhere. Imagine a big city near where you live. Like New York (approximately the same amount of inhabitants). Then imagine im promptu sheep pens being erected in the middle of streets.
Imagine coming home to your apartment building and seeing two men fighting to get a stubborn sheep into the elevator.

Egypt is surreal. Ramadan in Egypt is way more so.