Ramadan & Christmas Plans

Ramadan started yesterday and life is suddenly different around here. Stores are closed and the regular schedule of shops have become erratic. Ramadan is a religious holiday of fasting where Muslims reconnect with their faith and try to act more humane with one another. After the daylight fast has ended, a huge iftar meal is served and families eat for hours, celebrating and praying. The culture here is nocturnal (most stores don't open on the weekends till 4pm), but Ramadan makes them stay up even later because of the inverted life change. Sleeping during the day is not uncommon, as well as taking a month off work.

Tentatively, we've decided to make seperate plans for X-mas this year. Reina will head to SoCal to be with family and I will head to Senegal or Morocco to surf. I will head out Dec. 18 and return Jan. 1. So if anybody wants to meet up in Africa for surfing, email me.

As for Ramadan, we will probably head to Bahrain for eid (the holiday after the end of Ramadan).