Iftar - Breaking the Ramadan Fast

It’s Ramadan and Ramadan changes everything. Muslims give up eating, drinking, smoking and other worldly pleasures during daylight hours. So no liquids, even water, although it’s the withdrawal from caffeine in tea and coffee that seems to hurt the most… (see my Aug ‘13 Ramadan blog for more)

Heron at Sunset - Ras al-Khaimah

The daily meal structure revolves around two main meals: breaking the fast (Iftar) as soon as the sun goes down, and the last meal of the night (Suhoor) sometime before the sun comes up.

During Ramadan last year, my friend and colleague Mohamed invited me for Iftar. I took an expat friend and we drove to his house where we met two of his brothers. We entered the building through the “men’s” entrance and were ushered into the Majlis, a large lounge with sofas around the walls and an elaborate rug on the floor.

We sat and talked as we watched the TV. “We’re waiting for the Imam to appear and tell us when daylight has ended,” Mohamed said, “then we’ll go for a short prayer and come back to eat.”

Emirati families sit on the floor to eat their meals – a tablecloth was set in the middle of the rug and the guys brought various insulated pots containing the meal and plates for us. Then it was time to eat.

Here was my first problem – I don’t normally sit on the floor to do anything, I had trouble enough sitting down let alone eating once I got there. Mohamed had anticipated this and gave me a large cushion. But, my second problem was actually picking up the food and eating it – I needed one hand to lean on. The others sat and had both hands free. And, Emiratis don’t normally use utensils, picking meat and rice up with their right hand, I must say skilfully. Again, Mohamed had thought of me and provided me with a knife and fork – but with only one hand free I chose to struggle through consuming the rice with my hand.

But the food was really good and showed the mix between Lebanese and Indian that typifies Emirati food. We started with Lokma – sweet pastry balls served with date oil. Then chicken soup; everyone drank from the small bowls but I had to use a spoon – and apologize for being left-handed! Next we had crispy, spicy Samosas and Pakoras, dipped in fresh yoghurt, followed by Harees – a savoury porridge where meat and vegetables are added to coarsely ground wheat and cooked for several hours. It was very tasty and easy to eat with your fingers, although I got through a lot of napkins!

The main course was leg of lamb with rice and lentils – the lamb just fell off the bone, it was delicious.

For drinks, we started with water, then Mohamed said: “I’m going to bring a drink we only serve during Ramadan, you’ve probably never heard of – Vimto.”

“Vimto? I haven’t heard of that for years. We used to drink that when I was a boy in England (a long time ago), it was more popular than Coca Cola then. Wow.” I checked the next day and, sure enough, the UAE supermarkets were suddenly full of Vimto. The taste was so evocative, I hadn’t drunk it for 50 years or so, I was back in my youth. Sadly, it didn’t enable me to sit like a teenager…

For dessert, we sat up on the sofas and ate crème caramel or jelly, again foods exclusive to Ramadan. And, it didn’t take me as long to get up, as I’d thought. We drank black sweet tea and finally Arabic coffee.

My first taste of Iftar was a memorable evening - Mohamed and his brothers had served us well.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque at Sunset

The Turkish Bath - Petra Jordan

Petra is spectacular but it is dusty and hot; plus you walk miles when you visit – it’s a mile or more of walking just to get into the site, and your return is all up hill. I must have walked in and out of that site six times in the three days we were there.

Dusty day in Petra

So, when I saw the sign offering Turkish baths (Hammam) a few doors down from our hotel, I grabbed at it. I’d never had one before so wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve had a couple of memorable massages over the years, but that’s another story...

I walked in and was ushered into a changing room. A woman in a hijab sat outside. It turns out I should have worn swim pants. “Strip down to what you are comfortable with,” the man said - I had to go beyond that. I walked out holding my clothes strategically, wearing only my underwear and walked past the woman to my locker.

I entered the hot tub as quickly as I could - a young woman in a bathing suit was already there. As we both drank our fruit tea, I asked her where she was from. “Toronto,” she said – a surprise to neither of us!

Shortly, the woman in the hijab appeared and called the woman into a side room. At last, I sat alone in my boxers.

Petra @ Night - Candles in paper bags

“Mr Robert,” a voice called and my masseur Ali arrived. He led me to a room that, frankly, looked like a 19^th century morgue; filled with tomb-like marble ‘beds’. I climbed on one as I was told and led face down.

Ali quickly hosed me all over with hot water at some pressure, then rubbed and washed me all over with a large bar of soap. Following this, he scrubbed me with a coarse block. This was not entirely pleasurable – I am, to say the least, ticklish. But then he climbed up on top of the block and began pummelling and kneading me; pushing his fists and elbows into various knots and lumps. He climbed down, asked me to turn on my back and started all over again. I was helpless as he pulled on my arms and legs, yet as he threw me around I could feel the aches slipping away.

Donkey @ Roman Theatre - Petra

Finally it was over. “You can go and shower off in the corner,” he said, as he left me. But, this was easier said than done. Climbing down from a marble slab that, like me, is covered with soapy water is no mean feat. I slipped and slithered and somehow got back to the changing room without losing my soaking wet shorts.

I was glowing with an inner peace as I strolled back to the hotel …and, it didn’t hurt to be unfettered by underwear…

Chariot ride through the Siq - entry to Petra