Showing posts with label eid mubarak. Show all posts
Showing posts with label eid mubarak. Show all posts

Saturday, 17 August 2019

One Daily Positive - Week 33 Melbourne to Dubai via Singapore and Abu Dhabi. Eid Al Adha Mubarak.

It's hot back in Dubai, the garden needs a lot of work doing to it and the balconies etc are covered in 2 inches of sand grrrrrrrrrrr.

We spent Tuesday and Wednesday night in Abu Dhabi as it's EID and a public holiday staying at the Park Hyatt on Saadiyat Island. We'd booked a suite with a sea view and balcony, we went for breakfast, they made the room, we returned from a swim and they'd tidied away the coffee cups, we came back from dinner and they'd refreshed the towels and emptied the bins. I'm not used to this level of attentiveness and was surprised that it wasn't as intrusive as previous experiences.

223 Sunday Had a leisurely morning, packed case, left apartment and returned the key before dropping the car at the airport and checking in for a 6pm flight to Singapore, before a 2 hour stop over and onto Dubai. I managed to get more sleep than usual. Getting off at Singapore we waited by the gate while they cleaned the plane and got back onto the same seat, I found a smoking room and a Starbucks.
Meet Thing 4, she was actually born last week, but keeping it quiet until everyone had been informed and Thing 1, 2 & 3 had time to meet their sister.

224 Monday Landed at 5am, taxi home, unpacked, showered and did some washing after a 2 hour power nap. Peter took Bob to boarding and I repacked swimsuits, sandals and dresses for a 2 night stay in Abu Dhabi. We arrived at the Park Hyatt at 1pm and headed straight to the beach and pool. We ate Vietnamese for dinner.

225 Tuesday A lie in and leisurely breakfast before spending the rest of the morning by the pool, back to our room for a couple of hours, then pool side again before showering and dinner in the Beach Cafe.

226 Wednesday I was up early and started my day with a swim in the sea, but at 36c in the water I gave up and went in the pool instead. We had breakfast and went back to the pool for the morning, before packing and checking out. Collected Bob from the kennels, we'd left Pushkins at home with food hidden around the house. We did a food shop then I caught up with my soaps and we watched a couple of episodes of the Good Wife before bed.

227 Thursday Up at 5am, seem to be back in my usual routine now. Walked Bob, watered the garden, swept the front and rearranged my car as Peter has been using it for the dog and boarding. Did the ironing, sorted through our wardrobes and rearranged/tidied up the toiletries. Showered and off to Ibn Battuta Mall for a coffee and to blog. I bought a couple of books to read. The place where I've been swopping books at the dog park hasn't had any new donations in since I started using it, other than what I drop off. Spent the afternoon at our local pool.

228 Friday Dog walk and garden swept, still needs a good hose and weeding, but slowly does it in this heat. We went out for breakfast at the Mall of the Emirates and onto the cinema to see Once upon a time in Hollywood. It's described as a comedy, but it's dark and violently graphic at the end. If you don't know the Sharon Tate murder or aren't aware of Roman Polanski's statutory rape case, then you'd miss a lot of references, but would still be able to watch the movie.
Made a chicken curry for dinner and bought new pepper and salt mills.

229 Saturday Dog walk, an hours gardening and an hour at the pool. Took ourselves out to Mirdiff City Centre for a walk and lunch and to buy Peter new socks. I spent the afternoon on paperwork and blog comments.
The domed nets are to stop the cat sitting on the table.

On the blog this week:
Phillip Island to Port Fairy. Australian Roadtrip.


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Tuesday, 12 June 2018

Where is Ramadan in the UK?

I'm over from Dubai for the summer. I leave around this time every year because it just gets too hot and besides I get to spend time with my family and friends.

We've been living in Dubai for 3 and a half years and have been experiencing our 4th Ramadan. We're not muslims and we don't fast, but we do observe Ramadan and alter our behaviour to accommodate those fasting which is more than 60% of the population.

I arrived in the UK at the end of the 2nd full week of Ramadan this year and to be honest I forgot it was Ramadan, we had our sons wedding on Saturday and a funeral on Monday. Today is the first day I've had some time to switch off. I went out for a coffee and it struck me that the windows weren't covered or that I was only able to purchase a take away.

Ramadan ends on Thursday this week and I'm pretty sure there are a lot of people in the UK who have no idea that Ramadan is actually taking place and exactly what it involves. I did hear a comment from a school volunteer who said they had wondered why year 6 has been making lanterns and why there were Arabic words on the classroom wall.

I've written about what Ramadan is like living in Dubai many times, which you can read more about here.

I'm actually missing Ramadan, even though I don't fast, it reminds me think about other people's needs and to have some discipline in my own life.

Are you observing Ramadan in the UK? How is the experience for you? Either as a Muslim or an observor?

Eid Mubarak 

May you have a blessed Eid Al-Fitr. 


Sunday, 19 July 2015

Week 29 - My Sunday Photo. Eid Mubarak

It's been a long and lonely week with hubby working in the UK. I've been fairly housebound with Ramadan and the fact I can't eat or drink in public during daylight hours. But I've made a point of getting out and about and on Friday I headed off to The Beach in Dubai, near the Marina to join in the Eid Celebrations and to watch the fireworks.

This photo won AED 1000 over on Instagram. You can see a video of the fireworks here.

Eid Al Fatr marks the end of Ramadan with 3 day celebrations and marks the end of month long fasting during Ramadan.

The celebrations are a time for family and of forgiveness and of giving thanks and many Muslims give donations of food to those less fortunate than themselves.

I've only been in Dubai for the last week of Ramadan and what I've learnt from speaking to shop workers and taxi drivers has been interesting.

There has been one thing I've been puzzled by and if anyone could let me know the answer I'd be grateful is when you go to a coffee shop that is licensed to serve take away food and drinks during Ramadan and have signs for 'non muslims and children only' is why they have covers over the food counters, yet the supermarkets have open fronts and anyone can go in and shop and purchase any foods they like during the day, yet they don't cover their food.

BTW Muslims can clean their teeth during Ramadan, just not in day light hours as if they swallowed the toothpaste they would be breaking their fast.

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