What does Ramadan mean to a non Muslim living in the Middle East?

There are positives and negatives of course and as an non muslim, I don't have to deal with having with going about my daily activities in the heat of summer whilst fasting. With Ramadan starting next week, I thought I'd blog about what I can and can't do here during this time and can refer people to this post rather than answering endless questions that I face every year about what people think I can't do whilst living here.

The shops go into full retail mode with sales and fantastic deals on offer to everyone. There are Iftars (breaking fast) meals, social events and gatherings. And the end of Ramadan Eid al Fitr is marked with fireworks and celebrations.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic year, in which strict fasting is observed from dawn to sunset. In 2018 Ramadan starts 16/17th May. Our first Ramadan in Dubai, in 2015 was in the middle of June. On average it is 11 days earlier each year and whilst this is an approximate date, final confirmation isn't until the new moon is sighted.

If we're still here in a few years, Ramadan will be in winter, day light hours shorter and not as hot. It's the heat I struggle with the most and not being able to drink water if I'm out in public, although as a non muslim I can carry on eating and drinking as normal. I have actually been asked If I'm actually allowed to eat and drink during this month.

However there are some restrictions placed upon me in public during daylight hours whilst I go about my everyday activites in Dubai, during Ramadan and these include:

• No eating
• No drinking (not even water)
• No chewing gum
• No smoking

I can still do the above in the privacy of my own home, my garden as it's fenced off and on our balcony. 

However if I'm out it's a bit more of a struggle. You won't find anywhere to smoke during the day, unless you sit in your car, surrounded by sun screens. Although not recommend when the car temps reach 57c.

Food halls and some cafes are open, but finding out who is and who isn't and who is available for take away only and opening times is a different matter altogether. 

Every year I find more and more places open for non muslims during Ramadan. However opening hours change, with places opening later in the day and staying open later at night. Little is advertised on the websites. But if you're in Dubai on holiday during Ramadan, then your hotel restaurant will operate as normal. However you may find alcohol is restricted during day light hours in Ramadan.

Everyone is exceptionally friendly here in Dubai during Ramadan and they will allow for mistakes. You'll be politely asked not to eat or drink in the malls, outside of restricted areas which are clearly labelled and with a list of the rules.

Muslims who are ill, elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding etc are exempt from fasting and you will see muslims in non muslim areas feeding their children during the day. 

Exercising a dog in Dubai in summer.

Between the end of November and the end of April, we walk outside, twice a day. In December, January and February, I walk Bob whenever the mood takes me or him and sometimes we'll have a 3rd walk in the middle of the day for something to do.

In March and April we walk according to the temperature, so usually within a couple of hours of sunrise and after sunset.

We're in June now. The sun rises at 5.30am and sets around 6.45pm. Before we set off on our morning walks, I check the ground temperature. In the same way you'd check a babies bottle isn't too hot before you give it to them. If I can't walk without burning my bare feet, then Bob can't walk either. 

Between June-October, walks will reduce to almost none as the humidity levels rise, even walking after sunset, it's still too hot for Bob to be exercising in temperatures of 45c. I started to reduce the length of the walks and cut them down to once a day. 

Bob has been enjoying a super long lead to go for walks around our neighbourhood. We do occasionally get tangled in a tree and there is some grass we can walk on, but most of it is sand, which gets as hot as the pavements.

I also take Bob to a dog park once a week. There's an outdoor area with a pool, where I let him run off some energy when we arrive and he'll take himself off for a dip in the pool.

  The indoor play area is air conditioned, with an indoor pool also.

We have our own pool at home, with solid walls which I use to bathe Bob in. I'd like to get a bigger one for us both to use, but the garden is too small.

I'm in the UK now till the end of August. Bob will be spending most of the time in kennels. It's a large indoor play space, where he can mix with other dogs, get regular exercise as well as a comfy bed and food. He actually loves going to Doggie Day Care and is a regular visitor at Paw Parking. 

Going Green in Dubai at Al Khazan Solar Park

The first solar powered and environmentally friendly park in Dubai was opened in 2015.

Located opposite City Walk, it's location means the solar panels receive sunlight, with no shadow throughout the year.

It operates 100% on solar energy.

This project is inline with Dubai's vision for 2010 to reduce energy consumption by 30%

The Park was built in 1980 and the water tower is a landmark in the area. 

Parking is on near by streets and can be reached by a short walk from a bus stop.

Children's play area.

Plenty of open space to picnic and some shady spots under the trees.

Solar panels, opposite City Walk.

Cafe

Book shop

The Cayan Tower

As with everything in Dubai, it starts with 'The World's biggest/tallest/fastest/most expensive.'

But in the case of the Cayan Tower it is known as the 'World's most twisted building' with a twist of 90 degrees. Although it only held that record for just under 2 years before the completion of the Shanghai Tower.

The Cayan Tower is located in Dubai Marina. It is 306ms tall and has 75 stories. It was designed by the same architectural company who did the concept design for the Burj Khalifa.

Viewed from the land.

Viewed from the sea.

In April 2015, the teen and I sat at the base of the Cayan Tower for 2 hours, watching 55 year old Alain Robert aka The French Spiderman, climb the tower free hand, no ropes, no safety nets.

Week 158 Bluewater Islands and Dubai Eye. Man made island a 210m high Big Wheel
Week 159 Dubai Marina - Reflections
Week 160 Dubai Frame. A window between the Old and New Dubai and a 150m high glass floor.

Week 161 Dubai Marina 3 years apart.

Week 162 Dubai Water Canal Bridge Construction and reconfiguration of roads

Week 163 New Metro Line for Expo 2020
Week 164 Hoover Dam 2002 - 2010
Week 165 Dubai Opera House What a difference a year makes
Week 166 Unfinished buildings. The Pentominium
Week 167 Mixing the old and the new. Coventry Catherdral
Week 168 New Dubai Metro Station 
Week 169 Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa 
Week 170 After the Address fire 
Week 171 The Opus Building
Week 172 District Cooling. Keeping the desert cool.
Week 173 Can I visit the Burj Al Arab
Week 174 The Almas Tower

One daily Positive - Week 18

Another week on my own. Peter spent half the week in Istanbul and the other half in Saudi Arabia. I did get to see him briefly on Wednesday for a few hours.

Looking back through my facebook memories this is nothing new. I find I'm getting quite lazy outside of keeping the house clean and walking the dog. I can spend hours watching youtube and doing nothing around the house. I go out everyday for a coffee and a walk, as well as meeting up with friends at least twice a week, but the time in between not a lot gets done. So I've written a list of things I want to do, crafts, tidying and blogging and decided to timetable myself activities so I don't just waste everyday.

119 Sunday By 10am I was bored out my brain. Took Peter to catch the train after walking Bob, watering the garden. Got fuel and coffee on my way home and started writing lists to organise myself a bit more. Had a new chair delivered so I can spend the evenings in the lounge with Peter (when he's home) Due to an old neck injury, I find sitting for any length of time painful and it can contribute to my migraines. Hoping this new chair will help.

120 Monday Met a friend for coffee at City Walk and took some photo's for my 'before, during and after' theme for My Sunday Photo. This flamingo caught my eye, I love flamingoes. I had less than 24 hours notice for my bone marrow biopsy which I had done in the afternoon. OMG, the pain, despite the area being numbed, felt like someone had a red hot cork screw and was twisting it down into my back, to which the nurse said 'yep, that's exactly what happened. Slight delay getting home with admin, but my friend got lippy, took my ID and we left.

121 Managed to get some sleep despite the pain, feels like my back is on fire and when I move between lying, sitting or standing, it feels like the red hot corkscrew is back. Maintenance fixed a broken pipe on the roof and I ventured out for a coffee. Attempted to spray paint some tables I'd prepared earlier in the week, but it was too hot for the spray can to operate, so tried again after sunset.

122 Wednesday Peter made a brief appearance before jetting back off again. I managed to walk Bob and spent the morning watching TV, sorting photos and blogging. Really need a bath but it'll have to wait till tomorrow lol. Took Peter to the train for the airport, stopped off  for coffee, pick up meds and finish some blogging. In bed at 9pm, was bored and couldn't stop eating.

123 Thursday Had a bath, wound seems fine. Friend collected me and we went to Ibn Battuta Mall for lunch. Met another friend for coffee in the afternoon to discuss a potential job.

124 Friday Peter was home in the early hours, went to the beach for breakfast with friends and did a food shop on the way home, chilled out in the afternoon and evening. I knocked my back getting into the car and the pain was fresh again.

125 Saturday Popped out for coffee and to get our eyes tested. I'm finding I need to wear my glasses now with all reading and screen work, my arms are no longer long enough. No change to prescription though. Peter now has to wear glasses all the time and is having the lens changed in one pair and a pair of prescription sunglasses and frames. he has opted for progression lenses and it cost just over £800 for the lenses and £200 for one pair of frames. Took Bob out at 6.30am for a long walk and had friends round in the evening for a BBQ.

On the blog this week:

My Sunday Photo - The Almas Tower
TweensTeensBeyond, TriumphantTales, PoCoLo - Mother of the Groom

The Mother of the Groom with Compton House of Fashion

As the Mother of 4 boys, I potentially have 4 occasions as Mother of the Groom. The first of which is taking place this June 2018. The 2nd in September/October 2019.

This post is in collaboration with Compton House of Fashion who got in touch with me in March to ask me to share my experiences of finding a suitable outfit as Mother of the Groom and I must say I found their website extremely helpful. Although I won't be visiting their store as I live in Dubai and arrive in the UK only 2 days before our son's wedding, it was lovely to see the variety of outfits and accessories they have available. They feature a range of ages of models and offer advice on weddings and etiquette as well as running their own blog which offers help and advice for the Mother of the Groom.

Until Compton House of Fashion got in touch with me, I'd seen very little on the internet about the Mother of Groom. The high street shops focus on the Mother of the Bride and I seem to fall into Occassion Wear.

The harsh reality is there is no role for the Mother of the Groom compared to the Mother of the Bride who takes centre stage after the Bride, the Father of the Bride who gives the Bride away, the Groom who makes a speech, the Best Man who makes the main speech and the Father of the Groom who is also part of the Wedding party as he at least gets to wear the same suits as the rest of the above, as do the ushers who happen to be the Brides brother and the 2 of the Grooms brothers.

And that's where it ends. There is no role for me. Apparently I could write a letter to the Mother of the Bride, showing my interest in the upcoming event and as the parents of the Groom it is traditionally our role to organise the rehearsal dinner, stand in line after the couple to receive guests and to dance with the Groom during the mother-son dance. But I have no idea if this is part of the plan.

I'm sounding quite bitter. I'm not, I'm slightly bemused. I had thought in 2018 we'd done away with all this tradition and besides, my husband and I eloped as a) we wanted to do things our way b) we'd both been married before and been swept away with other peoples ideas of what should and shouldn't be happening and c) we'd just bought a house and didn't want or need the expense. I really hadn't given a lot of thought about my role as Mother of the Groom until now.

I did take part in making a booking for our son's suit fitting and order and paid the bill, but my thoughts on the large number of suits was not wanted and I recommended a photographer, an old school friend of mine. All I had left to do was transfer the rest of the money I promised into the Bride's account for her and her mother to spend as they see fit.

So we've handed over a lump sum to the Bride, replied to the invitation with our meal preferences and booked our flights and car hire.

At the moment I have absolutely no idea what I will be wearing on the day as I'm still waiting to find out what colour the Mother of the Bride is wearing. I also have to avoid the colours of the Bridal party. So I've got a couple of dresses, shoes and a hat (is the Mother of the Bride wearing a hat?) 

Last month, son no 4 announced he was engaged also. But thankfully this wedding won't take place for a year or two and hopefully by then and after a friends wedding in July and our niece's wedding in October, I'll have this outfit choosing sussed out.

The Almas Tower

Up until 2009 and the completion of the Burj Khalifa at 828ms. The Almas Tower, also known as the Diamond Tower, was the tallest building in Dubai. Located at JLT (Jumeriah Lake Towers) it dominates the skyline as you look from the land towards the sea.

As the crow flies this is 3 miles away.

Viewed from the other side, it doesn't look that much taller than the other buildings.

Every tower in Dubai has a name and despite this dominating the Dubai Skyline, I've only ever referred to it 'the building that's the same height at The Shard in London, just to give you some idea of how big these building in Dubai are'

The Almas Tower is 306ms to the top floor and the antenna brings it up to 360ms. The top floor is measured at 279.3ms, with 68 floors of which 5 are below the ground.

The Shard (completed in 2012) is the tallest building in the UK, the tallest building in the European Union, the 5th tallest building in Europe and the 96th tallest building in the world, stands at 309.7ms, with 95 floors of which 72 are habitable. The observatory is at 244ms.

Last Sunday whilst visiting JBR (Jumeriah Beach Residence) I noticed smoke coming out the top of the Almas Tower. There have been several major fires in skyscrapers in Dubai in the 4 years we've lived here. The Torch in February 2015 and the Address Hotel on New Years Eve 2015 in Downtown Dubai being 2 of the biggest.

Along with 100's of other people I dialled 911 to report the fire. I was aware that I didn't know the name of the building and described it as the 'tallest one in JLT.' The emergency services were already aware and within seconds I heard the emergency services arrive. The building was evacuated and the fire was brought under control in 20 mins. it was contained to the spire only.

Quite a few people asked me what the spire is for, as far as I can find out, it's to add height, it's decorative, acts as a lightening conductor and can be used for telecommunication purposes.

Week 158 Bluewater Islands and Dubai Eye. Man made island a 210m high Big Wheel
Week 159 Dubai Marina - Reflections
Week 160 Dubai Frame. A window between the Old and New Dubai and a 150m high glass floor.

Week 161 Dubai Marina 3 years apart.

Week 162 Dubai Water Canal Bridge Construction and reconfiguration of roads

Week 163 New Metro Line for Expo 2020
Week 164 Hoover Dam 2002 - 2010
Week 165 Dubai Opera House What a difference a year makes
Week 166 Unfinished buildings. The Pentominium
Week 167 Mixing the old and the new. Coventry Catherdral
Week 168 New Dubai Metro Station 
Week 169 Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa 
Week 170 After the Address fire 
Week 171 The Opus Building
Week 172 District Cooling. Keeping the desert cool.
Week 173 Can I visit the Burj Al Arab

One Daily Positive - Week 17

Fantastic news this week Child 4 asked 4a to marry him on Sunday. She said YES. It'll be a while till the wedding as they're saving for a house.

It's getting uncomfortably hot now. Averaging 35c in the day, with the car temp reading 10c higher when it's been sitting in the sun on the drive.

My medical aid approval for the Bone Marrow test still hasn't been approved, they're waiting for my blood test results, but didn't ask for them.....doh!

Made the monthly phone calls home on Saturday, lovely to speak with everyone. It was also Thing 3's 1st birthday (my great nephew) on Saturday (it has been noted that no cake was saved for me lol) and 3a broke her ankle in a trampolining accident in Australia at the day out she'd arranged for Child 3's birthday.

112 Sunday started with cleaning the kitchen and dining room after yesterdays roast dinner. Spent the day sorting out some art and craft projects I want to do. Went for a swim at lunch time and spent the afternoon taking photos at the beach and the evening at Dubai Marina wandering around after dropping Peter at the train station as he was off to airport and spending the week in Kuwait.

113 Monday I was bored by 10am with nothing to do so I visited the Garden Centre and called in to see a friend, home via McDonalds for Bob's 5 year anniversary meal and spent the afternoon sorting through photo's and doing some gardening once the sun set and it had cooled down.

114 Tuesday Took Bob to My Second Home for a couple of hours run around. Spent the rest of the day just chilling out and got distracted by my new sequinned cushions, so took my laptop out and had a coffee, putting together a couple of sponsored posts for May.

115 Wednesday Spent the day with a friend at Festival City. Stopped off at Ras al Khor Nature reserve and forgot to bring my camera battery. Peter arrived home mid evening.

116 Thursday It was a very windy and humid day, spent most of it sweeping up the sand and managed to drag myself out to do a food shop after a migraine.

117 Friday We went for coffee and had lunch out at Dubai Mall, wandering around the new Fashion Mall. Spent the evening in front of the TV.

118 Saturday woke to another water leak in the bathroom and no electrics. Peter cleaned the garden and outdoor furniture. I popped to the shops and had a coffee. Had friends round in the evening for a BBQ and made our monthly phone calls to the kids and 2 Mums.

On the blog this week:

My Sunday Photo - Can I visit the Burj Al Arab? 
TriumphantTales, TweensTeensBeyond and PoCoLo - Women only in Dubai

Women only in Dubai

Whatever your thoughts are about this it really doesn't matter.

If you live or visit Dubai, this is what you get.

I'm happy to sit anywhere on train or a bus.

Don't go thinking this gives you the right to a seat or more space as a woman.

It's just as packed on the trains and buses wherever you stand.

Or in the ladies section

It is well sign posted and for me the only advantage is these carriages stop right at the top of the escalator.

There are fines for men of AED 100 for being in these areas, but more often than not it's usually Emirate men travelling with their wife and children. Both wearing traditional clothing. The rules aren't enforced that much to be honest, but if a transport inspector does politely remind you that you are in a women's only area, one just moves along nicely, the same goes with eating and drinking on public transport, people do it, until they are asked not to.

There are separate areas at the local doctors although often ignored by husband and wife who really don't want to sit on separate sides of the waiting room for antenatal checks.

I have no desire to go into this park and neither does hubby and besides it's a very small park and there's much more on offer in the big park that the small park is in. We don't have kids living with us anyway.

So it's not a bad thing, there are very few benefits either other than when you are on the public transport and it is packed, fit to bursting, there are no surprises as to exactly what that may be that is rubbing up against you.

*edit
As a woman I have the choice of using the Women's Only section, it is NOT compulsory for me to have to stand or sit there.