Breaking the Fast...

We're not sure if it is partly the result of fasting all day but Iftar - the evening meal to break the fast - is so delicious here.

Hotels, restaurants and families create special Iftar menus to welcome guests.  And we have been lucky to enjoy all three.

Iftars start right after sunset and run through until about 10pm when the Suhoor festivities are prepared.

The "Friday Brunch" is a Dubai phenomenon that is catching on globally.  It involves gorgeous and creative buffets or all-you-can-eat tasting menus with more options that you can even imagine. Most people book off their whole afternoon to attend.  The Iftars here also embrace an extensive selection of innovative dishes - even in people's homes!  We have enjoyed some dishes served from a picnic basket and others from a tool-man's workbox, with special welcome mocktails and festive desserts.  Many even install special Majlis tents to enhance the experience.

By the end of the day, we can barely muster enough energy to make eggs for dinner.  How families manage to make such gorgeous spreads and be such attentive and giving hots just make us even more impressed.  

The beautiful reveals of a slower pace...

During Ramadan, normal activities quieten down as people fast and reflect.  Office hours are shorter, many restaurants are closed (although some stay open to offer takeaway/delivery or a cordoned off eating area), and there is a peaceful vibe around the city.

Embracing this slightly slower pace allowed us to "smell the roses" and take more time to notice and appreciate things we can sometimes overlook.

For example,  we realized just how gorgeous of a gym we get to frequent in our building.

In fact, its views and surround were actually worth a blog post in and of itself!

The pics below are taken from the Burj Khalifa's gym on the 72nd floor and show the nearby areas of Business Bay, Downtown Dubai and DIFC.  The building site at the front of the top photo is part of the new Opera District which will include numerous cutting-edge apartments around the Dubai Opera.  The waterway near the back of the photo is the Dubai Creek which opened earlier this year - another incredible engineering feat as they impressively shifted one of their main highways to accommodate the waterway. 

Business Bay and the new Dubai Creek areas

Emaar Square and DIFC areas

The start of Ramadan...

The Holy Month of Ramadan begins at the end of May this year, with the exact date determined by the sighting of the moon.   Ramadan starts approximately 11 days earlier each year and is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar.

Ramadan is understood to be observed by Muslims to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad.  It is a time of worship and reflection, as well as a time for family and friends.

The Ramadan displays 

Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and is observed from sunrise to sunset.    The practice of fasting is designed to serve both spiritual and social purposes - to remind you of your human frailty and reliance on others, to help you empathize with others who have less than you, and to reduce your distractions so you can focus in on your spiritual relationship.

Sunset brings the end of the fast.  Muslims enjoy a light snack before their evening prayers, to be followed by an Iftar, the evening meal.  Before the sun rises again, Muslims will wake for Suhoor, the pre-dawn meal, before their morning prayers and day of fasting begins.

Our final dinner before the start of Ramadan

Balancing the traditions of Muslims and non-Muslims in the region, Dubai has embraced a practical and respectful approach to Ramadan.
The practices of Ramadan are observed in public spaces but people are free to follow their daily practices in their homes.  Offices, shopping malls and restaurants generally carve out discrete spaces or cordoned off areas for non-Muslims to eat and drink during the day. Office hours are shorter but evening activities are in full force. And many hotels and government bodies have created opportunities for non-Muslims to get involved in Ramadan traditions to better understand and appreciate the meaning of Ramadan.

When in Dubai, we do our best to embrace the fasting rituals of Ramadan.  It is a way for us to better understand and appreciate the culture of our neighbours and this wonderful place where we live.