Ramadan 2008 in Egypt

 

  It all starts with buying a “Fanouz”, a Ramadan lantern

    Then buying food, food, food. In Ramadan the food consumption encreases by 30%. This is a “Atayef” baker, a pancake type of thing.

     A “Kounafa” baker, a typical Ramadan sweet.

    Kounafa is sold by weight, and then turned into a sweet at home.

    Ramadan is family time. A family in Fayoum, Egypt’s largest oasis, is sitting together, waiting for the time to pass till Iftar, the breaking of the fast at sunset.

    While the mother is cooking.

    Before sunset all farmers go home with their animals at the same time.

                  Being hungry (and the presence of my camera, too) makes carefree.

    Finally, Iftar! The whole country is eating now and …

    ….watching the same soap operas. Many soaps and comedies are especially produced for Ramadan.

    Traffic jam in Cairo every day before Iftar time.

    But even in worst traffic jam people still manage to smile. Sometimes at least.

    In Ramadan people should be generous. Many people are donating food, their are public Iftars for the poor. This Iftar is beside Torgman bus station, an extremely poor area in Cairo.

    Tired eyes!

    But Ramadan is also a time to go out, meet friends, eat a lot at night, go to music concerts, smoke shisha (water pipe), drink tea and eat sweets. Khan Al Kalili, Cairo’s biggest bazaar area, is packed with people every night.

    The restaurants offer special Iftar and Sohour, the meal before sunrise, dishes.

    Urban Iftar!

               Another public Iftar for poor people. This one is in Zamalek, a nice neighbourhood in Cairo.

    In the morning after the last day of Ramadan everybody goes praying at sunrise. Women are gathewring and waiting for the call to prayer.

     Men are praying separately.

    Maybe not everybody is praying.

    Ramadan is over, time to celebrate the three days long Eid Al Fitr. People go out with family and friends. Al Azhar park in Cairo is one of the favourite destinations.

    It is tradition to buy new clothes for Eid Al Fitr and then to show them off of course. Colours colours colours!

                    Did I mention colours?

    Eid Al Fitr is also a good occasion to show some love to your beloved one. Buy a heart!