Happy Ramazan, Everybody!
Much like our friend Mardi Gras, it seems most Istanbul-ites around here are more eager and willing to celebrate the end of Ramazan than they are to actually observe the fast.
But here, as with most things linguistic and cultural, the party is a suffix rather than a prefix, so everyone is booking their travel for the mid-September days off.
But, honestly, the fast is pretty tough cookies. I mean, Kristin and I couldn’t figure out if it was technically okay to brush one’s teeth after sun-up under the strict constructionism of the rules.
The tea gardens were about half full when I walked by today. They are normally just about standing room only, so I guess that shows something.
I’m very glad to see that I can readily blend in without observing the fast, although it might be a pretty fun challenge to get through. The waking up early to shove my face with food and water would not be my favorite part of the deal, though.