Ankur and Genny’s Meandering Tour

I'll tell the "sour" bit first. Now that I finally received my residency card, I can get my Qatari driver's license. In order to get my license I need a signed letter from Ank giving me permission to have a license. You can't imagine my facial expression when I was told this. I guess I shouldn't be surprised given the number of documents I needed for my residency proving that Ank could take care of me. But as Lisa wisely told me, "Just go with it." So a letter and an eye exam later I will have my license. It could be worse...others have take their exam with strange yield for camel signs.

Here's the sweet bit. For Gurango, a Qatari tradition during Ramadan, we got little pouches of nuts and sweets from work today. And yesterday the neighbor's kids brought over really good homemade food for us. So today I brought them goodie bags filled with all kinds of sweets. The youngest boy gave me a huge smile and grabbed the bag. What a sweetie!

-Gen

Although it is Ramadan, the weekdays don't seem much different than any other time of the year. Well okay, technically I get to go home at 3pm but non-fasting people tend to stay later. Also to eat lunch or have coffee or water I hide in the small pantry. And there are actually times when there is no traffic. Okay, so it is different but it's not as dull as I imagined. And I like being able to sleep until noon on the weekends and not miss a beat.

Of course, Ramadan traditions vary from person to person. It's a time to read the Qur'an, pray, do charity work, separate from material goods, forgive your enemies, etc. I've also heard that it is a time to understand and feel what it's like to be poor. Mostly people though seem to socialize and eat. And eat and eat and eat. The sunrise to sunset fast is broken with iftar which starts with dates and milk or some sugary drink. The main meal can be anything from the usual hot and cold mezzah, barbeque meat, etc. Ank can probably expand since he's had iftar a few times in Kuwait. For dessert there is kataiaf, a kind of folded pancake pocket stuffed with nuts and drenched in sugar. It's as tasty as it sounds! Or konafo, a pastry made with shredded phyllo and layered with either cheese or nuts and raisins. When we go to the Ramadan tent at the Ritz I'll get pictures of the food. The tents usually have large buffets, music, and sheesha.

I also read in the Gulf Times that "one of the main events held in Qatar in Ramadan is the Garango, in which children go out in groups after sunset and knock on the doors of their neighbors, singing special songs and carrying bags to collect candy and nuts." It's Christmas meets Halloween!

Anyway, I've decided I like Ramadan. I get to go home early, sleep in, eat special sweets, and try the restaurants outside of the hotels.

-Gen