Double celebration

This weekend was a double celebration in our household: it was our 11th wedding anniversary and the end of Ramadan.

According to a friend of mine, 11 years is your steel anniversary - presumably because that's what you need nerves of to get this far in matrimony.

Neither Ian nor I are very good at remembering our anniversary, but luckily Isabelle and Olivia had elaborate plans in place to make up for our shortcomings. Isabelle ensured Ian was given an anniversary card out of her private hand-made collection on which to write suitable sweet-nothings and Olivia was in cahoots with him to buy flowers and lay a special anniversary dinner table.

Bahrain's preparations for Eid (the holiday at the end of Ramadan) were no less elaborate. Timing is crucial. The start of the three day holiday depends on four criteria being fulfilled. According to the vice-president of the Bahrain Astronomical Society these are:"...first, the moon must be born before the sunset, secondly it must be seen after sunset, thirdly the epoch of the calculations must be at Mecca, and fourthly the moon must be witnessed by people". Yes, I was confused too. For the fourth requirement, Bahrain has an imaginatively-named moon sighting committee.

Quaint as all this moon searching is, it does cause organisational problems. School calendars have entries like "Eid holiday starts - probably", which makes holiday planning a bit tricky.

For Muslims, the holiday is a time for great celebration when family and friends to get together, and wish each other "Eid Mubarak!" (Happy Eid). Children traditionally receive the "Eidiah" - a gift of money - from family, friends and neighbours.

I had a hair appointment on Sunday (the first day of Eid). The salon I use is owned by the daughter of a prominent local businessman and it was full of the females in her family being primped, preened and plucked in preparation for the festivities ahead.

Arab women take their grooming extremely seriously; most of them looked more polished when they entered the salon than I did when I left it. I thought the French and Belgians were beauty addicts - hairdressers in Brussels seem to outnumber all other professions - but Bahraini and Saudi ladies are in a different league. My appointment was at 10am and there was already more Prada and Jimmy Choo in the room than on an Oscar red carpet.

My hairdresser (an Aussie) took great delight in whispering a running who's-who commentary of the great and the good coming into the salon. The anecdote of the morning was the story of the lost watch. Apparently one of these poor ladies had misplaced her timepiece the previous week and thought she may have left it in the salon. It was gold with lots of diamonds - bling is big here - and a gift from her father. Estimated value? BD 14,000 (around GBP 22,700). Not really the sort of item you leave lying around while having your weekly mani-pedi then.

Ramadan Kareem!

The Holy Month of Ramadan, when Muslims believe Allah revealed his Holy law to the Prophet Muhammed, is drawing to a close.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. The fasting is designed to focus attention on Allah and to bring home the plight of the poor and hungry. The whole pace of the Kingdom changes. People start work later (to allow them to have another nap after taking their breakfast or "Suhoor" at about 4.30am) and finish earlier - around 2pm - because by then they are so exhausted from eating and drinking nothing all day in searing temperatures that the only thing they are fit for is bed.

The fast is broken after the "Maghrib" prayers at sunset. The meal taken at this time is called "Iftar", and traditionally consists of a few dates followed by a wholesome soup or stew. Later in the evening, usually around 9 or 10pm, people meet for a "Ghabga" or "gathering" and a more substantial meal. This is a chance to catch up with friends and family. Mosques offer Iftar in their courtyards, especially for the under-privileged and most companies and societies have some sort of ghabga during the month. Here I am with my friend, Jane, heading off to meet other friends for a ghabga in the Ramadan tent at the Novotel. The buffet was sumptuous with extensive hot and cold mezzahs, biryanis and shawarmas, all washed down with juice or soft drinks (the only downside).

During Ramadan no-one is allowed to serve food or drink during the day (so all the restuarants and coffee shops are closed) and anyone caught eating or drinking in public gets a stern warning from the police. Some poor bloke was arrested last week for lighting a cigarette in public. He claims he forgot it was Ramadan. I have resorted to crouching down in the car for furtive sips of water while out and about.

I find the whole fasting thing amazing. Bahrainis must have incredible willpower. This is not some poxy 2-day detox. This is a whole month. Not everyone fasts, of course. Children, the sick, the elderly, and pregnant or menstruating women are exempted. For others, it is a personal choice. I was visiting an Iraqi friend last week and she offered me a glass of vino at 3pm - which was welcome as we have run out of white wine and no more will be on sale until after Ramadan finishes. Neither she nor her family fast, she told me. Nor do many of her friends. She tried it once when she was in her teens. Never again.

Yet many do fast for the entire month. I overheard a Bahraini woman at the girls' gym class yesterday describing how she was suffering from the most debilitating headaches each day as she was so dehydrated. Although she did not drink anything, she did allow herself to crunch a paracetemol now and again to get through the day.

It's the labourers I really feel for. Stuck out in the heat of the day, they must work without food or drink. Despite not having to work during the two or three hottest hours, I don't know how more of them don't keel over with heatstroke or worse.

Shopping hours also change during Ramadan, with shops closed in the afternoon and then re-opening in the early evening until at least 11pm. Shopping malls are packed until well after midnight, with loads of activities for kids and music and entertainment. All to ensure that everyone has a happy Ramadan - or Ramadan Kareem!