16 & Counting

As there was a beautiful full moon yesterday that means we are now on the 16th day of Ramadan.

We will now allow the moon to shrink bit by bit until it fades completely into the dark. The same way, we will then celebrate it once it appears in the skies again, bringing its vibrant energy and Eid along with it.

As last year, it has been easy not to eat during the day.. your body just gets used to it as time passes by. I havent broke my fast during the day except for a business lunch (sometimes you cant really avoid them) and a glass of lemon with mint to keep someone happy for lunch.

This year, however, fact is that I havent had that much time spent with friends around Iftars like last year... Too much to do at work also means that sometimes I have broken my fast during the most interesting situations, crazy locations or with the least expected type of food:

- Garlic Bread and laban at the parking lot of Mall of the Emirates (one of the biggest shopping malls around here). We dont really have laban in Portugal, but it is equivalent to liquid natural flavour yoghurt.

- Cherry chewing gum and water as I waited for my enrollment for Arabic Classes (I am already on my 3rd lesson and loving it)

- Mint drops and juice during a conference call with the US.

- Puff pastry and strawberry milk during another conference call with the US. (Better break my fast during the call than being in a conference call at 7am, like they have to)

- Water from the bottle of water that is in my car for more than 3 days under the unbearing heat.

Well.. Some more days to go. Hopefully this list will get replaced by pictures of "normal" Iftars soon. :)

PS- Pais, maninho, avozinhos, tio, tia(s), priminhos, tenho saudades vossas! Quem me dera que podessem estar aqui.. e que pudessemos partilhar um Iftar em familia, todos juntos. Sem antecedentes, sem nada. So familia. Toda unida. Como eu a conheco.