RAMADAN IN ISTANBUL

Could you fast all day without any food or water for an entire month? That is one of the striking things about visiting a Muslim country during Ramadan, when dawn to dusk fasting is obligatory for all healthy adult Muslims. Although they are expected to offer more prayers during this time, everyone continues to work, even in restaurants where they are preparing and serving food to non-Muslims.

Our first experience traveling during Ramadan several years ago was in Egypt, where our guide in Cairo was a young, pregnant woman. Severe illness and pregnancy are permitted exceptions to the mandatory fasting, but we did not see our guide breaking her fast. Those who are unable to fast during the indicated Ramadan period are expected to make up those days later.

The Ramadan dates for this year were from July 10 to August 7, so we had a chance to see how people in Istanbul observed the practice. We would not have been aware of the evening celebrations, if we had not ventured into a non-tourist area of the city shortly before sundown.

Arriving at the mosque of Suleiman the Magnificent, we were struck by an enormous, open air plaza filled with dining tables set for the evening meal. The restaurants providing the meals were along one side and the mosque was a large presence on the other side of a long enclosed courtyard wall.

Our destination was another restaurant with a large enclosed outdoor courtyard, also set up for evening diners with appetizers already placed on the tables. After viewing a performance inside, we returned to a table in the courtyard just in time to join the other diners at dusk for some typical foods.

By special permission, we were allowed to enter the mosque following the main evening prayers and take pictures. The atmosphere outside in the streets surrounding the mosque was like a giant party with children running all around and people sitting on the grass under the trees. It was very festive, and the weather was perfect. A pleasant evening and a full stomach seemed to make everyone happy.

Would you be able to work all day in the heat without drinking anything during an entire month? I do not think I could.