Ramadan in UAE
After spending many years in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia I now get to enjoy my first Ramadan in the UAE and what a difference.
Even the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques allowed us to eat in public and lead a somewhat normal life during Ramadan. I know normal is all relative in the middle east and Saudi is far from normal but it was not as harsh as it is in the UAE during Ramadan.
It was perceived in the Kingdom that if a Saudi saw an infidel eating during daylight hours and the local was not tempted to eat he got bonus points. Why is it in the land of pork, nightclubs, bikinis and booze we are not allowed to eat in public during daylight? Are they trying to make our lives as miserable as theirs?
No other Muslim country imposes these kinds of restrictions on its subjects as far as I know plus if the Kingdom does not do it why should any other Muslim country impose?
Kids are not even suppose to eat during Ramadan. I was at the Mall of the Emirates this week and a security guard told children around 8 years old to stop eating. Aren't kids (and pregnant ladies) exempt from these types of restrictions?
This is all rediculous and I should know by now how people in this part of the world operate but I was in the most restrictive part of the Arab world and didn't have as much problems as the UAE gives during Ramadan.
Tourist and pilots beware. You are entering the land of no return.