Dubai during Ramadan

I cannot recall a time when I was a minority. Maybe playing in a volleyball game at church in junior high, I might have been the only girl with the guys, but through the past 29 years, I have always been in the majority - white, blond, Christian. So, it came as a surprise to find that being in the minority can make you feel a bit like a freak.

The freak feeling came to the forefront this weekend at a most unexpected place. Having to renew our Azerbaijan visas, we flew to Dubai for a weekend of shopping (hello Banana Republic!) and sunbathing by the Persian Gulf. Like Azerbaijan, Dubai is a progressive Muslim nation and westerners are not restricted on much of anything. Alcohol and R-rated movies are readily available, newspapers are critical of policies and no enforced dress code. The biggest difference I noticed between the two: Ramadan.

Starting mid-August and lasting for 30 days, Muslims around the world honor the holy month of Ramadan, with the most devote fasting dawn to dusk. No water, no food.....ALL DAY LONG. Our hotel even recommended that we avoid chewing gum or drinking from a water bottle in public as it is offensive, but they ensured us that we would be able to find something to eat at our big destination: The Dubai Mall.

Dubai claims to have the most malls in the world, so it was only appropriate that with temperatures over a hundred degrees outside, shopping was to be our first priority. Much money spent and several shopping bags later, we strolled through the massive shrine to capitalism looking for a place to enjoy an early dinner. I cringe to admit it but, we were hoping to find a generic American based food chain - the kind that serves over-sized portions of french fries, large sodas with ice, maybe a margarita. No luck as EVERY restaurant, drink stand and cafe was closed. The lights were out at Starbucks, Cold Stone Creamery, Chili's, Macaroni Grille, even the pretzel guy was a no-show.

After scouring the mall for anything open, the guest service representative told us that for non-Muslims (saying Muslims so that it had 2 o's in it, like Moo-slims), there was a "secret" food court at the rear of the mall. Spy-like, we creeped along a dark corridor, hugging the walls, rounding several corners, finally coming to a light at the end of the tunnel and ta-da! All of the pale faces were chowing down on Taco Bell, KFC, Burger King and Pizza Hut. Sequestered behind 2-story tall drapes and 8 foot partitions were non-Mooslims wearing shorts and ball caps and slurping from large cups with straws. We had found our (minority) people!



During our short stay, Dubai seemed to be an incredible mix of culture. The service industry (shop clerks, waiters, taxi drivers, even the girl who takes orders at T-Bell) were staffed with mostly Indians and Pakistanis who all spoke incredible English, sometimes with a British accent and who were not strict Muslims or maybe not Muslim at all. They were beyond friendly, helpful and doled out frequent smiles. The locals were in contrast to this, both men and women wearing traditional dress, poised and stoic, displaying somber faces (could be the fasting). The westerners added to the mix with flamboyant personalities, loud voices and high expectations. It was a thrill to be a part of this societal phenomenon.

If I were to add my thoughts to Tripadvisor.com, I would say that the resort, La Royal Meridian, was fantastic, rivaling those treasured in Mexico. The Dubai airport was amazing in its cleanliness and organization. The Persian Gulf was clear blue with a hint of turquoise and the sand was almost perfectly white. All in all, not a bad way to spend a freaky weekend.