Top 5 Things to Remember During Ramadan in Riyadh

I've already been through 6 Ramadans in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia but for some reason, I always forget some things that are necessary during this month. As a non-Muslim, there are changes that do not become second nature to me during Ramadan. For example, I am still not aware of the operating hours of some business like the banks and the supermarkets. What time do they open again?!? Or do the restaurants close during the isha'a prayer or do they remain open once they open for iftar?! Yup, 6 years in the Kingdom and I can't still seem to remember. And I always grasp for the answers when Ramadan already starts. Typical. 

In order to remember all these things, I decided to write about them so come next Ramadan, I will not forget. Sheesh, I should've written this 5 Ramadans ago! Anyway, here are things you need to remember during Ramadan:

1. DO NOT EAT/DRINK/SMOKE IN PUBLIC.

Most expats in Saudi Arabia already know this. And in case you're new or you forgot... don't worry, every year, the newspapers remind you of it. Like this news article from Arab News that says Non-Muslims told not to eat in public during Ramadan. Yup, NEWS... is this something new? I nearly rolled my eyes and exclaimed, "I know that! Don't we know that?!?" There is a huge penalty if caught eating/drinking/smoking in public. You lose your job and get deported. Many expats, especially us non-Muslims respect the holy month of Ramadan and the sacrifices that our Muslim brothers and sisters do for this month. I honestly believe that if there will be someone caught doing this, it's only because they unconsciously forgot or are ignorant about the rule (probably because he/she is new) and not because they want to disrespect anyone. So deportation is a bit harsh for a punishment don't you think? Anyway, again DO NOT EAT, DRINK, AND SMOKE IN PUBLIC DURING RAMADAN. Also, don't play loud music.

2. WORKING HOURS ARE REDUCED.

In consideration to our Muslim brothers and sisters who are fasting, the working hours in both government and private companies and institutions are reduced, mostly by 2 hours. Some companies will start their working hours late or some might end theirs early. Some gives a general schedule that includes all employees but some companies and hospitals will opt that non-Muslims retain the normal working hours. So don't be surprised if the roads on your way to work on Ramadan mornings are empty and it's chaotic when you go home in the afternoon.

During regular days, you will not see King Fahd Road as empty and clean as this.

3. BUSINESS OPERATING HOURS ARE CHANGED.

"What time does (name of shop) open during Ramadan?" This is one of the most popular questions asked during Ramadan. Honestly, I just want to shrug all these questions off or answer 'I don't know!' Because like I said, I tend to forget what happened last Ramadan (except number 1, I don't forget that). Anyway, I also want to know. So I researched and came up with this list of popular stores/business centers and their operating hours.

Carrefour - 10:30AM to 2:00AM (they close during the prayer times)

Jarir Bookstore - Depends per store so the schedule is quite long to put in this entry. Check it HERE.

IKEA - Saturday to Thursday (12:30PM to 5:00PM and 9:00PM to 3:00AM) | Friday (9:00PM to 3:00AM

Malls - Some malls are open from 10:00AM to 5:00PM (closes during prayer times) but the brands/stores inside are not all open. So to be sure, just go around 9:00PM to 2:00AM.
Banks - Varies depending on banks. But most are open from 10:00AM to Asr prayer.
- Alrajhi Bank (10:00AM - 3:30PM)
- Saudi Hollandi Bank (10:00AM - 4:00PM)
- Banque Saudi Fransi (10:00AM - 4:00PM)
Enjaz - Saturday to Thursday (10:00AM - 4:00PM and 9:00PM to 12:00 midnight) | Friday (9:00PM to 12:00 midnight)

4. RESTAURANTS OPEN DURING THE MAGHREB PRAYER.

Most restaurants are closed during the day. The maghreb prayer signals the breaking of the fast during the Ramadan so instead of closing, the restaurants are opening at this time. Some restaurants are already open 30 minutes to 1 hour before the maghreb prayer to accommodate customers for iftar. Restaurants also closed during the isha prayer but most of them will let customers stay inside to eat. They open again after the isha and are open until midnight or the wee hours of the morning for suhoor.

5. TAKE NOTE OF TIMINGS and TERMINOLOGIES.
Here is the table of the prayer times in Riyadh during Ramadan.

Taken from Islamic Finder

I looked at Muslim Pro, the iphone app I used to check prayer times, for comparison and the only difference is around 1-2 minutes on some of the timings above. So who knows who's that accurate?!

I used Arabic terminologies in the entry and you're probably thinking 'wut?!' so here goes some terminologies that you'll mainly encounter during Ramadan.

Ramadan - The ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. For this year, it will run from June 29 to July 26.
Imzak - Start of the fasting time. It begins when the first light of dawn becomes visible.
Fajr - The dawn call to prayer; usually imzak begins a few minutes before the fajr.
Suhoor - The meal eaten before the start of fasting.
Iftar - Breaking of the fast immediately after sunset. It takes place at maghreb prayer as soon as the Adhan (call to prayer) is called.
Sawm - The Arabic word for fast.
Eid Al Fitr - A three-day celebration that marks the end of Ramadan and the starts of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. This year, it will probably start on July 30, 2014.

So there you go. I hope that I cleared up some confusion whenever Ramadan comes around. To our Muslim brothers and sisters, we hope that Allah accept your sacrifices and good deeds. Ramadan Kareem! ~ Sundrenched

Ramadan Tents and Iftar Buffets {Riyadh Hotels // Part 1}

Ramadan is upon us once again. We wish our Muslim brothers and sisters a blessed and fulfilling month. May your sacrifices and offerings be acceptable

As you all know by now, at least for expats living in Saudi Arabia, the country changes overnight. (If you're new to Ramadan, check our guide here.) During the day, Riyadh becomes a ghost city with the Muslims fasting and the expats working on shortened hours (unfortunately for me and other The Pink Tarha ladies, our schedule is unchanged). In the afternoon, rush hour becomes literally a rush hour as people scramble to get home to break fast. 

Iftar, the evening meal when Muslims break their fast, is meant to be shared with families, friends and the community. Nowadays, with the contemporary changes to the Ramadan culture, hotels and restaurants have ushered in Ramadan tents and Iftar buffets. Whatever your belief is on the presence of these luxurious and extravagant culinary indulgences during Ramadan, we at The Pink Tarha are just here to share the information as they come. We rounded up hotels offering Ramadan tents and Iftar buffets...

The grandeur of The Ritz

For a majestic, grand Iftar, visit The Ritz Carlton in Makkah Road. SR 295 per person in their events hall and SR 275 per person for their buffet dining in Al Orjouan Restaurant, which serves Lebanese cuisine. Call 011-802-8020 for reservations.

Delicious spread at the Four Seasons.

Four Seasons Hotel at the Kingdom Centre has a Ramadan Tent.  SR 325 per person in their Ramadan Tent and SR 325 at Elements Restaurant. For reservations, call 011-211-5544.

Rosewood Hotel in Faisaliah

Al Fawanees Ramadan Tent in Al Faisaliah Rosewood Hotel offers Arabic, Asian, and international cuisines at SR320 per person. To reserve, call 011-273-2222.

Sheraton Riyadh Hotel and Towers along King Fahd Road has an Iftar buffet at a more affordable price: SR 180 per person. To reserve, call 011-4543300.

The Mosaic Restaurant in Marriott-Riyadh

Riyadh Marriott Hotel in Al Ma'ather Street offers an Iftar buffet at SR 230 per person from 6:30 to 8:30PM and SR 160 for Sohur buffet from 11:30PM to 3:00PM in their Mosaic Restaurant. For reservations and inquiries, call 011-4779300.

The Courtyard Marriott

Marriott's sister company, Courtyard Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter, in Al-Hada District in Al-Sahmi Street has more affordable Iftar buffet at SR 169 per person. Their sohour buffet which starts at 3:30am is at SR 119. Call 011-283-7300.

The Al Yasmeen Restaurant inside the Crowne Plaza Minhal in the Old Airport Road is popular for its variety and selections. Their Iftar buffet is at SR 195 per person. For inquiries and reservations, call 011-874-9200.

The Intercontinental Riyadh has an Iftar Buffet for SR 245 per person and a Sohur Buffet that starts 12:00 midnight in their Al Bustan Restaurant which costs SR 185. For inquiries, call 011-465-5000. 

The Radisson Blu Hotel

Radisson Blu Hotel in Al Mubakariah Plaza along King Abdulaziz Street has an Iftar Buffet for SR 215. It opens around 7:00PM and a Suhor Buffet for SR 115. For inquiries, call 011-479-1234.

Iftar is done during or after the maghreb prayer which is around 6:45PM this month. Hotel dining rooms and restaurants usually open around 6:30 onwards. More hotel and restaurant lists in our next entries so stay tuned for those. The Pink Tarha ladies usually enjoy 1-2 Iftar deals in restaurants so we're pretty excited to see what the new Iftar offers are in restos in and around Riyadh.  

Of course, by publishing these kinds of lists, it doesn't mean that we patronize the extravagant consumerism that sometimes goes with this season. After all, even if The Pink Tarha ladies are not Muslims, we know that Ramadan should not be about gluttony, too much entertainment, and shopping. It still is about spiritual growth, togetherness, and generosity. Again, the list above (and succeeding ones) is just here for mere information for those who are interested. ;) ~ Sundrenched

Check out part 2 here.

How To Spend Your "Staycation" in Riyadh

The eid vacation is upon us! Where are you going? Visit our revamped travel page for some suggestions. We're pretty sure a lot of our kabayans are getting ready to hit the outdoors as far from Riyadh as possible. Al-Khobar and Dammam, anyone? Or Jeddah perhaps? Some are going out of Saudi Arabia. Sampaguita Pride is currently on a Europe trip with her family (such a lucky gal) while the rest of The Pink Tarha ladies will be spending our eid vacation at home. At home. Yes, seriously. 

Eyecandy and I have been out of the country months ago so we're lacking money to fund more trips. Shoegarfreeruby is going to the Philippines this September so she's saving up for that. All in all, we're really stuck in the house for the time-being. Well, as we always say, find positivity in your situation. So for those who will be hanging out their houses with no plans of going out this week, here's how to have some awesome "staycation" (stay-at-home vacation)! 

1. Take naps. 

More time to snooze!

Lots of it, if you want! You can even sleep through your vacation and we won't take it against you! Haha! You deserve it. Also, the idea of staycation is feeling the feeling of being on a vacation by deviating from your daily routine. You can disregard your chores for 2 days or more and just eat and sleep; the same things you can do while staying in, say, a hotel or a resort. Of course you have to get to your chores after but at least you get to relax, have fun, and enjoy your time first. You earned this free time  this year so... own it!

Booked for Ramadan

Aka Top 5 Young Adult Fiction Book Series To Read (Recommended By Sundrenched)

It's Ramadan... and while our Muslim brothers and sisters are fasting during the day, there are some of us who are lost on what to do when work hours are shortened and malls and stores are closed. Where do we go? What will we do? You have your computers and internet and television, of course.

More often than not, I escape from watching sappy teleseryes and surfing the internet by reading books. I know some of you might be groaning and scoffing with the mere mention of books. Haha. Reading is boring... NOT! I have long believed that reading is sexy. I like men who read (figures why I do not like a lot of men, hehe... kidding!) Watching television and movies do not interest me as much as reading books so if you're like me, please read on.

These book series written for young adults (for adults too!) are perfect for the Ramadan season because they take quite a few days to finish. But if you're like me who eats books for dinner, you'll be jumping from one book to another and you'll be done in no time at all! You won't even know the Ramadan days are over and hello, Eid vacation na!

As discussed in my book shelf, I like a lot of genres but I stay away from how-to and philosophical books because I am stubborn in following pieces of advice and haven't got enough brain cells to wade through them. Haha. I go for Middle Eastern fiction and mystery thrillers most of the time. But lately, the young adult fantasy genre is filling up my book shelves fast. And because they're the ones with sequels, I spend days reading one book after another. If you can't see any new entries in the blog, that means I'm immersed in one.

Disclaimer: I am omitting Harry Potter (too popular), Twilight (haven't read because the writing and characters put me off), and Games of Thrones (too complicated).

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Watched the movie already but didn't know it was from a book series? I tell you, grab a copy of the book and read pronto! The Hunger Games is the most popular novel nowadays. Set in the post-apocalyptic world of Panem, The Hunger Games tells the story of Katniss Everdeen from District 12 who volunteers for the 74th annual Hunger Games in place of her younger sister, Primrose, whose name was drawn at the Reaping. Along with Peeta Mellark, the boy tribute, Katniss goes to the Capitol and fights for her life in the arena. The second book, Catching Fire, tells of the 75th Hunger Games and the third installment, Mockingjay, tells of the rebellion of District 13.

Packed with action!

The paragraph above is too much to process if you didn't go beyond The Hunger Games movie. Read the three books and you'll know why they suddenly shot to the bestselling racks in bookstores and book review sites. I think I read the three books in two working days. Didn't have time to breathe and eat snacks. Haha. They're that good. 'Nuf said.

Ramadan 1431

Here's a very interesting link: Boston.com's The Big Picture, shared by Susie's Big Adventure (we love her blog!). These are fascinating photographs of Ramadan 2010 from cities all over the world. Pick your favorite pic! These ones captured our attention:

Jerusalem

Cairo

Mecca

Quezon City

London

Jakarta

Damascus

Such beautiful pictures depicting Ramadan! We have yet to get a photo of Riyadh. :)

An Expat's Guide To Ramadan

The sighting of the new moon on the ninth month of the year is a very important event for Muslims all over the world. That day, which may well rest on August 22 (Saturday) this year, marks the beginning of Ramadan, the Muslim's holy month. For us expats (who are non-Muslims) in the Kingdom, this is the month of becoming one with the Islamic world. This is after all Saudi Arabia, the seat of Islam where the two holy cities of Mecca and Madinah are found, so "co-observing" the Ramadan is a must. For OFWs who will experience Ramadan for the first time, here's a list of things you must remember this month:

1. Eat discreetly.
Fasting is the most known, widely-practiced activity during this month. Fasting stirs people away from impurities of worldly activities (ex. vices) and invokes purity of the heart. It also teaches self-control, self-discipline and empathy to others' sufferings. Muslims are not allowed to eat and drink after the fajr (dawn) prayer until the sunset prayer. Though we (non-Muslims) are not required to fast, we must be considerate of those who will. Do not eat and drink out in the open where those who are fasting can see you. Arm yourself with baon because eating establishments will only open after 6:00pm.

2. Tardiness is the new punctuality.
Your office mates are not late, they're just in time... for a new Ramadan schedule. Some offices will tweak their office hours for Ramadan. Most will start their office hours late (ex. 9:00am from the usual 7:00am) and end early (3:00pm from the usual 5:00pm) but this new schedule is not for everyone. Don't fret if your schedule is unchanged and don't use the excuse "Eh bakit sila, late namang pumapasok?!" if you feel the need to be tardy. This is not the time to lament on this world’s unfairness. After all, you eat your breakfast, you're here to work, and you understand the side effects of fasting in one's strength and productivity so just look at the brighter side of things: the PT girls personally enjoy the almost empty roads going to work in the morning.

3. The road is a danger zone at night.
After work, stay inside your flats/villas, have your dinner, and watch Wowowee (or whatever it is in the tube) because chances are, it's traffic. If you go out, you'll just get a migraine from all the road rage - horns blaring, tires screeching, drivers trying to set a new world speed record, and everyone else hurrying... it's a crazy world out there. Be safe inside your houses. But if you really have to go out, be careful.

4. Stores open late, close "early".
Most of them are. Because they open late, they also close early... as in early morning na! Malls open after the maghrib prayer (8:00pm) and closes around 2am. So do your grocery and shopping during this time frame (although you'll have to contend with traffic and huge crowds). If you need to buy something really really important, wag nang ipagpabukas pa because you will not find your suking tindahan open in the morning. It's kind of weird to do our mall shopping at 1 in the morning but it doesn't bother us that much. (Gusto nga naming 24 hours bukas ang mall eh, hehehe!).

5. Generosity reigns.
There's an abundance of food in the streets so don't be surprised if someone knocks on your car's window and give you a box containing bread, dates, and drink. It's the pantawid-gutom of those who are fasting. For other stuff, it's also a must to go to Haraj, the largest ukay ukay er, junk souk in this part of the world, during this month. You can find great steals (ex. designer bags at super low prices) because they tend to change almost all their furniture and clothes this month. (Okay, we haven't done a proper post on Haraj but we will soon!) Don’t forget to greet Ramadan Kareem! (“Ramadan is generous!”)

6. The Eid Al-Fitr
Ramadan will end on the sighting of the new moon on the following month. This will probably be on September 18 or 19. The holiday called Eid al-Fitr (Festival of Breaking the Fast) marks this. Muslims will put on their best, go and feast with their families and friends, give food to the poor, and pray together. This is a beginning for them, like a new year. For non-Muslims, we can enjoy a week of vacation from work (er, depends on your company so you really have to be good employees ;P).

That's it for this guide. If we got some details wrong or you want to add other tips and information, leave 'em on our comment box o'rayt? Time to hit the grocery stores today because it will be jam packed tomorrow and the rest of the Ramadan season for sure. Ta-ta!

Ramadan Kareem!

For more info on Ramadan, visit this site.