We've never seen the airport terminal as busy as when we arrived on the first day of Eid. The arrivals hall was full of people waiting for luggage. A number of people were trying to work out which was their bottle of ZamZam water which they had brought back from being on the Hajj in Saudi Arabia. ZamZam water is thought to be hold water and is taken from a well in Mecca, where it is believed that God provided water for Ishmael when he was an infant.
Eventually all our luggage arrived and we were glad to be met by the taxi diver amongst the crowd of people. Even the car park was full and it took about half an hour just to exit the car park!
The roads were busy, even though it was after midnight, and our taxi driver explained that he'd done five taxi trips to the airport as well as visiting 3 different members of his family.
The next morning, as I was going out to buy some food, our neighbour greeted me from her window and asked why we hadn't come to visit them yet! I explained that I needed to buy some food but that we'd come to visit after lunch.
Later we visited our neighbours upstairs and we were given traditional Arabic coffee. They explained that since it was the first Eid after their mother had died, that they didn't give the usual sweets or chocolates or date biscuits. The reason being that the family was considered to still be in mourning and sweet things were associated with celebrations. However they did give the children some sweets!
We then went to visit another family and they were very pleased to see us. Our friend said, "The country feels empty when you are gone"! Everyone was wearing their new clothes for Eid and we were served coffee and sweets. We were also given traditional home-made date biscuits - which Jenson put all in his mouth at once!
The roads were busy and almost every car was full with a family dressed up going to visit family and friends.
After returning home, we went to visit our other neighbours upstairs where we drank more coffee. Some other members of the family came to visit at the same time and it was good to meet them. We also collected 2 tortoises from them, which our friends have asked us to look after whilst they are away. Tortoises are considered symbols of good luck here and our neighbours warned us not to leave them in the garden because someone might steal them!
It was a very busy return home, but great to see so many of our friends.
Eventually all our luggage arrived and we were glad to be met by the taxi diver amongst the crowd of people. Even the car park was full and it took about half an hour just to exit the car park!
The roads were busy, even though it was after midnight, and our taxi driver explained that he'd done five taxi trips to the airport as well as visiting 3 different members of his family.
The next morning, as I was going out to buy some food, our neighbour greeted me from her window and asked why we hadn't come to visit them yet! I explained that I needed to buy some food but that we'd come to visit after lunch.
Later we visited our neighbours upstairs and we were given traditional Arabic coffee. They explained that since it was the first Eid after their mother had died, that they didn't give the usual sweets or chocolates or date biscuits. The reason being that the family was considered to still be in mourning and sweet things were associated with celebrations. However they did give the children some sweets!
The roads were busy and almost every car was full with a family dressed up going to visit family and friends.
After returning home, we went to visit our other neighbours upstairs where we drank more coffee. Some other members of the family came to visit at the same time and it was good to meet them. We also collected 2 tortoises from them, which our friends have asked us to look after whilst they are away. Tortoises are considered symbols of good luck here and our neighbours warned us not to leave them in the garden because someone might steal them!
It was a very busy return home, but great to see so many of our friends.
