Ramadan Is Coming Soon

If the astronomers should prove correct again this year, Ramadan will arrive on Wednesday, March 23rd.  But the possibilities are complicated according to ahramonline.  That was the report from a week ago.  Just yesterday, ahramonline announced:

The Grand Mufti of Egypt, Shawky Allam, is expected to make a statement on Tuesday, 21 March, regarding the start date of the fasting month.

But this much is certain:  this past weekend was the final weekend before Ramadan and shoppers were out in force to make last minute purchases.  One can almost always find a crowd at the entrance to the busy commercial street leading to the Alley of the Tentmakers where shoppers pour out onto El-Azhar Street.  Saturday was exceptionally busy as we walked in to purchase some fabric before returning across El-Azhar to Khan el Kalili for some shopping.

 

Of course, there was an abundance of dates and other sweets for sale.  This gentleman had both fresh and pickled lemons on his cart.

There is always Ramadan merchandise on display near the Bab Zuweyla gate.

 

We flowed with the crowd moving through the alley of the tentmakers and Linda found a couple of shops with the type of fabric she was seeking.  

 

 

She also paused to examine the Ramadan specials and pick out a special wall hanging for a friend.

  

 

Crossing the road between the Tentmaker's alley and Bab Zuella is always difficult, but on Saturday it was nearly impossible with scarcely enough space between vehicles for even a child's leg.  This young man was trying hard to get his two-wheeler through the fray with a load of Ramadan fabric, probably from the family business.

A long line of Tuk-Tuks and other vehicles was at a complete stop at the crossroads.  You might think no one would add their car or minibus to this chaos, but you would be wrong in Cairo.

Linda's purchases were placed in a free Ramadan Kareem fabric bag and she has received numerous compliments on the bag.

 

I blogged about the Fanoos, or Ramadan lanterns last year.  Sometime in the nine months before we returned this winter, our building acquired its own Fanoos.  

 

Just a few days ago, someone then added these streamers to the front of the building.

 

 

We were on a street a couple of days ago at a small furniture shop and that street had a multitude of streamers up and down the entire block.

 

Ramadan is becoming quite commercialized, much like Christmas.  The lantern display down the street near our vegetable market is brightly lit at night.

Note the sheep, which you may also want to purchase for the final Ramadan celebration of Eid al-Fitr.