Friday, September 14, 2007

Travel: Ramadam in Egypt

Tour Egypt

Yesterday marked the beginning of Ramadam in Egypt. Although the following dates to 2004 (and therefore supplies different dates for the start and end of Ramadam), it offers an excellent summary of what Ramadam is all about and what visitors should expect if they are going there in the next 30 days. Here's a short extract from a comprehensive survey:


People are concerned about this being a bad time to visit Egypt, but in reality, it is an excellent, festive period which simply adds to the fun. Tourist attractions and facilities continue to operate, but there are great celebrations and a wonderful time for all.

However, it should be noted that officially, monuments and other tourist sites are open until 3:00 PM, while in reality, some of the less frequented sites may close earlier (2:00 PM). While there are many restaurant (though not all) open to tourists, many may not serve alcoholic beverages during Ramadan. However, almost all larger hotels, as well as smaller hotels that cater to tourists will be completely operational, including their bars, and they will serve alcoholic drinks as usual.

Spending the holy month of Ramdan in Egypt is different than elsewhere. Other than the rituals practiced during that month, certain social habits of Egyptian Muslims are much different than anywhere else.

See the above page for the full story.

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