I am planning to go to Egypt during November and I may be there during Ramadan. I am concerned that as well as no food and drink available during the day many businesses and shops will be shut or have limited opening hours.
Are the guides able to direct travellers to places that serve food and drink during the day? Can anyone share their experiences of Ramadan?
Also what options are there available for vegetarians?
Re: Egypt and Ramadan
Hi Sian,
Ramadan is an excellent time to visit Egypt, don't dare put a trip on hold because of it.
Although some places may be closed during the day, businesses which serve travellers will run pretty much as normal. Your Tour Leader will definitely point you in the direction of places that are open but you really shouldn't have too much trouble. However, you should be aware that it would be a major faux pax to be seen consuming food and drink in public.
The major downside of this period is that
many people are a bit grumpy during the day due to the restrictions of the fast. But to be honest it's no worse than what you'd experience in London every day of the year.
The best bit about this time though is what happens when the sun goes down and the fasting ends. The evening meal (iftar) is a really great feast and there are usually parties and entertainment throughout the night. It's a great time to visit due to the insight into Muslim culture that at other times of the year you wouldn't normally see.
Meat is an intrinsic part of all Middle Eastern cooking even if only as a stock. While vegetarian meals will be available to you might find that your choice at meal times doesn't have a huge amount of variety.
[b][email]chris@imtrav.co.uk[/email][/b]