First day of Ramadan

It has started. Stomaches are grouling, mouths are dry, people are excited, and sleepy. The last time I ate was today at around 2 in the morning, a huge amount of foul (beans), bread, salads and yogurt. We went to “little donkey”, a tiny place in the middle of Islamic Cairo (Altstadt) that puts tables out on the street and serves the best foul in town in the best atmosphere (to me). The streets where packed: Everyone was out to have food, to smoke, to drink as much water as fits in the stomach and to enjoy the big number of people hanging out in the streets. It was exciting. I ate until I thought my stomach would burst. The plan was that I would go to sleep afterwards and get up again at 5 to eat a humongous bowl of cereal and fruit and drink a bottle of water before the fasting starts. But I was too tired, and way to full to eat anything.

So it’s 5:30 now. No food and no water since 15,5 hours. 30 minutes until Iftar, the evening meal. We are at Tom Gara’s house, an Australian, working for Egypt Today. Apparently 15 more will come. All foreigners who don’t have families just like me. Because the first Iftar of Ramadan is celebrated only with the closest family members, the foreigners and family-less don’t really get invited. We make our own family tonight: AIESECers in Cairo. Tom is said to be a great cook. We will have Thai food…. I can not think of anything else but food…