I don't want to be a Muslim....

For me... starving is not an option. If I don't get something to eat every 3 hours, I get cramps. But probably is even worst not being able to drink for a whole day. And no mentioning not being able to have a beer for a whole month! On top of that, forget about sex (not even talking about it is allowed...).

For this reason, I admire this people. many of them fast for faith. And many others, for social convenience ("since everyone is fasting, I need to do it as well..."). Something similar to the fact , in Europe, that many people get married in the church, even though, last time we went to a church was, if not to another wedding, to our own Baptist.

Nowadays, all this seems very normal. I still remember the first night of Ramadan, 2 years ago, when a mob of people , walking from house to house with drums, cymbals and any other instrument capable of making as much noise as possible, go around the neighbourhood waking up every single one around 3 AM. This so you don't forget to wake up and eat before the sun rises. Of course, no one told me about that tradition. So you can imagine how high I jumped out of the bed. Hearing the crowd getting closer and closer, I thought I heard them saying: " get the white guy", "the infidel...!!!", "the long nose...!!!). Luckily for me, that was just a terrible fright.

But the best moment of the day is around 6 PM, when the sun sets and everyone run to the closer place they find, to grab something to eat. It doesn't matter whether you are driving, in a meeting or directing the traffic. Everyone stops. Last week, I was in a store, and at 17:45 the drum sounded (during this month, everything seems to be related to drums, like in Zambia...) and a store keeper run to close the store (I was still inside), while all the other guys working at the store sat on the floor and took several packages with food that, at the same time they made a small circle on the ground, they opened the boxes and started to eat right there. They offer me to sit with them and share the food, but I just enjoyed seeing them happily getting full. I managed to get one of the to charge my shopping and to open the door, so I could go home. I thought I would spend the night there!!!

Well...another week and this will be over. That, even when I don't fast, I much more fun to share a goo meal and a good bottle of wine, with your Muslim friends.