Finally! Last night, we enjoyed an amazing Saudi dinner at a nice restaurant. Before we were able to eat, a man had to sing a prayer signifying to the Muslims that is was now time to break their fast. Then, everyone crowded around the buffet, filling multiple plates with all sorts of spreads, meat, rice, and sweet desserts. Here are some pictures:
The restaurant had dividers separating families so they had privacy, but then we all went up to the same buffet to get food. It felt almost like being in a home having a big holiday dinner with family.
Three of the Canadian teachers posing in their abayas. The one on the far right just arrived two days ago.
My first course: various hummus spreads that I dipped my pita in, a delicious salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, and pita bits, a meat filled samosa (the triangle shaped pastry), and some yummy meat and peppers in some kind of sauce. This was my favorite course because the spreads were so flavorful!
The main course: rice (white, yellow, orange, brown), potatoes and peas, pasta and beef, fried fish (which I didn't actually taste because I'm not a fish person), a long cylinder-shaped meatball, and either lamb or beef in rice. This course wasn't as flavorful as the first course. Maybe next time I will try mixing some of the spreads in with the rice and meats. Oh, and for anyone wondering, we did use silverware for this dinner, unless we were dipping our pita in something.
Dessert: a yogurt custard, some cakey pastries, a doughnut like ball, a cream-filled doughnut thing (the one shaped like a semi-circle), and my favorite is...
Homily (or at least that is what it sounded like it was called)...it tasted like phyllo dough and warm sweet cream/milk - almost like a baklava drenched in milk (but without all of the nuts). I am definitely getting this again if we go back to this restaurant!
Last night was the final night of Ramadan. Now, it is Eid, which is like their celebration time where they visit family and eat a lot! After dinner last night, we went by the water to see the world's tallest fountain. Some people were lighting of fireworks on the sidewalk in celebration of the end of Ramadan.
It was hard to capture the true beauty and grandeur of this fountain, so I am posting a few pictures hoping that you will get the idea.
I also got a video of it, so once I figure out how to post videos, I will put it on here.
Since it is Eid, we have a few days off and will be working from home while everyone celebrates. Some people take the whole week off to travel, so many stores are closed.
"Eid Mubarak" - which means, "Happy Eid" (sort of like saying "Happy New Year" in the states).
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