Holmes In Motion: June 2015

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Paris

We took a quick escape from Ramadan and got to travel on a 'private' plane. Apparently not many people fly to Paris on a random Wednesday. (We are working on our selfie skills.)

We were extreme tourists and covered a lot of ground in our three day adventure.

Notre Dame:

Sainte Chapelle:

Eiffel Tower:

Arc de Triomphe:

Of course we had to climb to the top, because we believe the best views require sweating.

Versailles became our favorite:

Fueling (this might have happened often):

Orangerie Museum with Monet's Water Lilies:

Louvre:

Everyone swarming the Mona Lisa (the tiny painting in the back) when the museum opens:

Montmartre area with Sacre-Coeur basilica (more climbing and sweating):

Moulin Rouge:

Happy birthday Allison and Sammy. You guys are awesome. Hope your birthdays are beyond amazing.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Well this is our third Ramadan, so we thought it was time to give this fasting thing a try. Immerse ourselves in the culture as highly educated folk say. For us, this meant no food for one day from sunup to sundown. Since we are beginners, we still drank water.

Here is a day in the life of a fasting foodie:

4:10AM: Can't sleep due to awesome, noisy construction (because it is Ramadan and extremely hot during the day, most outdoor labor is done at night). So I brush my teeth and head downstairs.

4:30AM: Eat some breakfast before the sun comes up while admiring the awesome decorations from the shitty gender reveal party we hosted earlier this week. Is it normal to still laugh at poop jokes in your twenties?

4:44AM: Walk around the neighborhood and watch the sun come up. Softly shed a tear and say goodbye to food for the day.

6:05AM: Drive to work. We leave a little early since we don't need to make/pack breakfast, lunch, or a gym bag. We normally workout on our lunch break but that doesn't seem smart without consuming calories.

8:00AM: Don't eat breakfast at my normal time. This is strange.

10:30AM: I don't feel different yet, but I think I better start heavily drinking water.

1:00PM: I'm not super hungry, but my body knows that it is time to eat. Here is my sad water lunch. Doesn't everyone have a pink fan and Arabic rug on their desk?

2:00PM: There is a dull hunger in my stomach and my teeth are chattering. I'm really cold. Maybe my circulation has slowed down.

3:30PM: Now I'm wearing my pashmina scarf like a blanket to keep warm, but this really just want to make me nap. I'm very low energy.

4:00PM: Good thing it is time to head home because my stomach is making strange, loud noises.

5:30PM: Just woke up from a nap. I usually don't nap even on the weekends. I'm not sure if I was so tired because of low fuel or not sleeping well. Maybe a combination of both.

6:30PM: Time for food! Broke the fast with some dates (the fruit and Jonathon) and good friends at iftar (an all you can eat buffet).

8:00PM: I was too busy eating to take pictures of the food, but I ate a gross amount and am uncomfortably full. Now I want to fast tomorrow.

8:30PM: Run some errands on the way home from the restaurant since shops are closed during the day in Ramadan.

9:00PM: Get home and pack. We are jet-setting tomorrow! :)

9:30PM: Bedtime even with my nap.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Ramadan Begins

Last week was the beginning of Ramadan. The country does not sell alcohol during Ramadan, so the weekend before Ramadan included lots of parties and our fair share of adult libations.

At one party we were laughing because the host said that she invited her Indian guests at 8pm, her Lebanese friends at 8:30pm, and the Americans at 9pm. That way everyone shows up at 9pm. Us Americans are very punctual. We think the time printed on the invitation is when we are supposed to arrive. We also think we can leave when we want. In some cultures it is rude to leave before the host asks you to leave. This can lead to two sleeping Holmes on the couch.

In the Arab culture it is fine to be late. When I was interviewing an intern they arrived 20 minutes late. That would be career suicide in the States, but here it is the normal and acceptable. It was be frustrating at time, but I have adapted well to being late. You are already five minutes late to a meeting. No problem. Go grab yourself a coffee then mosey into the meeting. It is going to be hard for me to adjust back to 'States time'.

Our trips to the grocery store have gotten a lot more interesting. During Ramadan, Muslims fast during the day and then have a huge meal at sunset. I mean HUGE meal. This is what people's carts look like:

That is some self restrain to cook all afternoon without eating anything until sunset.

Well that is us for now. Happy birthday Alan and Ashley. Hope your birthdays are Grrreat.

Thursday, June 11, 2015

Summer Funner

We are back in Doha and have conquered jet leg.

source

Now it is time to say 'see you later' to friends as many people are escaping the heat and Ramadan for the summer. (Goodbye is a strange word for expats. We say it too often.)

Ramadan will start next week:
"During the 29-30 days of Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, observant Muslims fast from dawn to sunset...It’s illegal in Qatar to consume food, drink beverages or chew gum in public spaces during Ramadan, and violators can be fined for doing so (though usually they’re just warned)."

Learn more:
http://dohanews.co/eight-things-to-know-about-ramadan-in-qatar-2015-edition/

This is our third summer to see the town empty after kids get out of school. The first year I was proud to be a weather warrior and remain in the desert to experience Ramadan. This year I'm terrified because I'm already super jealous of everyone leaving. This is going to be a long summer. Joy.

To keep our spirits high, we started planning some fun events and getaways. So please keep reading the blog. I promise not to complain about the heat too much.