Ramadan is fast coming to an end, so thought I had better get out and take a few pictures of how our local mall has been decorated. I had only heard of the fasting part of Ramadan before, but there is a lot of feasting and family get togethers, sharing food with neighbours and donations of food and money to the poor. Eid is celebrated with gifts and more food. The Malls right now are crazy, just like the few days before Christmas at home, with last minute shoppers. Things shut for three days for Eid and a lot of people are going away although we have elected to stay put and now the weather has cooled a little, spend some restful time on the beach.

These pictures are from the City Centre Mall, our nearest shopping centre, and are taken in an area over the skating rink. Yes, there is a circular skating rink at the bottom and then on all four levels, there have been swags and tassels hung and then in the centre, above the rink, there are these huge lantern like structures and moons and stars. Nearer the grocery store, there is a little tableau with old type buildings and moving models of Qatari people in the olden days with moving heads on camels etc. I had better go back and take pictures of that as well!

While the City Centre decorations are somewhat over the top, here are some decorations in a back alley in the souq. Just a few lights and a lamp. Still attractive at night.

Last night we went for a nice walk around the neighbourhood and tomorrow I will put up some pictures, but this is a picture of the new Movenpick hotel near us, with its Ramadan decorations. Again the moon and stars. I cant read the writing, but suspect it is Ramadan Kareem which is the Ramadan greeting. Of course the moon plays a huge part in Ramadan as it starts and ends on the sighting of the new moon. It was a lovely evening and although we were hot by the end of our walk, we had managed to walk quite a long way as things are definitely cooling down. There was very little humidity yesterday as well and from the gym you could see for miles.