10 Sandy Sandals: Eid Al Adha

*You may not want to read this post if you are a vegetarian*

Our internet has been extremely sketchy this week (it may have something to do with the fact that it consists of a wire strung outside our window attached to who knows what on the top of the roof), but I will attempt to post regardless. The blog must go on!

This weekend has been very festive here with the celebration of Eid Al- Adha, one of the biggest feasts celebrated in this area. It is a weekend full of much light, noise, time with family and friends, gift giving and….slaughter. As the weekend approached and the streets began to fill with additional cattle and herds of goats were seen running down the road, I couldn’t help but think of the turkey the week before our Thanksgiving. Surely, if these animals had some foresight, they would feel the same! According to a local newspaper, this ‘Feast of Sacrifice’ commemorates the willingness of prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail in submission to Allah’s command.

Although the holiday is four days in length, the majority of feasting occurred yesterday and today with fasting last Thursday. The feasting centers mostly around meat and said meat is eaten all day, including early in the morning. It has been interesting to see motorbikes whizz by with several animal pelts hanging off the back dripping in blood. Some narrow streets have blood literally running down them and we even saw a man crossing through several lanes on a highway with a cow leg slung over his shoulder, tail in tact!

Despite all the blood, it is a festive time. There are boys making quick cash on the side of the road selling homemade fireworks and party hats and every one is giving gifts. We were able to give gifts of money to our doormen and, even though we do not celebrate this holiday, one of them gave us a wonderful meat dish that his wife had prepared (he carted it over through several metro stations and it was still hot!).