Ramadan is like a snowflake

View from my apartment, 37th floor. I can hear the call to prayer from neighboring mosques.

Ramadan begins at a different time every year, based on the Islamic calendar and the sighting of the crescent moon. If the UAE Moon Sighting Committee does not see the Ramadan crescent at 9:00pm (in 1.5 hours) then Ramadan will not begin until Thursday. Yet this is unique for people all over the world, for example if Alaska or California sees a crescent by the time the sun sets over there 12 hours or so from now, they could start Ramadan before the Arabian peninsula.

So, we will wait and see. The big difference for me, since I am a government employee, is that I would have a slightly shorter work day Wednesday, in addition to the rest of the holy month. Many people are observing fasting during the day, not eating, drinking, smoking or anything, until the sun sets. So a shorter work day is to help people with that and have time to take extra care in their prayers. I'm learning a lot about things that are new to me, this is another interesting hands on learning experience!

Update: no moon is visible in the sky over the UAE tonight, so Ramadan here will begin on Thursday. 

Ramadan Mubarek! Blessed Ramadan.

Zayed University End of Year Celebration

Today the end of the school year was marked with a really nice end of year appreciation lunch. The Vice President and the provost each addressed us and counted our achievements.

I got to see people I haven't seen in a while and have a fancy lunch, complete with creative fruit sculptures and delicious cakes.

Four cakes! And there were lots of other desserts to choose from. I had Oreo mousse, as well as the fruit tart seen above.

Who wouldn't feel appreciated? I was even given an external hard drive as a gift. I do miss the CPCC family now and then, but ZU also has a nice community feeling. Great way to wrap up my first school year at Zayed University.

Museum of Energy- totally electrifying

Istanbul Bilgi University Santral Campus is the site of the first power plant of the Ottoman Empire. It was operating from 1914-1983, and in 2004 the property and facility was donated to the university. They use this grant now as a center for education, culture and arts. The tour of the engine house and energy mechanism was unique and interesting, but my favorite part was playing with the science- museum exhibits. 

The director of the university library said the campus has gone from electrifying the city, to electrifying the intellect.

Afterward we had a lovely sunset boat tour around the Golden Horn peninsula. There were hor d'ouvres, cocktails, and interesting people to meet; I finally tried the anise flavored drink raki. 

I'm looking forward to the next events  of this IFLA Presidents Meeting.

 

Spaghetti Nero at Istanbul Modern Restoran

Squid ink pasta, scallop, shrimp, calamari, basil and garlic sauce is "Spaghetti Nero."

Yummy bread, olives and 

Turkish Cabernet Sauvignon make for  memorable Modern Art Museum dining. It seems that art museums have really stepped up their game on the last 20 years. When I was in college the museum cafes usually had a few unpalatable, over-priced sandwiches. Now you get an erotic flower on your table.

The only drawback is that service was poor, which gave it a European feel. It seemed like the waiters were not confident to speak to the customers, and even the managers (two guys wearing suits) were oblivious to people walking in the door waiting to be seated. Some potential diners walked out after several minutes of being ignored. Too bad for them, they didn't get to try the spaghetti Nero! A tip: if you just barge in and seat yourself, someone will bring you some food eventually, and it will likely be good food. But then the inexperienced waiter will mess up your bill.

But hey, the view from the veranda overlooks the Bosphorus and on the shore beyond is Topkapi Palace. Not bad.

Eclair Affair

When walking by a pastry shop with time on your hands and lira in your pocket, I dare you not to gaze into the sweet abyss. My reasoning for partaking in a treat right after breakfast is that baklava will help me gain energy needed for all the tourist wandering I'm doing in Istanbul... Honey and nuts are like granola right? Hiking food.

That baklava was tender and delicious, the other is a mini chocolate-filled, chocolate-covered eclair. Each have a dusting of chopped pistachios.

This presentation of Turkish coffee was new to me. The pink drink is pomegranate water, it seemed to be a palate clenser. The clear drink is moonshine- just kidding, it's water. Last, but not least, a piece of chocolate covered Turkish delight, or lokum. Lokum is chewy gel texture candy, flavored with various fruit, mint or rose water. I love it- I've enjoyed everything I've tried in Istanbul so far, a city that's easy to enjoy. Check out Faruk Gulluoglu if you are near Bilgi University, Dolapdere.