Ramazan

Fives times a day, a haunting call echoes across the city, calling the Muslim faithful to pray. The beautiful Arabic chant confirms to me that I am truly in a different land. This month is Ramazan, so the official moment of of sundown is also called out so all who area fasting know they can partake in food and drink that they have denied themselves since sunrise. Last night I was in Sultanahmet for sunset. We sat in a park looking out across the Blue Mosque. And although I wasn't fasting, I still felt a tinge of the anticipation that everyone surrounding me must have felt. As the call approached, families sitting together on park benches began opening grocery bags, taking out bread, cheese, and bottled juices. A women in a Burqua drifted through the crowd selling prayer beads. Impatience and anticipation hung thick in the air. Finally clear voices rang out from every mosque in the city, signaling the end of fasting for the day. Turks surrounding us joyfully bit into sandwiches, sipped on water, and lit up cigarettes. Lights strung between the minarets of the Blue Mosque glowed with a Ramazan greeting. The second day of fasting was completed. I could not help but admire the strict observation and dedication of faithful Muslims during Ramazan. It is a difficult feat, made easier by coming together as a community. Nothing in Turkey is done alone which makes for a huge part of this country's beauty and charm.