Ramadan in Saudi: 1980s

 

Ramadan was a special event and atmosphere of Saudi Arabia changed.  The people stayed up till long time at the night, 1-2 AM. The offices were from 10 AM -2PM and schools were similar time. The ifar was at around 6 PM (I think). The temperature was hot, you could feel as if your hand was burning in the heat of 40 degrees centigrade. This was Jeddah of the 1980s.

A place to be in with security, optimism and ‘no strings “attached friends.

Lot of well off jobs expats usually stayed in compounds or apartments.  The office was paying for it.

Some of the compounds were:

·         Saudi City- where staff of Saudi airlines lived and worked. These guys had football play grounds where you could play football at night, with flood lights. They had 6+ plus TV channels. , whereas Saudi TV was channel 1(“Qana 1 “ and Channel 2(“Qana thania”)

 

Src: https://hybridcamel.com/

 

 

Swimming Pool-Saudia

This was a special since rules and dress code did not apply here. In 1980s it was just for airline staff. (FREE).

 

·         Bin Ladin Compound.

 

Anyway that’s for another post.

The feeling in Ramadan was drinking 7UP or Pepsi Cola.  You could feel fasting ‘when you go the shop.

 

Foods in Iftar youngsters (Join GUME, a FB group for people who GREW UP in Middle East from 1980s-2000)

·         Shorba-kind of soup

·         Pudding

·         Dates

·         Juices-Lassi-made of yoghurt. Simply placing yoghurt into a blender and add a glass of water with sugar. Start the blender-for a minute or two.

·         Fruit juice-Watermelon

·         Fruits

·         Shwarma

·         Roast chicken

·         Soda-Shaani ,Pepsi,7up,Mirinda,Vimto

The whole table was full of iftar.

 

 

 

 

Iftar parties were not a trend but having iftar with your family. The iftar table was somewhat like above.

 

 

 

Drinks were really especial since it was HOT.

                

Figure 1Shani drink

 

 

After prayer there was a part 2.  You continued with iftar as well as sitcoms:

·         Punky Brewster

·         Full House

·         Silver Spoons

·         ALF

·         Cosby Show

Having iftar with your parents and siblings was great experience in the 1980s.

 

 

 

By SAME EXPATS

 

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