Ramadan in Dubai for the non-fasting community has a major positive side: shorter office hours and less work load. With all this free time on your hands, your mind wonders off to all those things you wanted to do and never had time for. But on the other hand, restaurants are closed until Iftar, no eating, drinking or smoking in public, clubs are closed, rather quiet music is played in bars and most importantly it is at least 40°C outside! Therefore, the options of what to do with all that free time turn out to be very limited.
I don't pride myself, but my friends and I are quite involved in the clubbing scene and one of our favorite hobbies is a good meal at any time during the day. So this month, since we cannot party till the early hours of morning and then sleep till the early hours of the afternoon, our days are seeming long and dull.
So in a month where social activities are limited, we decided to go back to the basics, to a time without clubs, malls and restaurants. We are back to playing the good old board games that used to keep us so busy in our early teenage years.
On day 1, we were not well equipped, thus came an impromptu game of charades. 2 hours wasted laughing at your very manly friend act out the word "ballet skirt", being frustrated by your architect friend not guessing the word "bridge", or scratching your brain out trying to act out the word "mango"
We had a whole month of free afternoons to waste, therefore, we needed to be ready, charades won't cut it.
A quick trip to the toy store and we are back with all time favorites: Monopoly, Risk, Cluedo, Uno and Jenga. Board Games have evolved since I last played them, Monopoly now comes in a new version with credit cards instead of the colored paper money; Risk has lost its triangular army in favor of more accurately looking weapons, Cluedo now takes place on a very fancy villa board and Jenga, well it's still a bunch of wooden blocks.
Getting the games home felt like Christmas morning: opening those boxes and revealing the crispy boards! We haven't played those games for at least 10 years, and a refresher look at the rule book was a must.
It felt good being a whole group of friends, gathered around the table instead of the TV, laughing, talking and playing. Nothing can make a Saturday go by like a 4 hour game of Monopoly. Not only do you enjoy the actual game, but the best part is getting to see your friends in a new light. You find out who is a cheater, a strategic player, a bad looser, a competitive jerk...
Does it seem like war time in Lebanon? it does, but when forced to go back to the basics, this is when human bonds grow so much closer. It's Ramadan in Dubai and it doesn't matter anyway! I have plenty to keep myself amused with
Ramadan Kareem and wish me luck so I can hopefully win a game or two :)
