This week the Muslim world was greeted by the arrival of the first week of Ramadan. Of course Qatar takes Ramadan as seriously as everything else so there is no dilution in the traditions and rituals.   The gist of Ramadan of course is that Muslims cannot eat from sunrise to sunset. Sunrise at the moment is approximately 4.30a.m. I know this because I’m usually having my 53^rd toilet break around then, joys of being four months pregnant.   Sunset is around 6.30p.m. and considering that the working day starts early in Qatar, anywhere from 6a.m., it’s a long day to fast.

When I say, fast, I don’t mean ‘fast’ like the we do on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, making a meal of abstaining from meat but able to pig out on a fish box instead, I mean fasting, proper. No food, no water and no cigarettes. For the curious…