It’s Official, Ramadan Starts Today and Tomorrow

by Jamie Rhein on

Ramadan, the Muslim holy period of fasting starts with the sighting of the new moon. That’s today–or tomorrow, depending on which country you’re in. Turns out, the new moon isn’t the only marker. Astrologicial calculations might be a factor. Here’s an article that explains this more. Regardless, if you’re traveling in a country that’s mostly Muslim, it’s helpful to be aware of a few pointers so you’re not left wandering in the middle of the day looking for a meal–or taking a swig of water or eating in front of people who are abstaining.

Depending on where you are, it’s not uncommon for restaurants to be closed after sun up and before sundown. Once the sun goes down, the day’s fast is broken and the eating begins. You are not expected to be fasting yourself, but it’s helpful to be culturally sensitive, and not create a stir depending on where you are. If you are in a strict Muslim country like Iran, eating and drinking in public is not allowed and you could find yourself in trouble. The Lonely Planet has a helpful guide for traveling in Muslim countries. One suggestion for taking advantage of your travel experiences is to hang out at a restaurant right before it opens, and then enjoy the feast.

So what is this fasting about you might be wondering?

This is when Muslims commemorate when Allah (God) revealed the Quran to the prophet Mohammed. During this time, Muslims are to purify themselves in mind and body by devoting themselves to endeavors of the spirit. Fasting is a practice of showing devotion to Allah and to strengthen resolve to be a better person. Giving to charity is also important during this time. (Okay, what I’ve presented is the condensed version.)

By the way, the country with the largest Muslim population is Indonesia. And the Gambia, where I was in the Peace Corps, is also mostly Muslim–both are quite diverse from each other. In Singapore, because there is a large Muslim population who live there, the first and last day of Ramadan are also holidays.

Turd Coffee: An Indonesian Specialty

by Neil Woodburn on

Here at Gadling we just love educating our readers about bizarre foods they should look out for while traveling abroad.

Well, today, we have one of the strangest I’ve come across in a long time: turd coffee.

Turd coffee comes to us from Indonesia and is the byproduct of wild civets (photo above). And when I say byproduct, I mean byproduct.

The catlike animals feast on coffee beans, eating only the very best. Once the beans are inside their stomachs, enzymes eat away the proteins that lend coffee its bitter taste. The digestive process also strips the beans of some, but not all of their caffeine. 24 hours later, what remains of the beans is deposited on the forest floor along with whatever else the creature consumed the night before.

Farmers collect the dung, separate the beans, roast them, and then sell them for as much as $600 for a pound.

What?!?

Yes, folks, this is a rare delicacy that crosses cultures. Turd coffee, more correctly known as kopi luwak, is apparently some of the finest coffee in the world. According to a recent LA Times article, it is blessed with “a top note of rich, dark chocolate, with secondary notes that are musty and earthy.”

Good luck finding it, though. Less than 1000 pounds of the beans are produced annually. And, much of what is for sale is apparently counterfeit; I’d hate to know what’s in that turd coffee.

Savvy Traveler: Arab vs Muslim

by Iva Skoch on

It is a little frightening how many people use the terms “Arab” and “Muslim” interchangeably. Shows how much we know about that region of the world even after years of being intimately involved with the Middle East.

One often hears that people say “Arabs” when referring to Iranians. They are actually not Arabs; they are primarily Persians. Yes, they might practice Islam but that’s another story. Iraqis, on the other hand, are primarily Arabs. Afghanistan is not an Arabic state.

Just last week, I heard somebody describing a person as “looking Muslim.” People don’t generally look Muslim, just like they generally don’t look Christian. They might look Arab, but even that’s questionable because there are many races that live in the Arab world. Needless to say, Muslims in the Middle East look different than Muslims in Africa or Indonesia.

Arab refers to somebody from an ethnic group that shares a culture, history and language. Muslims are people who practice Islam. The Arab world covers most of Northern Africa and part of the Middle East. Many Arabs practice Islam, but many are also Christians, Jews, etc. Arab world is only a part of the Muslim world.

List of Arab Countries:

  • Algeria
  • Bahrain
  • Djibouti
  • Egypt
  • Iraq
  • Jordan
  • Kuwait
  • Lebanon
  • Libya
  • Mauritania
  • Morocco
  • Oman
  • Palestine
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Sudan
  • Syria
  • Tunisia
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Western Sahara
  • Yemen

Alcohol Shortage on Bali May Impact Tourism

by Catherine Bodry on

Beautiful landscape? Check. Stunning beaches? Check. Amazing culture? Check. Booze? Nope, sorry. Wait, no booze? Forget it. I’ll just go to Thailand.

This checklist is what Indonesian trade ministry officials are worried is going through your mind as you consider a trip to the tropical island of Bali. Due to an “import problem” (read: discovery of an alcohol-smuggling ring and a subsequent customs “reorganization”) there’s been a major shortage of wine and spirits on the island. All-inclusive resorts are suffering the most, since their selling point tends to be, naturally, all-inclusive bars.

Despite the lack of ambiance-enhancing drinks, however (and really, does Bali need any artificial ambiance?), the numbers are up. Tourist arrivals rose a whopping 34% in the first half of 2007 from a year ago.

The World’s Most Polluted River?

by Justin Glow on

The Daily Mail is reporting on the heavily polluted Citarum River in West Java, Indonesia — so polluted, in fact, that “[locals] no longer try to fish. It is more profitable to forage for rubbish they can salvage and trade – plastic bottles, broken chair legs, rubber gloves – risking disease for one or two pounds a week if they are lucky.”

Just how polluted could it be? Have a look at the photos.

With over nine million people living nearby, and 500 factories using the shores as a chemical dumping ground, it’s no wonder it looks the way it does. Absolutely appalling. [via]