Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Eid Mubarak

Today is the last day of Ramadhan and here I am at my desk pretending that I'm actually doing my work. Who am I kidding? haha.. There's practically no one in the office. However, me being here today is not against my will, but it's my own  choice as I have to save my precious annual leave (whatever I have left) for my future trips :) Besides, my hometown is just a stones throw away from my office :)

For those who might not know, Ramadhan is the ninth month in the Muslim Calendar. During this month, faithful muslims will fast from dawn to dusk. And on the first day of the next month (Syawal), we will celebrate Eid al-Fitr which is also called the Feast of Breaking the Fast. For us (Malaysian Muslims) this is the main festive celebration and a major holiday season of the year.

For those who happen to travel to Malaysia during Ramadhan and Syawal, it's the best time for you to get to know about our local traditions and celebrations. During Ramadhan, Food Bazaars will sprout all over the country and it is the best place to sample local Malay Cuisines. Some of them you wouldn't be able to easily find during the other months. And also, there will be sales everywhere - so it's one of the best time to shop. One of the best place to feel the excitement is at the Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman / Jalan Masjid India. But do take note of the crowd ya. Best to go during working hours of  the weekdays. 


Apart from that, our Prime Minister will be hosting the Eid al-Fitr open house at his residential in Putrajaya and you don't need an invitation to get in. So this could be your only chance to meet our PM in person and take a look at his residence. And this year,  our Yang Dipertuan Agong (King) will be hosting an open house tomorrow as well at the National Palace.. So, this would be a golden opportunity to get into the brand spanking new palace.. Just remember to wear decent clothing or you won't be able to enter.

During the first week of Syawal, you could expect that there will be less people in the city so you can enjoy the city minus the crazy crowd (to a certain extent). Do take note that quite a number of establishments including department stores will close on the 1st day of Eid al-Fitr but normally will resume business on the second or third day of Eid al-Fitr. However, a point to note is that the highways are jam packed. And the cities in the East Coast will be very busy as people return to their hometown. It's more advisable to travel by airplane - however be sure to book your tickets in advance (applies to all mode of transportation (and hotels))
and expect a surge prices as well as it's a peak season.

So this year I'll be celebrating Eid al-Fitr here in KL and then to Malacca and from there we will make short trip south.. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy and blessed Eid and be safe on the roads! 

This might not be the best pic but it's the only one I have that's somewhat related to Eid :) taken during a short business trip to Brunei last year.