Fast One More Time

I went back following the religious diet for couple of days more. Reasons for continuing the experience weren't holy at all but more about vanity. A Finnish photojournalist friend of mine Veera had a muslim friend who was very excited of us both fasting as western girls without being muslims. She wanted to know our reasons and feelings about Ramadan. And cause she is radio reporter in Radio 24 she wanted to do a interview of us for the Buka Puasa (=breaking the fast) show. She even made us sing Hari Raya songs in Malay!

Cats Eat When They Are Hungry

It was a rainy friday and my mind wondered far away and everywhere. I felt little homesick and nostalgia. The hungry stomach did not help the sad undertone of my being and when a friend from office offered me some cake I decided to Buka Puasa (break my fast) for good. After that I pampered myself by eating three apples in one go and drawing kittens.

The Fasting Experience So Far

I have quite contradictory feelings about the fasting so far. The hunger itself is not unbearable but what I hate is the fact that I'm turning into semi-zombie. My brain is turning rather dim during the fasting hours. Like last Saturday in our theatre session the lines of Shakespeare remained behind a foggy cloud for the whole time. It was impossible to learn anything new or memorize even a word. My brain was asleep.  I do also enjoy the calmness of the body and mind but only when I'm not in a situations that somewhat fluent brainwork would be preferred.

Then again we have been feasting with food for so many nights now Im glad I've skipped the lunches so that I've been able to stuff myself with so many different delicious dishes at evening time. There was Hisham's birthday, Merdeka Day, JiaJun's farewell together...etc. There is always a lot to eat after 7pm. 

One more thing that the fasting has done is the fact that I'm thinking about FOOD so much. I've started collecting receipts from friends that I would finally/once again start cooking food! And I do also appreciate the food so very much these days. It is not only a necessity but a luxury of life. And as we know "hunger is the best spice" so when the sun finally sets and the food is served it tastes completely divine!

Tea Paradise

Cameron Highlands is a tea paradise located 5h bus drive from Kuala Lumpur. The scenic hills made us all (me and my enchanting traveling companions Missy, Paula and Vincent from the photo below) sing "the hills are alive with the sound of music" while we were wandering along the tea plantations.

They have also beautiful rose gardens with tons of roses and wide selection of other tropic and not-so-tropic flowers.

...and strawberry farms with little cafes selling strawberry milkshakes, strawberry ice cream, pancakes with strawberry jam, strawberry juice etc. and of course fresh strawberries. In Finland the strawberry season is usually in its peak exactly when I have my birthday (in the end of July). So for my birthday there is usually big selection of different strawberry themed desserts but this birthday I didn't yet get to have the strawberry flavor in my mouth, until our trip to Cameron where I was able to enjoy the sweetness of strawberries once again. 

I found Cameron Highland the most relaxing place whit its humming silence and the fresh mountain air. The air was so fresh that I got a cold as a souvenir which wasn't as fun but even still I did enjoy the Cameron experience very much. If my other tea-lover-friends from Finland or elsewhere would pay me a visit I think we should do additional hike to the Camerons once again. 

Once again I'm back in the PT office in hectic KL but I can still enjoy a piece of Cameron with a big cup of BOH tea and "share the Umpph experience" with you guys :)

P.S. My fasting has suffered from some setbacks: 

1st the travel to the place of the most fresh vegetables and tastiest scones with strawberry jam 

2nd getting stronger from the fever cold. 

But now I'm gonna get back to the track and continue the fasting experience at least in some intensity.

Ramadan

Yesterday, the 22nd of August, was the first day of Ramadan: the Islamic month of fasting from dawn to dusk from all the body pleasures like food, drinks, smoking and sex. In Malaysia Islam is the official religion and about 60% of the population practice it.

Hisham (my other "dad") is a muslim so fasting started also in our household. After asking lot of questions and doing some research in internet I decided to join the fasting experience. Not because I would be turning into muslim but to test out my own strength of will. Perhaps the fasting will teach me more about the "patience, modesty and spirituality" and in all it seems like healthy thing to try for a healthy young adult like me. But I cannot give up drinking the water so I am not completely following the rules. 

Fasting month is not only about fasting but also about breaking the fast after seven o'clock when sun has come down. I was invited to join the start-of-the-Ramadan-celebration-dinner with Hisham's family. The pictures are from there. Lavish dinner was served and even if I did not have lunch that day I surely doubled the amount of food eaten daily during the dinner. But it was exquisite!

P.S. He is the wise Uncle of the household.