Ramadan is calm. If you want it. You probably read this cause it is Ramadan, you are in Khartoum and you want to spice up your private life a bit. Then you are perfectly right!
Note on @: As per previous articles, the names of people and places are named in the way their instagram/facebook name is called, so its more easy for you to find them.
Experience Iftar
If you did not join any Iftar (breaking the fast), you have 3 weeks more to go for it. And you should! Yes, the food, the dishes are maybe not very new to you, you were invited somewhere before, but it is way more than that. In my opinion the first 5 minutes after sunset are the best. Food is in front of everyone, the sun who left is colouring the sky in its warmest colours, the temperature is almost like body temperature, so that you almost do not feel it, you are handed a soup or a date and it is starting. Everyone is calm. Everyone is concentrating on food. Do the same. Taste the sweetness of the date, enjoy how the soup runs your throat and take a spoon from every dish that is in front of you. Ramadan is about the experience of waiver. To feel how it is to not eat, not drink, not have sex, not smoke, not swear. And to feel how it is to eat, drink and the other stuff 😉 But Ramadan is also about being together. It is a time where the family and friends eat together quite often. If you can find that one co-worker who takes you with him to his family for Iftar, literally you can go on the street around 6pm, walk a bit and you are going to be invited from the first group of people who see you. If you are “the Sudanese co-worker” reading that: go and invite the Chawajas you know to your iftars. They are going to appreciate it.
For your most special and fun experience – what about inviting yourself for an Iftar or later dinner after 6pm? Get your friends together and enjoy the time. For some very easy self-made Sudanese Dishes, you can even use the ready-mixed from @solar_foods that you can find in your Al-Hawi around the corner. For those you try to stay our of their kitchen as as much as possible, I collected some Iftar & Sahoor Places with nice vibes (and hopefully nice food) no matter in which area you are:
@gingerfoodsd in Manshyia: whether from 6pm tp 8pm or for Sahoor, save your spot at the Nile restaurant. Reservation via whatsapp 0920001212
@skazzamview organises daily Iftar and Sahoor experiences at the police social club. It is sometime for people with a higher budget as the share per person varies between 15000 and 30000 SDG. But also as far as I can see from their daily stories and videos, the athmosphere is stunning. I came across it as @_tru.colour had a spot there offering painting activities at the place. It seems they have different artists every day, it is children friendly and delicious food.
@latastesdn in Ryadth: you can order, you can go, you can book it privately. All options are there for you. All fried vegetarian options personally tested and approved. Burger reviews from friends were also great. The coffee is great there too! But for Iftar, no worries, they also serve the traditional Sudanese Iftar dishes.
I was recommended to add the Instagram feed @foodieinkhartoum where you can find different restaurants and cafes being tested. The pictures on the blog already tell a story by themselves. So check it out.
Music Concerts
Luckily this year Khartoum has many things to present during Ramadan:
1 Almost every day: There is an amazing series of a festival-like experience called @mogran_nights. They are open almost every day from 9pm to 2am. Every day they have a different musical performance, you find food trucks, coffee and cakes and very cosy seating options for you and your friends. I found it a bit tricky to know the location, so let me link it here. You can pay in Cash and bankak at the entrance. Depending on the band, the entrance varies from 3500 to 6000 SDG.
2 Also the ZEE Sudan Social Club is offering music Ramadan. On 10th April Aslaf Band is playing. for future events I recommend you to follow @zeesudantours or the band page @aslafband directly. If you wanna enjoy and maybe even be part in music the ZEE club hosts an open mic & jam session every Tuesday.
3 12th April: Livemusic by Sjay @voyagecafesd. It was located at Nile Street in Manshyia and a cruising cafe. Entry Fee is 5000 SDG and it starts 9.30pm. You can reserve via Instagram.
4 Once in a while: @gingerfoodsd is a restaurant in Nile Street. They opened 4 or 5 month ago and already they found their tune. Once in a while they fresh up their food with some live music. This week we have 2 of them. 12th April and 14th April you will find the female Sudanese singers Samia Dunia and Fatima Amar. Whatsapp them via 00249 920001212 and save your seat.
5 On 13th and 14th of April you can experience Sufi-inspired and traditional music in the same location of Mogran Nights. You can book tickets via http://www.tribe.sd but I am sure you can also pay at the door.
4 @baytaloudkhartoum will also have a concert on 13th April, but I just found out couple of hours ago that they are already sold out. So better follow them, so you dont miss to save your tickets next time!
6 @Contraband has their Ramadan break. But if you do not follow them yet, do that know. I am very sure they are going to start soon again with events.
I am going to edit this article every couple of days as events in Khartoum are usually planned and published only a couple of days before. So save it somewhere and check regularly until Ramadan is over.
Start with something you paused for long
This Ramadan it is the best time to start again with anything you paused for a long time. Your book that is resting and almost dying in your shelf, your arabic lessons that you paused due to busy life, the course you always wanted to do, the yoga class you had on your list for a while. For all those options you find Sudanese places and offers, not only during Ramadan of course. But this Ramadan you may start with them. So let us see:
Books. Books. Books.
It is definitely time to start reading from Sudanese writers isn’t it? So let me get you some inspiration: Tayeb Saleh is from my perspective the most famous Sudanese Author. His books are translated in tons of languages and he is bringing you into a world that you did not enter before. I read his book “Season of Migration to the North” and found is very special.
Further, I found a book of Samah Khater recently @booktino. It is called “The Emoji – Book of Life” and it is book with life advices and interesting thought-provoking impulses. The other must-reads I found in a recent published article by @lovinkhartoum. As I adore their content related to news, culture, people, architecture, music, politics and others about Khartoum, I trust this article with recommendations to put it here right away without reading the books myself.
Improve your arabic.
I mean… you are living in Sudan and most probably you are embarrassed by your Arabic yourself. But it is really difficult to find time learning when work and social life is eating you. Same with me. In Ramadan that’s different. You have most probably one hour more free time per day. Use it for Arabic. Check out @mango_gate classes if you are an online learner. Get the Sudanese Colloquial Arabic for Beginners book at The Nile Bookshop. For private classes I can recommend you some good teacher. Just put a comment here.
Sports.
Check out my sports section on my free time edition. But I also some newbies for you: @bluenilelotus is offering women-only yoga classes. You should definitely check them out. Sama Style might be a Sudanese Alternative for swimming in the Greek Club. For the females, at least. It is located in Riyadh and you can find all swimming accessories there. @hermo_diet recently opdened in gym in Almanshya. Go and check it out.
Experience a Sudanese business Bazar
Every Ramadan @trendsvanitysd is organizing an amazing fair. You can find tons of food outside and tons of products inside. The bazar takes place on the weekend from 14th to 16th April from 7pm until Midnight. Last year it was located at Khartoum International Fair. If there are any changes, I will edit it here as well. But why exactly should go there? Firstly, food! @loofzfood have their amazing cakes for sure, I also hope that @frisosd has a truck as I am big fun of their fries. If you see @nanis__sd Ice cream, do not miss that! it is the best ice cream you can find in town. And surely many other salty food options, dessert and drinks are waiting for you. For the products you can find inside in the bazar, there will be surely something you will like. I recommend to bring your list of gifts that you wanna take for your next home visit and get them all at the trends vanity bazar. It is a good opportunity to have them all in one place. You are going to find art, fashion brands, self-made hand cream, candles, home decoration, books, toys, jewellery and more.
Anyways, enjoy Ramadan as much as possible! And stay tuned for edition #5.
Yours Theresia
resbloggt.com 