The Little Things

I'm beginning to see lots of evidence that Toto and I aren't in Kansas anymore.  When shopping one has to be cognizant of prayer times.  That is so because, when a prayer time arrives, everything stops.  If you happen to be in a store they may just turn off the cash registers or, in small stores, have everyone leave and they lock up.  Then 20 or 30 minutes later, everything starts up again.  It can be a bit disconserting for a novice.  Here's an example of prayer times as published daily in the Arab News.

The schedule of activity here seems to be focused after the final prayer with stores opening at 5pm and closing at midnight.  Some of the heaviest traffic occurs late in the evening as everyone goes to do their shopping. 

It's also surprising how many Arabic signs have English translations underneath them and how many local folks seem to have a basic knowledge of English.  Not everyone, of course, but many.  I'm also struck by the presence of many international icons such as McDonald's, Pizza Hut, and others.  I found a local shop in walking distance from my hotel with the following necessity: