Russian tourists warned to be careful in Eid al-Adha: the threat of revenge instead of rest

In connection with the approaching Eid al-Adha holiday in the Islamic world, local authorities, as well as domestic diplomats, urge Russians staying at the resorts of these countries to comply with special rules. We asked how Muslim festivities can affect our tourists and what is required of them.

“The date of Muslim holidays is determined according to the lunar calendar and changes every year, but this time it fell on June 28, which is a week later than the end of exams and practices in schools in most countries of the region,” our diplomats working in Egypt explain. – Eid al-Adha is supposed to be with the family, so many families went to the sea with children of all ages on June 21, when the Muslim world had a day off on another significant holiday – Father’s Day. That is, there are already a lot of locals in Egyptian resorts, and there will be even more. And tourists should take into account the specifics of their holiday.

Eid al-Adha is dedicated to the end of the sacred Hajj (pilgrimage to shrines), in honor of which it is supposed to sacrifice a ram, treat yourself, treat others, be generous and joyful. It is a sin to frown and get angry on this holiday, therefore, according to our diplomatic workers, the locals will have fun at their resorts, and it is a terrible insult to interfere with them.

– Russians usually respond to such warnings that they are not going to interfere with anyone, – says a Russian-speaking employee of one of the hotels in Hurghada. But in reality it often turns out differently. For example, local boys play very noisily in the pool, splash, scream. Tourists, fearing for their own children swimming there, can reprimand them. The fears are justified, but it is better to silently pick up your child and return when the pool is calm. Otherwise, the parents of the bathers are offended, for many years they saved up for bayram holidays by the sea, and now their children are being prevented from frolicking, and even on a big holiday. For them, this is normal: Egyptian children generally walk on their ears and yell at the whole hotel, and adult family members are only happy that they are having fun.

The same, according to Russian-speaking employees of the Egyptian tourism industry, applies to adults celebrating Eid al-Adha. Spoiling their holiday with remarks is strongly discouraged.

– Easy to say! – the Russian woman, now resting in Hurghada, is indignant. They have already arrived at our hotel. I understand everything: a national holiday, holidays. But they eat on the beach, and throw the rest of the food into the sea for the “fish”. They themselves do not care, they do not swim in the sea at all, even children only in the pool. And we are afraid that they will lure the sharks! And for the holiday itself, they will also slaughter sheep right on the streets, they are already preparing special sites. And then eat them on the beaches. And if the lumps from the carcasses, and then the bones also fly into the sea, I personally will call to order, I won’t see what a holiday!

Many compatriots who are now vacationing in Egyptian resorts are in solidarity with the Russian woman: a significant influx of locals interferes with a relaxing holiday. According to most, they are generally friendly, only very noisy.

– The Egyptians have a family of 10 adults or more, – our tourist explains. And a dozen more kids. And when they go to the pool with such a family, the children are yelling, the adults are talking loudly, it seems that the gypsy camp has arrived. But it’s just an inconvenience. But when their children dangerously joke with ours in the pool, trying to drown them, this is already a real danger, like food in the sea. It is also, of course, unpleasant that, if anyone plunges into the water, then elderly women, local grandmothers and aunts are dragged with them to rest. And they are usually completely in the Muslim coverlet. So they are right in this rag in the pool and flop! But the holiday itself is yet to come! I won’t go again at this time, I just didn’t know that this holiday is every year at different times, a year ago I rested here at the same time and there were no locals.

Meanwhile, the international airport in Dubai made an official appeal to tourists with a request to be prepared for queues and pandemonium between June 20 and July 3, due to the fact that a week before Eid al-Adha and another week after loading the hub usually grows to several times, wealthy Muslims from other countries love to relax in the Emirates. Passengers are asked to arrive at the airport no later than 4 hours before boarding.

– We knew that we were on this holiday, – sighs a couple from Yekaterinburg, vacationing in Sharjah. – But they could not resist, they bought promotional tours, it was too cheap. 70 thousand rubles for two for a week – in comparison with winter, it’s just free! But it’s hot, of course. And from Muslims, apparently, not the richest travel to Sharjah, in any case, they constantly chew their street food like shawarma on the go, and throw the half-eaten right on the road, and now imagine the smell of these leftovers, if overboard +45.

Compatriots in Turkey also already feel the approach of Eid al-Adha: some are annoyed that local mothers “change diapers for their babies right at the buffet”, others do not like that “one Turkish family will sit down and there are no more places by the pool”, etc. But both the tourism industry of Muslim countries and domestic diplomats, in addition to tolerance and respect for someone else’s holiday, advise tourists to concentrate on their own safety. And it, regardless of the host country, will be required on the roads (local tourists come by their own cars, and also rent on the spot, and the driving style in eastern countries is very specific), on the water (especially for children playing with the locals), as well as in public spaces: remember that on holidays, any unkind word addressed to a Muslim “hears and writes down the Almighty himself.” Why do you need his revenge instead of rest?