It’s the holy month of Ramadan now, when Muslims are obliged to fast from sunup to sundown, especially difficult in this extreme heat and with the long summer days. The operating hours for most everything change at this time of year: Stores are generally closed during the day and are open from maybe 6 p.m. until 3 a.m. Restaurants and cafés would have no clientele during the day so only operate at night. The streets are alive until the early morning hours with people who have been indoors and without food or water all day. It’s a very different time of year here.

Another image posted today from the Qasr Al Hokm district, of the door of the Masmak Fort: