Lebaran di sini

I haven't posted anything about Hari Raya here in Toulouse. Anyway, this is will no-pictures post because I didnt bring my camera over that day. There are some pictures but I have to link it to somebody's multiply page.

Last day of puasa usually full of meaning, we have won one full month of "resisting" hawa nafsu of any man can imagine and if we have been doing extra ibadah, we know in this holy month of Ramadhan we would be full of blessing from Allah SWT.
I miss listening to the loud and beautifully sang takbir from the nearest mosque and I miss the joy, I miss getting staying late at nite one week before Lebaran preparing cookies with my mom in the messy kitchen. Waking up in the morning of Lebaran getting ready to go to the mosque to pray with the whole family and meeting those familiar faces on the way and start to ask for forgiveness and bersalam-salaman.

What I really miss is the Lebaran feast and buffet spread at my grandparents' house and our "forgiving" session which includes sungkeman (when my parents and grandparents sat on the couch and us, the children and grandchildren will take turn down on our knees and ask for forgiveness from them). Everybody will cry at this moment.

* me stop dreaming* Here in Toulouse, I didn't go to the mosque because I didn't feel like going alone. But we were invited to a open house at Bu Ninik's place, like usual. Hehe... (she's so kind...) I had a great time, almost everyone was there. My indo gang (we had to walk from the bus stop to the house for like 15 min. in my heels!!), the indo women, their french husbands and their noisy children. Very very merry....

Food was great, there was ketupat of course, gulai kambing, lontong sayur, es cendol!!!, and the rest that I could not remember cus I ate so much I just started grabbing everything.
There was even bottles of wine!! Haha...... no, I didn't drink any.

A day well spent. Eventhough nothing compares to celebrating Lebaran with your beloved family, but hey, I couldn't complain this time.