Tuesday marks first day of a 3-day celebration ending Ramadan
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Tuesday marks "Seker Bayrami" or the Holiday of Sweets" in Turkish. Or, it is the start of "Eid al-Fitr" as it is known in Arabic. (UPDATED)
It marks the first day of a three-day celebration ending ramadan and its dawn to dusk fasting among observant Muslims.
For some in Turkey it is a time of piety, for others less a relgious moment than a break from school or work. For yet others it is a subject of cultural study, a holiday in transition.
Turks and foreigners alike will be able to catch the last summer rays over the coming week. So as Bayram approached, tourist resorts around Turkey were busy preparing for the anxiously awaited nine-day holiday, the Turkish Daily News (TDN) wrote on Tuesday.
The extension of the holiday to nine days, however, sparks a debate over whether the Turkish economy needs such a long holiday at such a delicate time of global turmoil.
Some say the holiday will harm the economy, while others question whether the holiday lasts nine days for anyone but public employees. Overburdened Turkish workers need a rest, others says.