Eid morning begins with crowds at prayer, and by midday much of the city heads for the sand. Families spread out under cloth awnings on Lido Beach, children race into the surf and cups of spiced shaah go around. Most weeks, Friday plays the same part and fills the shore from early morning.
Away from the water, Hamar Weyne keeps narrow lanes of coral-stone houses near the old Arba'a Rukun Mosque, and Bakaara Market sells everything from sesame to fabric. It stays hot and humid all year, with rains around April and October. A Local Friend opens doors you would never have knocked on alone, like a corner café where everyone knows each other.
