@ Pearl

Everyone's been talking about Pearl roundabout - this is where the protests began and where they remain. It is now an amazingly organized sit-in, as people have set up tents, food stalls have sprung up and the rather large roundabout which usually takes us towards the major shopping centres now resembles a carnival.

In an average week, I pass by this place at least twice, to attend various children's activities or to get to the shopping malls. Since the protests began, I hadn't ventured out that way. A couple of my friends had visited Bahrain's 'Tahrir square' over the last week out of curiosity more than anything and they told me that it was quite amazing. I couldn't imagine the transformation of this ordinary, run-of-the-mill intersection to a vibrant hive of political activity, so I decided that I had to see it with my very own eyes.

I ventured out this morning for a quick drive-by, I was amazed. People are peaceful. Pots of tea were being boiled on a makeshift gas stove, food was being cooked on one side whilst a man handed out flyers and bottles of water on another. Blasting out of a louspeaker was a woman's voice, making what I could only guess to be an impassioned speech about the cause. Traffic was running better than it ordinarily does as protesters took turns to assist with directing vehicles. I can now almost picture what Egypt's Tahrir square must have been like.

We've received notification from the British Embassy that another demonstration is scheduled for this afternoon and will go from the Pearl roundabout towards the Grand mosque. I'm not sure what the weekend ahead has in store. Hopefully resolution is on the way.

I took a couple of pics from my car, not particularly impressive photography, but worth sharing.

The Pearl that you see in the background of this pic is at the centre of the roundabout. Tents have been put up all around it:

The pic below is of a tea stall - there are photographs hanging in front of it, I think of people who died in earlier clashes:

This website and specifically, the article on Bahrain is worth a look:
Middle East Report

Perspectives

Emotions are flying in the Middle East but it was business as usual in Bahrain. M went back to work, H went back to school. I was in two minds about sending her, not convinced that things had calmed down for good. But, after being cooped up in the house and in our compound for almost a week, we thought it might be good for her to get a bit of routine back. I told myself that if I got nervous, I would go and pick her up early but I managed to get through the morning without worrying about it.

Then last night, there was a huge pro-Government rally outside the largest place of worship in Bahrain, the Grand Mosque (Al Fateh Mosque - named after Ahmed Al-Fateh, the conqueror of Bahrain - ironic?). Today's Gulf Daily News (pro-Government newspaper) reports that there were 300,000 people there. I'm skeptical as that's about half the local population, but let's assume there were. Surprisingly, no international news coverage, nothing reported on CNN, BBC and Al Jazeera (no surprises that Libya was the main story there). I'm guessing pro-Government rallies are not as interesting as demonstrations that call for the Government to be overthrown?? Bahrain TV did report, but their coverge was like something out of the seventies, really grainy and sometimes black and white, with background music that sounded so much like the title song from 'I Dream of Genie', that I wouldn't have been surprised if Barbara Eden had popped out onto the screen.

Then today the school requested that we collect our kids earlier than usual and now we hear that the Anti-Government protests are going strong this afternoon and will be even more fervent tonight, as a prominent Shiite leader is set to return from self-imposed exile after it was decided by the ruling Monarchy that a long running terrorism case against him would be closed. I reckon Hell hath no fury like an exiled political leader returned, so I'm pretty certain that there's more noise to come.

But whatever happens, it does at least seem that the Monarchy is engaging with the protesters and dialogue has been opened. Whether the discussions go anywhere is anyone's guess. Protesters are apparently suspicious about any offers of reform as promises have been made in the past and few have come good.

A week of demonstrations comes at an economic cost too. The Bahrain Grand Prix scheduled for early March has been cancelled. I'm sure the Australian Grand Prix organisers are saying 'cha-ching' - Bahrain's loss is their gain as Melbourne Grand Prix will now be opening the F1 2011 season.

The Bahraini Royals seem to be in damage control. I was impressed by the interview given by the Crown Prince to CNN. He came across as sincere and ariculate. I've posted it below:

There are a number from both sides of the political spectrum who are saying that it's not about sectarianism. It's about everyone being just 'Bahraini' - nothing more, nothing less. Reminds me of an (ongoing) recently re-ignited debate in Australia about multiculturalism and the fact that it's important to celebrate differences, but in the end, to be united under one national banner.

Please note - I'm not taking sides on this political issue. This is not an issue that concerns me or any other expat. This is an issue for the Bahraini people. I am merely providing commentary as an expat, about what I see and hear, and piecing it all together for all at home.

Below, a picture of a rally on the main highway near Pearl roundabout, 22 February (this photograph was taken by a friend):

Unrest

Temperatures are rising in Bahrain. Not just outside, but inside people's hearts and minds too.

On Valentines Day, love was far from people's minds as a group of anti-government protesters set up camp at Bahrain's most prominent landmark and biggest intersection, Pearl roundabout. A fortnight before they took place, there were rumours that they would, but nobody took them seriously, "As if anything would happen in Bahrain" some said, and "Bahrain doesn't have the numbers for Tahrir square."

But something did happen, pitting Bahraini against Bahraini protests have impassioned the Nation, attracted international news coveragae and have caused us expatriates to feel somewhat unsettled about the long term stability of this country.

To explain the nature of the protests in basic terms: Bahrain has a population of 1 million, just over half are Bahraini citizens, the remainder are expats, like us, living and working Bahrain. Out of those Bahraini citizens 70% are Shiite Muslims but the ruling Party are Sunni Muslims and Bahrain being a Kingdom, the Monarchy (Khalifas) are Sunni too. At the heart of the uprising is the Shiite/Sunni divide. The Shiite citizens feel that they are marginilized and that they do not enjoy as many rights as the Sunni citizens (ie, they are under-represented in Parliament). By and large, it would be true to say that they do not enjoy a strong socio economic position. The grievances in Bahrain are very different to those that anti-government demonstraters in Egypt were protesting about. Yes, perhaps protesters here were inspired by their fellow Arabs, but it would be wrong to compare them. It would also be wrong to compare Bahrain to any of its other neighbours, this Island is not as rich as others in the Gulf. Long ago it was a wealthy outpost for pearling and fishing, its economy has now shifted to oil (which it doesn't have much of) banking and construction.

The two Islamic sects have had little difficulty co-existing and I would say that the community here is generally stable and peaceful. Of course, there have been incidents in the past, particularly in the 90s. More recently, small-scale anti-government protests have gone under the radar, barely rating a mention in the daily newspapers. To the US as well, Bahrain is a strategic military base and has been a model of stability and reform (because of the referendum that was held in 2002 regarding changes to the Constitution). It has been put forward as an example for other Arab nations.

So this civil discontent comes as a surprise - to everyone. The protesters are disillusioned enough with the regime to demand change, more rights, effective representation and some have risked (and lost) their lives in the process.

Bahrain has been in a state of unrest for four days now. At first we thought it would last a day or two, but now we are not sure how or when things will get better. Over the last couple of days we stepped out to our local shops and ran a few errands, we felt safe but there was a sense of urgency in the air as everyone seemed to be stocking up on essentials, supermarket shelves were near empty. H is on mid-term break at the moment, so she has been home and has no clue about what's going on. We are hearing helicopters flying above and this evening my heart jumped when I heard gunshots. I've never heard a gunshot in my life but I knew one when I heard one. One shot was followed by three or four more. Scary.

Funerals are taking place, the wounded are being taken to a public hospital that is pretty much up the road from us. Many are camped outside the hospital to make sure that the wounded and casualties are treated. Doctors are not able to keep up with treating the wounded, Al Jazeera News reports as I type this. Meanwhile we're burrowed up at home, baby with an ear infection suddenly doesn't sound so bad.

Hopefully I've made sense, typed this quickly. Signing off from Bahrain with a heavy heart tonight. Hoping that things will improve, sooner rather than later.

St Kilda Esplanade...with a squint

Just returned from our trip to Melbourne where our new baby girl made her debut. Great seeing family and friends and spending an extended period of time at my parents place with the girls. Nothing compares to quality time with loved ones.

It was hard coming back, the first day I was a bit teary, but then I took some inspiration from H. She just picked up where she left off, excited about sleeping in her own room, starting back at kindergarten, playing with her OWN toys in her OWN house... a few weeks of SHARING someone else's toys is like being subjected to extreme torture and punishment for a four year old. I asked her yesterday if she wanted to go back to Melbourne, "No" she replied with more certainty in her voice than I've ever heard..."I don't NEED Melbourne right now" - well I guess that answers that!!

It made me think about what a four year old needs. I always feel bad about depriving H (and now A) of her (their) extended family (especially grandparents and cousins) and depriving her of all that Australia has to offer (all year round) and Bahrain does not - acres of green grass, trees to climb, a million varieties of flowers to plant and pick, the zoo, farms, beaches, picnics and BBQs in Summer/Winter. That's what I want her to be enjoying in her free time, not staying indoors to watch Dora the Explorer because it's too hot to play outside in 50 degrees centigrade.

But when I have all of that in mind for H, all she want for herself is her mum, dad, sister and her home. Bahrain is H's home. This is the only 'real' home she knows, since she was only twenty months old when we moved here. So I remind myself that she is happy and more than satisfied with what she has and that is the MOST important thing (maybe that's because she doesn't know any better - oblivion does play a role in creating happiness and keeping one happy).

So when I went off to the beach with A for a walk this morning (a private one that we pay an exorbitant amount of money to enjoy because there is no decent 'public' beach... ok, not going there...that's not important...especially as the point that this ungrateful wretch is trying to make is that one should count one's blessings) I thought about how lovely it was to be in Bahrain at this time of year, enjoying the superb weather (December to March is perfect - currently a gorgeous 22oC outside) time with family and the company of friends...all in all, life's not so bad.

And, if  I pretend or maybe squint (as V pointed out:)), I can imagine I am in Melbourne... Maybe... is that the St Kilda Esplanade I see?

Thanks for the inspiration V.

Bahrain baby

I have a good excuse for being MIA... I was having a baby. We are now proud parents to another gorgeous little girl.

My birth experience in Bahrain was quite different to my first experience in Melbourne, I mean in terms of medical and hospital care (although both times, babies arrived slightly early by way of emergency ceasarian). In Melbourne, I had my own obstetrician and went through the private system - but the private system in Bahrain is really something else.

48-hours post ceasarian at the  Bahrain Specialist Hospital (BSH), I was advised not to attempt any physical acitivty and had a midwife dedicated only to my care (stark contrast to my first experience, where I was expected to get moving the very night I was operated on). At the maternity ward of the BSH, I also had nursery staff to help care for my baby during the entire duration of my stay (in the private hospital I delivered at in Melbourne, the nursery was virtually non-existent and was opened only to help care for special needs babies - fair enough, but we thought we were paying for that service when we booked).

The post natal approach in Australia and in the west generally is that the mother should bond with the baby from day one. I agree with this approach and my expectation was to get to know my baby from day one. And this expectation was met - the baby and I did get our one on one time and I nursed the baby from the start, but, something must be said for giving mothers adequate time to recover and feel physically confident and mentally prepared before leaving hospital with their new bundle.

Don't get me wrong, some of the midwives who were with me during my first delivery in Melbourne were generally helpful. But, for them, the focus seemed to be on getting me confident with the baby rather than confident with my mental and physical health. That's just my observation - but I'm sure lots of other people would have had lots of different experiences. I guess I only have one experience to compare my Bahrain delivery to

Also, even though I choose to breastfeed, my view is that not enough focus is put on 'choice' in Australian hospitals. Back home, a couple of mums I knew who chose not to nurse or could not do so for health reasons said that their midwives made them feel guilty about their choice or pressured them to continue trying when they chose to stop. Everyone knows breast is best, but what a parent chooses, after considering what suits their lifestyle, is surely up to them? In Bahrain, there was no push for breastfeeding - and there was no push not to breastfeed. I was spared any lectures and the question was simply put to me - what would I prefer to do? I told the midwives and they helped me establish my feeding.

So at the end of the day, although we did miss our extended family, the delivery experience in Bahrain was a satisfactory one. I enjoyed my sea view room, ordering a la carte meals and watching satellitle TV... wasI there to deliver a baby or on a five star vacation? I forget which?

Most of all I was happy with the end result...bless:

Sheesha

Driving through one of the side streets late one Thursday afternoon a couple of weeks ago in an area that is mainly populated by locals, I noticed a row of lovely (but quite run down) traditional little townhouses and outside, on the terrace of one of these dwellings was a group of abaya (cloak) clad women sitting down in a circle, smoking "sheesha", drinking cups of Arabic coffee (khaiwa) and looking like they were having a ball.

Watching from afar, I looked onto this little congregation only for a few seconds - I was driving past, so I couldn't stop, but I was tempted to take a spin down that block again, just to get another glimpse of that charming site. In the absence of a camera, I wanted to preseve the scene in my mind.

Weeks later, I am still thinking about that scene. What secret women's business were they talking about, I wonder? (Surely not the complete works of Jane Austen!) And, how long have they have been meeting over 'sheesha'? Perhaps they meet every Thursday? (I don't even know, as I haven't since had the chance to drive down that road late on a Thursday afternoon).

So, some may be wondering - what is sheesha? It's a smoking device that is widely used in the Middle East (in the Sub-continent, it is also widely used and known as the 'Hookah') and it seems to cross the generation and gender gap in the Middle East. You have our charming little women's club puffing away, you get groups of older Bahraini men smoking it and then it's very popular amongst the 20-something set too. But it's not just 'smoking' - I read somewhere that whereas cigarettes are just 'fast food', sheesha is the 'cordon bleu' of smoking - not that that's any kind of honour - it is smoking after all and can probably kill you just as fast, if not faster than your traditional cigarette.

There are particular cafes that are devoted to sheesha here in Bahrain (and its partner in crime, caffeine). It can be ordered at a cafe along with a tea or coffee and it will be delivered to your table by a waiter who sets the pipe up next to you with a pile of hot, golden, glowing charcoal. To add to the attraction, it comes in different flavours too - like apple, grape and mango. The aroma of it is strong, but it grows on you. It's certainly one of those smells that I'll always associate with the Middle East. The contraption is quite interesting looking too and can be quite decorative.

Moving on...

It's not us moving on... no, we're not heading home just yet.

When you're an expat, life can be transient. You meet people, you like them, you get close and just when you think it's all clicked, they up and leave:(

The reality of expat life is that someone is always moving on.

We are about to say farewell to our neighbours. They arrived in Bahrain at the same time as us, our toddlers grew into little pre-schoolers together and our families have become good friends over the last two years. Exciting for them, they are heading off to experience a new lifestyle and new adventures in Africa, sad for us though, because we will miss them.

Our children have been each other's little companions and have spent a lot of time together. It's got me wondering about how H will feel when her little friend leaves. At the moment, he features prominently in her conversations. It's kind of sad to think that as the days go by and she gets busy with other acitivies and new friends, she may not even remember him at all. Children are resilient and adaptable. I guess I don't remember too many friends of mine from when I was three or four and it hasn't affected me too much. Maybe it's just a part of growing up. That first small experience of loss that every little kid has to go through.

Hmm...perhaps a slightly dull and depressing entry on my part... but it's just something that's on my mind.

Here are another expat's thoughts on how life can be transient when you're living abroad:

WRS Expat Life: Moving on

Grand Prix - March 2010

I have never been to the Melbourne Grand Prix and have never had the inclination to attend... just not a fan of fast cars and noise... that's just me....I know plenty of people are.

Even so, it clearly is a subconscious prerequisite for me to live in a city where a GP is held! First Melbourne, then Bahrain... (Does this mean that I will be moving to Malaysia or Brazil next??) As I understand it, the first GP of the year is traditionally held in Melbourne. Bahrain hosts the third race of the year. For whatever reason, Melbourne is hosting the second GP of this year and Bahrain staged the opening race of the 2010 season.

All the big names in racing were out here at the Bahrain Circuit which is located at Sakhir, a desert area just on the outskirts of Manama. Compared to Melbourne or Monaco, the event is pretty tame...for eg, there are no grid girls around to distract the (male) spectators!

If you have followed the news, you would know that this year Fernando Alonso won for Ferrari...but you might not know that when he won, instead of spraying the traditional champagne on the podium, he sprayed an Arabic, non-alcoholic rosewater called "Waard." How's that for Trivia?

Anyway - I didn't attend, but my friend J did and she has kindly allowed me to share a couple of her snaps from the event. Thanks J!

Who's the Boss?

Growing up, I would go on holidays to the Subcontinent and I was used to seeing cooks, cleaners and gardeners at my relatives' homes. My other reference point for home-help was Tony Danza from the 80s series, 'Who's the Boss?' ... how amused were we, trying to work out who had the upper hand, Tony or Angela?... And then who could forget the 'Amelia Bedelia' series of children's books... Amelia was a maid who always seemed to get directions wrong or confused, with comical consquences. At the age of seven, I found her hilarious.

I have a maid. There I said it. Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not rich and nor am I famous. This is life in the Middle East and it’s less common not to have home help than to have it (in some capacity, part-time, full-time, live-in). I have someone around who helps out with the cooking, sweeps, mops and generally cleans up after us. She even babysits occasionally. This sounds great - but funnily enough, Tony and Angela were not off the mark about leadership tussels and we certainly have had a few comical moments with Mala (our maid).

Mala is a school teacher from India who moved to the Middle East almost 12 years ago, after she separated from her husband. As a single mother, she needed to make a living, so she left a two year old daughter behind with her mother and sister and because teaching wasn’t the most lucrative profession for her back home, she decided to find her fortunes abroad. Unfortunately, housekeeping was the only work available to her – and working as a housemaid in the Middle East paid better than any of the teaching jobs she was eligible for in her home-city Bangalore.

Before our family, Mala worked with a local family, then she worked for four years with an expatriate family. She came to us with great references and her previous employers assured us that she was honest and reliable. I remember the day she came to work for us – it was a couple of days before her previous employers were to leave Bahrain. She was in tears because she had become a part of that family and didn’t know how she would be accepted into ours. But as time passed, she got used to us, we got used to her and she has become a part of our daily life in Bahrain.

Mala has been working for us full time for about a year and a half now and although we get along, the transition has not been without its difficulties. I’m not complaining, because we are lucky to have a reliable person like her around – it’s especially a huge help as M works full time and I work part time. But, people are people after all and it takes time for you to get used to the way someone else does things or for someone else to get used to the way you do things. Her previous employers, though praising Mala’s good qualities, did warn us of one thing – that she cries at the drop of a hat. We’ve noticed.

Coming from Australia, I am used to an egalitarian way of thinking and rather than treating her as an employee, I started off by treating Mala as a pal. She wanted to call me ‘Madam’ and M ‘Sir’ as all the maids do in Bahrain. I told her I wasn’t comfortable with that (but do you think she listened?). I wanted to give her the freedom to do things as she pleased at our place because I felt bad for her and the fact that she really has never enjoyed freedom.

But, I had to draw the line when I saw her do ridiculous things like iron our socks and undies, cover our shelves and counters with tacky plastic tablecloths and machine wash our clothes on a 1.5 hour cycle. I soon realised that this wouldn't work for me. I didn’t want her to make decisions for me - even the very mundane ones like deciding what my family was having for dinner, deciding what groceries we needed and being responsible for buying them and being aware of what was going into my daughter’s snack box. When it comes to your family, you don’t want to give up control of certain things. That’s when I realized, whether I liked it or not, I would have to become a ‘madam’and start dishing out orders to get things done the way I wanted them done (in the nicest possible way).

So even though I am not used to being particulalry assetive, I try to tell her the way I like things done and I tell her that there are some things that I just want to do myself. I let her do things her way too – but if it means a lot to me, I say something. The problem is that sometimes, when I say something about her way, she looks like a wounded deer for the following twenty-four hours. A few months ago, I would have let things go. Now, I have realised that I can't feel uncomfortable or walk on egg shells in my own home. I have to do things the way I want them done.

Lately, I've spent an extended period at home and have had to take some time off work. This hasn't helped my relationship with Mala. I feel as though we have been getting in each other's hair. It got to the point where she voiced her grievances with me and we had to have a chat about it. Things did not go 'Who's the Boss?' style and our issues were not resolved within a half hour time slot... but we worked things out, eventually, after a couple of days. So having a helping hand is not in reality a stress-free dream situation. There is an extra person to please, to worry about, to care and look-out for.

But at the end of the day, I do appreciate her and recognise that she provides me with a service and luxury that I could never afford in Australia. Mala is just an example of the many blue collar workers who come to the Middle East to make their living. Her story is unfortunately not unique. Mala has missed out on watching her own daughter grow up. Though she is happy with the job that her mother and sister are doing with her daughter and she travels back to see her family for a couple of weeks once every year, she says she feels she’s not quite a part of that family anymore because they seem to have their own closeness and their own routines that she’s not part of. I guess that might be the case after an absence of 12 years. What is perhaps the most sensitive point for her is that her daughter calls her sister ‘mum.’

Mala talks fondly about the children she’s looked after over the years and shares a good relationship with my daughter who trusts her as a carer and friend. Even so, I don’t think this replaces what she has missed out on with her own daughter. She hopes that her daughter will one day appreciate the hard work she has done to give her a good life. I hope so too.

A glimpse of Petra

It's been a long time between posts.

The last couple of weeks were hectic as we made a short trip to Oz for a wedding and then returned to Bahrain via Thailand and Jordan. We got back to Bahrain a couple of nights ago and it's nice and cool now, there's a definite chill in the air and it's been raining too...the warm, balmy nights of just a couple of months ago seem like a distant memory.

In Bahrain, just a few raindrops can cause chaos on the roads and even minor flooding (the roads here weren't really built for wet conditions) so when a friend told us (just before we got back) that there was "lots of rain" - we were skeptical. It turns out the rain did wreak some havoc as we returned home to find our phone/internet and television out of order. Luckily, in Bahrain - tradesmen don't make you wait -even on weekends (clearly, there is a surplus of labour in the country - we're not complaining). So it's all fixed and we're back in business.

Anyway, getting back to our sightseeing - Petra in Jordan was definitely a highlight. Getting there was a bit of a disaster - it's a 3.5 hour car trip from the Dead Sea (where we stayed) - and we chose to take the scenic route up to Mt Hor (where Petra is located), which didn't really agree with poor H's tummy. So a couple of vomits later, we made it there to see this amazing site:

Also knows as the Rose City (because of its colour) or the Lost City (as it was unknown to the Western world until 1812), Petra was once home to the Nabatean people and provided a centre for their caravan trade around 100BC. My understanding is that Petra is also referred to in the Qur'an in Sura Al-Fajr where it is called "Thamud".

People say it usually takes up to 4-5 days to explore all of Petra - we were there just 4 hours!

Just a glimpse of our snaps...

Holiday's over - back to real life!

 

A recent memory

There's no shortage of eateries and restaurants in Bahrain. If you like your burgers and fries (and are not watching your waistline) all the American chains are here including Maccas, KFC, TGI Fridays. Then there are the local equivalents too, Jasmis (Maccas style) and Shwarma express (you can guess from the name, it’s shwarma heaven). There are also a number top-end restaurants too, like the recently opened Bushido which offers Japanese fare in a rather posh and some might say pretentious setting.

Last night we ate at Ken Lo's Memories of China in Bahrain's buzzing cafe/restaurant quarters in Adliya. After my husband had talked up the place (having eaten there without yours truly) I was looking forward to my meal and checking out the restaurant's vibrant setting that I had heard and read so much about. Memories of China in Bahrain is a franchise of a London restaurant of the same name. I haven't eaten at the London one, but I hear that it is rated by foodies as one of the best Chinese restaurants in the UK. To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of Chinese cuisine. I’ll eat it, but it’s never been on my list of favorites. I generally find Chinese food quite bland and something about it has never really appealed to my palate. Although one of Melbourne’s most highly regarded and expensive restaurants is Chinese (Flowerdrum), in Australia, cheap Chinese restaurants are as common as shwarma and grill shacks are in Bahrain. Even the smallest outback country town will be sure to have at least one Chinese restaurant down its main shopping and restaurant drag. So, although I was looking forward to the Memories of China experience, I wasn't sure that the food would really win me over.

But it did. We started our meal off with steamed dumplings which were fresh and flavorsome and really hit the spot since I went on an empty stomach. We had duck pancakes for starters as well. Duck would never be my choice, but M’s a fan. The only other time I've had duck was years ago when my mum cooked a duck that dad had been given by a friend. This is not saying anything about my mum's cooking (because she truly is a great cook) but no matter how much my mum tried, she couldn't disguise the gamey smell of that duck. None of us ate that day and the house stank of duck for days. This time the duck was not stinky and combined with hoisin sauce, finely sliced spring onions and cucumber, it was quite delicious really. For our main we had fried and steamed rice with a slightly spicy Schezuan chicken and a sweet and sour prawn dish that was deliciously crispy with vegetables strewn through it. I'm not much of a dessert person, but last night I had a craving. I opted for the banana fritters with icecream. The banana fritters were not as I imagined. They were round with a crisy batter, honey sauce and sesame seeds around them. All up, it was pretty yum. (Photo at above right sourced from http://www.gulf-life.com/). By Bahrain standards, the meal was on the expensive side, but for quality Chinese food and a nice evening out, it was worth it.

Apart from the food, what I like about Memories of China is the setting. With couch/cushion style seating on one side, it's cool without being too pretentious. That seems to be the balance that many restaurateurs don't seem to get right in the Middle East, sometimes there's so much concentration on grandiosity that comfort is an afterthought.

Now my memories of China are good:)

The City Centre Guy

Whenever I'm feeling a bit low and I just need to smile, all I need to do is drive into the Bahrain City Centre (shopping mall) carpark and drive out. Yes, you've read me correctly - simply drive in and drive straight out. (This exercise interspersed by a spot of retail therapy will make me smile a little more broadly, but honestly, I'm a woman with simple needs).

So what exactly am I on about? Let me introduce you to the City Centre Guy. He's like a kind of traffic control person who stands at the level one exit of the mall carpark - and control traffic he does...with a whole lot of enthusiasm! This guy really does pour his heart into what he does... standing in scorching conditions, he just keeps smiling - and with a casual salute and very rehearsed wave of the hand, he makes you want to keep smiling too. You may not be able to picture this, so you can check him out yourself on this Youtube video put together by one of his many fans (but to be honest, I don't think it does him justice!):



On his way to becoming something of a local icon, this guy (named Gulzar Ahmed, formerly a corporal in the Pakistan army) even has a Facebook fanpage dedicated to him! Can you believe, he already has 7000+ fans! (That's almost 4500 more than the clothing label Zara has on Fb but far, far less than Vegemite's 100,000+ fans - If you want to find him on Facebook, just look up 'City Centre Guy'). With this fan club, he's even made headline news:

Below is a link to another article about him that recently appeared in a local publication. Mr City Centre definitely gives new meaning to 'service with a smile'.
http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/7/3/1987386/sep09.pdf

Where the streets have no name

I wish Bahrain had a Melway... or a Manaway... it would make sooo much sense! If you need to go anywhere in Bahrain, you usually need directions. Receiving directions here can be convoluted and any set of directions received is likely to include the following phrases:

"You'll pass a beige building" - ummm...not really helpful as pretty much all the architecture in Bahrain could be described as, well, beige (OK to be fair some of the building are an equally blah shade of grey and brown).

"Turn left after the cold store" - Cold store: Bahraini for milk bar - you'll find one on every street corner (at least). With so many around, they are not necessarily the most obvious landmarks.

"You'll see a big mosque" - Hello?! Muslim country! There are more mosques here than..well...than there are churches in Adelaide!!

By the time you've heard all that, you're not sure you can even be bothered.

Hand-drawn maps can be helpful, but let's face it, most people are not cartographers and one person's perception of distance and proportion can differ significantly from another's. That was the lesson I learnt today when I ventured out to a new neighborhood to run an errand, using a map drawn by a friend. I should have known the map wasn't to scale and what looked like three millimeters on paper was in reality half a kilometer. My mistake, perhaps I should have tried Google maps first.

But honestly, the whole process just confuses me - especially when I don't have the best sense of direction to begin with (I'm the type who has to keep muttering "King William, Queen Elizabeth" to myself just to remember the Melbourne CBD grid). 

To be fair, There is some (slight) method to the madness. The main/major roads do have names which is nice and helpful, but the smaller streets do not. No street names - just street numbers (and luckily local sat nav devices - not to mention the pizza delivery people, recognise this system). It's not the most user-friendly system, but at least it's a system. We live on road 3119. Sounds promising. You'd think that our street would be sandwiched somewhere between road 3118 and 3120. Not the case, from what I can gather - 3118 is the street behind us... fine...but I've looked around for road 3120 - not quite sure where it is. My guess is that it's about 3 blocks away... past two cold stores, a beige building and a big mosque.

For a satellite map of Bahrain:
http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/google_map_Manama.htm

Sleep deprivation is definitely a form of torture

I have just returned from a brief (and impromptu) 13-day visit to Oz. (Obviously, I'm intent on making it clear that the trip was short - not quite a fortnight - for friends I missed out on seeing, sorry! I hope to be back soon).

You will recall, in my last post, after a quiet Eid day, I longed for the booked-for-breakfast/lunch/dinner lifestyle that we were once accustomed to in Melbourne. My exact words, drenched in yearning, were, "the grass is always greener"... Be careful what you wish for. Not trying to sound ungrateful or anything...it was wonderful being amongst fam and friends... but a calmer, stress-free, slower paced trip home might have been a little more relaxing.

We landed back in Bahrain this morning and I am EXHAUSTED. I am ready to collapse in a heap. I barely slept two hours on the overnight, 14-hour flight from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi (which was followed by a two hour transit and one hour flight from AD to Bah). Why didn't I sleep? Because, I was watching over a toddler who refused to wear her seat belt whilst asleep - as a result of which, she had a tendency to roll off her seat and shout out at regular intervals through the night. Suffice it to say, I haven't been this sleep deprived since...well since this child of mine was a baby. She's usually been a good traveler, so it's the first time I've been this exhausted (maybe second time - my first trip to Bahrain was on my own - with a newly walking toddler. Fun). On this occasion, each time I dozed into slumber, I was woken by a thump or a wiggle, or a cry and then I'd be up again. It was as though toothpicks were keeping my eyes wide open. M was with us, but my dear M (bless him) could sleep through a cyclone - so he was relatively unaffected by these intense sleep conditions...but he did take over supervisory duties once he was up and alert - at which point I happily handed over my sheriff’s badge.

I am in absolute awe of all those mums and dads who frequently travel with more than one child. Does more children mean that you should expect nil sleep on a journey? Given the way I'm feeling today, this is a really unsettling thought. Next time round, something like this (above) might be nice?

Verdict

Not besht kwality. Mango man's offering was extremely average this time round (this conclusion reached after trying just one - it wasn't aromatic enough, or flavorsome enough - suffice it to say I don't have high expectations for the rest of the crate). I had faith in you mango man! Why did you lure me in with false hope and then let me down? I guess I knew the season was over. I just hadn't accepted it.

(To my mate J with whom I shared today's order, sorry if you were disappointed too)

Welcome back mango man

Mango man has re-entered my life! Yes - he's back, and these days sacks of lemons are his thing. I had to buy some, for old time's sake.

The exciting news is that he's sourced more mangoes and he reckons they're good. Have ordered a couple of crates...am yet to find out whether they are indeed "besht kwality". Hope he comes through with the goods.

Welcome back mango-walla. I've missed you mate.

(pic: bombayharbor.com)

GDN Gem #2: Cows overboard

Today's GDN Gem:

"Two cows had to be rescued by the Coastguard after swimming out to sea when they escaped from an abattoir in Sitra. They were spotted about a mile out by sailor Paul Truscott and his wife Janet, who immediately alerted the Coastguard. The Australian cattle escaped from the Bahrain Livestock Company abattoir with 13 others on Saturday after someone apparently left the gate open. The herd of fugitives headed towards the Bahrain Yacht Club, but two broke off at Al Bander and went into the water...Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) which operates at the Bahrain Livestock Company, said the cows returned to the abattoir with 'little stress.'"

Lately, I've been feeling a little out of sorts in Bahrain, so I know a thing or two about the homesickness and longing that led those cows to jump into the sea. Sometimes I feel like diving into the water myself and swimming all the way back home (I would surely be intercepted by border protection - I can just see myself now on an episode of Australia's fave TV show, Border Security).

(Note to my husband - don't worry, I'm fine...I'm not planning to jump off the Saudi causeway or anything. I am simply venting :-P)

The Big Barhi

I'm not really partial to dates. In their traditional form, they're not the most attractive fruit around are they? Not that I should be holding their appearance against them, but they are kind of unimpressive looking, all shriveled-up and prune-like (sorry prune, but you're not so hot either). Sure, they're sweet, but so is every other fruit on the market.

Regardless of my tastes, the humble date is and always will be an Islamic icon. It has monopoly over the entire Muslim-market, world-over and at no time is this more visible than during Ramadan (especially as Muslims believe the Prophet Mohammed preferred to break his fast with a date).

Right now, dates are everywhere in Bahrain, plain dates, nut-filled dates, chocolate coated dates (white/milk/dark - take your pick) and the other day I also saw some coffee filled ones. As dates go, these spruced-up dates (from what I've tasted) are certainly good. But to be honest, I've usually eaten dates more out of a sense of tradition than enjoyment. This has changed since I discovered the Barhi variety. These dates are crisp in texture and as un-shriveled and un-prune-like as you can get. Now, I'm eating dates because I love them. The Barhi seems to be really popular in the Middle East, you buy them on the stalk and they kind of look like a bunch of grapes. Delicious, and with their high nutritional value, how can I go wrong with this indulgence? So this entry is my shout out to the humble date...the Barhi date to be precise. (Hmmm, Perhaps I should start lobbying for a 'Big-Pineapple' inspired 'Big-Barhi' in Bahrain, I think it could be a winner with the locals ;) )

Gargaon update: I didn't witness any Gargaon action, I did however have a little Gargaon surprise waiting for me when I got to work the next day. A box full box of goodies – chocolates, nuts and dry fruit, a little oil lamp and a doll. There was no card attached but it didn't take me long to figure out that the mystery gift-giver was my Bahraini friend - the one who educated me on Gargaon to begin with. When I went to thank her for her thoughtfulness, she said she wanted to share some Gargaon treats with my daughter and I. Nice:) )

My Bahraini friend is actually the main receptionist at the office I work at. She speaks English relatively well, not perfectly - but she gets by. She greets everyone each morning with a huge smile and a "Sabah hal Khair" (Good morning). Even through recent, brief bouts of adversity (a tooth infection and sprained ankle) she's kept smiling. She's a gem.

Trick or treat, Bahrain style

Halloween: Pagan festival of ghosts, ghouls, goblins and witches.

Ramadan: Muslim festival concentrating on themes of devotion, prayer, goodwill and charity.

Ummm...where's the link?

OK, I'm certainly not trying to be irreverent. I think I can explain this. We're over half-way through Ramadan and I've just learnt about "Gargaon". In my experience of Ramadan, there's a month of fasting followed by Eid ul-Fitr (celebration that marks the end of the Ramadan season). Apparently the way it works in Bahrain is that within the festival of Ramadan, there's a mini festival called Gargaon.

So, what is Gargaon?

Celebrated on the 15th day of Ramadan, the word Gargaon means "mixture of sweets, dates and dried nuts." On the evening of the 15th (after the Iftar - breaking of fast) children in traditional arabic dress, carrying drums and beautifully decorated bags, go around to the houses in their neighbourhood asking for gargaon (local kids must really like dates and dried nuts huh?). It's sort of like a local version of 'trick or treat' - without the tricks. A Bahraini colleague of mine has told me that sometimes people hold Gargoan parties for children and goody bags are beautifully decorated and distributed. There is also a kind or role play that goes on where someone performs the role of a knight on a wooden horse, called a 'Feraisa' who moves to the beat of a drum. I can't find any information on the origins of this story, might try and pop outside tonight to see if I can catch a glimpse of some action.

Above: Arabic bakery preparing for the pre-Iftar rush during Ramadan.

Hypnotised

A follow-up to last week's entry on the hypnotist bandits. Apparently I wasn't the only one who enjoyed the story. Thought I'd share a cute response printed in the GDN's letters to the editor page on Tuesday (25 August):

"What a delightful story about the couple wandering round Bahrain's banks hypnotising cashiers into giving them money...Obviously things are not as they seem. It surprises me however, that they did not just hypnotise the policemen when they were apprehended. With just a wave of the hand and the words "these are not the robbers you are looking for"they could have been on their way. They could have even hypnotised the police into believing that one of their own was guilty. Personally, I think they are simply a lost family of Jedi Knights innocently trying to return to their home on the rebel base on Yavin 4. Hypnotising bank cashiers. That one's going to be hard to beat. Beam me up Scotty."

The letter is authored by a "JT Kirk" - James Tiberius Kirk? I'm no Treky, but still, the reference is not lost on me!