Bad Girl

I've been a very bad girl.  I have not been keeping up with my blogging, and I have no good excuse as to why.  Perhaps it's this weather... Honestly, some days I just stay inside and camp out underneath my air conditioner.  It all started about 2 months ago, innocently enough.  I started to notice that I didn't have cold water when I forgot to turn the water heater on 1/2hour before I took a shower... Then I remembered, when it gets hot, you keep your shut your hot water off and just use the cold water (which is warm by comparison of HOT)

About 3 weeks ago I decided it was time to move the furniture around in my living room- which is like a palace in itself.  Mainly because I wanted my loafing couch (yes, I do a bit of that here) to be directly underneath the air con.  As well, it's become too hot to run really.  Sometimes I run late at night, but it doesn't happen a lot honestly. So, I delved back into my yoga space.  Now I have a cool yoga space in the middle of my living room and all the furniture are on the sidelines!

The kitties have taken to the new layout quite nicely.  They have become especially attached to the yoga mats... For some reason, they love to lay on them- most especially when I am practicing... Often I come home to bits and pieces of yellow yoga mat all over the living room too. This is a new development.  I don't see how they can eat my yoga mat when I buy them perfectly good and expensive kitty kibble.  They must remember the phase they went through eating up the bathroom rugs. That is mostly Mistress Shaika Spot that endorses that activity with enthusiasm.  Master Sami Bey is just the 'monkey see, monkey do' type and goes right along with the mayhem.

I should have been blogging up to now because I've been doing a lot of interesting things.  Now I can't remember what it all was though so I will just leave you with some pictures as proof that I indeed have more pastimes than loafing.

Lemme set the scene for y`all: Saturday morning. In bed. With coffee. It's hot. Really, really hot. The air con is on. It's 9:15 am.  It's still very, very dark in my cave...

 Shaika Spot is turning into quite the strangely beautiful Dilmun kitty kat.  She is an awesome creature and I learn so much from her- mostly how to be wreckless and just go for it...

 She's looking very coquettish here. Don't trust this look...

 Lounge Lizards.  Here they both are deeply involved in their favorite 'pastime.'  Brings me to a story about my students: I ask them, "What is your favorite pastime?" Most of them reply that it is sleeping... Anyway, the kitties look fabulous doing it- don't you think? 

 Master Sami Bey is seriously easy on the eye.  He's an Adonis, an Adonis without balls that is... So, he's a bit humbled by all THAT.  He's adjusting quite nicely without them and one day, hopefully, will really become a lap cat.  He is already on his way.  He does like to cuddle up to me when I am practicing my yoga.  He really likes to attack my feet at this time as well.  So he's a bit of a yo-yo personality.  He could also be a serial killer...

 This is my gym here on the left. It's called Al Areen Spa. It's pure luxury.  I sometimes go there, and when I do it's usually straight to the pool...

 Here is a cemetary in A`ali at the main archaeological site there- the Royal Burial Mounds.  I take all visitors here first usually as it's in my hood. I love this place.  I love to walk the earth here.  I love the feeling that I am somehow connected to this place- to Dilmun of ancient times.  The Dilmun of the epic of Gilgamesh and Enki, etc. 

 Beautiful Arabic architecture here in A`ali.  Again, I really feel at home in my little village here.  It is a Shia village. 

 This building always fascinates me.  The striking colors, the graffiti, the pottery studios.  Oh yes, A`ali is famous on the island for the potters and their studios.  Another favorite place of mine to take visitors, and usually walk away with more pottery myself... Will be a bit difficult to get this stuff (presents peeps!) back to America I suppose...

 Here's a picture of me holding up the walls at the archaeological site with my favorite building in the background. 

 I took Shamika there as well. 

 Here is a kiln that, I believe, is still in use.  When you visit the pottery studios there, often the guys will take you around back and inside their workshops to check out the behind-the-scenes scenes.  These scenes usually consist of family members in various stages of artistic endeavors.  Everybody is so nice and friendly.

 Here is another one of those scenes.  Gwen and I were given a royal tour and found kitties!!! Mama kitty was busy cleaning up the crew.  I just went back here with my sister about 2 weeks ago and mama kitty is... wait for it... pregnant again!  Alas...

 Sometimes I try to do Arabic homework. Master Sami Bey usually takes this opportunity to cuddle with me, or with my book.  I tire of this affectionate behavior NEVER so generally give up studying Arabic quite early on... It's all because of Sami Bey that I cannot become fluent in Arabic!

 There are plenty of opportunities to polish myself up and go to embassy functions.  Here I am with my thrift store crop jacket covering my Dolce and Gabbana LBD and my Upper East Side (thank you NYC) thrift store Christian Dior kitten heels.  I do clean up nicely actually :)

 Shamika and I went cruising one day in search of a beach.  I believe I wrote about this, but here are the pictures.  We were so happy.  Fancy that that a New Yorker would fine me, an island girl, a beach... Well, I suppose NYC is an island as well so it takes one to know one!

 More lounging. It's just like riding a bicycle- you never forget how to relax on the beach.  This is probably the thing I miss most about living in Turkey- all the magnificent beaches you go to in summer.  Obviously I miss this with Hawaii as, so far in my travels, nothing beats Hawaiian beaches- NOTHING...

 Okay, this picture is outta order, but I don't feel like re-organizing it so we are back in A`ali village. I just liked this metal box...

 Back to the beach!  Shamika kicking it with her cool, casual vibe.  We've got quite the bohemian little set-up going on here on this day. The girl has loads of energy.  What a gem and I hope to see her in NYC this summer when I'm in DC in August and do a little side trip to the city that never sleeps...

 Yea, it'll do...

 So, all these pictures are of Amwaj.  It is an expensive part of the island to live on.  Good thing I have no problem freeloading onto their backyard beaches...

 Shiny, happy girls with a bronze glow (it will turn bronze after the redness fades- really)...

 Back to A`ali again, but this time with a bonafide purpose that doesn't involve buying pottery!  The Danish archaeologists called me up wanting me to get some measurements that they needed for a talk back home so I of course complied.  Dug out the compass, mechanical pencil and found myself a crew member and off we went!

 We measured the steps to this site that I am standing on.  We had around 11 measurements to take.  We were all alone among these ancient walls. 

 Sometimes I get to lounge at this villa and in this pool!  Starlight's place is really fun and homey to visit.  She has an international community of kitties that she has rescued, and is the godmother of both Shaika Spot and Master Sami Bey.  She actually bottle-bed Sami Bey- I watched her do it.  I tried to help but damn he was a tiny tot... I never knew that you had to stimulate their butts to make them poop when the mother gives up on trying... heh heh. Poop mistress... lol

 Spanky is the lone canine among all the felines that cohabitate at Starlight's villa.  He's a big boy.  A big goofy dog.  It's nice to know big, goofy dogs. 

 Back to A`ali...

 Imma just say that I don't know what's going on here.  I found the graffiti stencil really interesting though.  I'll tell y`all about it sometime...

 I'm not sure if I showed pictured of the Formula One (F1)  races that happen every year here in Bahrain.  We got free tickets thanks to a gentle man... Here I am assuming quite the compromising position that one never wants to be in here in the Middle East...

 Posers...

 The F1luxury boxes or central command... Our seats were to the left of this, at the really hairy curve.  We got to see a car flip over.  Freaky, yet thrilling...

 Here is said gentle man with the tickets. Sir Anthony worked the event.  He's awesome. 

 We do celebrations over here- all of them.  Here is some of the extended family over here.  This is our international Easter celebration.

 Many countries and nationalities are represented in our extended family melting pot.  Keith and Shamika talking tech talk.

Shamika and Benny chatting themselves us after a fantastic dinner.

We also do birthday celebrations.  Kamal cutting his own cake.



The crew all happy post dessert 

 Abdullah all happy after eating birthday cake.

 Saying goodbye to Benny- who works with my sister in Saudi Arabia.

Lynnette, our hostess, makes sure all party-goers go home with swag. We never leave empty-handed!



Okay, that takes you all up through April.  I'm burnt out on pictures so imma stop here and continue on next time with Oman and go from there. It's time to make some breakfast and then go to the thrift store and see what's in store for me there as it's been 2+ weeks since visiting!

over and out,

HollyMissBerry

from beach-bummer to beach-bum! I finally found a beach ya'll!!!

The morning, as most, started out early- 5am or so.  For some reason Shaika Spot and Sami Bey like to start their day at this time.  Their day starts with waking me up and luring me to their food bowls. Then it is play time- on the bed.  It can't be anywhere else (well, it can but it seems that the bed is the funnest play time). Why?  Because they have (half-asleep) me as a prop... They manage to make forts out of my abandoned pillows and ammunition out of anything they see fit (my glasses, a pen, my iPhone, various articles of clothing strewn about, the curtains, etc). Sami Bey especially likes to mess around with the curtains. He knows I hate this... What he didn't know this morning was that I added a new ingredient to my artillery- apple cider vinegar to my spray water bottle! 

In time, I woke up again an hour later. The kitties were right there waiting for me... Forced with no other alternative, I made some coffee and crawled back in bed again and reached for... my iPad. I was happy to see up front that my friends back home in Hawaii were posting about the upcoming Merrie Monarch Festival Hula. Upcoming meaning in 1 hour!  Hawaii is a 13-hour time difference behind Bahrain so I decided that it was fortuitous that the kitties woke me up so early on this morning.

Filled with coffee and current events, I made it to the living room and flipped on the air con switch (7am ya'll) and plopped down at my Mac Book Pro (Yes, I keep it all in the family where Apple products are concerned). I brought up the live streaming website and within 1 minute I was watching the Merrie Monarch!  Now this hula festival is special to me. Not just from spending most all of my life in Hawaii, but that I actually was at the Merrie Monarch festival for a few years in a row when I was temporarily living on the Big Island going to university at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. 

I remember the hanging about in the parking lot- a super party in itself for the loads of islanders and tourists alike that weren't fortunate enough to get tickets to attend. Inside the auditorium one's olfactory senses were overwhelmed. The air is simply infused with goodness from flowers, ferns and such other earthly delights (which is also somewhat of a natural disaster as well. In terms of the forests are plundered by all the hula halau right before the Merrie Monarch so everybody can make their lei (flower garlands or wreaths) that they wear during the competition, as well as vendors are selling to the audience, etc).

Also there are many Hawaiian and Polynesian handicrafts to buy there.  All sorts of lava lava (pareo or sarongs to wear around your hips), lauhala hats, scents, jewelery, etc. Of course delicious food and drink await with smells of laulau and pohole salad luring you over to the stalls to check it all out during the downtime. Sensory overload is delightful.  You just give into it, sit in your seat (bring a pillow ALWAYS) and enjoy the day.

Hula halau (dance troups) from all around the islands are invited to the competition. There are different styles of hula, as well as male and female halau.  It is 3 days of hula happiness.  The energy is infectious! 

Back to this morning, there I was at my computer and BAM I'm watching the Miss Hula Kahiko (traditional style hula) competition.  The hula kahiko is my favorite because of the movements and pace, as well as the oli (chanting) of the kumu hula (teacher) and halau (students of teacher competing).  It is, of course, a competition, but I think more so, in terms of importance, it is a cultural celebration.  It is family.  Hawaiians are people who stay close to the earth- their earth. The islands are their eco-system and they, for the most part, remain steadfast to their ancestral lands- of what little they have left after all the lands were partitioned off to their colonizers...

By the time the hula kahiko ended, the hula auhana started (another style of hula performed by single dancers to a slower rhythm where na wahine (women) wear form-fitting muumuus.  It is very elegant, but not generally a favorite of mine.  A friend came over right then as we had made plans the day before to find another beach on the island.  We both always lament over hardly ever laying our eyes on the sea here (and it's a small island), so we were on a mission.  After watching all the hula and seeing all the lovely Polynesians, I was just in the mood to celebrate the water over in this side of the world... It would be a day to step in the Arabian Sea- which somehow connects to the Pacific Ocean in the greater scheme of things.  It would be a day to bond with the water and make me feel that much closer to home. It would be a day to believe I was on a tropical isle... Could this day actually exist for me?  I was willing to find out. 

So off we went in my car with my GPS (seriously, I need a GPS to find the damn ocean?) to look for Al Bandar Beach Resort.  My friend was thinking about joining so we wanted to scout out the location.  Pictures showed that there was indeed a 'beach.' We came. We saw. We left unimpressed. I decided to pull rank at that moment and decide our immediate future.  Off we went to Amwaj Island where I found a decent public beach last week with Shamika visiting from NYC. We rocked up to the rockstar parking spot (the shade from the edge of an luxury condo building's wall). We walked out to 'my spot' (I have a 'spot' now!) and plopped down onto the sand.  I laid down my lava lava (no need for towels for this island girl) and BAM off came the clothes. Hello bikini! 

Moments later we were frolicking around in the sea.  Swimming goggles strapped to our heads, off we went towards the other side of the... lagoon I guess.  It's a pretty big area, yet too small for boats or jet skis fortunately. A girl on her SUP passed us up and waved.  Damn it feels good, I thought to myself as I was floating on my back staring up into the blue-ish sky (it's never a totally BLUE sky here it seems). Thoughts of baking in the sun woke me from my floating daze so I returned to shore to do just that!  As I was getting out, 4 buff, tattooed dudes were entering the water equipped with inner tubes and a floating raft for their cooler full of BEER of course!  I briefly chatted them up- for BEER of course... and they went about on their merry way floating- downstream unfortunately.  I thought they should have started out upstream (before they started drinking their BEER), but oh well, they will figure it out.  I say this because there was a decent current.  Whatever.  They are big boys.  They can hitchhike when they can't figure out how to 'float' back upstream!  We were at the beach for nearly 3 hours and never saw them again, and I don't think there was that much beach to float around in so... at least they had a raft carrying a cooler to BEER to amuse them...

After enjoying every sun-soaked moment in the sun, we decided that we were beached-out.  I got us back and then headed back to my apart-villa thingy and what did I do?  I made nachos and drank BEER!  What a celebration indeed.  I celebrated the shit out of today in the best way possible!  Because I'm nursing a little "why does my left calcaneous feel a little bit wonky" psyudo-injury (fingers crossed), I already knew I wasn't going to be running in the evening so there was that...

To summarize the day, it was awesome.  I have my little slice of Hawaii here with this strange little stretch of beach. It's free. There's no chaise lounges.  No appeal for tourists or tourist dollars in the near vicinity. No food being served, etc.  Just a beach. An entertain yourself kinda beach. It feels down to earth.  Nothing glitzy. No one was on the beach hardly except a few other beach lovers.  My kinda beach. Bonus- no gawkers.

It's midnight. I'm not editing. Later-

Introducing: "The Shifting Middle East" » Muftah

Using this as a bookmark ;)



Introducing: "The Shifting Middle East" » Muftah

shenanigans here in the kingdom of Bahrain

Sitting in bed with my requisite cuppa joe and 2 kittens (Mischief & Mischiefess) with a new addition: the air con is ON!  Yep, it's that time folks.  I held it off as long as I could...

I'm reflecting on my time in Bahrain.  I'm well into my 7th month here and it feels... well it feels kinda cozy.  I was with the Fulbrighters early in the week at a gala event that the US Ambassador put on here- that would be the 4th of July par-tee that happens every April- and we were discussing getting ready to leave. It felt odd because I'm not leaving... But I've spent enough time living in countries and leaving, and remember that feeling- that a chapter is coming to an end.  What have I still not accomplished?  Where did all the time go? Why did I not meet a Mr. Right, and only Mr. Wrong's, or perhaps more aptly, Mr. Right Nows ;)

But seriously, it feels good to stay put for some more time.  I started to think how they will unload all their possessions- likely at my place for storage until the next set of Fulbrighter's appear in September! I remember back to Gaziantep last May and my unloading of 2 years of collecting.  It was so much fun actually as I had a moving party complete with adult beverages and peeps just came over and walked away with my pre-loved stuff.  I didn't even try to sell anything.  I just wanted to give it all away- the blender, the rug, the plants, the psychedelic lights (I hope you are enjoying those Farahnaz ;), and just all the other cool stuff that I had amassed.  It is nice to know they are amongst good friends and people who need things.

Now I remember the trips I made with Ahmed, Farahnaz, Selin and Marc to the Syrian refugee camps. I had loads of clothing to donate on a couple occasions- the last one in May I believe, after I had already been informed that I was a Fellow recipient in Bahrain.  I thought to myself, "what will I do with all these winter clothes? "  BAM! Pack up a small bag of the goodies, and donate the rest to Ahmed's family and friends in the camps near Gaziantep. I remember being amazed at the sight of rocking up in the car to the various camps- some tent camps and some container camps.  One was just opening that week- a camp of 10,000 containers that can hold 100,000 people.  It seemed so inconceivable to me that you just pick up from your civil war-torn country and, are lucky enough, to make it across the border and re-structure your life. These people are a stone's throw from their country and cannot do a thing.  They await news each day from back home.

These  moments that I spent soaking in what I was seeing, they have changed me. Even as I type, my eyes tear up. Why? Because I've somehow forgotten these feelings until now as I relive them. As always though, there is always a context for helping people in need.  Sure enough, I opened my email this morning and in my inbox was an email from a friend who is hosting Easter dinner Sunday evening.  We are all cooking different dishes (I'm bringing Nachos and tequila ;)  She belongs to a local women's group here on isle and they are accepting donations for the women's prison here in Bahrain. It's not a big prison of course as it's a small island with a small population, but it is full of, mostly, runaway maids trying to escape abusive employers, etc. They cannot get back to their own countries and life looks pretty bleak for them at this point- regardless if they broke the laws or not. So the women need international calling cards and underwear mostly. 

This brings me to another story (I know, I'm all over the place this morning with this post).  Last night I was heading out to a swank diplomatic party with a friend and my GPS always screws up in this one spot on isle in downtown Manama.  It always takes me near Pearl Roundabout- which has been closed for about 3 years now... ahem. Anyway, it re-routed me through the Pakistani/Indian immigrant hoods and to the guts of the souk. The hood was so interesting to soak in the sights: men everywhere pouring out onto the streets.  All these guys are working here for MINIMAL wages and Thursday evening is the night to chill in their hood since Friday is their only day off.  The men were all looking into my car as if they had not seen women before. They leave their families back home and come here to work their asses off to send their meager wages back home and subsist on what little is left over.  Many do not see their wives and children for YEARS.  From time to time I talk to a few and ask them, "Is it worth it?" And the answer is always an overwhelming YES.  I think to myself, 'Wow, this is not how it's supposed to be.  How is it that you have a family and can't be with your family?"  I have no answers, but I am humbled and grateful for all that I have, and don't have, but because I am a US citizen I am... I don't even know what the word is, or maybe I don't want to pen it...

Oh, by the way, the birthday soiree (Tony Stark of the Middle East) was a smashing success.  The highlight was the shwarma station in the backyard of the dude's villa- which was HUGE.  That got me and my party friends thinking as well. The villa was huge, and swank, but not really a 'home-y' feeling, in terms of what I (we) considered home-y to be back home (NYC, Phily & Hawaii we represent). There is this feeling of artifice here.  Things are outrageous, sure.  But that doesn't necessarily do it for me. I guess just the term 'compound' has some weird connotations for me.  I mean, they are reinforced, walled living sites, complete with guard shacks and different levels of security upon entering.  It's weird to think you're 'inside the compound.' I also think back to the Syrian refugee camps as they are in their compounds, but to keep them in, and outside of the local communities.  Same difference? Different passport. Different socio-economic status. Different as night and day.

As I backtrack in thought to the camps, we all noticed (hard not to) the barreled barb wire surrounding the walls of the camps.  I asked someone if it was to keep people in.  I got an answer that it is also to keep people out.  This, of course, gets into politics- in this context concerning Turkey and Syria and their governments being at odds with one another (this is an absolutely white-washed way of coining this, but I just can't get into it now). I guess I'll just end here on this.  I'm affected- that is all I want to say.  I have ideas. I have opinions. I have prejudices. I have compassion. I have doubts. You get the picture.  It's an emotional pot of stew brewing continuously and episodes of spillover in between some relative calm (relative).

Okay, I'm pulling it together to get out of bed.  It's close to 10am and I need to get my day on.  The party, oh yes the party... Well, there were 2 parties: first one being cocktails and pupus at the pool bar at the Intercontinental for the US Embassy's "Bahrain-America Friendship Week." This was the primer.  This was actually the reward for my Matilda (my GPS) taking me through the NARROW alleys of the Manama Souk where I don't know how I actually managed a 3 kilometer stretch of men swarming, cars double-parked, sometimes 2-way traffic down what seems impossible for even a 1-way traffic situation, bicycles, women running in/out of shops with their long, black abayas flowing, etc. Somehow the chaos works though. It did not seem abnormal for anyone else.  Whereas my ass (in a sweet Dolce and Gabbana LBD number) was gripping the seat, and it was tense, but with broken moments of outright laughter too. We took ourselves so seriously for the first kilometer, and by the last, I was indeed happy to see the InterCon, but decided that THAT experience was one of my highlights here in the Kingdom.

Party #2- Once again, Matilda was fussing about logistics of Roads, Blocks, Villa #s, etc.  We had a mini caravan on tour.  We eventually found our way inside Citadel Compound a narrow street with cars all piled up in the near distance. Right away this girl is thinking ahead to trying to pull out of this hot mess in the wee hours after partaking in adult libations so... As always, I parked far enough way to be able to make a 5-point turn outta there no problem. Not that THAT helped us in locating my car upon departing the soiree.  Just a minor detail though...

...And the party. Earlier in the day I anticipated sussing out a place in the yard to pass out until the early morning hours, but this recourse was in fact not needed.  We came home at a fairly respectable hour... fairly. Upon various reconnaissance surveys of Tony Stark's residence, there was not a corner in the party area that was not covered with adult beverages.  I mean, whatever you wanted, it was there.  Music was evolving. Crowd was cutting loose. Disco ball was spinning. A good time was had by all.  There were some other highlight, but best I keep my lips sealed...

Unfortunately I did not take any pictures, but my comrades did.  Perhaps I'll include them later when I get them.  We were looking hot after all.  Everybody was looking hot- in an environment-specific way (I'll keep it at that as well).

So, that's all I've got.  I think I've confused you all enough with my 'writing off the top of my head' style of entertainment... Oh yea, Ima going to pull the hungover card and not edit this so... there's that

HollyMissBerry does the Bahrain Grand Prix Formula One event!!!

I have exciting news to share from last week.  As you can see from the title of today's blog, yes indeed I did attend the Bahrain Grand Prix- a 3-day race in a series held throughout the world. These are the fastest racing cars in the world and so the charged atmosphere is simply thrilling.  Here is a picture of the race track.  The circuit itself is just under 5.5 kilometers. The race cars, in teams of 2, spend the first 2 days qualifying for the grand finale, in which they all race together and complete 57 laps.

I had not originally planned on going as tickets are expensive, but a last minute offer from a friend sporting free tickets... I could not pass up.  I mean, this IS the sporting event in Bahrain so how could I resist?  I must say, my little host nation continues to amaze me.  So, off we went.  We had pretty decent seats as well.  From the picture above, we were at the top of the bleachers at Turn 1 (the front right side of the picture).  Since it's a hairy turn, we got to see loads of action, including Esteban's car flipping over 2x when Pablo rammed him.  He managed to walk away unassisted.  We were all amazed and cheered him on when after a few nerve-wracking seconds, nothing happened and we didn't see any movement once the car stopped (rightside up). Slowly he got out, jumped on top of the car and waved his hands up.  The crowd roared!!! As well, other cars were still racing at this point so none of the ground crew could run out to help him. Soon enough, the Porsche safety car came out to lead the rest of the cars while everything was cleaned up.

Here are some more pictures from the days leading up to the finale, in which Lewis Hamilton took the grand prize.  He dominated the entire race actually.  I was rooting for Brazil's Felipe Massa (only because I know someone who worships him). I honestly didn't know any of the driver's, or what the race was about, but just by watching and talking to my neighbors in the stands, I soon learned the ropes. 

 The venue and main sponsor.  Exciting to walk inside the gates and instantly feel the energy.  Security did take away my carrots though...

 In true festival form, everything one needs was there: food, booze (inside the Gulf Air VIP tent), entertainment, swag for purchase (I don't think anyone that attended got away without purchasing merchandise, me included). Carnival acts & contortionists were also there, along with many sunburned tourists & females wearing completely inappropriate attire!  This part I loved.  Felt like back home!  Sheiks & Sheikas were walking around in mass as well attached to their cell phones.  Everybody was having a great time in essence.

 Couldn't resist a photo opp with these two...

 Anthony met up with us and gave us all the insights into race theory and terminology.  He was our ticket sponsor!

 Oh yes, marching bands were present as well.

 We ran into people we knew (not too hard to do on a small island).

 Hanging out in the stands with Dr. Starr waiting for the action.  My neighbor was glued to his phone the entire 3 days.  Unbelievable. 

The end!

Bahrain- herstory of a community: A`ali

Post-run euphoria.  Every day that I run is a good day.  I mean a really good day.  I can't express enough how much I really appreciate the community running track here in A`ali.  I feel so fortunate to be a part of this community.  I guess I am what is called a 'fringe-dweller' here in that... well, I'm just about the only American that lives in this hood it seems!

A`ali is just a typical neighborhood on island.  I guess most expats are lured into living downtown Manama where the city life is in full swing- as well as traffic jams.  Me, I've always liked living just off the beaten path.  Most locals are a bit... shocked (I guess is a good word to use,)when I tell them I live in A`ali.  Let's just keep it at that, but when I explain what I love about this area, they seem to get it. I'm not exactly deep in the hood here, but it is unique enough, and I do somewhat feel a part of the community.

It feels good to go to the local Lulu Hypermarket and that the meats section guys know me.  They always give me tips now on what is the best seller of the day at the Indian food counter, etc. It feels good to go to the produce section and talk story with the girls that weigh/tag my produce.  We talk about all sorts of things from how crazy it is to pay so much money for avocados, coconuts and bananas when they fall off trees practically in Hawaii, and the Philippines (where the 2 main girls are from).  They laugh and their eyes get so wide when I cry out that 4 BD is too much money to pay for 3 avocados. I've finally convinced them to stop calling me 'ma`am.'

 It feels good that the Lulu check-out people all know me and know that I always have my own shopper recycle bags that I carry with me. Whenever there is a new bagger guy and they instinctively reach for the plastic, the checker always says to them, 'oh no she has her own bags.' I always proudly announce at that point that in Hawaii plastic bags are banned EVERYWHERE.  This seems to be met with shock from everybody.  Seems a shame actually.  Now the bagger guys know me enough to stop going to get a cart for me so as to carry my groceries out to my car in.  They are still amazed that a women will just up and carry 3 heavy bags.

The gym I go to, at Al Areen, has a community spirit as well.  I've got my own little set-up going there- which is easy to do because not many people are ever there when I'm there.  When I step through the doors, the front desk girls always know to turn on the sauna and steam rooms so they will be hot in 1 hours time.  The fitness guy, Mort, is usually roaming around the building offering me tips.  Most times he has a client and so we all chat together intermittently on fitness elements.  They talk about wishing to do yoga and I comment on wanting more free weight work. It is always a pleasant exchange. The place is pretty big and I always have the entire upstairs room to myself  to do my yoga routine.  As well, the area is a great place to run.  There is no crazy traffic nearby.  There is a bit of construction work going on, but my main concern is cars.  Imma just say it and get it over with: most people don't have good driving habits here... There, done. Next...

The highlight, the real highlight though of my existence here in Bahrain is the A`ali Walking Track in my hood.  I simply adore this place.  This is community.  This is the heart of the matter! I still have yet to have a conversation with anyone there, mostly due to me running when I'm there.  I suspect it has a lot to do with just me being different perhaps.  I just mean to say that there are some cultural norms here and that I have to accept those.  This is, of course, a generalization and there are stories within stories- as with everything.

What makes me feel so good though is that everybody is there just doing their thing.  Everybody is there for their health.  Some families bring their children and walk with them, or roller-blade, etc. Most are holding their cell phones, or talking on them.  There are quite a few groups of men or women walking together.  There are always people in the center on the monkey bars and doing calisthenics.  I have to admit, though, that I am the only person doing yoga there.  I always try to find a tree or somewhere out of the way to do so as I don't really wish to stick out so much.  

I have 2 favorite restaurants thus far: Ric's Kountry Kitchen (diner in Juffair) and Pan Asia in Adliya.  I really don't go out to eat much so I know there is much to explore in this area.  If I could afford sushi, I would frequent those spots but as it is I'm here on a grant and there is not much money left over to enjoy the high life. I have my occasional splurges but I generally cook at home.  As well, most the food I buy is organic, and that is a pretty penny to spend here, as elsewhere in the world.  It's shocking what I pay for yogurt with live acidophilus cultures. There are organic stores on island, but you are definitely paying for it.  My favorite, Nature Valley, is next to Xerox downtown.  The first Saturday of the month the man gives a 10% discount on food so I always show up at that time so I can buy my Ezekiel seed bread and black licorice, etc. I'm almost embarrassed to say it but 3 loaves of the Ezekiel bread is 15BD (40 US$). Now, that would cost $24 back home in Hawaii but still... Ugh. It hurts being a conscious eater... Hurts so good I suppose :)

My wish list? Okay, here goes: I would like to find a beach community here!  I desperately need to get hooked up with this.  I mean, what's an island girl to do? This is a pickle: living on an island that has (nearly) no beaches... So, if anyone has any ideas on how to deal with this, please do divulge!  There is this resort I want to check out, but it comes with a price- as does all the other 'beaches.' Alas...

More wishes: more volunteering on archaeology digs here. Bahrain's history, or prehistory, when it was known as Dilmun, is just fascinating.  I've actually met quite a few old timers with stories to tell.  This is magical as these meetings are quite random.  I had 2 such last month at the monthly Bab al Bahrain festivities.  My new incense seller guy just happened to have a picture in his phone of his father posing with a Danish archaeologist in the 1950's. It was incredible.  I showed him the pictures in my phone of the site I volunteered at this past season, the A`ali Royal Burial Mounds.  It was an incredible moment for both of us- 2 complete strangers, yet linked.  I love this.  Earlier in that evening, at another shop, another old timer was talking to me and he mentioned that every day there is an old man that comes to the coffee shop directly across from his shop and he is a historian.  And then my incense guy separately told me the same thing not 1 hour later!  So, back I go to Bab al Bahrain this Saturday evening for my MEPI coffeetalk (this week we are discussing Bahrain history) where we and indulge in local legends and oral histories.  I must say that I do really enjoy this place!

To sum up, life is good.  I'm happy, healthy and moving forward in life all the while looking back to the past.  Last but not least, if any Bahraini's know of a good tailor, I'm looking to get some things made. Drop me a note if you can.

Girl Thunder, Boy Wonder- aka Shaika Spot and Sami Bey

Transformation time.  My intentions with this transcend my life as well as the current weather that has hit the Kingdom.  Yes folks, it's warm over here.  I mean, really warm.  With 2 weeks left of 'winter' still, I don't hold high hopes for a mild spring...

I've known this has been coming as the signs were all too obvious: I have not run in the mid-morning or mid-afternoon for 2 weeks now (never mind I've had out of town company and haven't felt like running during those hours).  Two nights in a row now I haven't had as much as a sarong for cover while sleeping.  This morning I had to *gasp* turn the fan on in the bedroom while drinking my coffee and perusing the morning news. Yesterday, while driving through downtown MADNESS, I had to turn on the air con- on low only though. I wouldn't allow myself to increase the setting- that is reserved for April, May, June... Each month I will allow myself to increase 1 setting only... I hate air con.

Lastly, I've been observing the Lounge Lizards for the past 2 days- Shaika Spot and Sami Bey, formerly known as Girl Thunder and Boy Wonder up until 2 days ago when the weather started heating up.  Now they look like medicinal leeches sucking up the blood from the couch...Very cute, irresistible leeches mind you. Soon enough I'll, apparently, have to leave the house with the air con on for the critters.

Other modified behaviors of theirs consist of sleeping on the tile floors, as well as sleeping in the bathroom sink.  Shaika Spot is already obsessed with water and jumps onto the tub to watch.  Sami Bey, following suit, became interested too.  He, not being as agile as his step-sister, can be clumsy and fall into the shower occasionally- while it's on!  He's becoming a bit of a water-boy though, thus making his older step-sister Shaika Spot quite proud.

Okay shutting down shop now so... bye