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

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.