First Impressions

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Trip Start Jun 24, 2008 Trip End Jul 25, 2008 Next
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  Manama, Bahrain
Wednesday, July 2, 2008

It's been a week since I touched down in Bahrain and, after conquering jet lag and a touch of culture shock, I've formed some first impressions...

The heat over here is beyond anything I've ever experienced -- and that's coming from someone who has been to South Georgia in August. It's like hanging out in a convection oven all day. Michael and I were saying last night that a 100-degree day would feel like a treat right now. The humidity has only just begun to set in, too. I think you get used to the the heat in the summers but not the sandstorms. The latter produces blizzard-like conditions which leave a film of sand on everything, including your skin.

Driving has been an interesting pastime. Bahrainis are crazy drivers and actually make Boston and Cobb County drivers seem downright responsible behind the wheel

Causeway to Saudi Arabia

. My favorite thing about driving here is the stoplights. They go, as in America, from green to yellow to red. But, in an interesting twist, they also go from red to yellow to green. If you don't start driving when the light turns from red to yellow, other drivers honk at you -- keep in mind that elsewhere in the intersection, some other driver is speeding through a light turning from yellow to red. It's all very sane.

The food has been quite good here. We had a wonderful Iranian meal at the Gulf Hotel on Thursday night: kebabs (my favorite was minced lamb), various types of rice, mast-o-khiya (almost identical to tzatziki), and flatbread. Friday night we ate at The Meat Co, which is a South African steakhouse chain. Michael and I both had petite filets along with the typical accoutrements, and red wine. We seemed to have plenty of company on the drinking front. We also had a delicious lunch at Trader Vic's -- just as old school as the one in Atlanta, David, Domino's pizza for dinner, Starbucks coffee for breakfast, and even Chili's. In other words, we've run the gamut from International to embarrassingly American.

The grocery store, Al Jazira, offers the same foods as Kroger: Amy's Organic frozen meals, Coca Light, Folgers, Splenda, Boursin, Carr's Table Crackers, organic eggs, limes, tonic water, even pork bacon, although it is found in a section marked "Food for non-Muslims"

Tree of LIfe

. The liquor store, with it's exterior completely devoid of any markings (except a sign on the door that reads something to the effect of, "According to law, we cannot sell to Muslims") feels more like a seedy speakeasy than the clean and tidy oasis that it is inside. They have a good selection of Old and New World wines, as well as all the standard liquors. We purchased a fat bottle of Hendrick's Gin to accompany the limes and tonic from Al Jazira. Just the thing to get one through a sandstorm.

On Friday, we toured the island and saw what there is to see in about two hours. Bahrain is a very small kingdom. We went halfway across the causeway to Saudi Arabia (a little frightening to be so close to such a different place), photographed the Tree of Life (I almost wilted after 2 minutes in the desert -- how it has stood in such weather for so many years is indeed a wonder), hung out with some camels (they were very charming), drove past an aluminum smelting plant, and walked around the mall (truly insane crowds -- even for this experienced shopper).

So, my first impression is that this place is small but interesting, quirky but endearing.

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Tower in between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia	Camels	Tree of Life	Tree of LIfe
Michael and friends	Charming camel	Beth and Michael	Bahrain skyline

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