Wednesday in Bahrain

Trip Start Jun 24, 2008
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Trip End Jul 25, 2008


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Flag of Bahrain  ,
Thursday, July 3, 2008

I ventured out yesterday to run a few errands -- namely, the cleaners and the gas station. The woman that works at the front desk of our apartment building gave me great directions to the cleaners. It is so close that had the temperature been 20 degrees lower, I could have walked. Instead I drove my Toyota Yaris hatchback (a great little car) and, trying my best to fit in with the locals, parked on the sidewalk. I basically played a game of charades with the man working and will find out today after 3 if I was successful in my depictions of laundering and pressing but not starching.

The gas station would have been less intimidating if I had not been on fumes trying to locate it. I did find it, however, and was rewarded with a full tank of gas that cost me BD 3 (about 8 USD).

Last night, we went to a dinner with Michael's coworkers at Bahrain's best Italian restaurant, Oliveto's. As with a lot of things in Bahrain, the restaurant was not much to look at from the outside. We pulled into the parking lot and I immediately felt like I was doing something sketchy by being there. We stepped into a very pleasant -- almost swank -- interior, however. The food was wonderful -- pesto, sundried tomatoes, and bruschetta to start and then tagliatelle with beef tenderloin and mushrooms. Michael and I have both put it on our list of things to do again.

I learned a lot at dinner; it was the most diverse group of which I have ever been a part. France, Pakistan, Australia, Lebanon, Canada, India, and Turkey were countries represented and the conversation was delightful. The only disturbing part of the evening was finding out that every so often, a water truck is sent out to nourish the Tree of Life!

We're off to Dubai for the weekend -- I'll write another report from the UAE...
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