Caleb took his bike to duty so that I could stay home and kill a thousand ants. I need to call the bug guy. I met Eloise at her place at 11:20 and she served us a lunch of samosas, bread, and stuffed pastries. I left two hours later to nap for three hours. I went to Lulu’s for Raid after having put down cinnamon in hopes to control the ants while I was gone. 

I got home at 6 pm and soon after drove to Bahrain Mall. I missed the Muharraq turn and had to go close to Priya’s house and take her route to work to get there to find a hijab. There were nice ones for 12 dinars and cotton ones for 7, but I decided to try the souq. The first shop wanted two dinars and I put my abaya on in the store and wrapped the hijab around my head. 

Out into the street and it began to fall off. I let half my hair hang out as I walked towards a black flag area with almost everyone in black mourning the martyrdom of Hussein Ibn Ali over 1,300 years ago. I grabbed a juice, one of the many options on offer, and went into an air-conditioned room with art on display; one section with women actively painting. I could’ve spent more time in there looking and getting stared at. This opens my eyes to a different side of Bahrain that many expats aren’t privy too.

I’m grateful and felt out-of-place, but so at home. I was thrilled to be able to see this and to see others taking pictures so that I knew I could take one too. (I went to this event without prior knowledge of what else takes place). I was adjusting my hijab and a girl helped readjust it in a shop. I need to get some hairpins as that’s their trick. 

Back on the street, I walk past the mosque and another parade. Summer is over but the humidity is more noticeable with an added layer of clothes on. I walked back to the main part of the souq so I could remove my abaya.